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　　Wherefore；　others　cannot　be　familiar　with　such；　nor　yet　keep　at　a　distance　from　them；　cannot　reap　advantage　from　them；　nor　yet　incur　harm；　cannot　confer　honour　upon　them；　nor　yet　degrade　them；　and　thus　their　honour　comes　from　the　whole　world。

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　　＇The　cultivator　of　TAO＇　uses　uprightness　in　governing　his　State；　exceptional　sagacity　in　war；　and　inaction　in　obtaining　the　Empire。

　　How　do　I　know　that　such　is　the　case？　By　this：梂hen　there　are　many　prohibitions　in　the　Empire；　the　people　become　the　more　impoverished。　When　the　people　accumulate　excess　of　wealth　and　goods；　both　State　and　family　become　gradually　demoralised。　When　men　are　overskilful；　the　use　of　fantastical　things　gradually　arises。　When　instruments　of　punishment　gradually　come　into　play；　robbers　increase　in　number。

　　Wherefore　the　Sage　says；　〃I　do　nothing；　and　the　people　reform　of　their　own　accord。　I　love　quietude；　and　the　people　become　spontaneously　upright。　I　take　no　measures；　and　the　people　enrich　themselves。　I　have　no　desires；　and　the　people　naturally　become　simple。〃

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　　When　the　policy　of　administration　is　＇apparently＇　inert；　the　people　are　liberal…minded　and　frank。　When　such　policy　is　based　on　espionage　the　people　are　resentful　and　dissatisfied。

　　Happiness　is　the　correlate　of　calamity；　calamity　is　ever　hidden　under　happiness。　Who　can　tell　the　boundary…line　which　divides　one　from　the　other？

　　If　＇the　prince＇　be　devoid　of　rectitude；　the　rectitude　＇of　his　people＇　will　be　turned　into　craft；　and　their　goodness　be　turned　into　depravity。

　　When　the　people　are　under　delusion；　the　days　＇of　their　prince＇　cannot　last　long。

　　*　The　Commentator　says：？##。

　　Therefore　the　Sage　is　correct　in　his　conduct；　and　never　abandons　＇his　correctness＇；　he　is　incorruptible；　and　never　inflicts　injury　＇by　a　bad　example＇；　he　is　straightforward；　and　never　acts　at　random；　he　shines　＇with　internal　radiance＇；　but　dazzles　no　one。

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　　In　governing　men　and　serving　Heaven；　there　is　nothing　equal　to　temperance。　It　is　only　by　temperance　that　one　may　be　said　to　submit　betimes　＇to　TAO＇。　Early　submission　＇to　TAO＇　implies　a　heavy　accumulation　of　virtue。　When　virtue　is　thus　heavily　accumulated　there　is　nothing　to　which　the　man　is　inadequate；　when　there　is　nothing　to　which　a　man　is　inadequate；　it　is　impossible　to　know　the　limit　of　his　resources；　and　the　man　whose　resources　are　thus　limitless；　is　fit　to　possess　the　State。

　　The　possession　of　the　Mother　of　the　State　＇the　principle　of　TAO＇　involves　its　long　endurance。　It　may　then　be　said　to　have　a　deep　root　and　a　solid　stalk。　This　is　the　TAO　which　gives　immortality　and　the　power　of　long　observing　＇the　affairs　of　the　world＇。

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　　To　govern　a　great　State　as　one　fries　a　little　fish梣。d。；　without　taking　any　trouble梚s　to　employ　TAO　in　administering　the　Empire。　The　spirits　of　the　departed　are　not　＇sacrificed　to＇　as　gods；　neither　are　the　spirits　of　those　who　do　not　belong　to　a　man's　own　family。

　　*　Compare　Lun　Yü；　Book　III；　chap。　XXIV：？##。

　　The　gods　of　the　land　do　not　inflict　injury　upon　the　inhabitants；　nor　do　those　which　belong　to　other　lands。

　　*　Compare　Lun　Yü；　Book　III；　chap。　VI：？##　etc。

　　The　Sage；　also；　inflicts　no　injury　on　his　subjects；　neither　he　nor　they　injure　each　other；　so　that　the　virtue　of　both　unites　and　converges　＇in　one　direction＇。

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　　A　great　State　is　the　rendezvous　towards　which　the　whole　Empire　converges；　it　is　a　Mother　among　all　nations。　The　maternal　or　female　principle；　by　means　of　quiescence；　ever　vanquishes　＇the　inquietude　of＇　the　male　principle。

　　The　＇prince＇；　by　a　quiescent　policy；　makes　himself　humble。

　　It　is　for　this　reason　that　a　great　State；　by　bearing　itself　humbly　towards　a　small　State；　gains　its　allegiance；　and　a　small　State；　by　bearing　itself　humbly　towards　a　great　State；　may　obtain　possession　of　it。　Thus　an　inferior　＇State＇　can　either　be　taken　by　this　means；　or　can　itself　take　＇a　superior　one＇。

　　When　a　great　State　has　no　desire　beyond　protecting　all　its　subjects　equally；　and　a　small　State　has　no　desire　but　to　belong　to　＇the　greater　one＇　and　to　serve　its　Prince；　both　will　attain　to　the　positions　proper　to　each。　Those　who　aspire　to　greatness　must　humble　themselves。

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　　TAO　is　the　deep　reservoir　of　all　things。　It　is　the　jewel　of　the　good　man；　the　guardian　of　the　bad。

　　Virtuous　words　are　marketable；　honourable　deeds　may　be　made　over　to　the　credit　of　others。　What　reason　is　there　for　casting　a　man　off　on　account　of　his　being　unvirtuous？

　　Wherefore；　though　the　Emperor　be　enthroned；　and　his　Ministers　appointed；　holding　their　jade　badges　of　office　in　front　of　them　and　riding　in　a　chariot　and　four：　it　would　be　better　to　remain　seated　in　quiet；　and　to　adopt；　or　enter　into；　this　TAO。

　　It　was　this　TAO　that　the　ancients　reverenced。　Why　do　not　＇the　rulers　of　to…day＇　strive　daily　to　acquire　it？　The　ancients　taking　the　national　sins　upon　themselves；　their　subjects　put　away　their　depravity；　and　therefore　they　were　honoured　by　the　whole　Empire。

　　*　See　Lun　Yü；　Book　XX；　chap。　1；　sec。　3。

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　　＇The　Sage＇　acts　as　though　not　acting。　He　occupies　himself　as　though　having　nothing　to　do。　He　relishes　that　which　is　insipid梩he　TAO。

　　The　great；　the　small；　the　many；　the　few；　＇are　all　equal　in　his　sight＇。　He　recompenses　injury　with　kindness。　In　setting　about　difficult　tasks；　he　begins　with　what　is　easy。　In　performing　great　things；　he　begins　with　little　ones。

　　The　difficult　affairs　of　the　world　must　be　begun　from　what　is　easy　the　great　things　of　the　world　must　be　begun　from　what　is　small。　That　is　why　the　Sage　never　sets　about　great　undertakings　and　yet　is　able　to　accomplish　great　things。

　　Lightly　made　promises　lead　to　very　little　faith　＇being　placed　in　the　promiser＇。　He　to　whom　most　things　are　very　easy　at　first　will　certainly　find　many　difficulties　afterwards。　Thus　the　Sage　always　recognises　the　existence　of　difficulty；　and　by　this　means　he　never　experiences　any　difficulty　in　practice。

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　　When　＇the　State＇　is　at　peace；　it　is　easily　supported；　or　maintained。　When　portents　have　not　yet　appeared；　it　is　easy　to　provide　for　＇future　contingencies＇。　When　a　thing　is　brittle；　it　is　easily　broken。　When　a　thing　is　minute；　it　is　easily　dispersed。

　　Act　before　pressing　necessity　for　action　arises。　Govern　well　the　State　before　anarchy　breaks　out。　A　tree　which　takes　the　arms　of　two　men　to　span　it；　grew　from　a　tiny　sprout。　A　tower　nine　storeys　high　was　raised　from　a　mound　of　earth。　A　journey　of　a　thousand　li　begins　with　a　foot's　pace。

　　He　who　acts；　fails；　he　who　grasps；　loses。　The　Sage　never　acts；　and　therefore　he　never　fails；　he　never　grasps；　and　therefore　he　never　loses。

　　The　people；　in　their　undertakings；　frequently　fail　when　they　are　on　the　verge　of　accomplishment。　The　cautious　act　towards　the　end　of　an　undertaking　as　at　the　commencement；　and　that　is　why　they　never　fail。

　　Thus　the　Sage　desires　as　though　he　desired　not；　and　attaches　no　value　to　things　difficult　of　acquisition。　He　learns　what　others　do　not　learn；　and　returns　to　what　is　passed　over　by　the　multitude。　By　this　means　he　promotes　the　spontaneous　development　of　all　things；　and　that　without　venturing　to　act。

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　　Those　who；　in　ancient　times；　were　eminent　for　the　practice　of　TAO；　abstained　from　enlightening　the　people；　and　kept　them　simple。

　　The　difficulty　of　governing　the　people　arises　from　their　excess　of　shrewdness。　He　who　employs　shrewdness　in　governing　a　State；　becomes　a　robber　of　the　State；　he　who　does　not　do　so；　is　a　blessing　to　it。　The　man　who　knows　both　these　things　presents　an　ideal　of　good　government；　and　a　knowledge　of　this　ideal　constitutes　Sublime　Virtue。　Sublime　Virtue　is　deep　and　far…reaching；　and　is　in　direct　opposition　to　all　objects　of　desire；　thus　it　is　able　to　bring　about　universal　accordance　＇with　TAO＇。

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　　The　fact　that　rivers　and　seas　are　able　to　be　rulers　over　all　water…courses　is　due　to　their　downward　tendency。　It　is　on　account　of　this　that　they　are　able　to　dominate　all　waters。　Therefore　the　Sage　who　desires　to　reign　over　the　people　must　be　retiring　in　demeanour。　Then；　when　the　Sage　occupies　a　high　position；　his　subjects　will　not　be　self…sufficient；　when　he　leads　the　van；　his　subjects　will　not　work　injury　＇by　disobedience　or　rebellion＇。　Thus　it　comes　that　the　whole　Empire　delights　to　render　him　his　dues；　and　that　without　reluctance；　in　that　he　never　strives；　therefore　the　Empire　is　unable　to　strive　with　him。

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　　The　inhabitants　of　the　world　all　say　that　I　am　great　＇i。e。；　greatly　tolerant＇；　although　I　have　the　appearance　of　incompetence。　This　apparent　incompetence　is　the　result　of　my　very　greatness。　In　the　case　of　one　who　is　possessed　of　more　than　ordinary　ability；　he　sets　his　mind　constantly　upon　even　the　smallest　matters。

　　Now　there　are　three　things　which　I　regard　as　precious；　which　I　grasp　and　prize。

　　The　first　is　compassion；　the　second　is　frugality；　the　third　is　not　venturing　to　take　precedence　of　others梞odesty。

　　I　prize　compassion；　therefore　I　am　able　to　be　fearless。　I　prize　frugality；　therefore　I　am　able　to　be　liberal。　I　prize　modesty；　therefore　I　am　able　to　become　a　leader　of　men。　But　men　o