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THE TAO TE CHING,
OR
THE TAO AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS
by Lao Tzu
translated by James Legge
(Edited by Zee Sing*)
Selection 13
One whose boldness appears in daring(to do wrong,
in
defiance of the laws is put to death; one whose boldness appears
in
not daring to do so lives on. Of these two cases the one
appears to be advantageous, and the other to be injurious. But
When Heaven's anger smites a person,
Who the cause shall truly scan?
On this account the sage feels a difficulty as to what to do in
the
former case.
It is the way of Heaven not to strive, and yet it skilfully
overcomes; not to speak, and yet it is skilful in obtaining a reply;
does not call, and yet men come to it of themselves. Its
demonstrations are quiet, and yet its plans are skilful and effective.
The meshes of the net of Heaven are large; far apart, but letting
nothing escape.
The people do not fear death; to what purpose is it to try to
frighten them with death? If the people were always in awe of death,
and I could always seize those who do wrong, and put them to death,
who would dare to do wrong?
There is always One who presides over the infliction death. He
who
would inflict death in the room of him who so presides over it may
be
described as hewing wood instead of a great carpenter. Seldom is
it
that he who undertakes the hewing, instead of the great carpenter,
does not cut his own hands!
The people suffer from famine because of the multitude of taxes
consumed by their superiors. It is through this that they suffer
famine.
The people are difficult to govern because of the excessive
agency of their superiors in governing them. It is through this
that they are difficult to govern.
The people make light of dying because of the greatness of their
labours in seeking for the means of living. It is this which makes
them think light of dying. Thus it is that to leave the subject
of
living altogether out of view is better than to set a high value
on
it.
Selection 1, 2,
3, 4,
5, 6,
7, 8,
9, 10,
11, 12,
13, 14,
15
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*Because the Legge translation is
rather old, it has been edited slightly to update the language to
a more contemporary standard.
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