61.
A large state must be like the low ground
towards which all streams flow
Its part must be that of the female in its dealings
with all things under heaven
The female always gets the better of the male by
yielding and taking the lower position
Hence, the large state, by taking the lower position,
wins over the small state
and because the small state is by nature in the lower position,
it wins over the large state
Thus the one, by taking the lower position, annexes;
the other, by being in the lower position, is annexed
All that the large state wants is to embrace and nourish more people
All that the small state wants is to ably serve its benefactor
Both get what they want
So the large should take the lower position
62.
Tao is the hidden source of the myriad things
It is the treasure of the good man,
and the refuge of the bad
Sweet words can buy honour;
good deeds can buy respect
but, if a man is bad, do not abandon him
Thus, on the day a new king is crowned
let the three ministers whom he appoints to receive
for him fine horses and gifts of jade
more importantly receive for him also the gift of integrity
Why have sages prized Tao for so long?
Because with Tao, he who seeks finds,
and he who has flaws is forgiven
This is why it is the treasure of the world
63.
Act while practicing non-action
Be at rest while you work
Savour that which has no flavour
See the great in the small
and the much in the few
Repay enmity with virtue
Face the difficult while it is still easy
Sow the great in the small
The biggest troubles in the world can only be solved
while they are still easy
The great must be accomplished by small acts
Therefore the sage never has to deal with the great
and so achieves greatness
A promise lightly made
makes for little trust
Those who think things are easy
will find things most difficult in the end
Because the sage always gives consideration to difficulties
he shall never have difficulties
64.
What is at rest is easy to hold
Trouble is easily overcome before symptoms develop
What is still fragile is easily shattered
What is still small is easily scattered
Deal with things before they happen
Keep things in order before confusion sets in
A tree as great as a man's embrace springs from a small shoot
A terrace nine stories high begins with a pile of earth
A journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step
He who acts, will ruin it
He who grasps, will lose it
The sage does not act, and so he does not harm
and because he does not grasp anything, he loses nothing
People usually fail when they are on the verge of success
so give as much care to the end as the beginning
Then there will be no failure
Therefore the sage seeks freedom from desire
He does not collect goods that are hard to obtain
He learns non-learning
He brings men back to what they have passed by
Thereby he furthers the natural course of things
This he does; but dares not act
