Therefore it is better to be soft and weak than to be hard and tough。
77
Nature's way is like the bending of a bow： The top which is high is lowered while the bottom which is low is raised； And the width which is narrow is widened while the length which is long is shortened。
Nature's way is to take from those that have too much and give to those that have too little。
Man's way； on the contrary； is to take away from those who have too little to give more to those who already have too much。 What kind of man is able to take away from his own more than enough and give to others who have less than enough？
Only he who embodies Nature's way within himself。 Such a man gives his gift without desiring a reward； achieves benefit for others without expecting approbation； And is generous without calling attention to his generosity。
78
Nothing is weaker than water； Yet； for attacking what is hard and tough； Nothing surpasses it； nothing equals it。
The principle； that what is weak overcomes what is strong； And what is yielding conquers what is resistant； Is known to everybody。 Yet few men utilize it profitably in practice。
But the intelligent man knows that： He who willingly takes the blame for disgrace to his community is considered a responsible person； And he who submissively accepts responsibility for the evils in his community naturally will be given enough authority for dealing with them。 These principles； no matter how paradoxical； are sound。
79
Make agreements and then quarrelling when they are broken is never advisable。 For even when a quarrel is patched up； some animosity will remain。 How can this be considered good？
Therefore the intelligent man continues to carry out his side of a bargain Even though he does not demand of others that they fulfill their promises
The righteous insist on keeping agreements to the letter； And the indiscreet foolishly neglect or break their agreements；
But Nature neither keeps nor breaks contracts （because it makes none）。 And its ways are good for men。
80
The ideal state is a small intimate community Where all the necessities of life are present in abundance。 There everyone is satisfied to live and die without looking around for greener pastures。
Even if they have cars or boats； they do not use them for travelling abroad。 Even if they have police and fortifications； these are never put to use。
Business transactions are simple enough to be calculated on one's fingers rather than requiring complicated bookkeeping。 The people are satisfied with their food； Contented with their clothing； Comfortable in their dwellings； And happy with their customs。
Even though neighbouring communities are within sight； And the crowing of the neighbour's cocks and barking of the neighbour's dogs are within hearing； They grow old and die without ever troubling themselves to go outside of their own communities。
81
He who is genuine is not artificial； He who is artificial is not genuine。
He who is intelligent is not quarrelsome； He who is quarrelsome is not intelligent。
He who is wise is not pretentious； He who is pretentious is not wise。
Therefore the intelligent man does not struggle to achieve for himself。 The more useful he is to others； the more his needs will be cared for by those repeatedly benefited by his yielding。
Nature's way is to produce good without evil。 The intelligent man's way is to accept and follow Nature rather than to oppose Nature。
English_Balfour_TTK
Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
Chinese … English by
Frederic Henry Balfour； 1884
Vorwort/Foreword
IT is only after some years of hesitation that I have undertaken a new version of the Tao Tê Ching。 The task has already been performed by Julien； Chalmers； Strauss； Pl？nckner； and Legge； most of whom； at any rate； are scholars of the first water。 But it occurs to me梐nd with all deference I make the avowal梩hat one prime defect lies at the root of every translation that has been published hitherto； and this is； that not one seems to have been based solely and entirely on commentaries furnished by members of the Taoist school。 The Confucian element enters largely into all； and here； I think； an injustice has been done to Lao Tsze。 To a Confucianist； the Taoist system is in every sense of the word a heresy； and a commentator holding this opinion is surely not the best expositor。 It is as a grammarian rather than as a philosopher that a member of the Ju…chia deals with the Tao Tê Ching； he gives the sense of a passage according to the syntactical construction rather than according to the genius of the philosophy itself； and in attempting to explain the text by his own canons instead of by the canons of Taoism； he mistakes the superficial and apparently obvious meaning for the hidden and esoteric interpretation。 One of the greatest reproaches levelled at the Taoist system by Confucian scholars is the alleged scorn of ethical morality attributed to Lao Tsze and his followers。 They have been represented as ascribing all the troubles and vices of China to the example of Yao and Shun； and to the doctrines respecting benevolence； rectitude； ceremonies； and music enforced by the Sages who immediately succeeded them。 Lü Tsu； in his commentary； vehemently controverts this theory； and strives to prove； not only that Taoism and Confucianism are at one upon such points； but that the latter is actually based upon the former梑eing a mere carrying…out in practice； a careful systematising； as it were； of the radical doctrines of Lao Chün。 The fact that I have entirely discarded all assistance from commentators of the Confucian school is my only excuse for coming forward with a new translation of this important classic。 The version now presented is based solely upon the commentaries of Lü Ch憉n…yang； commonly called Lü Tsu； the well…known Taoist patriarch of the eighth century of our era； and his guidance I have followed throughout。 I candidly admit that this has not been done without some effort。 It was no means easy； at first； to reject what appeared to be the plain； clear； unmistakeable meaning of the text梐 meaning； too； endorsed by many eminent Chinese scholars； such as Chu Hsi； Liu Chieh…fu； Wang Pi； and Su Tsze…yu； and adopted by Legge； Julien； and Chalmers梚n favour of an interpretation at once far…fetched and obscure。 But I felt that I was after all under the guidance of a disciple； and not a critic； of the Master； and although many passages which before stood out distinctly enough are now dimmed by mysticism； I cannot help thinking that we have advanced a step towards the comprehension of their true significance。 There are other passages the existing translations of which； apart from questions of commentary； I believe to be entirely； and indeed palpably； wrong； and of these I now offer a new rendering with confidence。 The versions of Julien and Chalmers have lain beside me； and I have constantly referred to them； but far from relying on them for assistance； each glance has shown me how wide and radical was the divergence between them and the work growing slowly but steadily under my hand。
I need only add that the words enclosed in brackets ＇thus＇ are for the most part representative of the commentary I have followed； and thus serve to supplement the meagre and laconic text。 Occasionally a few lines of additional elucidation or remark have been appended； where necessary； in smaller type。
Postscript
The reader is requested to refer to Chap。 VI； the first sentence of which is literally rendered； 〃The Spirit of the Depths is immortal；〃 It would be better； perhaps； to follow the reading of the Commentary； which runs 〃The Breath of the Deep is imperishable。〃 For further reference to this Breath see infra； passages in the T慳i Hsi and the Hsin Yin。
I further beg to recommend any student anxious to follow out the theories of Taoism embodied in the Commentary of Lü Ts？； to read a very curious and interesting book by that author entitled ###； or 'Occult Mysteries respecting the Cultivation of the Pure Essence；' kindly sent to me by my friend M。 Ké？ta Goo； of the Imperial Japanese Diplomatic Service； while the present volume was passing through the press。 It is well worth study。
1
The TAO； or Principle of Nature； may be discussed ＇by all＇； it is not the popular or common Tao棧。g。； the tao…li of ethics； dealing with the ### and the ###＇。
Its Name may be named ＇i。e。； the TAO may receive a designation； though of itself it has none＇； but it is not an ordinary name； ＇or name in the usual sense of the word； for it is a presentment or ειδωλον of the Infinite＇。
Its nameless period was that which preceded the birth of the Universe； ＇the ###＇；
In being spoken of by name； it is as the Progenitrix of All Things； ＇the period of the ###； which divided and produced the ###＇。
It is therefore in habitual passionlessness ＇the ### or Quiescent phase of TAO＇ that its mystery may be scanned； and in habitual desire ＇the ### or Active phase of TAO＇ that its developments may be perceived。
These two conditions； the Active and the Quiescent； alike proceed ＇from TAO＇； it is only in name that they differ。 Both may be called profundities； and the depth of profundity is the gate of every mystery。
2
The Beautiful being once recognised as such by the world； the Repulsive appears ＇as its converse＇。 Goodness being once recognised as such； Evil appears in like manner。 Thus existence and non…existence produce each other； the difficult and the easy bring about each other； the long and the short impart form to each other； the high and low comply ＇or change places＇ with each other； sounds and voices harmonise with each other； priority and sequence alternate with each other。
Wherefore the Sage pursues a policy of inaction； and teaches men in silence； ＇i。e。； he conforms to the TAO or Course of Nature； which proceeds silently and spontaneously； and thus the people learn to govern themselves by his example without needing the interferences of legislation and instruction＇。
He forms all things without shrinking ＇from the