Tao Te Ching

A state is compared to the lower parts of a river, where different streams join and become one. In this place, the female, or, according to Taoist philosophy, the weaker force, will be able to have more power than the male, or the more powerful force. Though the female force is still, she takes the submissive position and is able to join with the more powerful force, and the more powerful force, by being submissive, is able to take over the weaker force. If each force acts in a submissive way, they will take their rightful places and merge together peacefully, just as streams join peacefully to form a river.

The way offers protection for everyone. The way helps a good man protects others, while the bad man is protected. While beautiful words can help a person rise in rank, beautiful deeds will help someone even more. Even bad men can be protected and not abandoned with the way. A minister who offers the emperor the present that is the way, without standing up, is preferable to a minister who offers the emperor presents such as jade disks and teams of horses. Ancient people valued the way, and it is still valued.

In this chapter, the author tells us to take no action, to not meddle, and to enjoy food without flavor. Treat the small as big and few as many, and do not seek revenge against those who have harmed you. Instead of waiting until something becomes difficult, do it when it is not yet difficult, as everything that becomes difficult or big starts as easy and small. The great leader is great because he or she never tries to be great. A person who promises too much or who thinks things are easy often runs into trouble. Therefore, a good ruler or sage treats some things as difficult so that he or she is never obstructed by them.

In this book, the author tells us to deal with situations before they get too complex and when they are still secure and not overwhelming. It is better to maintain order before disorder breaks out. Big things, such as trees, tall terraces, and long journeys, all have small beginnings. If one tries to meddle with these things, one will destroy them, so it is better, like the sage, to do nothing, so that you don’t ruin anything. People always meet with disaster just when they are on the brink of success, but if one is as careful at the beginning as at the end, one cannot ruin anything. The sage does not want anything and does not try to possess rare things. The sage does not try to be too learned, and therefore the sage can help people correct their mistakes and help them by teaching them to be passive.

In the past, some people used the way to trick people. People are hard to rule because they are clever. Therefore, ruling through cleverness will hurt the state, and ruling without cleverness will be beneficial for the state. One must rule with “mysterious virtue,” or according to the way, and then uniformity among the people is accomplished.

The author writes that water in rivers and the sea is more powerful than the valleys because they take the “lower position.” In other words, water is powerful because it seems submissive and will flow anywhere. A good ruler is similar, as the ruler must humble himself or herself and must follow people in order to rule them. The ruler is above others but is not a burden to them, and that is why he or she is supported. It is because the ruler is peaceful that no one in the empire wants to oppose him or her.

The way is vast yet is like nothingness, as had it resembled anything, it would have been nothing by now. In other words, the way can only retain its vastness by being like nothing. The three treasures the author prizes are compassion, frugality, and submissiveness. If one is compassionate, one can be courageous; if one is frugal, one can extend one’s reach. Further, if one is submissive, one can be lord. If, however, one gives up these three values and simply tries to be courageous, acquisitive, or dominant, one will die. If one is compassionate, one will triumph and be protected by heaven.

If one is a great warrior, he or she does not appear scary, and if one is a good fighter, one is not angered easily. Similarly, if one is a good leader, one is humble. It is the way to be peaceful and to follow others. 

If you want to follow a successful strategy, do not advance on your enemy but instead retreat. One must act like a good guest and wait until the right moment to advance. Otherwise, one will act too early, and will try to march when there isn’t even a road yet, and will wage war on one’s adversary when there isn’t even an enemy yet. Instead, do not take on the enemy too early. It is the force that suffers the first blows that wins.

Though the words of the author are simply and easy to implement, no one can really understand them or implement them. Very few people truly understand the way, though some people try to imitate the sage. While the sage dresses in simple, homemade clothes, he or she possesses something as priceless as jade: an understanding of the way.

It is better to think that one doesn’t know anything than that one does. If one wants to avoid difficulty, one must be aware of it. If one is aware of it, one can avoid difficulty.

If people are not properly reverent, they will meet with a bad end. The leader should not constrict them or force them, as they will not tire if they are not forced. The sage does not display what he knows, or lift himself above others. 

The person who is too bold will die, while the person who is forceful in being timid will survive. Good comes from acting timidly. The way does not act boldly but it conquers all things. It does not speak but makes itself known. It attracts people without calling them and appears lazy but makes plans for the future. Though the mesh of the heavens is not finely knit, it never lets anything slip through it.

People who are not afraid of death cannot be scared by the possibility that they might be put to death. The executioner is like someone who chops wood for the master carpenter; that is, the executioner is taking the place of the heavens, and, in putting people to death, he or she runs the risk of hurting himself or herself, instead.

The people are poor and difficult to govern when the authorities do too much and take too many taxes. The people are too cavalier about death because they value life too much. It is because one does not value life that one is smarter.

When alive, a person is supple, but he or she is rigid when dead. Grass and trees are also pliant and bendable when alive but shrivel when dead. To be weak and bendable is to be alive, whereas to be rigid is to be dead. Strong weapons will not win victories, just as a tree will even be felled by an axe. The strong are made weak, while the weak become strong.

The tao is like stretching a bow, as it presses down the lofty and lifts up the lowly. The way takes from those who have too much and give to those things that are lacking. People are different, though, in that they take from the poor to give to people who already have more than enough. Those who follow the way can take from their own excess and give what they don’t need to the empire. Therefore, the sage benefits others without asking for gratitude or asking for recognition. He or she does not want to be considered superior.

Water is weak and submissive but can defeat anything that is strong. Similarly, the weak will beat the strong and the submissive will triumph over the hard. People know this but cannot follow it. The leader who is truly good and can maintain the independence of his or her state is humble. This advice seems paradoxical, but it is true.

When two enemies make peace, bad feelings are bound to remain. The sage does not exact retribution. A man of virtue is able to not demand exact repayment for loans but is able to forget what he or she has lent.

Nations should not use weapons, even though they have them. They should only use weapons or ships if they really need them. Instead, people should relish what they have, and states that are next to each other should leave each other in peace.

Words that are true are often not flowery, and those that are flowery are often not true. Often, words that are meant to create good do not persuade people, and words that persuade people do not lead to good ends. People who understand the way do not have extensive knowledge, but those with extensive knowledge do not understand the way. The sage is generous and does not hoard. By giving to others, the sage has more. The way is not about fighting or harming others.