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天下莫柔弱於水。而攻堅疆者。莫之能先。以其無以易之也。故柔之勝剛。弱之勝疆。天下莫不知。莫能行。是以聖人云。受國之垢。是謂社稷主。受國之不祥。是謂天下王。正言若反。 Translation In all under Heaven, nothing is softer than water, yet in attacking the hard and the strong, nothing can surpass it — for nothing can take its place. That the soft o...

和大怨必有餘怨。安可以為善。是以聖人執左契。而不責於人。故有德司契。無德司徹。天道無親。常與善人。 Translation Reconcile a great enmity — lingering enmity remains. How can this be called good? Therefore the Sage holds the left tally yet presses no claim upon others. Those who possess De attend to the tally; ...

小國寡民。使有什伯之器而不用。使民重死而不遠徙。雖有舟車無所乘之。雖有甲兵。無所陳之。使民復結繩而用之。甘其食。美其服。安其居。樂其俗。鄰國相望。雞犬之音相聞。民至老死不相往來。 Translation A small state, few people — let them have implements for tens and hundreds, yet never use them. Let the people hold death close and not wander far. Though boa...

信言不美。美言不信。善言不辯。辯言不善。知者不博。博者不知。聖人不積。既以為人己愈有。既以與人己愈多。天之道利而不害。聖人之道為而不爭。 Translation Trustworthy words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not trustworthy. Good words need no argument; argumentative words are not good. Those who know are not broadly learned; th...