Its peace is easy to maintain, Those who govern themselves and their country with tranquility find it easy to preserve stability. When there are no signs, it is easy to plan; When misfortunes caused by desires and emotions have not yet manifested as omens, they are easy to prevent. What is brittle is easily broken; When calamities and disorders have not yet stirred in the court, and desires and emotions are not yet visible on one's countenance, they are like something fragile that can be easily shattered. What is subtle is easily dispersed. When it has not yet become evident, what is small and subtle can be easily dispelled. Act before things arise; If one wishes to act, one should block the beginning at a time when there is no budding sign. Govern before chaos arises. When governing oneself or the state, one should close the door in advance during times when disorder has not yet arisen. A tree large enough to be embraced grows from a tiny sprout; From small, it becomes great. A nine-story terrace rises from accumulated earth; From low, it reaches high. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. From near, it reaches far. He who acts will fail; To act in affairs is to abandon the natural course; To act with righteousness is to neglect benevolence; To act upon appearances is to lose the spirit. He who grasps will lose it. To grasp at profit brings misfortune; to grasp the Dao preserves one's whole being. To persist without success, and to yield instead leads back. Therefore, the sage has no action and thus experiences no failure; The sage does not pursue ornate words, does not chase appearances or profit, and does not engage in violence, hence there is no failure. Having no grasp, therefore nothing is lost.

The sage has virtue to teach the foolish and wealth to give to the poor, holding nothing in grasp or concealment; thus, there is no loss from others. When people engage in endeavors, they often fail when success is nearly achieved. From, to act also. When people undertake affairs, they often, when virtue and merit are nearly complete, fail due to greed for position, love of fame, excessive luxury, and overfullness. If one is cautious at the end as at the beginning, then there will be no failed endeavors. The end should be like the beginning; one must not become lax or idle. Therefore, the sage desires what others do not desire; The sage desires what people do not desire. When people desire to be prominent, the sage wishes to remain obscure; When people desire ornamentation, the sage prefers simplicity; When people desire appearances, the sage seeks virtue. Do not value rare goods; The sage is not dazzled by appearances, does not devalue stone while valuing jade. Study what others do not study; The sage studies what people cannot study. When people study wisdom and deceit, the sage studies nature; When people study governance of the world, the sage studies self-cultivation; Preserving the Dao is true. Correct the mistakes of the many; The many study and learn in reverse, taking the root as the branch, substance as ornamentation. To correct is to return them to their roots. In order to assist all things in following their natural course. Teaching people to return to the root and substance is intended to help support the natural nature of all things. And dare not act. The sage acts in accordance with the natural order, dares not to create or do anything, fearing it may distance from the root. ---