Keeping at rest the people

 

Not exalting the worthy causes people not to emulate.

Not prizing the difficult to obtain of treasures causes people not to commit theft.

Not seeing [that which is] able [to elicit] desire, causes the heart not to be disturbed.

Therefore the holy man of the government empties [the people's] hearts, 
fills their stomachs, [the inner, the soul]

he weakens their desire [but] strengthens their bones.

Always he causes people not to know,

not to be desirous.

He causes those knowing ones not to dare to act, indeed.

[When] he does not-doing then there is nothing not governed.

Nourishing (one's) person

 

In the world, [when] all know beauty in its acting as beauty,

then [there is] ugliness only.

[When] all know goodness in its acting as goodness

then [there is] not goodness only.

For existence [and] non-existence mutually are produced.

The difficult the easy mutually are perfected.

The long the short mutually are shaped.

The high [and] the low mutually are inclining.

Tone [and] voice mutually are harmonised.

The before [and] the after mutually follow.

Therefore the holy man dwells in not-doing in his business.

He practises not-saying in his education.

The ten thousand things arise there! and not he refuses [them].

He produces and not he owns.

He acts and not he claims

Merit he accomplishes and not he dwells.

For as much just [as] not he dwells therefore not he departs.

Realising Reason

The reason  that can be reasoned,

is not the eternal Reason.

The name that can be named is not the eternal name.

Not having name [is] heaven and earth of the beginning.

Having name [is] the ten thousand things,

of the mother.

Therefore eternally not-having desire thereby [one] sees its spirituality.

Eternally having desire thereby [one] sees its limits.

These two things [are] the same in origin but different in name.

[Their] sameness, called (is) it mystery 

The mystery of again a mystery.

all spirituality of the gate.

 

Propouding the essential

"Propounding the essential"

Know what you do not know, strive without contending, the Way may be a tough path but it does not injure.

 

Standing alone

 

"Alone standing"

Recognise and value where you are and you will not long for across the fence.

Sustain contracts

 

"Sustain contracts"

The Way leans on the positive instead of the negative in any dealings.

Trust in faith

"Trust in faith"

Trust in the strength of the soft, the weak, the humble and the yielding.