Favor and disgrace are equally stressful. High rank is a source of great trouble just like your body. What does it mean that favor and disgrace are equally stressful? Favor can lead to your downfall; Gaining it is as stressful as losing it; That is why favor and disgrace are equally stressful. What does it mean…

The five colors blind your eyes; The five sounds deafen your ears; The five flavors dull your taste buds. Chasing and hunting make you lose your mind. Pursuing rare objects leads you astray. …

Thirty spokes share a wheel hub; But it’s the empty space at the center of it that makes the cart useful. Clay is shaped into a pot; But it’s the empty space inside it that makes the pot useful. Doorways and window bays are cut for a room; But it’s the empty space…

Can you nurture your spirit and embrace oneness, Without letting it go? Can you concentrate your vital energy and reach a state of suppleness, Like a new-born baby? Can you polish and clean your mystery mirror, So that you leave it untainted? Can you love your country and care for your people, With…

Holding a cup until it is filled to the brim, Is not as good as stopping in time; Hammering a blade until it is sharp, Will not preserve its edge for long. When your hall is stuffed with gold and jade, Nobody will be able to protect it. When riches and honors…

The highest good is like water; Water brings good to all things without contending with them; It settles in places that people disdain; Thus, it’s close to the way. In choosing your home, it’s the location that counts; In cultivating your mind, it’s depth that counts; In dealing with others, it’s goodness that counts; In…

Heaven is infinite and earth is eternal; The reason why they last so long, Is because they do not exist for themselves; Thus, they can continue to endure. That is why the sage: Places himself at the back, But finds himself at the front; Has no consideration for himself, But stays safe and secure. Because…

The spirit of the valley never dies; It is called the mysterious female. The gateway of the mysterious female, Is called the root of heaven and earth. Like a fine slender thread, It appears to go on forever; No matter how much it’s used, It’s never exhausted. 「谷神不死，是謂玄牝；玄牝之門，是謂天地根；綿綿若存，用之不勤。」 The way…

Heaven and earth are not humane; They treat all things as straw dogs. The sage is not humane; He treats all people as straw dogs. The space between heaven and earth is just like a bellows! It’s empty but inexhaustible; The more it moves, the more it yields. …