Tao Te Ching (Translated by Sam Hamill) - Lao Tzu [11]
Plan for difficulty while it’s easy.
Manage the great while it’s small.
The world’s most difficult affairs
begin in easiness.
The world’s greatest affairs
always begin in the small.
Therefore the sage never strives for greatness,
and so accomplishes greatness.
Surely frivolous promises
inspire little faith.
When things are too easy,
difficulty awaits.
Therefore the sage accepts difficulty
so things in the end aren’t hard.
64.
What’s at rest is easily managed.
What’s not yet manifest is easy to prevent.
The fragile is easily shattered,
the small easily scattered.
Act before things exist,
manage them before there’s disorder.
The tree too thick to embrace
emerges from a seedling.
A nine-storey tower rises from a brick.
A thousand-mile journey begins under your feet.
Act and destroy it.
Grasp it and lose it.
Therefore the sage does not act,
and so does not destroy,
does not grasp,
so doesn’t lose.
People often approach success in their affairs
only to fail at the end.
Care at the end as at the beginning
averts failure.
Therefore the sage desires no desire,
does not treasure what’s difficult to attain,
learns to not cling to learning,
and attends to what others pass by.
Therefore, to help all the world’s beings
find their own true nature,
the sage does not act.
Ku (“Ancient”): This character consists of a “mouth” with a distinguishing mark above it and means “old” or “ancient.” It suggests that we know what is ancient only by word of mouth.
65.
The ancient Taoist masters
did not enlighten others,
but left them simple-minded.
People are unruly when they’re too clever.
Hence clever rulers are a detriment to the state.
Governance without cleverness brings virtue.
Understand these two principles
and know the pattern.
Knowing the eternal pattern
is called mysterious virtue.
Mysterious virtue runs deep indeed,
runs far indeed, goes out
and like all things returns,
completing the great harmony.
66.
Rivers and seas can master a hundred valleys
because they lower themselves
and thus become a hundred valleys’ kings.
Therefore those desiring a position
above others must speak humbly.
Those desiring to lead
must follow.
So it is that the sage dwells above,
yet causes the people no burden,
remains first, yet
causes the people no hindrance.
That is why the world rejoices, exalts,
but never wearies:
because one does not contend,
the world does not contend in return.
67.
The world calls me great,
like nothing else.
I am great precisely because
I am like nothing else.
If my teaching resembled some other,
it would have long since been diluted.
I have three true treasures:
the first is called compassion;
the second is called thrift;
the third is called not presuming to be above nature.
Compassion empowers courage.
Thrift can lead to generosity.
Not daring to try to rule nature,
the enduring vessel can be perfected.
These days people renounce compassion,
wanting courage;
renounce thrift, wanting extravagance;
reject humility, seeking leadership.
This is fatal.
Compassion is victorious in battle,
enduring in defense.
Heaven rescues and protects us
through compassion.
68.
In ancient days, the good soldier was not violent.
The good fighter indulged no rage.
Skilled conquerors engaged no enemy.
The best leaders exercised humility.
This is called the virtue of not contending.
This is called employing the powers of others.
This is called complying with nature’s ancient perfection.
69.
There is a wartime saying:
I dare not act as a host,
so become a guest;
I dare not advance an inch,
so retreat a foot.
This is called advancing without marching.
Seize adversaries without arms or armor.
Catastrophe awaits one
who underestimates an adversary.
Make light of an opponent
and lose a treasure.
When armies are evenly matched,
the one with compassion wins.
70.
My words are very easy to understand,
very easy to put into practice.
No one under heaven can understand,
no