64
WHAT is at rest is easy to hold.
What manifests no omens is easily
forestalled.
What is fragile is easily shattered.
What is small is
easily scattered.
Tackle things before they have appeared.
Cultivate peace and order
before confusion and disorder
have set in.
A tree as big as a man's embrace springs from a
tiny
sprout.
A tower nine stories high begins with a heap of
earth.
A journey of a thousand leagues starts from where
your
feet stand.
He who fusses over anything spoils it.
He who grasps anything loses
it.
The Sage fusses over nothing and therefore
spoils
nothing.
He grips at nothing and therefore loses
nothing.
In handling affairs, people often spoil them just
at the point
of success.
With heedfulness in the beginning and patience
at
the end, nothing will be spoiled.
Therefore, the Sage desires to be desireless,
Sets no value on rare
goods,
Learns to unlearn his learning,
And induces the masses to
return from where
they have overpassed.
He only helps all
creatures to find their own nature,
But does not venture to lead them
by the nose.
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