？？？？The softest substance of the world
？？？？Goes through the hardest。
？？？？That…which…is…without…form penetrates that…which…has…no…crevice；
？？？？Through this I know the benefit of taking no action。
？？？？The teaching without words
？？？？And the benefit of taking no action
？？？？Are without pare in the universe。
四十四章
名与身孰亲？身与货孰多？得与亡孰病？是故，甚爱必大费，多藏必厚亡。知足不辱，知止不殆，可以长久。
Fame or one's own self； which does one love more？
One's own self or material goods； which has more worth？
Loss （of self） or possession （of goods）； which is the greater evil？
Therefore： he who loves most spends most；
He who hoards much loses much。
The contented man meets no disgrace；
Who know when to stop runs into no danger …
He can long endure。
四十五章
大成若缺，其用不弊。大盈若冲，其用不穷。大直若屈，大巧若拙，大辩若讷。躁胜寒，静胜热，清静为天下正。
The highest perfection is like imperfection；
And its use is never impaired。
The greatest abundance seems meager；
And its use will never fail。
What s most straight appears devious；
The greatest skill appears clumsiness；
The greatest eloquence seems like stuttering。
Movement overes cold；
（But） keeping still overes heat。
Who is calm and quiet bees the guide for the universe。
四十六章
天下有道，却走马以粪。天下无道，戎马生于郊。祸莫大于不知足；咎莫大于欲得。故，知足之足，常足矣。
When the world lives in accord with Tao；
Racing horses are turned back to haul refuse carts。
When the world lives not in accord with Tao；
Cavalry abounds in the countryside。
There is no greater curse than the lack of contentment。
No greater sin than the desire for possession。
Therefore he who is contented with contentment
shall be always content。
四十七章
不出户，知天下；不窥牖，见天道。其出弥远，其知弥少。是以圣人不行而知，不见而明，不为而成。
Without stepping outside one's doors；
One can know what is happening in the world；
Without looking out of one's windows；
One can see the Tao of heaven。
The farther one pursues knowledge；
The less one knows。
Therefore the Sage knows without running about；
Understands without seeing；
Acplishes without doing。 ？？
？？
？？？？
？？ê？°？？？
？？？？？a？§è？ò？￡？？aμàè？？？？￡？？？？ó？？？￡？ò？？áóú？？？a？￡？？？a？？？？2？？a？￡è？ìì？？3￡ò？？？ê？？￡？°？？ó？ê？￡？2？×？ò？è？ìì？？？￡
？？？？The student of knowledge （aims at） learning day by day；
？？？？The student of Tao （aims at） losing day by day。
？？？？By continual losing
？？？？One reaches doing nothing （laissez…faire）。
？？？？He who conquers the world often does so by doing nothing。
？？？？When one is pelled to do something；
？？？？The world is already beyond his conquering。
四十九章
圣人常无心，以百姓心为心。善者吾善之，不善者吾亦善之，得善。信者吾信之，不信者吾亦信之，得信。圣人在天下，歙歙焉，为天下浑其心，圣人皆孩之。
The Sage has no decided opinions and feelings；
But regards the people's opinions and feelings as his own。
The good ones I declare good；
The bad ones I also declare good。
That is the goodness of Virtue。
The honest ones I believe；
The liars I also believe；
That is the faith of Virtue。
The Sage dwells in the world peacefully； harmoniously。
The people of the world are brought into a munity of heart；
And the Sage regards them all as his own children。
五十章
出生入死。生之徒，十有三；死之徒，十有三；人之生，动之死地，亦十有三。夫何故？以其生之厚。盖闻善摄生者，陵行不遇兕虎，入军不被甲兵。兕无所投其角，虎无所措其爪，兵无所容其刃。夫何故？以其无死地。
Out of life； death enters。
The panions （organs） of life are thirteen；
The panions （organs） of death are （also） thirteen。
What send man to death in this life are also （these） thirteen。
How is it so？
Because of the intense activity of multiplying life。
It has been said that the who is a good preserver of hi life
Meets no tigers or wild buffaloes on land；
Is not vulnerable to weapons in the field of battle。
The horns of the wild buffalo are powerless against him。
How is it so？
Because he is beyond death。
五十一章
道生之，德畜之，物形之，器成之。是以万物莫不尊道而贵德。道之尊，德之贵，夫莫之命而常自然。故道生之，德畜之。长之育之，亭之毒之，养之覆之，生而不有，为而不恃，长而不宰，是谓玄德。
Tao gives them birth；
Teh （character） fosters them。
The material world gives them form。
The circumstances of the moment plete them。
Therefore all things of the universe worship Tao and exalt Teh。
Tao is worshipped and Teh is exalted
Without anyone's order but is so of its own accord。
Therefore Tao gives them birth；
Teh fosters them；
Makes them grow； develops them；
Gives them a harbor； a place to dwell in peace；
Feeds them and shelter them。
It gives them birth and does not own them；
Acts （helps） and does not appropriate them；
Is superior； and does not control them。
… This is the Mystic Virtue。
五十二章
天下有始，以为天下母。既得其母，以知其子。既知其子，复守其母，没身不殆。塞其兑，闭其门，终身不勤。启其兑，济其事，终身不救。见小曰明，守柔曰强。用其光，复归其明，无遗身殃，是为习常。
There was a beginning of the universe
Which may be regarded as the Mother of the Universe。
From the Mother； we may know her sons。
After knowing the sons； keep to the Mother。
Thus one's whole life may be preserved from harm。
Stop its apertures；
Close its doors；
And one's whole life is without toil。
Open its apertures；
Be busy about its affairs；
And one's whole life is beyond redemption。
He who can see the small is clear…sighted；
He who stays by gentility is strong。
use the light；
And return to clear…sightedness …
Thus cause not yourself later distress。
… This is to rest in the Absolute。
五十三章
使我介然有知，行于大道，唯施是畏。大道甚夷，而民好径。朝甚除，田甚芜，仓甚虚，服文采，带利剑，厌饮食，财货有馀，是为盗竽。非道也哉！
If I were possessed of Austere Knowledge；
Walking on the Main Path （Tao）；
I would avoid the by…paths。
the Main path is easy to walk on；
Yet people love the small by…paths。
The （official） courts are spic and span；
（While） the fields go untilled；
And the （people's） granaries are very low。
（Yet） clad in embroidered gowns；
And carrying find swords；
Surfeited with good food and drinks；
（They are） splitting with wealth and possessions。
… This is to lead the world toward brigandage。
Is this not corruption of Tao？
五十四章
善建者不拔，善抱者不脱，子孙以祭祀不辍。修之于身，其德乃真；修之于家，其德乃馀；修之于乡，其德乃长；修之于邦，其德乃丰；修之于天下，其德乃普。故以身观身，以家观家，以乡观乡，以邦观邦，以天下观天下。吾何以知天下然哉？以此。
Who is firmly established is not easily shaken。
Who has a firm grasp does not easily let go。
From generation to generation his ancestral sacrifices
Shall be continued without fail。
Cultivated in the individual； character will bee genuine；
Cultivated in the family； character will bee abundant；
Cultivated in the village； character will multiply；
Cultivated in the state； character will prosper；
Cultivated in the world； character will bee universal。
Therefore：
According to （the character of ） the individual；
judge the individual；
According to （the character of ） the family；
judge the family；
According to （the character of ） the village；
judge the village；
According to （the character of ） the state；
judge the state；
According to （the character of ） the world；
judge the world。
How do I know this is so？
By this。
五十五章
含「德」之厚，比于赤子。毒虫不螫，猛兽不据，攫鸟不搏。骨弱筋柔而握固。未知牝牡之合而□作，精之至也。终日号而不嗄，和之至也。知和曰常，知常曰明，益生曰祥，心使气曰强。物壮则老，谓之不道，不道早已。
Who is rich in character
Is like a child。
No poisonous insects sting him；
No wild beasts attack him；
And no birds of prey pounce upon him。
His bones are soft； his sinews tender； yet his grip is strong。
Not knowing the union of male and female； yet his organs are plete；
Which means his vigor is unspoiled。
Crying the whole day； yet his voice never runs hoarse；
Which means his （natural） harmony is perfect。
To know harmony is to be in accord with the eternal；
（And） to know eternity is called discerning。
（But） to improve upon life is called an ill…omen；
To let go the emotions through impulse is called assertiveness。
（For） things age after r