chapmanchri_quotemachine2 0.3.3 → 0.3.4

checksums.yaml

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data/Gemfile.lock

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 PATH
   remote: .
   specs:
-    chapmanchri_quotemachine2 (0.3.3)
+    chapmanchri_quotemachine2 (0.3.4)
 
 GEM
   remote: https://rubygems.org/

data/lib/chapmanchri_quotemachine2.rb

@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ end
 
 def main_program
     declare_instance_variables
-    init_poem
+    init_poem(theFile)
     set_stanza_and_section
     set_phrase
     build_display
@@ -253,9 +253,9 @@ def build_display
     result_text
 end
 
-def init_poem
+def init_poem(theFile)
     declare_instance_variables
-    text = read_poem('complete_verse.txt')
+    text = read_poem(theFile)
     text_array = convert_text_to_array(text)
     create_final_poem_array(text_array)
 end

data/lib/chapmanchri_quotemachine2/version.rb

@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 module ChapmanchriQuotemachine2
-  VERSION = "0.3.3"
+  VERSION = "0.3.4"
 end

data/tao_complete_verse.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,1352 @@
+&#1
+
+The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
+The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
+The nameless is the beginning of heaven and Earth.
+The named is the mother of the ten thousand things.
+Ever desireless, one can see the mystery.
+Ever desiring, one sees the manifestations.
+These two spring from the same source but differ in name; this appears as darkness.
+Darkness within darkness.
+The gate to all mystery.
+
+ &#2
+
+Under heaven all can see beauty as beauty only because there is ugliness.
+All can know good as good only because there is evil.
+
+Therefore having and not having arise together.
+Difficult and easy complement each other.
+Long and short contrast each other:
+High and low rest upon each other;
+Voice and sound harmonize each other;
+Front and back follow one another.
+
+Therefore the sage goes about doing nothing, teaching no-talking.
+The ten thousand things rise and fall without cease,
+Creating, yet not possessing.
+Working, yet not taking credit.
+Work is done, then forgotten.
+Therefore it lasts forever.
+
+&#3
+
+Not exalting the gifted prevents quarreling.
+Not collecting treasures prevents stealing.
+Not seeing desirable things prevents confusion of the heart.
+
+The wise therefore rule by emptying hearts and stuffing bellies, by weakening ambitions and strengthening bones.
+If men lack knowledge and desire, then clever people will not try to interfere.
+If nothing is done, then all will be well.
+
+&#4
+
+The Tao is an empty vessel; it is used, but never filled.
+Oh, unfathomable source of ten thousand things!
+Blunt the sharpness,
+Untangle the knot,
+Soften the glare,
+Merge with dust.
+Oh, hidden deep but ever present!
+I do not know from whence it comes.
+It is the forefather of the gods.
+
+&#5
+
+Heaven and Earth are impartial;
+They see the ten thousand things as straw dogs.
+The wise are impartial;
+They see the people as straw dogs.
+
+The space between heaven and Earth is like a bellows.
+The shape changes but not the form;
+The more it moves, the more it yields.
+More words count less.
+Hold fast to the center.
+
+&#6
+
+The valley spirit never dies;
+It is the woman, primal mother.
+Her gateway is the root of heaven and Earth.
+It is like a veil barely seen.
+Use it; it will never fail.
+
+&#7
+
+Heaven and Earth last forever.
+Why do heaven and Earth last forever?
+They are unborn,
+So ever living.
+The sage stays behind, thus he is ahead.
+He is detached, thus at one with all.
+Through selfless action, he attains fulfillment.
+
+&#8
+
+The highest good is like water.
+Water give life to the ten thousand things and does not strive.
+It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.
+
+In dwelling, be close to the land.
+In meditation, go deep in the heart.
+In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
+In speech, be true.
+In ruling, be just.
+In daily life, be competent.
+In action, be aware of the time and the season.
+
+No fight: No blame.
+
+&#9
+
+Better to stop short than fill to the brim.
+Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.
+Amass a store of gold and jade, and no one can protect it.
+Claim wealth and titles, and disaster will follow.
+Retire when the work is done.
+This is the way of heaven.
+
+&#10
+
+Carrying body and soul and embracing the one,
+Can you avoid separation?
+Attending fully and becoming supple,
+Can you be as a newborn babe?
+Washing and cleansing the primal vision,
+Can you be without stain?
+Loving all men and ruling the country,
+Can you be without cleverness?
+Opening and closing the gates of heaven,
+Can you play the role of woman?
+Understanding and being open to all things,
+Are you able to do nothing?
+Giving birth and nourishing,
+Bearing yet not possessing,
+Working yet not taking credit,
+Leading yet not dominating,
+This is the Primal Virtue.
+
+&#11
+
+Thirty spokes share the wheel's hub;
+It is the center hole that makes it useful.
+Shape clay into a vessel;
+It is the space within that makes it useful.
+Cut doors and windows for a room;
+It is the holes which make it useful.
+Therefore benefit comes from what is there;
+Usefulness from what is not there.
+
+&#12
+
+The five colors blind the eye.
+The five tones deafen the ear.
+The five flavors dull the taste.
+Racing and hunting madden the mind.
+Precious things lead one astray.
+
+Therefore the sage is guided by what he feels and not by what he sees.
+He lets go of that and chooses this.
+
+&#13
+
+Accept disgrace willingly.
+Accept misfortune as the human condition.
+
+What do you mean by "Accept disgrace willingly"?
+Accept being unimportant.
+Do not be concerned with loss or gain.
+This is called "accepting disgrace willingly."
+
+What do you mean by "Accept misfortune as the human condition"?
+Misfortune comes from having a body.
+Without a body, how could there be misfortune?
+
+Surrender yourself humbly; then you can be trusted to care for all things.
+Love the world as your own self; then you can truly care for all things.
+
+&#14
+
+Look, it cannot be seen - it is beyond form.
+Listen, it cannot be heard - it is beyond sound.
+Grasp, it cannot be held - it is intangible.
+These three are indefinable;
+Therefore they are joined in one.
+
+From above it is not bright;
+From below it is not dark:
+An unbroken thread beyond description.
+It returns to nothingness.
+The form of the formless,
+The image of the imageless,
+It is called indefinable and beyond imagination.
+
+Stand before it and there is no beginning.
+Follow it and there is no end.
+Stay with the ancient Tao,
+Move with the present.
+
+Knowing the ancient beginning is the essence of Tao.
+
+&#15
+
+The ancient masters were subtle, mysterious, profound, responsive.
+The depth of their knowledge is unfathomable.
+Because it is unfathomable,
+All we can do is describe their appearance.
+Watchful, like men crossing a winter stream.
+Alert, like men aware of danger.
+Courteous, like visiting guests.
+Yielding like ice about to melt.
+Simple, like uncarved blocks of wood.
+Hollow, like caves.
+Opaque, like muddy pools.
+
+Who can wait quietly while the mud settles?
+Who can remain still until the moment of action?
+Observers of the Tao do not seek fulfillment.
+Not seeking fulfillment, they are not swayed by desire for change.
+
+&#16
+
+Empty yourself of everything.
+Let the mind become still.
+The ten thousand things rise and fall while the Self watches their return.
+They grow and flourish and then return to the source.
+Returning to the source is stillness, which is the way of nature.
+The way of nature is unchanging.
+Knowing constancy is insight.
+Not knowing constancy leads to disaster.
+Knowing constancy, the mind is open.
+With an open mind, you will be openhearted.
+Being openhearted, you will act royally.
+Being royal, you will attain the divine.
+Being divine, you will be at one with the Tao.
+Being at one with the Tao is eternal.
+And though the body dies, the Tao will never pass away.
+
+&#17
+
+The very highest if barely known.
+Then comes that which people know and love.
+Then that which is feared,
+Then that which is despised.
+
+Who does not trust enough will not be trusted.
+
+When actions are performed
+Without unnecessary speech,
+People say, "We did it!"
+
+&#18
+
+When the great Tao is forgotten,
+Kindness and morality arise.
+When wisdom and intelligence are born,
+The great pretense begins.
+
+When there is no peace within the family,
+Filial piety and devotion arise.
+When the country is confused and in chaos,
+Loyal ministers appear.
+
+&#19
+
+Give up sainthood, renounce wisdom,
+And it will be a hundred times better for everyone.
+
+Give up kindness, renounce morality,
+And men will rediscover filial piety and love.
+
+Give up ingenuity, renounce profit,
+And bandits and thieves will disappear.
+
+These three are outward forms alone; they are not sufficient in themselves.
+It is more important
+To see the simplicity,
+To realize one's true nature,
+To cast off selfishness
+And temper desire.
+
+&#20
+
+Give up learning, and put an end to your troubles.
+
+Is there a difference between yes and no?
+Is there a difference between good and evil?
+Must I fear what others fear? What nonsense!
+Other people are contented, enjoying the sacrificial feast of the ox.
+In spring some go to the park, and climb the terrace,
+But I alone am drifting, not knowing where I am.
+Like a newborn babe before it learns to smile,
+I am alone, without a place to go.
+
+Others have more than they need, but I alone have nothing.
+I am a fool. Oh, yes! I am confused.
+Others are clear and bright,
+But I alone am dim and weak.
+Others are sharp and clever,
+But I alone am dull and stupid.
+Oh, I drift like the waves of the sea,
+Without direction, like the restless wind.
+
+Everyone else is busy,
+But I alone am aimless and depressed.
+I am different.
+I am nourished by the great mother.
+
+&#21
+
+The greatest Virtue is to follow Tao and Tao alone.
+The Tao is elusive and intangible.
+Oh, it is intangible and elusive, and yet within is image.
+Oh, it is elusive and intangible, and yet within is form.
+Oh, it is dim and dark, and yet within is essence.
+This essence is very real, and therein lies faith.
+From the very beginning until now its name has never been forgotten.
+Thus I perceive the creation.
+How do I know the ways of creation?
+Because of this.
+
+&#22
+
+Yield and overcome;
+Bend and be straight;
+Empty and be full;
+Wear out and be new;
+Have little and gain;
+Have much and be confused.
+
+Therefore the wise embrace the one
+And set an example to all.
+Not putting on a display,
+They shine forth.
+Not justifying themselves,
+They are distinguished.
+Not boasting,
+They receive recognition.
+Not bragging,
+They never falter.
+They do not quarrel,
+So no one quarrels with them.
+Therefore the ancients say, "Yield and overcome."
+Is that an empty saying?
+Be really whole,
+And all things will come to you.
+
+&#23
+
+To talk little is natural.
+High winds do not last all morning.
+Heavy rain does not last all day.
+Why is this? Heaven and Earth!
+If heaven and Earth cannot make things eternal,
+How is it possible for man?
+
+He who follows the Tao
+Is at one with the Tao.
+He who is virtuous
+Experiences Virtue.
+He who loses the way
+Is lost.
+When you are at one with the Tao,
+The Tao welcomes you.
+When you are at one with Virtue,
+The Virtue is always there.
+When you are at one with loss,
+The loss is experienced willingly.
+
+He who does not trust enough
+Will not be trusted.
+
+&#24
+
+He who stands on tiptoe is not steady.
+He who strides cannot maintain the pace.
+He who makes a show is not enlightened.
+He who is self-righteous is not respected.
+He who boasts achieves nothing.
+He who brags will not endure.
+According to followers of the Tao, "These are extra food and unnecessary luggage."
+They do not bring happiness.
+therefore followers of the Tao avoid them.
+
+&#25
+
+Something mysteriously formed,
+Born before heaven and Earth.
+In the silence and the void,
+Standing alone and unchanging,
+Ever present and in motion.
+Perhaps it is the mother of ten thousand things.
+I do not know its name
+Call it Tao.
+For lack of a better word, I call it great.
+
+Being great, it flows
+I flows far away.
+Having gone far, it returns.
+
+Therefore, "Tao is great;
+Heaven is great;
+Earth is great;
+The king is also great."
+These are the four great powers of the universe,
+And the king is one of them.
+
+Man follows Earth.
+Earth follows heaven.
+Heaven follows the Tao.
+Tao follows what is natural.
+
+&#26
+
+The heavy is the root of the light.
+The still is the master of unrest.
+
+Therefore the sage, traveling all day,
+Does not lose sight of his baggage.
+Though there are beautiful things to be seen,
+He remains unattached and calm.
+
+Why should the lord of ten thousand chariots act lightly in public?
+To be light is to lose one's root.
+To be restless is to lose one's control.
+
+&#27
+
+A good walker leaves no tracks;
+A good speaker makes no slips;
+A good reckoner needs no tally.
+A good door needs no lock,
+Yet no one can open it.
+Good binding requires no knots,
+Yet no one can loosen it.
+
+Therefore the sage takes care of all men
+And abandons no one.
+He takes care of all things
+And abandons nothing.
+
+This is called "following the light."
+
+What is a good man?
+A teacher of a bad man.
+What is a bad man?
+A good man's charge.
+If the teacher is not respected,
+And the student not cared for,
+Confusion will arise, however clever one is.
+This is the crux of mystery.
+
+&#28
+
+Know the strength of man,
+But keep a woman's care!
+Be the stream of the universe!
+Being the stream of the universe,
+Ever true and unswerving,
+Become as a little child once more.
+
+Know the white,
+But keep the black!
+Be an example to the world!
+Being an example to the world,
+Ever true and unwavering,
+Return to the infinite.
+
+Know honor,
+Yet keep humility.
+Be the valley of the universe!
+Being the valley of the universe,
+Ever true and resourceful,
+Return to the state of the uncarved block.
+
+When the block is carved, it becomes useful.
+When the sage uses it, he becomes the ruler.
+Thus, "A great tailor cuts little."
+
+&#29
+
+Do you think you can take over the universe and improve it?
+I do not believe it can be done.
+
+The universe is sacred.
+You cannot improve it.
+If you try to change it, you will ruin it.
+If you try to hold it, you will lose it.
+
+So sometimes things are ahead and sometimes they are behind;
+Sometimes breathing is hard, sometimes it comes easily;
+Sometimes there is strength and sometimes weakness;
+Sometimes one is up and sometimes down.
+
+Therefore the sage avoids extremes, excesses, and complacency.
+
+&#30
+
+Whenever you advise a ruler in the way of Tao,
+Counsel him not to use force to conquer the universe.
+For this would only cause resistance.
+Thorn bushes spring up wherever the army has passed.
+Lean years follow in the wake of a great war.
+Just do what needs to be done.
+Never take advantage of power.
+
+Achieve results,
+But never glory in them.
+Achieve results,
+But never boast.
+Achieve results,
+But never be proud.
+Achieve results,
+Because this is the natural way.
+Achieve results,
+But not through violence.
+
+Force is followed by loss of strength.
+This is not the way of Tao.
+That which goes against the Tao comes to an early end.
+
+&#31
+
+Good weapons are instruments of fear; all creatures hate them.
+Therefore followers of Tao never use them.
+The wise man prefers the left.
+The man of war prefers the right.
+
+Weapons are instruments of fear; they are not a wise man's tools.
+He uses them only when he has no choice.
+Peace and quiet are dear to his heart,
+And victory no cause for rejoicing.
+If you rejoice in victory, then you delight in killing;
+If you delight in killing, you cannot fulfill yourself.
+
+On happy occasions precedence is given to the left,
+On sad occasions to the right.
+In the army the general stands on the left,
+The commander-in-chief on the right.
+This means that war is conducted like a funeral.
+When many people are being killed,
+They should be mourned in heartfelt sorrow.
+That is why a victory must be observed like a funeral.
+
+&#32
+
+The Tao is forever undefined.
+Small though it is in the unformed state, it cannot be grasped.
+If kings and lords could harness it,
+The ten thousand things would come together
+And gentle rain fall.
+Men would need no more instruction and all things would take their course.
+
+Once the whole is divided, the parts need names.
+There are already enough names.
+One must know when to stop.
+Knowing when to stop averts trouble.
+Tao in the world is like a river flowing home to the sea.
+
+&#33
+
+Knowing others is wisdom;
+Knowing the self is enlightenment.
+Mastering others requires force;
+Mastering the self needs strength.
+
+He who knows he has enough is rich.
+Perseverance is a sign of willpower.
+He who stays where he is endures.
+To die but not to perish is to be eternally present.
+
+&#34
+
+The great Tao flows everywhere, both to the left and to the right.
+The ten thousand things depend upon it; it holds nothing back.
+It fulfills its purpose silently and makes no claim.
+
+It nourishes the ten thousand things,
+And yet is not their lord.
+It has no aim; it is very small.
+
+The ten thousand things return to it,
+Yet it is not their lord.
+It is very great.
+
+It does not show greatness,
+And is therefore truly great.
+
+&#35
+
+All men will come to him who keeps to the one,
+For there lie rest and happiness and peace.
+
+Passersby may stop for music and good food,
+But a description of the Tao
+Seems without substance or flavor.
+It cannot be seen, it cannot be heard,
+And yet it cannot be exhausted.
+
+&#36
+
+That which shrinks
+Must first expand.
+That which fails
+Must first be strong.
+That which is cast down
+Must first be raised.
+Before receiving
+There must be giving.
+
+This is called perception of the nature of things.
+Soft and weak overcome hard and strong.
+
+Fish cannot leave deep waters,
+And a country's weapons should not be displayed.
+
+&#37
+
+Tao abides in non-action,
+Yet nothing is left undone.
+If kings and lords observed this,
+The ten thousand things would develop naturally.
+If they still desired to act,
+They would return to the simplicity of formless substance.
+Without form there is no desire.
+Without desire there is tranquility.
+And in this way all things would be at peace.
+
+&#38
+
+A truly good man is not aware of his goodness,
+And is therefore good.
+A foolish man tries to be good,
+And is therefore not good.
+
+A truly good man does nothing,
+Yet leaves nothing undone.
+A foolish man is always doing,
+Yet much remains to be done.
+
+When a truly kind man does something, he leaves nothing undone.
+When a just man does something, he leaves a great deal to be done.
+When a disciplinarian does something and no one responds,
+He rolls up his sleeves in an attempt to enforce order.
+
+Therefore when Tao is lost, there is goodness.
+When goodness is lost, there is kindness.
+When kindness is lost, there is justice.
+When justice is lost, there ritual.
+Now ritual is the husk of faith and loyalty, the beginning of confusion.
+Knowledge of the future is only a flowery trapping of Tao.
+It is the beginning of folly.
+
+Therefore the truly great man dwells on what is real and not what is on the surface,
+On the fruit and not the flower.
+Therefore accept the one and reject the other.
+
+&#39
+
+These things from ancient times arise from one:
+The sky is whole and clear.
+The earth is whole and firm.
+The spirit is whole and strong.
+The valley is whole and full.
+The ten thousand things are whole and alive.
+Kings and lords are whole, and the country is upright.
+All these are in virtue of wholeness.
+
+The clarity of the sky prevents its falling.
+The firmness of the earth prevents its splitting.
+The strength of the spirit prevents its being used up.
+The fullness of the valley prevents its running dry.
+The growth of the ten thousand things prevents their drying out.
+The leadership of kings and lords prevents the downfall of the country.
+
+Therefore the humble is the root of the noble.
+The low is the foundation of the high.
+Princes and lords consider themselves "orphaned", "widowed" and "worthless".
+Do they not depend on being humble?
+
+Too much success is not an advantage.
+Do not tinkle like jade
+Or clatter like stone chimes.
+
+&#40
+
+Returning is the motion of the Tao.
+Yielding is the way of the Tao.
+The ten thousand things are born of being.
+Being is born of not being.
+
+&#41
+
+The wise student hears of the Tao and practices it diligently.
+The average student hears of the Tao and gives it thought now and again.
+The foolish student hears of the Tao and laughs aloud.
+If there were no laughter, the Tao would not be what it is.
+
+Hence it is said:
+The bright path seems dim;
+Going forward seems like retreat;
+The easy way seems hard;
+The highest Virtue seems empty;
+Great purity seems sullied;
+A wealth of Virtue seems inadequate;
+The strength of Virtue seems frail;
+Real Virtue seems unreal;
+The perfect square has no corners;
+Great talents ripen late;
+The highest notes are hard to hear;
+The greatest form has no shape;
+The Tao is hidden and without name.
+The Tao alone nourishes and brings everything to fulfillment.
+
+&#42
+
+The Tao begot one.
+One begot two.
+Two begot three.
+And three begot the ten thousand things.
+
+The ten thousand things carry yin and embrace yang.
+They achieve harmony by combining these forces.
+
+Men hate to be "orphaned," "widowed," or "worthless,"
+But this is how kings and lords describe themselves.
+
+For one gains by losing
+And loses by gaining.
+
+What others teach, I also teach; that is:
+"A violent man will die a violent death!"
+This will be the essence of my teaching.
+
+&#43
+
+The softest thing in the universe
+Overcomes the hardest thing in the universe.
+That without substance can enter where there is no room.
+Hence I know the value of non-action.
+
+Teaching without words and work without doing
+Are understood by very few.
+
+&#44
+
+Fame or self: Which matters more?
+Self or wealth: Which is more precious?
+Gain or loss: Which is more painful?
+
+He who is attached to things will suffer much.
+He who saves will suffer heavy loss.
+A contented man is never disappointed.
+He who knows when to stop does not find himself in trouble.
+He will stay forever safe.
+
+&#45
+
+Great accomplishment seems imperfect,
+Yet it does not outlive its usefulness.
+Great fullness seems empty,
+Yet cannot be exhausted.
+
+Great straightness seems twisted.
+Great intelligence seems stupid.
+Great eloquence seems awkward.
+
+Movement overcomes cold.
+Stillness overcomes heat.
+Stillness and tranquillity set things in order in the universe.
+
+&#46
+
+When the Tao is present in the universe,
+The horses haul manure.
+When the Tao is absent from the universe,
+War horses are bred outside the city.
+
+There is no greater sin than desire,
+No greater curse than discontent,
+No greater misfortune than wanting something for oneself.
+Therefore he who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.
+
+&#47
+
+Without going outside, you may know the whole world.
+Without looking through the window, you may see the ways of heaven.
+The farther you go, the less you know.
+
+Thus the sage knows without traveling;
+He sees without looking;
+He works without doing.
+
+&#48
+
+In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired.
+In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.
+
+Less and less is done
+Until non-action is achieved.
+When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.
+
+The world is ruled by letting things take their course.
+It cannot be ruled by interfering.
+
+&#49
+
+The sage has no mind of his own.
+He is aware of the needs of others.
+
+I am good to people who are good.
+I am also good to people who are not good.
+Because Virtue is goodness.
+I have faith in people who are faithful.
+I also have faith in people who are not faithful.
+Because Virtue is faithfulness.
+
+The sage is shy and humble - to the world he seems confusing.
+Others look to him and listen.
+He behaves like a little child.
+
+&#50
+
+Between birth and death,
+Three in ten are followers of life,
+Three in ten are followers of death,
+And men just passing from birth to death also number three in ten.
+Why is this so?
+Because they live their lives on the gross level.
+
+He who knows how to live can walk abroad
+Without fear of rhinoceros or tiger.
+He will not be wounded in battle.
+For in him rhinoceroses can find no place to thrust their horn,
+Tigers no place to use their claws,
+And weapons no place to pierce.
+Why is this so?
+Because he has no place for death to enter.
+
+&#51
+
+All things arise from Tao.
+They are nourished by Virtue.
+They are formed from matter.
+They are shaped by environment.
+Thus the ten thousand things all respect Tao and honor Virtue.
+Respect of Tao and honor of Virtue are not demanded,
+But they are in the nature of things.
+
+Therefore all things arise from Tao.
+By Virtue they are nourished,
+Developed, cared for,
+Sheltered, comforted,
+Grown, and protected.
+Creating without claiming,
+Doing without taking credit,
+Guiding without interfering,
+This is Primal Virtue.
+
+&#52
+
+The beginning of the universe
+Is the mother of all things.
+Knowing the mother, one also knows the sons.
+Knowing the sons, yet remaining in touch with the mother,
+Brings freedom from the fear of death.
+
+Keep your mouth shut,
+Guard the senses,
+And life is ever full.
+Open your mouth,
+Always be busy,
+And life is beyond hope.
+
+Seeing the small is insight;
+Yielding to force is strength.
+Using the outer light, return to insight,
+And in this way be saved from harm.
+This is learning constancy.
+
+&#53
+
+If I have even just a little sense,
+I will walk on the main road and my only fear
+will be of straying from it.
+Keeping to the main road is easy,
+But people love to be sidetracked.
+
+When the court is arrayed in splendor,
+The fields are full of weeds,
+And the granaries are bare.
+Some wear gorgeous clothes,
+Carry sharp swords,
+And indulge themselves with food and drink;
+They have more possessions than they can use.
+They are robber barons.
+This is certainly not the way of Tao.
+
+&#54
+
+What is firmly established cannot be uprooted.
+What is firmly grasped cannot slip away.
+It will be honored from generation to generation.
+
+Cultivate Virtue in your self,
+And Virtue will be real.
+Cultivate it in the family,
+And Virtue will abound.
+Cultivate it in the village,
+And Virtue will grow.
+Cultivate it in the nation,
+And Virtue will be abundant.
+Cultivate it in the universe,
+And Virtue will be everywhere.
+
+Therefore look at the body as body;
+Look at the family as family;
+Look at the village as village;
+Look at the nation as nation;
+Look at the universe as universe.
+
+How do I know the universe is like this?
+By looking!
+
+&#55
+
+He who is filled with Virtue is like a newborn child.
+Wasps and serpents will not sting him;
+Wild beasts will not pounce upon him;
+He will not be attacked by birds of prey.
+His bones are soft, his muscles weak,
+But his grip is firm.
+He has not experienced the union of man and woman, but is whole.
+His manhood is strong.
+He screams all day without becoming hoarse.
+This is perfect harmony.
+
+Knowing harmony is constancy.
+Knowing constancy is enlightenment.
+
+It is not wise to rush about.
+Controlling the breath causes strain.
+If too much energy is used, exhaustion follows.
+This is not the way of Tao.
+Whatever is contrary to Tao will not last long.
+
+&#56
+
+Those who know do not talk.
+Those who talk do not know.
+
+Keep your mouth closed.
+Guard your senses.
+Temper your sharpness.
+Simplify your problems.
+Mask your brightness.
+Be at one with the dust of the Earth.
+This is primal union.
+
+He who has achieved this state
+Is unconcerned with friends and enemies,
+With good and harm, with honor and disgrace.
+This therefore is the highest state of man.
+
+&#57
+
+Rule a nation with justice.
+Wage war with surprise moves.
+Become master of the universe without striving.
+How do I know that this is so?
+Because of this!
+
+The more laws and restrictions there are,
+The poorer people become.
+The sharper men's weapons,
+The more trouble in the land.
+The more ingenious and clever men are,
+The more strange things happen.
+The more rules and regulations,
+The more thieves and robbers.
+
+Therefore the sage says:
+I take no action and people are reformed.
+I enjoy peace and people become honest.
+I do nothing and people become rich.
+I have no desires and people return to the good and simple life.
+
+&#58
+
+When the country is ruled with a light hand
+The people are simple.
+When the country is ruled with severity,
+The people are cunning.
+
+Happiness is rooted in misery.
+Misery lurks beneath happiness.
+Who knows what the future holds?
+There is no honesty.
+Honesty becomes dishonest.
+Goodness becomes witchcraft.
+Man's bewitchment lasts for a long time.
+
+Therefore the sage is sharp but not cutting,
+Pointed but not piercing,
+Straightforward but not unrestrained,
+Brilliant but not blinding.
+
+&#59
+
+In caring for others and serving heaven,
+There is nothing like using restraint.
+Restraint begins with giving up one's own ideas.
+This depends on Virtue gathered in the past.
+If there is a good store of Virtue, then nothing is impossible.
+If nothing is impossible, then there are no limits.
+If a man knows no limits, then he is fit to be a ruler.
+The mother principle of ruling holds good for a long time.
+This is called having deep roots and a firm foundation,
+The Tao of long life and eternal vision.
+
+&#60
+
+Ruling the country is like cooking a small fish.
+Approach the universe with Tao,
+And evil is not powerful,
+But its power will not be used to harm others.
+Not only will it do no harm to others,
+But the sage himself will also be protected.
+They do not hurt each other,
+And the Virtue in each one refreshes both.
+
+&#61
+
+A great country is like low land.
+It is the meeting ground of the universe,
+The mother of the universe.
+
+The female overcomes the male with stillness,
+Lying low in stillness.
+
+Therefore if a great country gives way to a smaller country,
+It will conquer the smaller country.
+And if a small country submits to a great country,
+It can conquer the great country.
+Therefore those who would conquer must yield,
+And those who conquer do so because they yield.
+
+A great nation needs more people;
+A small country needs to serve.
+Each gets what it wants.
+It is fitting for a great nation to yield.
+
+&#62
+
+Tao is source of the ten thousand things.
+It is the treasure of the good man, and the refuge of the bad.
+Sweet words can buy honor;
+Good deeds can gain respect.
+If a man is bad, do not abandon him.
+Therefore on the day the emperor is crowned,
+Or the three officers of state installed,
+Do not send a gift of jade and a team of four horses,
+But remain still and offer the Tao.
+Why does everyone like the Tao so much at first?
+Isn't it because you find what you seek and are forgiven when you sin?
+Therefore this is the greatest treasure of the universe.
+
+&#63
+
+Practice non-action.
+Work without doing.
+Taste the tasteless.
+Magnify the small, increase the few.
+Reward bitterness with care.
+
+See simplicity in the complicated.
+Achieve greatness in little things.
+
+In the universe the difficult things are done as if they are easy.
+In the universe great acts are made up of small deeds.
+The sage does not attempt anything very big,
+And thus achieved greatness.
+
+Easy promises make for little trust.
+Taking things lightly results in great difficulty.
+Because the sage always confronts difficulties,
+He never experiences them.
+
+&#64
+
+Peace is easily maintained;
+Trouble is easily overcome before it starts.
+The brittle is easily shattered;
+The small is easily scattered.
+
+Deal with it before it happens.
+Set things in order before there is confusion.
+
+A tree as great as a man's embrace springs up from a small shoot;
+A terrace nine stories high begins with a pile of earth;
+A journey of a thousand miles starts under one's feet.
+
+He who acts defeats his own purpose;
+He who grasps loses.
+The sage does not act, and so is not defeated.
+He does not grasp and therefore does not lose.
+
+People usually fail when they are on the verge of success.
+So give as much care to the end as to the beginning;
+Then there will be no failure.
+
+Therefore the sage seeks freedom from desire.
+He does not collect precious things.
+He learns not to hold on to ideas.
+He brings men back to what they have lost.
+He help the ten thousand things find their own nature,
+But refrains from action.
+
+&#65
+
+In the beginning those who knew the Tao did not try to enlighten others,
+But kept it hidden.
+Why is it so hard to rule?
+Because people are so clever.
+Rulers who try to use cleverness
+Cheat the country.
+Those who rule without cleverness
+Are a blessing to the land.
+These are the two alternatives.
+Understanding these is Primal Virtue.
+Primal Virtue is deep and far.
+It leads all things back
+Toward the great oneness.
+
+&#66
+
+Why is the sea king of a hundred streams?
+Because it lies below them.
+Therefore it is the king of a hundred streams.
+
+If the sage would guide the people, he must serve with humility.
+If he would lead them, he must follow behind.
+In this way when the sage rules, the people will not feel oppressed;
+When he stands before them, they will not be harmed.
+The whole world will support him and will not tire of him.
+
+Because he does not compete,
+He does not meet competition.
+
+&#67
+
+Everyone under heaven says that my Tao is great and beyond compare.
+Because it is great, it seems different.
+If it were not different, it would have vanished long ago.
+
+I have three treasures which I hold and keep.
+The first is mercy; the second is economy;
+The third is daring not to be ahead of others.
+From mercy comes courage; from economy comes generosity;
+From humility comes leadership.
+
+Nowadays men shun mercy, but try to be brave;
+They abandon economy, but try to be generous;
+They do not believe in humility, but always try to be first.
+This is certain death.
+
+Mercy brings victory in battle and strength in defense.
+It is the means by which heaven saves and guards.
+
+&#68
+
+A good soldier is not violent.
+A good fighter is not angry.
+A good winner is not vengeful
+A good employer is humble.
+This is known as the Virtue of not striving.
+This is known as ability to deal with people.
+This since ancient times has been known as the ultimate unity with heaven.
+
+&#69
+
+There is a saying among soldiers:
+I dare not make the first move but would rather play the guest;
+I dare not advance and inch but would rather withdraw a foot.
+
+This is called marching without appearing to move,
+Rolling up your sleeves without showing your arm,
+Capturing the enemy without attacking,
+Being armed without weapons.
+
+There is no greater catastrophe than underestimating the enemy.
+By underestimating the enemy, I almost lost what I value.
+
+Therefore when the battle is joined,
+The underdog will win.
+
+&#70
+
+My words are easy to understand and easy to perform,
+Yet no man under heaven knows them or practices them.
+
+My words have ancient beginnings.
+My actions are disciplined.
+Because men do not understand, they have no knowledge of me.
+
+Those that know me are few;
+Those that abuse me are honored.
+Therefore the sage wears rough clothing and holds the jewel in his heart.
+
+&#71
+
+Knowing ignorance is strength.
+Ignoring knowledge is sickness.
+
+If one is sick of sickness, then one is not sick.
+The sage is not sick because he is sick of sickness.
+Therefore he is not sick.
+
+&#72
+
+When men lack a sense of awe, there will be disaster.
+
+Do not intrude in their homes.
+Do not harass them at work.
+If you do not interfere, they will not weary of you.
+
+Therefore the sage knows himself but makes no show,
+Has self-respect but is not arrogant.
+He lets go of that and chooses this.
+
+&#73
+
+A brave and passionate man will kill or be killed.
+A brave and calm man will always preserve life.
+Of these two which is good and which is harmful?
+Some things are not favored by heaven. Who knows why?
+Even the sage is unsure of this.
+
+The Tao of heaven does not strive, and yet it overcomes.
+It does not speak, and yet is answered.
+It does not ask, yet is supplied with all its needs.
+It seems to have no aim and yet its purpose is fulfilled.
+
+Heaven's net casts wide.
+Though its meshes are course, nothing slips through.
+
+&#74
+
+If men are not afraid to die,
+It is no avail to threaten them with death.
+
+If men live in constant fear of dying,
+And if breaking the law means that a man will be killed,
+Who will dare to break the law?
+
+There is always an official executioner.
+If you try to take his place,
+It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood.
+If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand.
+
+&#75
+
+Why are the people starving?
+Because the rulers eat up the money in taxes.
+Therefore the people are starving.
+
+Why are the people rebellious?
+Because the rulers interfere too much.
+Therefore they are rebellious.
+
+Why do the people think so little of death?
+Because the rulers demand too much of life.
+Therefore the people take death lightly.
+
+Having little to live on, one knows better than to value life too much.
+
+&#76
+
+A man is born gentle and weak.
+At his death he is hard and stiff.
+Green plants are tender and filled with sap.
+At their death they are withered and dry.
+
+Therefore the stiff and unbending is the disciple of death.
+The gentle and yielding is the disciple of life.
+
+Thus an army without flexibility never wins a battle.
+A tree that is unbending is easily broken.
+
+The hard and strong will fall.
+The soft and weak will overcome.
+
+&#77
+
+The Tao of heaven is like the bending of a bow.
+The high is lowered, and the low is raised.
+If the string is too long, it is shortened;
+If there is not enough, it is made longer.
+
+The Tao of heaven is to take from those who have too much and give to those who do not have enough.
+Man's way is different.
+He takes from those who do not have enough and give to those who already have too much.
+What man has more than enough and gives it to the world?
+Only the man of Tao.
+
+Therefore the sage works without recognition.
+He achieves what has to be done without dwelling on it.
+He does not try to show his knowledge.
+
+&#78
+
+Under heaven nothing is more soft and yielding than water.
+Yet for attacking the solid and strong, nothing is better;
+It has no equal.
+The weak can overcome the strong;
+The supple can overcome the stiff.
+Under heaven everyone knows this,
+Yet no one puts it into practice.
+Therefore the sage says:
+He who takes upon himself the humiliation of the people is fit to rule them.
+He who takes upon himself the country's disasters deserves to be king of the universe.
+The truth often sounds paradoxical.
+
+&#79
+
+After a bitter quarrel, some resentment must remain.
+What can one do about it?
+Therefore the sage keeps his half of the bargain
+But does not exact his due.
+A man of Virtue performs his part,
+But a man without Virtue requires others to fulfill their obligations.
+The Tao of heaven is impartial.
+It stays with good men all the time.
+
+&#80
+
+A small country has fewer people.
+Though there are machines that can work ten to a hundred times faster than man, they are not needed.
+The people take death seriously and do not travel far.
+Though they have boats and carriages, no one uses them.
+Though they have armor and weapons, no one displays them.
+Men return to the knotting of rope in place of writing.
+Their food is plain and good, their clothes fine but simple, their homes secure;
+They are happy in their ways.
+Though they live within sight of their neighbors,
+And crowing cocks and barking dogs are heard across the way,
+Yet they leave each other in peace while they grow old and die.
+
+&#81
+
+Truthful words are not beautiful.
+Beautiful words are not truthful.
+Good men do not argue.
+Those who argue are not good.
+Those who know are not learned.
+The learned do not know.
+
+The sage never tries to store things up.
+The more he does for others, the more he has.
+The more he gives to others, the greater his abundance.
+The Tao of heaven is pointed but does no harm.
+The Tao of the sage is work without effort.