Simplicity virtue

 

In olden times,
Well who practised reason, the ones,
did not thereby enlighten the people,

will thereby make simple-hearted them.

The people in their being difficult to govern because they cleverness much.

With cleverness to govern a country is the country's curse.

Not with cleverness to govern a country is the country's blessing.

Who knows these two things also a pattern a model.

Always to know the pattern the mode

this is called profound virtue.

Profound virtue is deep indeed.

Far-reaching indeed.

To things the reverse, indeed.

Thus obtains to great obedience.

Mind the insignificant

That is at rest easily is kept quiet.

That not yet has appeared easily is prevented.

That is feeble easily is broken.

That is scanty easily is scattered.

Treat them while not yet exist.

Administer them while not yet they are in disorder.

With both arms can be embraced

a tree grows from a tiny rootlet.

Of nine stories 

a tower rises from accumulating clay.

Of ten thousand miles

a journey begins with a foot beneath.

Makes the one mars it.

Seizes of the one loses it.

The holy man not makes,

therefore not he mars.

Not he seizes,

therefore not he loses.

The people in their pursuing business,

always at the approach of competition,

yet fail it.

Be careful to the end as well as at the beginning

then not fail in business.

Therefore the holy man desires non-desires.

Not he esteems difficult obtainment the treasures.

He learns not-learnedness.

He returns to all people's what they passed by,

thereby he asists the ten thousand things their natural development,

but not he dares to make.

Consider the beginning

Do the not-doing.

Practice the not-practising

Taste the not-tasting.

Make great the small

render many the few.

Respond to hatred with virtue.

Contemplate a difficulty while it is easy.

Manage a great thing while it is small.

The world's difficult affairs surely arise from easiness.

The world's great affairs surely originate from smallness.

Therefore the holy man to the end not plays the great.

Therefore he can accomplish his greatness.

Now, as rash promises surely are lacking faith,

many things are easy,

surely many things will be difficult

Therefore the holy man even difficult it.

Therefore to the end he has not difficulties.

 

Practise reason

The rational man the ten thousand things their asylum,

the good man their treasure,

the not-good man's that which he holds fats to.

Beautiful words one can thereby sell.

Noble deeds one can thereby accomplish more with the people.

A man his not-goodness why thrown away he is?

Therefore was elected heaven's son

were appointed three ministers.

Though having reverently in hand as a screen

thereto riding with four horses,

not equalled by sitting still propounding this reason?

The ancient their reason why they esteemed this reason, that is:

What, indeed?

Is it not say that if sought then it is obtained?

He who has sin thereby can be saved?

Therefore it becomes the world's honor.

 

Humility's virtue

A great state, one that downwards flows,

the empire's union,

the empire's wife.

The female always by quietude conquers the male,

by quietude she makes lowly,

thus a great state by stooping to small states,

on that account conquers the smaller states.

Smaller states by stooping to great states,

on that account conquer great states.

Therefore some stoop to conquer,

others stoop and conquer.

Great states not more wish to unite feed the people.

Small states not more wish to enter to serve the people.

Now both ones, each one in its way gain

they that which they wish.

the greater one properly must make itself lower.

 

To maintain one's position

 

Govern a great state as one fries small fish.
With reason one governs the emprie
its ghosts not spook.
Not only its ghosts not spook
its gods not harm the people.

Not only its gods not harm the people

the holy man also not harms the people

Since both of them not mutually harm:

therefore virtue unitedly returns hereto.

To keep reason

In governing the people,

in attending to heaven,

nothing surpasses moderation.

Now consider only moderation:

This is called early habit.

Early acquisition is called its heaping accumulating virtue.

By heaping accumulating virtue

then nothing not can be overcome.

Nothing not can be overcome,

then no one knows his limit.

No one knows his limit,

one can thereby possess the state.

Possesses the state's mother,

he can thereby be lasting enduring

This is called having deep roots a staunch stem.

Of long life lasting insight

the way.

Adaptation to change

 

One's administration is unostentatious, unostentatious

one's people are simple, simple.

One's administration is prying, prying

one's people are needy, needy.

Misery alas! happiness's place it supports.

Happiness alas! misery's place it conceals.

Who knows its limits?

It not ceases.

The normal in turn becomes abnormal.

The good in turn becomes unlucky.

The people's confusion!

It daily assuredly since long.

Therefore the holy man is square yet not he injures

angular yet not he hurts

upright yet not strict

bright yet not shining.

Simplicity in habit

With righteousness is administered the empire.

With craftiness is directed the army.

With non-diplomacy is taken the empire

I what-by know its being such, indeed?

It is this.

In the world the more restrictions prohibitions 

yet the people increasingly become poor.

The people the more sharp weapons, 

the state the more and more is confused.

The people  the more artful cunning,

abnormal things the more and more occur.

Laws orders the more and more made manifest,

robbers thieves the more appear.

Therefore the holy man says:

I not doing,

and the people of themselves reform.

I love quietude and the people of themselves are righteous.

I not-doing business,

and the people of themselves become rich.

I not having desires,

and the people of themselves are simple.

 

The profound virtue

Knows, the one not speaks.

Speaks the one not knows.

He shuts his mouth, closes his gates.

He blunts his sharpness.

He unravels his tangles.

He dims his brilliancy.

He identifies himself with the dust.

This is called profound identification.

Therefore not he can be obtained and be loved

and not can he be obtained and be discarded.

Not can he be obtained and interested in profit 

and not can he be obtained and be injured.

Not can he be obtained and be honored,

and not can he be obtained and be humiliated.

Therefore it becomes the world's honor.