Peace
Peace
number thirty-five
- Hold on to the Great Image
- And the whole world will come to you.
- Come to you and suffer no harm;
- But rather know great safety and peace.
- Music and food -
- For these passing travelers stop.
- Therefore, of the Tao speaking, we say:
- Insipid, it is ! It is lack of flavor.
- When you look at it, it is not sufficient to be seen.
- When you listen to it, it is not sufficient to be heard.
- Yet when you use it, it can't be used up.
Influence
Number thirty-six
- If you wish to shrink it,
- You must certainly stretch it.
- If you wish to weaken it,
- You must certainly strenghten it.
- If you wish to desert it,
- You must certainly work close with it.
- If you wish to snatch something from it,
- You must certainly give something to it.
- This is called the Subtle Light.
- The submissive and weak conquer the strong.
- Fish should not be taken out of the depths;
- The state's sharp weapons should not be displayed.
Control
number three
- Tao is constantly nameless,
- Were kings and lords able to maintain it,
- The ten thousand things would tranform on their own.
- Having transformed, were their desires to become active,
- I would subdue them with the nameless simplicity.
- Having subdued them with the nameless simplicity,
- I would not disgrace them.
- By not being disgraced, they will be tranquil.
- And Heaven and Earth will
- of themselves be correct and right.
Tao - 2,426 characters
Corrected with the Mawangtui texts
