Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
Chapter 64
Chapter 64
"When sitting still, they are easy to hold down
No omens yet, it is easy to plan
When fragile, they are easy to break
When small, they are easy to scatter.
Work on it when it isn't yet
Put it in order when it is not yet disordered.
A tree you can barely get your arms around grows from a tiny shoot
A nine-story tower begins as a heap of earth
A thousand mile journey begins under your feet.
Working ruins, grasping loses.
The wise person does not work, so does not ruin
Does not grasp, so does not lose.
'When the people are engaged in some task,
They are always on the point of finishing when they ruin it.'
Careful at the end just as at the beginning,
Then there will be no ruining of the work.
The wise person desires to be desireless
Does not prize goods hard to come by
Learns to be un-learned
Turns back to the place all others have gone on from.
So as to help the naturalness
Of the thousands of things
Without presuming to be a worker."
- Translated by Michael LaFargue, 1992, Chapter 64
"It is easy to sustain what is at rest.
It is easy to plan for that of which there is not even a sign.
What is fragile is easily broken.
What is minute is easily dispersed.
Act upon it before it exists.
Regulate it before it becomes chaos.
A massive tree grows from a little sprout.
A nine-story building rises from a clod of earth.
A thousand fathoms begin with a single step.
Those who impose action upon it will fail.
Thos who cling to it will loose it.
So the sage, through non-action, does not fail.
Not clinging, he does not lose.
The common people's engagement in affairs fails prior to success.
So the saying goes,
"give as much careful attention to the end as to the beginning: then the affairs will not fail"
It is on that account that the sage desires not to desire and does not value goods that are hard to get.
He learns not to learn and restores the common people's losses.
He is able to support the nature of all things and , not by daring, to impose action."
- Translated by Edward Brennan and Tao Huang, 2002, Chapter 64
"That which is at rest is easily kept hold of;
Before a thing has given indications of its presence, it is easy to take measures against it;
That which is brittle is easily broken;
That which is very small is easily dispersed.
Action should be taken before a thing has made its appearance;
Order should be secured before disorder has begun.
The tree which fills the arms grew from the tiniest sprout;
The tower of nine stories rose from a small heap of earth;
The journey of a thousand li commenced with a single step.
He who acts with an ulterior purpose does harm;
He who takes hold of a thing in the same way loses his hold.
The sage does not act so, and therefore does no harm;
He does not lay hold so, and therefore does not lose his bold.
But people in their conduct of affairs are constantly ruining them when they are on the eve of success.
If they were careful at the end, as they should be at the beginning, they would not so ruin them.
Therefore the sage desires what other men do not desire, and does not prize things difficult to get;
He learns what other men do not learn, and turns back to what the multitude of men have passed by.
Thus he helps the natural development of all things, and does not dare to act with an ulterior purpose of his own."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891, Chapter 64
"What is still at rest is easily kept quiet.
What has not as yet appeared is easily prevented.
What is still feeble is easily broken.
What is still scant is easily dispersed.
Treat things before they exist.
Regulate things before disorder begins.
The stout tree has originated from a tiny rootlet.
A tower of nine stories is raised by heaping up bricks of clay.
A thousand miles' journey begins with a foot.
He that makes mars.
He that grasps loses.
The holy man does not make; therefore he mars not.
He does not grasp; therefore he loses not.
The people when undertaking an enterprise are always near completion, and yet they fail.
Remain careful to the end as in the beginning and you will not fail in your enterprise.
Therefore the holy man desires to be desireless, and does not prize articles difficult to obtain.
He learns, not to be learned, and seeks a home where multitudes of people pass by.
He assists the ten thousand things in their natural development, but he does not venture to interfere."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913, Chapter 64
"Tackle difficulties when they are easy,
Accomplish great things when they are small.
Handle what is going to be rough
when it is still smooth.
Control what has not yet formed its force.
Deal with a dangerous situation while it is safe.
Manage what is hard while it is soft.
Eliminate what is vicious
before it becomes destructive.
This is called "attending to great things at small beginnings.
A tree so big it can fill the span of a man's arms
grows from a tiny sprout.
A terrace nine stories high
rises from a shovel-full of earth.
A journey of a thousand miles
begins with a single step.
Thus, one of integral virtue
never sets about grandiose things,
yet is able to achieve great things.
Lightly made promises inspire little confidence.
Making light of things at the beginning,
one will meet with failure in the end.
Being prepared for hardship,
one will not be overcome by it.
In handing their affairs, people often ruin them
just as they are on the verge of success.
With heedfulness in the beginning
and all the way through to the end,
nothing is ruined."
- Translation by Hua-Ching Ni, 1979, Chapter 64
The Complete Works of Lao Tzu: Tao Teh Ching and Hua Hu Ching.
"That which has balance is easy to maintain.
That which has not arisen is easy to forestall.
That which is brittle is easy to shatter.
That which is minuscule is easy to scatter.
Therefore, manage problems before they arise;
Create order before disorder sets in.
A tree as large as the arms' embrace grows from a downy shoot.
A terrace nine stories high rises from a shovelful of earth.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
One who acts from the delusion of grandiosity fails.
One who clings to the delusion of grandiosity loses.
The sage does not act from delusion, and therefore he does not fail,
Nor does he cling to delusion, and therefore he does not lose.
Because of the delusion of grandiosity,
On the verge of success, people often fail.
If they would take as much care at the end as at the beginning,
They would not fail in their affairs.
The sage does not desire what the masses desire;
He does not treasure what the masses treasure.
He studies what the masses do not study;
He returns to the source of knowledge ignored by the masses.
Thus, without acting in delusion,
The sage supports all beings as they naturally exist."
- Translated by Yasuhiko Genku Kimura, Chapter 64
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