Expressions
Tumors
number tenty-four
[in the Mawangtui texts this poem follows on 21]
- One who boasts is not established.
- One who shows himself off does not become prominent.
- One who makes a show is not enlightened.
- One who brags about himself gets no credit;
- One who praises himself does not long endure.
- In the Way such things are called:
- "Extra food and redundant action."
- And with things - there are those who hate them
- therefore followers of the Tao does not dwell in them.
Expressions of Tao
Number twenty-two
- Bent over, you will be preserved whole;
- When twisted, you will be upright;
- When hollowed out, you will be full;
- When Worn out, you will be renewed;
- When you have little, you will attain much;
- With much, you will be confused.
- Therefore the Sage embrace the One
- and in this way becomes shepherd of the World.
- He does not show himself off;
- Therefore he becomes prominent.
- He does not put himself on a display;
- Therefore he brightly shines.
- He does not brags about himself;
- Therefore he receives credit.
- He does not praise his own deeds;
- Therefore he can long endure.
- It is only because he does not compete,
- That therefore no one is able to compete with him.
- The so called "Bent over, you will be preserved whole"
- Of the the ancients was an expression
- that was really close to it!
- Truly "wholeness" will belong to him.
Acceptance and contention
number twenty-three
- To talk little, is the way of Nature.
- Fierce winds do not last all morning.
- Heavy rain does not last all day.
- Who makes these things!
- If even Heaven and Earth
- Cannot make these things last long,
- How much more is this true for man?
- Therefore one who devotes himself to Tao
- Is one with Tao.
- One who devotes himself to Virtue [and attainment]
- is one with Virtue.
- One who devotes himself to losing
- is one with that loss.
- To the one who is one with Virtue,
- Tao also gives Virtue.
- While for the one who is one with his loss,
- Tao also disregards him.
