1. All the world says to me: ‘Great as
Tao is, it resembles no description (form).’ Because
it is great, therefore it resembles no description. If it
resembled any description it would have long since become
small.
- I
have 3 treasures, which I hold & keep
safe:
- The
1st is called love;
- The
2nd is called moderation;
- The
3rd is called not venturing to go
ahead of the world.
- Being
loving, one can be brave;
- Being
moderate, one can be ample;
- Not
venturing to go ahead of the world, one can
be the chief of all officials.
- Instead
of love, one has only bravery;
- Instead
of moderation one has only amplitude;
- Instead
of keeping behind, one goes ahead:
- These
lead to nothing but death.
- For
he who fights with love will win the battle;
- He
who defends with love will be secure.
- Heaven
will save him, & protect him with love.
2. The
best soldier is not soldierly;
- The
best fighter is not ferocious;
- The
best conqueror does not take part in war;
- The
best employer of men keeps himself below them.
- This
is called the virtue of not contending;
- This
is called the ability of using men;
- This
is called the supremacy of consorting with
heaven.
3. An
ancient tactician has said:
- ‘
I dare not act as a host but would rather act
as a guest;
- I
dare not advance an inch but would rather
retreat a foot.’
- This
implies that he does not marshal the ranks as
if there were no ranks;
- He
does not roll up his sleeves as if he had no
weapons;
- He
does not fight as if there were no enemies.
- No
calamity is greater than under-estimating the
enemy.
- To
under-estimate the enemy is to be on the
point of losing our treasure (love)
- Therefore
when opposing armies meet in the field the
ruthful will win.
4. Return
love for great hatred.
- Otherwise,
when a great hatred is reconciled, some of it
will sure remain.
- How
can this end in goodness?
- Therefore
the Sage holds to the left half of an
agreement but does not exact what the other
holder ought to do.
- The
virtuous resort to agreement;
- The
virtueless resort to exaction.
- ‘the
Tao of heaven shows no partiality;
- it
abides always with good men.’
5. He who
shows courage in daring will perish;
- He
who shows courage in not-daring will live.
- To
know these 2 is to distinguish the one,
benefit, from the other, harm.
- Who
can tell that one of them should be loathed
by heaven?
- The
Tao of heaven does not contend; yet it surely
wins the victory.
- It
does not speak; yet it surely responds.
- It
does not call; yet all things come of their
own accord.
- It
remains taciturn; yet it surely makes plans.
- The
net of heaven is vast, & its meshes are
wide;
- Yet
from it nothings escapes.
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