THE ART OF NON ACTION

To pursue the academic, add to it daily
To pursue the Tao, subtract from it daily.
Subtract and subtract again,
To arrive at non action.

Through non action nothing is left undone.

The world is always held without effort.
The moment there is effort,
The world is beyond holding.

THE POWER IN STAYING LOW

The rivers and seas lead the hundred streams
Because they are skillful at staying low.
Thus they are able to lead the hundred streams.

Therefore, to rise above people,
One must, in speaking, stay below them.
To remain in front of people,
One must put oneself behind them.

Therefore Evovled Individuals remain above,
And yet the people are not weighted down.
They remain in front,
And the people are not held back.

Therefore the world willingly elects them,
And yet it does not reject them.
Because they do not compete,
The world cannot compete with them.

THE WAY OF MODERATION

In leading people and serving Nature,
There is nothing better than moderation.
Since, indeed, moderation means yielding early;
Yielding early means accumulating Power.

When Power is accumulated,
Nothing is impossible.
When nothing is impossible,
One knows no limits.
One who knows no limits
Can possess the organization.

An organization that possesses the mother
Can endure and advance.
This means deep roots and firm foundation:
Durability and longevity through observation of the Tao.

UNNATURAL AUTHORITY

When people do not fear death,
How can they be threatened with death?
Suppose people fear death and still do not conform.
WHo would dare seize them and put them to death?

There is always the Master Executioner who kills.
To substitute for the Master Executioner in killing
Is like substituting for the Master Carpenter who carves.
Whoever substitutes for the Master Carpenter in carving,
Rarely escapes injury to his hands.

SELF-DESTRUCTIVE LEADERSHIP

People are hungry.
Because those above consume too much in taxes,
People are hungry.

People are difficult to lead.
Because those above interfere with them,
People are difficult to lead.

People make light of death.
Because those above deeply seek survival,
People make light of death.

Indeed, it is those who do not interfere with life
Who are capable of respecting life.

THE POWER IN MODESTY

A large organization should flow downward
To intersect with the world.
It is the female of the world.
The female always overcomes the male by stillness;
Through stillness, she makes herself low.

Thus if a large organization
Is lower than a small organization,
It can receive the small organization.
And if a small organization
Stays lower than a large organization,
It can receive the large organization.

Therefore one receives by becoming low;
Another receives by being low.

Yet what a large organization desires
Is to unite and support others.
And what a small organization desires
Is to join and serve others.

So for both to gain the position they desire,
The larger should place itself low.

THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE

Act without action; work without effort.
Taste without savoring.
Magnify the smalle; increase the few.
Repay ill-will with kindness.

Plan the difficult when it is easy;
Handle the big where it is small.
The world's hardest work begins when it is easy;
The world's largest effort begins where it is small.
Evolved Individuals, finally, take no great action,
And in that way the great is achieved.

Those who commit easily, inspire little trust.
How easy to inspire hardness!
Therefore Evovled Individuals view all as difficult.
Finally they have no difficulty!

THE DANGER IN CLEVERNESS

Those skillful in the acnient Tao
Are not obvious to the people.
They appear to be simple-minded.

People are difficult to lead
Because they are too clever.
Hence, to lead the organization with cleverness
Will harm the organization.
To lead the organization withoutu cleverness
Will benefit the organization.

Those who know these two things
Have investigated the patterns of the Absolute.
To know and investigate the patterns
Is called the Subtle Power.

The Subtle Power is profound and far-reaching.
Together with the Natural Law of polarity,
It leads to the Great Harmony.

THE POWER IN COMPASSION

All the world thinks that my Tao is great;
And yet it seems inconceivable.
Only its greatness makes it seems inconceivable.
If it could be conceived of,
It would have become insignificant long ago.

I have Three Treasures that support and protect:
The first is compassion.
The second is moderation.
The third is daring not to be first in the world.

With compassion one becomes courageous;
With moderation one becomes expansive.
In daring not to be first in the world,
One becomes the instrument of leadership.

Now if one is courageous without compassion,
Or expansive without moderation,
Of first without holding back,
One is doomed!

Compassion always triumphs when attacked;
It brings security when maintained.
Nature aids its leaders
By arming them with compassion.