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.

 

Of the Mysterious the seal

Embodies virtue its fulness is comparable to an infant child.

Poisonous insects not sting.

Wild beasts not seize.

Carnivorous birds not strike.

The bones are weak, the muscles are tender yet the grasp is firm.

He does not yet know the female the male their relation

yet the child's virility is erect.

His spirit its perfection, indeed.

All the day he cries and sobs not becomes hoarse.

His harmony its perfection, indeed.

To know the harmonious is called eternal.

To know the eternal is called enlightened.

To increase life is called a blessing

The heart directing spirit is called strength.

Things fully grown are about to decay.

We call it uncreason.

Unreason soon ceases.

 

To cultivate intuition

 

Well planted the thing not is uprooted.

Well is preserved the thing not is taken away.

Sons', grandsons' offerings and ancestor worship not will cease.

Who practises it in person his virtue then is real

practises it in his family, his virtue is overflowing

practises it in his township, his virtue then is lasting

practises it in his country, his virtue the is abundant

practises this in the world. his virtue then is universal.

Therefore by one's person one tests persons.

By one's family one tests families.

By one's township one tests townships.

By one's country one tests countries.

By one's world one tests worlds

I what-by know the world's being such?

By this.