The Old Master

Disgrace

Distraction

number twelve

The five colors causes one's eyes to become blind.

Racing horses and hunting causes one's mind to go mad.

Goods that are hard to obtain, pose an obstacle to one's travels.

The five flavors confuses one's palate.

The five tones causes one's ears to go deaf.

Therefore, in the government of the sage:

He is for the belly and not for the eyes.

Thus he rejects that and takes this.

anxiety

number thirteen

Regard favor and disgrace with alarm.

Respect great distress as you do your own person.

What do I mean when I say

"Regard favor and disgrace with alarm?"

Favor is inferior.

If you get it - be alarmed!

If you lose it - be alarmed!

That is what I mean when I say

"Regard favor and disgrace with alarm."

What do I mean when I say

"Respect great distress as you do your own person?"

The reason that I have great distress

Is that I have a body

Without a body, what distress would I have?

Therefore, to one who values acting for himself

over acting on behalf of the world,

you can entrust the world.

And to one who in being parsimonious

Regards his person as equal to the world,

you can turn over the world.

Anxiety

Number fourteen

We look at it, but do not see it;

We name this "the minute."

We listen to it, but do not hear it;

We name this "the rarified."

We touch it, but do not hold it;

We name this "the level and smooth."

These three cannot be examined to the limit.

Thus they are merged as one.

One - there is nothing more encompassing above it,

and nothing smaller below it.

Boundless, formless! It cannot be named,

and returns to the state of no-thing.

This is called the formless form,

The substanceless image.

This is called the subtle and indistinct.

Follow it and you won't see it back;

Greet it and you won't see its head.

Hold on to the Way of the present -

To manage the things of the present,

And know the ancient beginning.

This is called the beginning of the thread of Tao