2
WHEN all the world recognises beauty as beauty,
this in itself
is ugliness.
When all the world recognises good as good, this
in
itself is evil.
Indeed, the hidden and the manifest give birth
to each
other.
Difficult and easy complement each other.
Long and short
exhibit each other.
High and low set measure to each other.
Voice
and sound harmonise each other.
Back and front follow each other.
Therefore, the Sage manages his affairs without ado,
And spreads his
teaching without talking.
He denies nothing to the teeming
things.
He rears them, but lays no claim to them.
He does his work,
but sets no store by it.
He accomplishes his task, but does not dwell
upon it.
And yet it is just because he does not dwell on it
That nobody can
ever take it away from him.
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