Tao Te Ching XXIII

Waley

To be always talks is against nature.

For the same reason a hurricane never lasts a whole morning,
Nor a rainstorm all day.
Who is it that makes the wind and rain?
It is Heaven and Earth.

And if even Heaven and Earth cannot blow or pour for long,
How much less in his utterance should man?

Truly, if one uses the Way as one’s instrument,
The results will be like the Way;
If one uses the “power” as instrument,
The results will be like the “power”.
If one uses what is the reverse of the “power”,
The results will be the reverse of the “power”.

For to those who have conformed themselves to the Way,
The Way readily lends its power.
To those who have conformed themselves to the power,
The power readily, lends more power.
While to those who conform themselves to inefficacy,
Inefficacy readily lends its ineffectiveness.

“It is by not believing in people that you turn them into liars.”


Wieger

Duyvendak

Matgioi

Haven

Mitchell

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