Chapters 61-70
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From Cramulus
part of the Sacred Chao Te Ching
Contents
Chapter 61
Original:
A large country is like low land where rivers flow, a place where everything comes together, the female of all. The female overcomes the male with tranquillity. Tranquillity is underneath. A large country wins over a small country by placing itself below the small country. A small country wins over a large country by placing itself below the large country. Thus some win by placing themselves below, and others win by being below. A large country wants to protect people, and a small country wants to join and serve. Thus both get what they want. It is best for the large country to place itself below.
Our Translation:
Translation TK
Chapter 62
Original:
The Way is sacred to all things. It is treasure for the good and sanctuary for the bad. Fine words can buy honor. Good deeds can gain respect. Though there be bad people, why reject them? Therefore at the crowning of the emperor or at the installation of the three ministers, instead of sending gifts of jade and a team of four horses, remain still and send the Way. Why did the ancients prize this Way? Did they not say, "Seek, and you will find; let go, and you will be forgiven." Therefore the Way is valued by the world.
Our Translation:
Translation TK
Chapter 63
Original:
Act without interfering. Work without doing. Taste the tasteless. Large or small, many or few, repay injury with goodness. Handle the difficult while it is still easy. Handle the big while it is still small. Difficult tasks begin with what is easy. Great accomplishments begin with what is small. Therefore the wise never strive for the great and thus achieve greatness. Rash promises inspire little trust. Taking things too lightly results in much difficulty. Thus the wise always confront difficulties and therefore have no difficulty.
Our Translation:
Translation TK
Chapter 64
Original:
What stays still is easy to hold. Without omens it is easy to plan. The brittle is easy to shatter. The minute is easy to scatter. Handle things before they appear. Organize things before there is confusion. A tree as big as a person's embrace grows from a tiny shoot. A tower nine stories high begins with a mound of earth. A journey of a thousand miles begins under one's feet. To act is to fail. To grab is to lose. Therefore the wise do not act and do not fail. They do not grab and do not lose. In handling things people usually fail when they are about to succeed. Be as careful at the end as at the beginning, and there will be no failure. Therefore the wise desire to have no desires. They do not value rare treasures. They learn what is unknown, returning to what many have missed so that all things may be natural without interference.
Our Translation:
Translation TK
Chapter 65
Original:
The ancients who ruled skillfully did not try to enlighten people but kept them in the dark. People are hard to lead when they are too clever. Those who lead with cleverness rob the country. Those who lead without cleverness bless the country. Understanding these two is to know the eternal standard. Knowing the eternal standard is mystical power. Mystical power is deep and far-reaching, leading all things to return to perfect harmony.
Our Translation:
Translation TK
Chapter 66
Original:
Great rivers and seas are lords of all mountain streams, because they are good at staying below them. Therefore they are lords of the streams. Thus the wise in watching over the people speak humbly from below the people, and in leading the people get behind them. In this way the wise watch over the people but do not oppress them; they lead the people but do not block them. Thus everyone happily goes along without getting tired. Because they do not compete, the world cannot compete with them.
Our Translation:
Translation TK
Chapter 67
Original:
Everyone says the Way is great and beyond comparison. Because it is great, it cannot be compared. If it were compared, it already would have seemed small. I have three treasures to be maintained and cherished: the first is love; the second is frugality; the third is not pushing oneself ahead of others. From love comes courage; from frugality comes generosity; from not pushing oneself ahead of others comes leadership. Now courage without love, generosity without frugality, and leadership by pushing oneself ahead of others are fatal. For love wins all battles and is the strongest defense. Heaven gives love to save and protect.
(SMT) 67
Some say that my teaching is nonsense.
Others call it lofty but impractical.
But to those who have looked inside themselves,
this nonsense makes perfect sense.
And to those who put it into practice,
this loftiness has roots that go deep.
I have just three things to teach:
simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.
Simple in actions and in thoughts,
you return to the source of being.
Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are.
Compassionate toward yourself,
you reconcile all beings in the world.
Our Translation:
Translation TK
Some say these teachings are bullshit.
Others argue the notions to death.
For schmucks who think deeply
they equally: make sense & nonsense.
& for those spags who can walk it,
it’ll get you laid every time!
Now then (ahem) what was I saying?
Oh yeah & what about those three things?
or wait - is it five? Hhhmmm
laughter’s nobler than tears,
leap before you look,
surprise is a virtue,
Wholly Chao!
flux IT
& (more importantly) no buns!
Chapter 68
Original:
The best soldier is not violent. The best fighter is not angry. The best winner is not contentious. The best employer is humble. This is known as the power of not striving, as ability in human relations, and as being in accord with heaven.
Our Translation:
The best comedian is not funny. The best philosopher is an idiot. The best employer doesn't crack the whip. The best winner is a loser. This is known as the power of not striving. God isn't sweaty, why should you be?
Chapter 69
Original:
The strategists say, "Do not be the aggressor but the defender. Do not advance an inch, but retreat a foot instead." This is movement without moving, stretching the arm without showing it, confronting enemies with the idea there is no enemy, holding in the hand no weapons. No disaster is greater than underestimating the enemy. Underestimating the enemy will destroy my treasures. Thus when the battle is joined, it is the kind who will win.
Our Translation:
Translation TK
Chapter 70
Original:
My ideas are easy to understand and easy to practice. Yet no one understands them or practices them. My ideas have a source; my actions have a master. Because people do not understand this, they do not know me. Since few know me, I am very precious. Therefore the wise wear coarse clothes and keep the jewel inside.
70 (SMT translation)
My teachings are easy to understand and easy to put into practice. Yet your intellect will never grasp them, and if you try to practice them, you'll fail. My teachings are older than the world. How can you grasp their meaning? If you want to know me, look inside your heart.
Our Translation:
There’s nothing to understand so don’t bother trying. The mind wants to order, the body knows it fails. These teachings are bullshit, no meaning at all. If you want to know any little thing, try breaking your heart first.