69.
The strategists have a saying:
“In conflict it is better to be receptive than aggressive
Dare not advance an inch, but rather retreat a foot”
This is called moving ahead without advancing
rolling up your sleeves but clenching no fist,
capturing the enemy without attacking him,
pushing back without using weapons
No calamity is greater than
underestimating your opponents
If you underestimate your opponents,
you're close to losing your three treasures
So when opposing armies clash,
it is he who does not delight in war that wins
70.
My words are easy to understand and easy to perform,
yet no man in the world seems able to understand them or practice them
My words have ancient beginnings
My actions are disciplined
Because men do not understand, they have no knowledge of me
Those that understand me are few;
those that abuse me are honoured
Therefore the sage wears coarse cloth
and carries precious jade in his heart
71.
Knowing you do not know is best
Presuming to know what you do not is a defect
Only one who recognizes this defect is not defective
The sage is not defective because he recognizes this defect
Therefore he is not defective
72.
If people defy authority,
even greater authority descends on them
Leave them alone in their homes
Do not meddle in their livelihood
If you do not repress them
they will not turn on you
The sage knows himself,
but doesn't dwell on himself;
loves himself,
but does not display himself
Therefore he discards the one and takes the other
