And the gate of the profound woman is theroot that heaven and earth sprang from。
It's there within us all the while；
draw upon it as you will；
you can never wear it out。
7
Heaven is always； the earth； too。
How can it be？
Well； they don't live only for themselves；
that's why they live long。
So the wise man puts himself last； and findshimself in the foremost place；
puts himself in the background； yet alwayscomes to the fore。
He keeps well fit； looks on his body almostas accidental； outer； something to be well taken care of；
still it always there； and always remains。He remains in the open by it； too。
He hardly strives for great personal ends；
his main ends seem fulfilled。
8
The highest good is like that of water。
The goodness of water is that it benefitsthe ten thousand creatures； yet itself hardly ever scrambles …
it seems quite content with the places thatall men disdain。
It's this that can make water so near tosome dao。
And if men think the ground the best placefor building a house upon；
if among thoughts they value those that areprofound；
if in friendship they value gentleness；
in words； truth； or sincere faithfulness；
in government； ＇bugbear＇ order；
in deeds： competence； ability； effectiveness；
in actions： timeliness and being properlytimed …
In each case it's because they prefer thingsthat hardly lead to strife； and therefore hardly go much astray or amiss。
9
Stretch a bow to the full； and you'll endup wishing you'd stopped in time； to hold and fill to overflowing isn'tquite as able as to stop in time。
Temper a sword…edge to its very sharpest；and you'll find it soon grows dull。
When gold and jade fills your hall； can itbe well guarded any more？
To be proud with things and glory given；could bring ruin。 Wealth and place breed insolence and could slowly harmand ruin：
If your work is done； withdraw！
That's heaven's way。 It can be opposed tolots of ways of man。
10
Can you keep the unquiet physical…soul fromstraying； hold fast to the unity and middle； and never quit it？
Can you； when concentrating your breath；make it soft like that of an infant？
Strive after less tainted perfection； letit be aided by penetrating insight。 So wipe and cleanse your vision ofthe mystery till all is without blur。
Can you love the people and rule the land；yet remain unknown？
Can you in opening and shutting the heavenlygates； ever play the feminine part？
Can your mind penetrate every corner of theland； but you yourself never interfere？ Can you renounce the grosser mindfor comprehending all inside knowledge？
Produce things and rear well；
but never lay claims to such things …
control them； never lean upon them。
Rely on some innate ability to act well。
Be a sort of master among others； just refrainfrom mismanaging。
Here is found the essence of dao might； itsdeep； mystic virtue。
11
We put thirty spokes together and call ita wheel； but it's on the space where there's nothing that the usefulnessof the wheel depends。
We turn clay to make a vessel； but it's onthe space where there's nothing that the usefulness of the vessel depends。
We pierce and cut out doors and windows tomake a house；
and it's on these spaces where there's nothingthat the usefulness of the house depends。
Take advantage of what is； turn existinginto a great advantage： just make as much as you can out of it here。
Feel free to recognise the possible usefulnessof whats not yet here。 Prosper by clever use of something not yet。
12
The five colours tend to confuse the eye；
the five sounds of music can deafen the ear；
the five tastes all dull or spoil the palate。
Excess of hunting and chasing makes a mindgo mad。
Things hard to get； keeps one on one's guard。Valuable things and products quite hard to get； can impede their owner'sprogress。
So the wise man is concerned with his tummybefore his eyes。 He can consider the tummy first； not the eye。 That is：He disregards the world outside … 〃that〃； and he accepts； goes for andin the end grabs the supernormal powers dormant within … his daoist 〃this〃。Therefore he rejects the one but accepts the other。
13
Be glad for favour。 Still receive favouror disgrace with regular apprehension。
Be cautious not to lose the winning sortof favour。 Lower favour and disgrace can cause one dismay；
We can have fears because we have a self。Yet what we value and what we fear are as if within that inner sanctimoniumself。〃
What does this mean：
〃Favour and disgrace can cause one dismay？
Those who receive favour from above are dismayedwhen they receive it。
And should they lose it they turn distraught。
What does this mean：
〃What we value and what we fear are as ifwithin our serious self？〃
Regard great trouble as seriously as youregard the body。 One reason that we suffer hurt is that we have bodies。
When we don't regard that gross body as ＇mostimportant aspect of self； what have we to fear？ ＇Lao tse。＇
And so； the one who values his experiencedworld as part of his exploring inner self； can then be entrusted with ruleof something。
he who loves the all as an aspect of hissensing self …
The all can then be entrusted to his care。
14
Look at it； it can't be seen；
is called the invisible。
Listen to it； it can't be heard；
is called the inaudible。
Grasp at it； it can't be touched；
is called the fine formless。。
These three elude all solid inquiries
And merge and become one。
Its rising brings no light；
its sinking； no darkness。
Unceasing； continuous；
it can't be defined；
on the way back to where there's nothing。
It's called shape free from shapes；
forms without form；
the image of nothingness。
That's why it's called the elusive；
Go towards them； and you can see no physicalfront；
go after them； and you see no rear。
Hold on to the dao of old to master the thingsof the present。
Master what once was； at the start；
It's the essence of rarefied； pearl…stringeddao。
15
The best rulers of old had fine natures；mysterious； too deep； they could not be understood。
And because such men could not be fully graspedat once；
they appeared to be
cautious； like wading a stream in winter；
at a loss； like one fearing and having todeal with danger on every side；
reserved； like one who pays a visit；
pliant and yielding； as ice when it beginsto melt；
genuine； like a piece of raw wood；
open…minded like a valley；
and blending freely like a troubled； muddystream of water。
Find repose in a muddy world by lying still；be gradually clear through tranquillity。 You can assume such murkiness；to become in the end still and clear。 And maintain your calm long in between。
So make yourself inert； to get in the endfull of life and stir。
By such activity come back to life。
Who hugs this dao doesn't want to fill himselfto overflowing。
It's just because he guards against beingover…full； there's no overflowing； and next
he is like a garment that endures all； beyondwearing out and renewal。
16
Attain complete humility towards the void；
hold firm to the basis of quietude。
The myriad things take shape and rise toactivity；
Now； I watch them fall； worked on；
back to their repose and roots
like plants that flourish
but return to the soil and root they grewfrom。
To return to the root is basic repose；
it's quiet and returning to some destiny。
To submit to a destiny is to find the eternalshelter； the always…so； or the eternal dao。
To know the eternal always…so is to be somewhatillumined。
not to know it courts disaster。
He who knows the eternal shelter has roomin him for nearly everything … he is wide as tolerant。
Being much including； there's little prejudice；
to be without blunt prejudice is kingly；
to be kingly is to be well in accord withnature； it's to be of heaven。
To be of heaven in unison with an undauntednature is to be in dao；
This dao is forever； and he that owns it；is hardly destroyed； even though his body ceases。
17
Of the best the people hardly ever know theyexist；
The next best they flock to and praise fornothing。
The next they shrink from；
the next get reviled。
〃Not believing people you turn them intoliars〃 …
such bosses don't command the people's faith。
They lose faith in them and take to oaths！
The wise man is a clever ruler； he valueshis words highly。
It's so hard to get a single word from atany price that when his task is finished； a work well done； everyone says；
〃It happened by itself； and we did it。〃
18
When the great dao declined；
jen and i arose； humanity and righteousness。〃
Next； when brightness and know…how came invogue；
the great pretence fully started。
When the six family relationships are notin harmony
There's open talk of kind parents〃 dutifulsons〃 and deep love to children。
A confused country enmeshed in disorder praisesministers in chaos and misrule。
19
Banish wisdom； discard knowledge；
Then the people will benefit a hundred times。
Banish human love； just dump righteous； moraljustice；
and then the people will be dutiful and recoverdeep love of their kin。
Banish cunning and skill； dispel profit；dismiss utility；〃
then thieves and robbers will disappear。
These three things are not enough； externalsare somehow
decorations； purpose's not enough； they tendto rob life and make it too little complicated。
Therefore let people hold well on to keepingaccessories；
keeping simplicity to look at。
Go on and shield their internal soul's nature
as some ritual； raw block to hold；
their private； secret means and foster lessardent desires。
20
Abandon learning and there will be no sorrow。
Between Yes； sir；〃 and Of course not〃； howmuch di