These last eight verses finish my first draft of the Tao Te Ching. As I said from the start, it is my favorite scripture, and this from its inherent modesty, subtlety, wit, and grace. This was written by a beautiful and sensitive soul -- unlike most other scriptures I have read. Having finished the 81 verses, using a dictionary, I have created a crude rough draft -- hopelessly flawed and useless for anything serious. My next directive will be to closely compare it to some other extant translations, and check it against guides and notes on the verses; through this I will approach a more scholarly-ish draft 2.
take care, caretakers!
daniel
74.
The people don’t worry about death
How then shall we make them afraid?
Suppose you threaten them
If they act dishonestly
We can seize and destroy such presumption!
There has ever been the master executioner
Yet instead of the master executioner who kills
Let's substitute the master artisan who crafts
Truly, such a great artisan
As he cuts out the dead wood
Will he not also cut his own hands?
75.
The people starve
Because the government devours their taxes
It's too much, so they starve
The people revolt
Because the government meddles too much
Therefore, they are difficult to rule
The people have no respect for death
because their lives are anxious enough
They therefore take death lightly
Truly, only the one not striving for life
Is worthy of esteeming life’s worth.
76.
A man's life is tender and pliant
Yet he dies hard and unyielding
All things such as grass and trees are soft and delicate
Yet they die rigid and dry
Therefore, hard and stiff are death's companions
Tender and gentle are life's companions
And so, the forceful army can't win
Just as the unyielding tree will be hacked
The unyielding mighty
Will lower themselves
The tender and weak
Ascend above.
77.
Heaven's way is like flexing a bow
When high you aim low
When low you aim high
If there's not enough slack
You pull less
If there's too much
You pull more:
Heaven's way is to decrease excess.
And supplement inadequacy
Man's way is otherwise:
Those who don't have enough
Pay to those who have too much
Let the man of abundance
Give to all
Only the man of Tao does this
Only a sage
Gives without expecting gratitude
Credits but doesn't expect to be credited
He doesn't want to appear great.
78.
Nothing on earth is softer than water
Yet for assaulting the hard, it is the best.
Nothing could replace it.
The weak defeats the strong
The tender betters the stiff
Everyone knows this –
But who acts accordingly?
Therefore, the sage says
That to protect the nation’s disgrace
One is called Lord of the Earth
And to guard the people accursed
One deserves to rule over Earth’s face.
These words sound paradoxical
But they sound out the truth.
79.
When balancing great hatred
Some will surely remain
How to make that good?
The sage therefore
Accepts his debt
Yet doesn’t demand what he’s owed.
Nobility keeps its word
Lacking such virtue
One holds back his due
Heaven’s Way holds no favors
It follows the goodness of the good.
80.
Let the state be small
And the citizens few
Let them greatly multiply
Their tools beyond use
Let them respect death
And travel but little
Though having boats and ships aplenty.
Though having armor and weapons
Let them leave off.
Let men return to knotting ropes for reminders
Let them enjoy their food
Let their clothes be beautiful
And their homes content.
Let them delight in everyday life
Let they and their neighbors
Mutually overlook the other.
Let dogs and roosters give ear to each other.
The people will gracefully age
And die without all this running around.
81.
Sincerity is artless
The artful insincere.
The righteous don’t dispute
The disputatious aren’t right.
Wisdom isn’t scholarly
The scholars don’t know.
The sage doesn’t hoard.
Since he works for others
He furthers himself
Having given to the people
He has so much more
The Way benefits without injuring
The Sage’s Way Works without Striving.
\ ~@M@~ /
perfectidius.com
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