[display_podcast]
Chapter Seven
Heaven is long-enduring and earth continues long. The reason why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is because they do not live of, or for, themselves. This is how they are able to continue and endure.
Therefore the sage puts his own person last, and yet it [...]
[display_podcast]
Chapter Six
The valley spirit dies not, aye the same;
The female mystery thus do we name.
Its gate, from which at first they issued forth,
Is called the root from which grew heaven and earth.
Long and unbroken does its power remain,
[...]
[display_podcast]
Chapter Five
Heaven and earth do not act from the impulse of any wish to be benevolent; they deal with all things as the dogs of grass are dealt with. The sages do not act from any wish to be benevolent; they deal with the people as the dogs of grass are dealt with.
May not [...]
[display_podcast]
Chapter Four
The Tao is like the emptiness of a vessel; and in our employment of it we must be on our guard against all fulness. How deep and unfathomable it is, as if it were the Honored Ancestor of all things!
We should blunt our sharp points, and unravel the complications of things; we should [...]
[display_podcast]
Chapter Three
Not to value and employ men of superior ability is the way to keep the people from rivalry among themselves; not to prize articles that are difficult to procure is the way to keep them from becoming thieves; not to show them what is likely to excite their desires is the way to keep [...]
[display_podcast]
Chapter Two
All in the world know the beauty of the beautiful, and in doing this they have the idea of what ugliness is; they all know the skill of the skilful, and in doing this they have the idea of what the want of skill is.
So it is that existence and non-existence give birth [...]
