The Dao gives birth to all things. De nurtures them; De is one. One governs the distribution of qi and nourishment, thus forming things; one establishes forms for all things. One creates the forces of cold and heat for all things to complete them. Therefore, all things revere Dao and value De. Whatever Dao and De do, nothing is not profoundly stirred and revered. The reverence of Dao, the value of De — none commands them; they are always natural. Dao does not summon all things, yet they naturally respond to it like echoes and shadows. Therefore, Dao gives birth, De nurtures; they grow, raise, complete, mature, nourish, and shelter them. Dao’s relation to all things is not merely giving birth; it also grows, nourishes, completes, matures, and shelters them, perfecting their lives. A ruler governing the state and himself should do likewise. Give birth without possession; the Dao gives birth to all things but does not take them for personal gain. Act without reliance; what Dao does, it does not rely on or expect reward. Govern without domination; the Dao nurtures all things but does not cut them down for profit. This is called Xuan De — the profound virtue. The grace and virtue the Dao practices are profound and obscure, unseen by the eye.