Peace is easy to keep
What might happen is easy to prevent
That which is fragile is easy to break
What’s still very small, can be chased away easily
A big tree starts with a small seed
A terrace-yard started with a mound of earth
A thousand-mile journey starts with a single step
One who disturbs the natural order, harms oneself
One who [...]
Act without intention
Stop labouring
Just enjoy life
One who doesn’t honour something small
Isn’t worthy of something big
No more eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth
Turn to them your other cheek
Discover that what seems complicated is in fact very simple
See the grandeur in what seems insignificant
Don’t turn simplicity into complexity
Living purely is simple
But people have made [...]
Everything inclines towards the original balance
It’s the bliss of true men
It’s a sanctuary for the untruthful
But people flaunt themselves with flattery
They only do nice things in exchange for gratitude
Everybody does that so why shouldn’t you?
Therefore the people shout with joy when a new leader comes on the scene
And let themselves be fooled by pomp and [...]
When mankind lives in peace,
There will be no superiors and inferiors
It is like a big river,
In which all side currents have come to rest
The wildness comes to rest in peacefulness,
Because it is calm and most lowly
One who is the least by his disarming simplicity,
Is therefore appealing to his fellow men
And so it’s a benefit for [...]
Making sure that mankind lives in peace is a trifle
Where righteousness is the main guide, delusions won’t last
Not that there will be no delusions at all
But the people will be less susceptible to them
Delusions damage people, and a wise man shows them it’s so
Therefore a wise man is a threat to delusion,
But no threat for [...]
To get mankind to live in peace requires a full detachment
Because only one who is detached knows how to live truthfully
Letting go of everything before dying makes one live righteously
One who lives righteously knows no trouble
For one who knows no trouble, life is unbounded
One who is unbounded, considers the world as his home
One who feels [...]
