But nowadays； if you are brave it is at the expense of compassion；
If you are generous； it is at the expense of moderation；
If you lead； it is at the expense of humility；
And this is death。
For he who fights with compassion will conquer；
He who defends with compassion will hold fast；
Heaven will save him and protect him with compassion。
68
The captain who is most accomplished does not make a display of warlike zeal；
The best fighter is not angry；
He who is most capable of conquering does not engage the enemy；
He who is most capable of using men places himself in a position inferior to them。
This may be called the Virtue of Non…striving；
The power to use men；
It is to work in consort with heaven itself；
And attain the highest ideal of the Ancients。
69
A great strategist has said： 〃I will not issue a challenge； but being challenged will give a good account of myself。
Rather than advance an unnecessary inch I will retire a foot。〃
This might be called：
Marching by standing still；
Baring the arms； but not raising them to fight；
Keeping the hand on the hilt of the unsheathed sword；
Being prepared for battle； but not engaging the enemy。
No calamity could be greater than that which results from underestimating the enemy。
To underestimate the enemy is to risk the loss of one's greatest treasure … life itself。
Thus it is that when enemies meet in battle； the side that deplores the conflict will most surely be victorious。
70
My words are very easy to grasp and very easy to carry out；
Yet few om earth understand them； and few carry them out。
Nevertheless； my words have an ancestor；
My actions have a master。
And because they； my words' ancestors and my actions' master； are not understood； nor shall I be understood。
Those who understand me are but few；
But their fewness does not lessen my worth。
For the Sage goes clothed in coarse and simple garments；
But he wears a jewel hidden in his bosom。
71
To know that one does not know is the better part。
Not to recognize true knowledge is an illness。
Only by knowing this illness to be illness does not cease to be ill。
The Sage is free from this illness；
For having recognized his illness and illness；
He is no longer ill。
72
If people are not awestruck by that authority which rightly claims their awe；
Be sure a greater fear； the fear of death； will not let them escape。
But do not confine them within narrow walls；
Not interfere with their lot；
If you refrain from despising htem； you will not be despised by them。
Thus it is with the Sage：
He knows himselfr； yet makes no parade of himself。
He loves himself； yet does not overrate himself。
Indeed； he disregards That and nurtures This。
73
He whose courage is shown in rashly daring will be killed；
He whose courage is shown in not rashly daring will live。
Of these two either may be harmful； either may be beneficial；
And who shall say which of them is hated by Heaven？
（Even the Sage sees a difficulty here。）
The Tao of Heaven does not contend； yet knows the way to win；
It does not speak； yet knows how to get the right answer；
It does not beckon； yet all things come to it freely；
In stillness and without haste； it carries out its well…laid plans。
The net of Heaven is vast； but though its mesh is wide；
Nothing escapes。
74
If the people do not stand in awe of death；
What is the point of threatening them with the death penalty？
But even suppose the people were in constant fear of death；
Who would dare to seize the evil…doers and slaughter them？
Leave killing to the Great Slayer。
He who usurps the place of the Great Slayer
Is like one who seeks to assist a master joiner with an axe。
Now he who assists a master joiner with an axe
Rarely fails to injure his own hands。
75
If the people go hungry it is because their betters ruin them with taxes：
That is why they must grow hungry。
IF the people are hard to govern it is because their betters meddle in their affairs：
That is the only reason why they are hard to overn。
If the peoplemake light of death it is because they are so absorbed in the task of living：
That is why they make light of death。
And indeed they who set too little store by life are at any rate wiser than they who value it too dearly。
76
Men at birth are weak and tender；
Men in death are rigid and hard。
All creatures； trees and plants are soft and tender in their early growth；
And in dying become withered and dry。
Thus we may say that rigidity and hardness are related to death；
While weakness and tenderness are related to life。
Therefore； the soldier who depends on strength will not conquer；
The tree that has grown too hard will be felled。
For the tree that has grown too hard will be felled。
For the place of the strong and mighty is below；
And the place of the weak and tender is above。
77
Kapitel nicht vorhanden / chapter not available
78
Kapitel nicht vorhanden / chapter not available
79
When reconciliation follows a great grievance；
How often there is a residue of grievance！
That can scarcely be called a settlement！
Therefore； the Sage； while himself fulfilling the harder part of a bargain；
Does not claim his due from the other。
He who uses the Virtue of the Tao； keeps to his bond；
He who does not use the Virtue of the Tao drives a hard bargain。
The Tao is no respecter of persons：
Its abundance is always at the service of the good。
80
Picture my little country with its few inhabitants。
Maybe there are contraptions in it for reducing labour to a tenth； a hundredth； but why should they be used？
I would have my people take death seriously and not go abroad to seek it； though they be ready enough to die wice
over to defend their homes。
Maybe there are boats and carriages in my little country； but why should the people travel in them？
Maybe there are weapons and armour； but these are kept in the background； unused。
I would let my people jog their memories with knotted cords and not depend on writing。
I would have them satisfied with their food； their clothing should be pleasant； their homes comfortable； and they
would take delight in the performance of the daily round。
The neighbouring country might be so near that my people would hear the cocks crow and the dogs bark over there；
but old age might come and even death itself； and yet my people would have felt no need to cross the border。
81
Truth has no need for fine words；
Fine words may not be true words。
The man of Tao does not try to convince by argument：
He who argues is not a man of Tao。
Wisdom does not consist in knowing everything；
The know…alls do not know the Tao。
The Sage does not hoard。 The more he spends himself for others； the more he enriches himself。
The more he fives； the more he gains。
For the Tao of Heaven penetrates all things but harms none。
This； too； is the Tao of the Sage； who acts without contending。
English_RedPine_TTK
Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
Chinese … English by
Red Pine （Bill Porter）； 1996
1
The way that becomes a way is not the Immortal Way
the name that becomes a name is not the Immortal Name
the maiden of Heaven and Earth has no name
the mother of all things has a name
thus in innocence we see the beginning
in passion we see the end
two different names for one and the same
the one we call dark the dark beyond dark the door to all beginnings
2
All the world knows beauty but if that becomes beautiful this becomes ugly
all the word knows good but if that becomes good this becomes bad
the coexistence of have and have not the coproduction of hard and easy the correlation of long and short
the codependence of high and low the correspondence of note and noise the coordination of first and last is endless
thus the sage performs effortless deeds and teaches wordless lessons
he doesn't start all things he begins he doesn't presume on what he does he doesn't claim what he achieves
and because he makes no claim he suffers no loss
3
Bestowing no honours keeps people from fighting
prizing no treasures keeps people from stealing
displaying no attractions keeps people from making trouble
thus the rule of the sage empties the mind but fills the stomach weakens the will but strengthens the bones
by keeping the people from knowing or wanting and those who know from daring to act
he thus governs them all
4
The Tao is so empty those who use it never become full again
and so deep as if it were the ancestor of us all
dulling our edges untying our tangles softening our light merging our dust
and so clear as if it were present
I wonder whose child it is it seems it was here before the Ti
5
Heaven and Earth are heartless treating creatures like straw dogs
heartless is the sage treating people like straw dogs
between Heaven and Earth how like a bellows empty but inexhaustible each movement produces more
taking only wastes it better to keep it inside
6
The valley spirit that doesn't die we call the dark womb
as real as gossamer silk and yet we can't exhaust it。
The valley spirit that doesn't die we call the dark womb the dark womb's mouth we call the source of creation as real as gossamer silk and yet we can't exhaust it。
7
Heaven is eternal and Earth is immortal
the reason they're eternal and immortal is because they don't live for themselves hence they can live forever
thus the sage pulls himself back but ends up in front
he lets himself go but ends up safe
selflessness must be the reason whatever he seeks he finds
8