Sorrowfulness embodied in ancient Chinese literature

Superior goodness is like water, water is good for all things without contention. The water is good to all things but does not contend for them. It is in the midst of the evils of all men, so it is more than the Tao.

Living in a good place, having a good heart, being kind to others, having good faith in words, having good governance, being able to do good things, and being able to move at a good time.

The highest good is like that of water. The goodness of water is that it benefits the ten thousand creatures; yet itself does not scramble, but is content with the The goodness of water is that it benefits the ten thousand creatures; yet itself does not scramble, but is content with the places that all men disdain. It is this that makes water so near to the Way.

And if men think the ground the best place

And if men think the ground the best place for building a house upon,

If among thoughts they value those that are profound,

If in friendship they value gentleness,

In words.

If among thoughts they value those that are profound,

If in friendship they value gentleness,

In words, truth; in government, good order;

In deeds, effectiveness; in actions, timeliness-

In each case it is because they prefer what does not lead to strife

And therefore does not go amiss.

The heavens and the earth are not kind, and take all things for ruminants; the sages are not kind, and take the people for ruminants.

Between heaven and earth, it is like a bellows! It's a place where you can move and get out of the way.

Many words are poor, not as good as keeping the center.

Chapter 5

Heaven and Earth are ruthless;

To them the Ten Thousand Things are but as straw dogs.

The Sage too is ruthless;

To him the people are but as straw dogs.

Yet[1] Heaven and Earth and all that lies between

Is like a bellows

In that it is empty, but gives a supply that never fails. but gives a supply that never fails.

Work it, and more comes out .

Whereas the force of words[2] is soon spent.

Far better is it to keep what is in the heart[3].

Do not honor the virtuous, so that the people do not fight; do not value the hard-to-get goods, so that the people do not steal; do not see the desirable, so that the people's hearts are not in turmoil.

It is the rule of the saints that their hearts are weak and their bellies are solid; their wills are weak and their bones are strong. The people often make no knowledge and no desire, so that the wisdom does not dare to do. For no action, there is no rule.

Chapter3

If we stop looking for 'persons of superior morality' (hsien) to put in power, there will be no more jealousies among the people. If we cease to set store by products that are hard to get , there will be no more thieves. If the people never see such things as excite desire, their hearts will remain placid and undisturbed. If the people never see such things as excitement desire, their hearts will remain placid and undisturbed. Therefore the Sage rules

By emptying their hearts

And filling their bellies,

Weakening their

By emptying their hearts

And filling their bellies,

Weakening their intelligence[1]

And toughening their sinews

Ever striving to make the people knowledgeless and desireless.

Indeed he sees to it

Ever striving to make the people knowledgeless and desireless.

Indeed he sees to it that if there be any who have knowledge, they dare not interfere. Yet through his actionless activity all things are duly regulated.

All the world knows that beauty is beautiful, and that evil has been done. Yet through his actionless activity all things are duly regulated.

There is no such thing as a good thing; there is no such thing as a bad thing; there is no such thing as a good thing; there is no such thing as a good thing; there is no such thing as a good thing; there is no such thing as a good thing; there is no such thing as a good thing.

The saint is in the matter of doing nothing, not to say the teachings, all things are made and do not resign, born and do not have, for and do not rely on, the work is done and not live. The only way to do this is to not go.

Chapter2

It is because every one under Heaven recognizes beauty as beauty, that the idea of ugliness exists.

And equally if every one recognized virtue as virtue, this would merely create fresh conceptions of wickedness.

For truly 'Being and Not-being grow out of one another.

Difficult and easy complete one another.

Long and short test one another;

High and low determine one another.

Pitch and mode give harmony to one another.

Long and short test one another;

High and low determine one another.

Pitch and mode give harmony to one another.

Therefore[1] the Sage relies on actionless activity,

Carries on wordless teaching,

But the myriad creatures are worked upon by

He rears them, but does not lay claim to them,

Controls them, but does not lean upon them,

Achieves his aim, but does not call attention[2] to what he does;

And for the very reason that he does not call attention to what he does

He is not ejected from fruition of what he has done.

He is not ejected