.45.
The greatest perfection seems imperfect
yet its usefulness is endless
The greatest fullness seems empty
yet its usefulness is inexhaustible
Great straightness seems crooked
Great skill seems inept
Great eloquence seems inarticulate
Movement overcomes cold
Stillness overcomes heat
The sage, pure and still
sets the world in order
46.
When the way prevails
the horses plow the fields
When the way does not prevail
war-horses breed in the countryside
No sin is greater than desire
No misery greater than discontent
No crime is more grievous than covetousness
Therefore he who knows that enough is enough
will always have enough
47.
Without going out the door
one can know the world
Without looking out the window
the way can be seen
The farther one goes
the less one knows
Therefore the sage knows without traveling,
sees without looking,
achieves without doing
The way to do is to be
48.
In the pursuit of knowledge,
every day something is learned.
In the pursuit of Tao,
every day something is unlearned.
Less and less remains (pu, the uncarved block)
until non-action (wu wei) is achieved.
When nothing is done,
nothing is left undone.
The world is ruled by letting
things take their natural course.
It cannot be ruled by interfering
