上德
老子曰：主者，国之心也，心治则百节皆安，心扰即百节皆乱，故其身治者，支体相遗也，其国治者，君臣相忘也。
老子学于常枞，见舌而守柔，仰视屋树，退而目川，观影而知持后，故圣人曰无因循，常后而不先，譬若积薪燎，后者处上。
老子曰：鸣铎以声自毁，膏烛以明自煎，虎豹之文来射，猿狖之捷来格，故勇武以强梁死，辩士以智能困。能以智而知，不能以智不知，如勇于一能，察于一辞，可与曲说，不可与广应。
老子曰：道以无为有体，视之不见其形，听之不闻其声，谓之幽冥者。幽冥者，所以论道，而非道也。夫道者，内视而自反，故人不小学，不大迷，不小惠，不大愚。莫鉴于流潦，而鉴于止水，以其保之，止而不外荡。月望日夺光，阴不可以承阳，日出星可见，不能与之争光，末不可以强于本，枝不可以大于干，上重下轻，其覆必易。一渊不两蛟，一雌不二雄，一即定，两即争。玉在山而草木润，珠生渊而岸不枯，蚯蚓无筋骨之强，爪牙之利，上食咘堁，下饮黄泉，用心一也。清之为明，杯水可见眸子，浊之为害，河水不见太山，兰芷不为莫服而不芳，舟浮江海不为莫乘而沉，君子行道不为莫知而愠，性之有也。以清入浊必困辱，以浊入清必覆倾，天二气即成虹，地二气即泄藏，人二气即生病，阴阳不能常，日冬且夏，月不知昼，日不知夜。川广者鱼大，山高者木修，地广者德厚，故鱼不可以无饵钓，兽不可以空器召。山有猛兽，林木为之不斩，园有螫虫，葵藿为之不采，国有贤臣，折冲千里，通于道者若车之转于毂中，不运于己，与之致于千里，终而复始，转无穷之原也。故举枉与直，何如不得，举直与枉，勿与遂往。有鸟将来，张罗而待之，得鸟者罗之一目，今为一目之罗，则无 时得鸟，故事或不可前规，物或不可预虑，故圣人畜道待时也。故欲致鱼者先通谷，欲来鸟者先树木，水积而鱼聚，木茂而鸟集，为鱼得者，非挈而入渊也，为猿得者，非负而上木也，纵之所利而已。足所践者浅，然待所不践而后能行，心所知者遍，然待所不知而后能明。川竭而谷虚，丘夷而渊塞，唇亡而齿寒，河水深而让在山。水静则清，清则平，平则易，易则见物之形，形不可并，故可以为正。使叶落者，风摇之也，使水浊者，物挠之也，璧锾之器，礛之功也，莫邪断割，砥砺之力也， ? 与骥致千里而不飞，无裹粮之资而不饥，狡兔得而猎犬烹，高鸟尽而良弓藏，名成功遂身退，天道然也。怒出于不怒，为出于不为，视于无有则得所见，听于无声则得所闻。飞鸟反乡，兔走归窟，狐死首丘，寒螀洋木，各依其所生也。水火相憎，鼎 ? 在其间，五味以和，骨肉相爱也，谗人间之，父子相危也。犬豕不择器而食，俞肥其体，故近死，凤皇翔于千仞，莫之能致。推固百内而不能自椓，目见百步之外而不能见其眥。因高为山即安而不危，因下为池即渊深而鱼鳖归焉。沟也涝即溢，旱即枯，河海之源渊深而不竭，鳖无耳而目不可以蔽，精于明也，瞽无目而耳不可以蔽，精于聪也。混混之水浊，可以濯吾足乎？? 鲢鲋澹梢藻嵊Ш酰克恐梢玻蛭冢蛭?? ，冠则戴枝之， ? 则足蹍之。金之势胜木，一刃不能残一林之木；土之势胜水，一掬不能塞江河；水之势火，一酌不能救一车之薪。冬有雷，夏有雹，寒暑不变其节，霜雪麃麃，日出而流。倾易覆也，倚易翻也，几易助也，湿易雨也，兰芷以芳，不得见霜，蟾蜍涂兵，寿在五月之望，精泄者中易残，华非时者不可食。舌之与齿，孰先弊焉？绳之与矢，孰先直焉？使影曲者形也，使响浊者声也。与死同病者，难为良医，与亡国同道者，不可为忠谋。使倡吹竽，使工摄窍，虽中节，以可使决，君形亡焉。聋者不歌，无以自乐，盲者不观，无以接物。步于林者，不得直道，行于险者，不得履绳，海内其所出，故能大。日不并出，狐不二雄，神龙不匹，猛兽不群，鸷鸟不双，盖非橑不蔽日，轮非辐不追疾，橑轮未足恃也。弧弓能射，而非弦不发，发矢之为射，十分之一。饥马在厩，漠然无声，投刍其旁，争心乃生。三寸之管无当，天下不能满，十石而有塞，百竹而足。循绳而断即不过，悬衡而量即不差，悬古法以类，有时而遂，杖格之 ? ，有时而施，是而行之，谓之乱。农夫劳而君子养，愚者言而智者择，见之明白，处之如玉石，见之黯，必留其谋。百? 侵鳎蝗缫辉轮猓槐峡蝗缫换е鳌ｒ笊卟豢晌悖⒉豢晌恚裼辛咧悖远街虏挪荒眩⒍u之，上才不易，势施异也。助祭者得尝，救斗者得伤，蔽于不祥之木，为雷霆所扑。日月欲明，浊云盖之，河水欲清，沙土秽之，丛兰欲修，秋风败之，人性欲平，嗜欲害之，蒙尘而欲无眯，不可得絜。黄金龟纽，贤者以为佩，土壤布地，能者以为富，故与弱者金玉，不如与之尺素。毂虚而中立三十辐，各尽其力，使一辐独入，众辐皆弃，何近远之能至。橘柚有乡，萑苇有丛，兽同足者相从游，鸟同翼者相从翔。欲观九州之地，足无千里之行，无政教之原，而欲为万民上者，难矣！凶凶者获，提提者射，故大白若辱，广德若不足。君子有酒，小人鞭缶，虽不可好，亦可以丑，人之性，便衣绵帛，或射之即被甲，为所不便，以得其便也。三十辐共一毂，各直一凿，不得相入，犹人臣各守其职也。善用人者，若□之足，众而不相害，若舌之与齿，坚柔相磨而不相败。石生而坚，茞生而芳，少而有之，长而逾明。扶之与提，谢之与让，得之与失，诺之与已，相去千里。再生者不获，华太早者不须霜而落。污其准，粉其颡，腐鼠在阼，烧薰于堂，入水而增濡，怀臭而求芳，虽善者不能为工。 冬冰可折，夏木可结，时难得而易失。木方盛，终日采之而复生，秋风下霜，一夕而零。质的张而矢射集，林木茂而斧斤入，非或召之也，形势之所致。乳犬之噬虎，伏鸡之搏狸，恩之所加，不量其力。夫待利而登溺者，亦必以将溺之矣，舟能浮能沈，愚者不知足焉。骥驱之不进，引之不止，人君不以取道里。水虽平，必有波，衡虽正，必有差，尺虽齐，必有危，非规矩不能定方员，非准绳无以正曲直，用规矩者，亦有规矩之心。太山之高，倍而不见，秋毫之末，视之可察。竹木有火，不钻不熏，土中有水，不掘不出，矢之疾，不过二里，跬步不休，跛鳖千里，累土不止，丘山从成。临河欲鱼，不如归而织网。弓先调而后求劲，马先顺而后求良，人先信而后求能。巧冶不能消木，良匠不能斲冰，物有不可，如之何君子不留意。使人无渡河，可，使河无波，不可。无月不辜，甑终不堕井矣。刺我行者，欲我交，呰我货者，欲我市，行一棋不足以见知，弹一弦不足以为悲。今有一炭然，掇之烂，相近，万石俱熏，去之十步而死，同气而异积。有荣华者必有愁悴，上有罗纨下必有麻□，木大者根瞿，山高者基扶。
老子曰：鼓不藏声，故能有声，镜不没形，故能有形，金石有声，不动不鸣，管箫有音，不吹无声。是以圣人内藏，不为物唱，事来而制，物至而应。天行不已，终而复始，故能长久，轮复其所转，故能致远，天行一不差，故无过矣。天气下，地气上，阴阳交通，万物齐同，君子用事，小人消亡，天地之道也。天气不下，地气不上，阴阳不通，万物不昌，小人得势，君子消亡，五谷不植，道德内藏。天之道，损盈益寡，地之道，损高益下，鬼神之道，骄溢与下，人之道，多者不与，圣人之道，卑而莫能上也。天明日明，而后能照四方，君明臣明，域中乃安，有四明，乃能长久，明其施明者，明其化也。天道为丈，地道为理，一为之和，时为之使，以成万物，命之曰道。大道坦坦，去身不远，修之于身，其德乃真，修之于物，其德不绝。天覆万物，施其德而养之，与而不取，故精神归焉，与而不取者，上德也，是以有德。高莫高于天也，下莫下于泽也，天高泽下，圣人法之，尊卑有叙，天下定矣。地载万物而长之，与而取之，故骨骸归焉，与而取者，下德也，“下德不失德，是以无德。”地承天，故定宁，地定宁，万物形，地广厚，万物聚，定宁无不载，广厚无不容，地势深厚，水泉入 聚，地道方广，故能久长，圣人法之，德无不容。阴难阳，万物昌，阳服阴，万物湛，物昌无不赡也，物湛无不乐也，物乐无不治矣。阴害物，阳自屈，阴进阳退，小人得势，君子避害，天道然也。阳气动，万物缓而得其所，是以圣人顺阳道，夫顺物者，物亦顺之，逆物者，物亦逆之，故不失物之情性。洿泽盈，万物节成，洿泽枯，万物无节养也，故雨泽不行，天下荒亡。阳上而复下，故为万物主，不长有，故能终而复始，终而复始，故能长久，能长久，故为天下母。阳气畜而复能施，阴气积而复能化，未有不畜积而能化者也，故圣人慎所积。阳灭阴，万物肥，阴灭阳，万物衰，故王公尚阳道则万物昌，尚阴道则天下亡。阳不下阴，则万物不成，君不下臣，德化不行，故君下臣则聪明，不下臣则闇聋。日出于地，万物蕃息，公王居民上，以明道德，日入于地，万物休息，小人居民上，万物逃匿。雷之动也万物启，雨之润也万物解，大人施行，有似于此，阴阳之动有常节，大人之动不极物。雷动地，万物缓，风摇树，草木败，大人去恶就善，民不远徙，故民有去就也，去无甚，就少愈多。风不动，火不出，大人不言，小人无述，火之出也必待薪，大人之言必有信，有信而真，何往不成。河水深，壤在山，丘? 旮撸氯朐ǎ羝ⅲ湮酰跗ⅲ湮簦视豢捎植豢杉７尬薅裱裕拮魃俏郊频谩；鹕涎祝铝鳎ト酥溃岳嘞嗲蟆Ｊト藗醚簦煜潞屯瑐靡酰煜履绯痢?br> 　　老子曰：积薄成厚，积卑成高，君子日汲汲以成煇，小人日快快以至辱，其消息也虽未能见，故见善如不及，宿不善如不祥。苟向善，虽过无怨，苟不向善，虽忠来恶，故怨人不如自怨，勉求诸人，不如求诸己。声自召也，类自求也，名自命也，人自官也，无非己者，操锐以刺，操刃以击，何怨于人，故君子慎微。万物负阴而抱阳，冲气以为和，和居中央，是以木实生于心，草实生于英，卯胎生于中央，不卯不胎，生而须时。地平则水不流，轻重均则衡不倾，物之生化也，有感以然。
老子曰：山致其高而云雨起焉，水致其深而蛟龙生焉，君子致其道而德泽流焉。夫有阴德者必有阳报，有隐行者必有昭名，树黍者不获稷，树怨者无报德。

Shang De
Laozi said: The master is the heart of the country. If the heart is in control, then all the joints are secure; if the heart is disturbed, then all the joints are in chaos. Therefore, if the body is in control, the limbs are left alone; if the country is in control, the ruler and his officials forget about each other.
Laozi studied under Chang Zong and saw that the tongue should be kept soft. He looked up at the roof and trees, then looked down at the river. He watched the movie and knew how to hold back. Therefore, the sage said, “There is no following the old ways. Always being the last to act but never the first. It is like a pile of firewood being lit. The latter is on top.”
Laozi said: A clanging gong destroys itself with its sound, a burning candle burns itself with its light, the stripes of a tiger or leopard attract the hunter, and the agility of a monkey or a gibbon provokes the hunter. Therefore, the brave die as tyrants, and the sophists are trapped by their intelligence. Those who can use their intelligence to know, cannot use it to not know. If you are brave in one ability, and discerning in one word, you can argue with a single argument, but you cannot respond with a general response.
Laozi said: “The Tao has a body through inaction. It cannot be seen when looked at, and its sound cannot be heard when listened to. It is called the obscure. The obscure is the way, but it is not the Tao. The Tao is looking within and self-reflection. Therefore, people are not small, not great, not small, not stupid. One should not look at the flowing water, but at the still water. If one keeps it, it will not be disturbed. The moon takes the light from the sun, and darkness cannot hold onto the light. The sun rises with the stars visible, and cannot compete with them for light. The end cannot be stronger than the beginning, the branch cannot be bigger than the stem, the top heavy and the bottom light, its collapse is certain. One abyss does not have two dragons, one female does not have two males, one is fixed, two are in contention. Jade is in the mountains and the vegetation is moist, pearls are born in the abyss and the banks do not dry up, earthworms have no bones or muscles, claws or teeth, they eat dung at the top and drink from the springs at the bottom, with one mind. Clarity is brightness; a cup of water can reveal the pupil of the eye. Turbidity is harmful; the river cannot be seen beyond the mountain. Orchid and calamus are fragrant, even if no one wears them. A boat floating on the sea is not upset if no one rides in it. A gentleman does not become upset if no one knows his deeds. This is just the nature of things. If you enter the turbid with the clear, you will be in trouble and humiliated; if you enter the clear with the turbid, you will be overturned and fall. The two qi of heaven form a rainbow; the two qi of the earth seep and store; the two qi of man become ill. Yin and yang cannot last forever. Day becomes winter and summer, and the moon does not know day and the sun does not know night. The fish is big in the wide river, the wood is tall in the high mountain, the land is wide in the thick soil, so the fish cannot be caught without bait, and the beast cannot be summoned without an empty vessel. There are fierce beasts in the mountains, so the forest is not cut; there are stinging insects in the garden, so the sunflower is not picked. A country has a wise minister, who can repel thousands of miles away; a person who is well-versed in the ways of the world is like a wheel turning in the hub of a cart, not pushing himself, but pushing others along with him for thousands of miles. In the end, it all starts again, turning endlessly in the same place. Therefore, when it comes to righting wrongs, it is better to do nothing than to do it wrongly. When it comes to righting wrongs, it is better to do nothing than to do it wrongly. When it comes to righting wrongs, it is better to do nothing than to do it wrongly. When it comes to righting wrongs, it is better to do nothing than to do it wrongly. When it comes to righting wrongs, it is better to do nothing than to do it wrongly. When it comes to righting wrongs, it is better to do nothing than to do it wrongly. When it comes to righting wrongs, it is better to do nothing than to do it wrongly. When it comes to righting wrongs, it is better to do nothing than to do it wrongly. When it comes to righting wrongs, it is better to do nothing than to do it wrongly. When it comes to righting wrongs, it is better to do nothing than to do it wrongly. When it comes to Therefore, if you want to catch fish, you first need to dredge the channels; if you want to attract birds, you first need to plant trees. When the water accumulates, the fish gather; when the trees flourish, the birds come. Those who catch fish do not carry them into the depths of the water; those who catch apes do not carry them up the trees. It is just a matter of taking advantage of the situation. What the feet tread upon is shallow, but one can only walk after waiting for the feet to stop treading; what the mind knows is widespread, but one can only understand after waiting for the mind to stop knowing. When the river runs dry, the valley empties; when the mound is leveled, the abyss is blocked; when the lips are gone, the teeth are cold; when the river is deep, it gives way to the mountain. Water is still, it is clear; clear, it is calm; calm, it is easy; easy, it can see the shape of things; shapes cannot be combined, so it can be straightened. What makes the leaves fall is the wind shaking them; what makes the water muddy is things stirring it; the jade ornament is the work of the lapidary; the Mo Ya sword is sharp because it is tempered; the horse cannot fly with the swift; without provisions, one does not starve; the cunning rabbit is caught and the hunting dog is cooked; when the birds are all killed, the good bow is put away; when one succeeds, one withdraws, this is the way of heaven. Anger comes from not being angry; action comes from inaction. A fast horse can cover a thousand li without tiring, and a hunter can catch a cunning hare without getting hungry. A clever dog can cook a rabbit, and a good bow can be put away when the birds are all shot. A man who succeeds in his career should retire from public life. This is the way of heaven. Anger comes from not being angry, and action comes from inaction. If you look at what is not there, you will see what is; if you listen to what is not heard, you will hear what is. A bird returns to its nest, a rabbit to its burrow, a fox to its den, and a cicada to the wood it was born in. Water and fire hate each other, but in the cauldron they are combined and the five flavors harmonize. So it is with flesh and blood, who love each other. But if a man slanders them, father and son will become enemies. Dogs and pigs do not choose their food, but eat whatever is put in front of them, and so they become fat and die young. The phoenix soars thousands of li high, and no one can catch it. It is unable to dig itself out of a pit even though it is 100 years old. It can see 100 paces away but cannot see its pupils. A high mountain is safe but not dangerous, a deep pool is safe but not shallow, and fish and turtles go there. A ditch can overflow with water, but when it is dry, it can be filled. The source of rivers and seas is deep and never runs dry. A turtle has no ears but its eyes can see well. A blind person has no eyes but his ears can hear well. Can muddy water be used to wash my feet? The silver carp and the bighead carp can be eaten as fish, but the catfish can be eaten as meat. The crown is adorned with branches, and the feet are trodden on. Metal is stronger than wood, so a single blade cannot destroy a forest of trees. Earth is stronger than water, so a single scoop cannot block a river. Water is stronger than fire, so a single cup cannot save a cartload of firewood. Thunder in winter, hail in summer, the seasons do not change their course. Frost and snow are fragile, they melt at sunrise. They topple easily, lean easily, fall easily, and wet easily. Orchids and calamus are fragrant, but they cannot withstand frost. Toads live to be 50 years old, but their longevity ends in May. Those who lose their vitality are vulnerable to illness. Flowers that bloom out of season are not edible. Which comes first, the tongue or the teeth? Which comes first, the bow or the arrow? The one who makes the shadow crooked is to blame for the shape, and the one who makes the sound muffled is to blame for the sound. It is difficult to find a good doctor for someone who has the same illness as the dead, and it is impossible to find a loyal advisor for someone who is on the same path as a country that has fallen. If you make a singer play the flute and a craftsman pick the holes, even if they hit the right notes, they can still make a mess of it, and the king will lose his shape. The deaf cannot sing to entertain themselves, and the blind cannot see to interact with the world. A person walking in the forest cannot take the direct path, and a person walking on a dangerous path cannot walk on a rope. The sea is vast, and that is why it can be great. The sun does not rise in the east and the moon does not rise in the west. There is no such thing as two foxes being the same, no such thing as two dragons being the same, no such thing as two tigers being the same, no such thing as two birds being the same. It is because there is no support that the roof cannot block out the sun, and the wheel cannot chase away the wind without the spokes. The bow can shoot, but it cannot shoot without the string being taut. The arrow is one-tenth of the bow. A hungry horse in the stable is indifferent and silent, but when it is fed, it becomes restless. A three-inch pipe is not full, the world cannot be filled. Ten stones will cause it to be full, and a hundred bamboos will be enough. If you follow the string and break it, it will not go too far; if you hang a balance and measure it, it will not be inaccurate. If you follow ancient methods and apply them in a similar way, sometimes it will work, and sometimes it will not. If you use a rod to check the grid, sometimes it will work, and sometimes it will not. If you do it this way, it is called chaos. The farmer works hard, but the gentleman nurtures; the fool speaks, but the wise man chooses. Seeing it clearly, he treats it like jade or jadeite; seeing it dark, he must keep his plans. A hundred things are not the same, not one is the same, the mountains are high, the rivers are deep, the sky is vast, the earth is round, the sun and the moon are not the same, the day and the night are not the same, the north and the south are not the same, the east and the west are not the same, the ancient and the modern are not the same, the past and the future are not the same, the inside and the outside are not the same, the right and the wrong are not the same, the good and the evil are not the same, the man and the woman are not the same, the friend and the enemy are not the same, the rich and the poor are not the same, the young and the old are not the same, the strong and the weak are not the same, the tall and the short are not the same, the ugly and the beautiful are not the same, the wise and the foolish are not the same, the clever and the stupid are not the same, the honest can never be the same. There are two sides to every story. The assistant priest got a taste, the rescuer got hurt, hidden in the ominous wood, struck by thunder. The sun and moon want to be bright, but they are covered by murky clouds; the river wants to be clear, but it is polluted by sand and soil; the orchid wants to grow tall, but the autumn wind makes it wither; human nature wants to be peaceful, but lust and desire harm it; the dust in your eyes wants to prevent you from blinking, but you can't keep it away. A golden tortoise knob is worn by the wise, and the soil covers the ground, and those who are capable are considered rich. Therefore, it is better to give the weak a piece of jade than gold or jade. The hub is hollow and has thirty spokes that are evenly balanced. Each does its part, so that if one spoke were to go off alone, all the others would abandon it. How can it be far or near? Oranges and grapefruits have their hometowns, and reeds have their clumps. Animals with the same feet travel together, and birds with the same wings fly together. If you want to see the land of the nine provinces, you need to travel thousands of miles. If you want to rule the people without the basis of politics and religion, it is difficult! The fierce are captured, the timid are shot, so the great are humiliated, and the virtuous are not enough. The gentleman has wine, the villain has a whip and a bucket. Although it is not good, it can also be ugly. The nature of man is to wear plain clothes or cotton and silk, or to be armored when shooting, because it is inconvenient, so as to get the convenience. Thirty spokes share a hub, each straight and sharp, not allowed to enter one another, just as ministers each keep their duties. A good employer of people is like a well-oiled wheel, with each part doing its job, but not interfering with one another. A good team is like the tongue and teeth, hard and soft, rubbing against one another without damaging one another. A stone is hard when it is born, and fragrant when it is born; it is young and has it, and grows old and becomes even more brilliant. There is a world of difference between supporting and lifting, between thanking and yielding, between gaining and losing, between promising and keeping one's word. The reborn is not to be gained, and the flower that blooms too early falls without frost. To soil the forehead, to powder the brow, to have a rat in the house, to burn incense in the hall, to enter the water and become all the wetter, to cherish a stench and seek fragrance, even a good person cannot do it. Winter ice can be broken, summer wood can be cut, but times are hard to come by and easy to lose. When the wood is flourishing, it can be harvested all day long and will grow back. When the autumn wind brings frost, it will be gone in one night. When the material is stretched and the arrows fly in a shower, and the forest is flourishing but the axe and chisel enter, it is not because they are summoned, but because of the situation. A puppy dog bites a tiger, and a crouching chicken fights a raccoon, because of kindness, without measuring their strength. Those who wait for the right moment to take a risk will never do it. A boat can float or sink, but the foolish do not know when to stop. A fine horse will not advance if driven, and will not stop if pulled. A ruler does not take the shortest route. Water may be calm, but there are bound to be waves; a scale may be accurate, but there will be some error; a ruler may be precise, but there will be some distortion. Without rules and standards, there can be no determination of length and width, no straightness and no crookedness. Those who use rules and standards also have a disciplined mind. The height of Mount Tai is so great that it is twice as high as it appears, but the tip of an autumn hair can be seen. Fire is in the bamboo and wood without having to be drilled or smoked, and water is in the earth without having to be dug up. The arrow flies only two li, but if you take small steps without stopping, you can cover a thousand li. If you keep piling up earth, you can build a mountain. If you want fish from the river, it is better to go home and weave a net. You should tune the bow before you ask for strength, train the horse before you ask for a good one, and trust people before you ask for their abilities. A clever blacksmith cannot melt wood, and a skilled carpenter cannot carve ice. If something is impossible, the gentleman simply pays no attention. It is possible to prevent people from crossing the river, but not to prevent the river from flowing. No month is without its sin, and the steamer will never fall into the well. Those who stab me want me to give in, those who scold me want me to compromise, and those who criticize my goods want me to lower my price. It takes more than one move to see the chess player's skill, and more than one string to play the lute. Now there is a piece of charcoal that is burnt and rotten, similar to ten thousand stones that are all burnt, but when it is removed ten steps away, it dies. There is the same breath but different accumulations. Those who are prosperous must be sad, and those who wear silk must have hemp pants underneath. The larger the tree, the stronger the roots, and the higher the mountain, the stronger the foundation.
Laozi said: “A drum does not hide its sound, and so it can make a sound. A mirror does not hide its shape, and so it can have a shape. Metal and stone have a sound, but they do not make a sound if they are not moved. A flute and a xiao have a sound, but they do not make a sound if they are not blown. Therefore, the sage stores it within, does not sing for things, and makes things happen as they come, and responds as they arrive. The heavenly actions never cease, and they end and begin again, so they can be long-lasting. The wheel returns to where it turns, so it can go far. The heavenly actions are never wrong, so there is no fault. When the sky is clear, the earth is damp; when yin and yang are in harmony, all things flourish. When the sky is cloudy, the earth is dry; when yin and yang are out of balance, all things wither. When the gentleman is in charge, the villain disappears; this is the way of heaven and earth. When the sky is cloudy and the earth is dry, when yin and yang are out of harmony, all things wither. When the villain is in power, the gentleman disappears; the crops do not grow, and morality is lost. The way of heaven is to reduce the surplus and benefit the few; the way of the earth is to reduce the high and benefit the low; the way of ghosts and gods is to be arrogant and condescending; the way of man is to share with the many; the way of the sage is to be humble and never arrogant. Heaven is bright, and then it can illuminate the four directions. A wise ruler and wise officials ensure peace in the realm. There are four bright things, and they can last long. The way of heaven is like a ruler; the way of earth is like a line; the four bright things are like the four corners of a square; and the wise ruler and wise officials are like the center of the square. The way of heaven is like a ruler; the way of earth is like a line; the four bright things are like the four corners of a square; and the wise ruler and wise officials are like the center of the square. The way of heaven is like a ruler; the way of earth is like a line; the four bright things are like the four corners of a square; and the wise ruler and wise officials are like the center of the square. The way of heaven is like a ruler; the way of earth is like a line; the four bright things are like the four corners of a square; and the wise ruler and wise officials are like the Heaven covers all things, bestowing its virtue and nurturing them. It gives without taking, so the spirits return to it. To give without taking is the highest virtue, and thus there is virtue. Nothing is higher than heaven, and nothing is lower than a moat. Heaven is high and the moat is low, and the sages follow this example, with order between the noble and the lowly, and the world is settled. The earth bears all things and nourishes them, giving and taking. Thus the bones return to it. To give and take is the lowest virtue, and thus there is no virtue. The earth bears the heavens, so it is stable and peaceful. The earth is stable and peaceful, and all things take shape. The earth is broad and deep, and all things gather there. It is stable and peaceful, and it bears all things. It is broad and deep, and water springs into it and gathers. The earth is square and broad, so it can last a long time. The sages follow its example, and their virtue embraces all. Yin is difficult for yang, and all things flourish. Yang embraces yin, and all things are tranquil. If all things flourish, there is no lack of sustenance. If all things are tranquil, there is no lack of joy. If there is joy, there is no lack of governance. When Yin harms things, Yang yields; when Yin advances and Yang retreats, the villain gains power and the gentleman avoids harm. This is the way of Heaven. Yang is active and everything proceeds slowly and reaches its destination. Therefore the sage follows the way of Yang. If a husband follows things, things will also follow him; if he goes against things, things will also go against him. Therefore, he does not lose the nature of things. When the water is full, everything grows; when it is dry, everything is without nourishment. Therefore, when the rain does not fall, the world is barren and perishes. Yang goes up and then down again, so it is the master of all things. It does not grow old, so it can start over again at the end. It can start over again at the end, so it can last a long time. It can last a long time, so it is the mother of the world. Yang gathers and then can be given out again, while yin gathers and then can be transformed again. There is nothing that cannot be transformed after gathering. Therefore, the sage is careful about what is gathered. Yang extinguishes Yin, and all things become fat; Yin extinguishes Yang, and all things become weak. Therefore, if the king and princes follow the path of Yang, all things will flourish; if they follow the path of Yin, all things will perish. If Yang does not support Yin, all things will not be successful; if the sovereign does not support his ministers, the moral order will not prevail. Therefore, the sovereign who supports his ministers is wise, but the one who does not is ignorant and deaf. The sun rises from the earth and all things flourish; the king and princes live above, so that they may understand virtue and morality. The sun sets into the earth and all things rest; the villains live above, so that all things flee and hide. Thunder awakens all things, rain nourishes all things. The actions of a superior are like this. There are regular patterns to the movements of yin and yang, and the actions of a superior do not go beyond the limits of things. Thunder shakes the earth, all things slow down, the wind shakes the trees, the grass and trees wither. A superior removes evil and pursues good, the people do not move far away, so the people have a choice. There is no great loss when one leaves, and the fewer people who leave, the more people remain. When the wind does not move, the fire does not come out; when the adult does not speak, the villain does not speak. When the fire comes out, it must wait for firewood; when the adult speaks, there must be trust. There is trust and it is true, so nothing can go wrong. The river is deep, the soil is in the mountains, the hills are? and the wind will not blow. The wind does not blow, the fire will not burn, adults do not speak, and the villain has nothing to say. The fire will not burn until the wood is stacked, and the words of an adult will be trusted. If there is trust and truth, nothing will go wrong. The river is deep, the soil is on the mountain, the hills are high, the grass is green, the sun shines, the rain falls, the earth is fertile, the crops are plentiful, the people are content, and there is no shortage. . The more you add, the more you get. Gold and silver are precious metals. Iron and copper are not. Fire and water are mutually exclusive. Water and fire are mutually dependent. Fire can melt metal, and water can quench fire. Know yourself and your enemy. Know yourself and your enemy. br> Lao Tzu said: “Accumulate little by little and you will become great; humble yourself and you will become high. The gentleman is ever diligent in his pursuit of excellence, while the villain is ever hasty in his descent into disgrace. Although the news of it cannot be seen, one should therefore regard good as if one could not get enough of it and past bad deeds as if they were ominous. If one is good, one will not be blamed even if one makes a mistake; if one is not good, one will be blamed even if one is loyal and kind. Therefore, it is better to blame oneself than to blame others, and it is better to seek it in oneself than in others. Sound comes from calling, things come from seeking, and names come from giving oneself a name. if one is good, one will not be blamed even if one makes a mistake; if one is not good, one will be blamed even if one is loyal and kind. Therefore, it is better to blame oneself than to blame others, and it is better to seek the truth within oneself than to look for it in others. Sound comes from calling, things come from seeking, names come from naming, and people come from governing. If there is nothing that is not oneself, one can use one's sharpness to prick and one's blade to strike, so why blame others? Therefore, the gentleman is cautious. All things contain yin and embrace yang, and the vital breath unites them. The union resides in the center, which is why the fruit of the tree grows in the heart, the fruit of the grass grows in the ear, and the fetus grows in the center. If it is not born, it cannot grow. If it is born, it needs time to grow. If the ground is level, the water does not flow; if the weight is balanced, the scale does not tilt. The growth and development of things is also influenced by external factors.
Laozi