Verse 27

A skilful traveller leaves no track.
A skilful speaker makes no slip.
A skilful reckoner needs no counting rod.

A skilfully made door requires no bolts, yet it cannot be opened.
A skilful binding has no cords or knots, yet it cannot be untied.

Therefore, the True Person
is skilful in assisting people,
and abandons nobody;
Is skilful in assisting things,
and abandons nothing.

This is called “Following the Inner Light.”
Therefore, the skilful person is the teacher
of the person without skill.
The person without skill is the material
for the skilful person.

If you do not respect the teacher,
if you do not care for the material,
you are on the road to confusion
and your cleverness will not save you.
This is an essential principle.


Verse 28

Develop the strength of a man, but live as gently as a woman.
Become a brook and receive all things under heaven.

If you are such a brook then Virtue will constantly flow into you
and you will become a simple child again.

Know the pure but live the life of the sullied.
Become a fountain to all things under heaven.

If you become such a fountain
then you will have abundant Virtue

and you will return to the state of the Uncarved Block.
When the Uncarved Block is cut up into pieces,

it is turned into specialised instruments.
But the True Person makes use of it whole

and becomes the master of the instruments.
Hence, it is said, “The finest carver cuts little.”


Verse 29

Whoever wishes to take over the world will not succeed.
The world is a sacred vessel and nothing should be done to it.

Whoever tries to tamper with it will mar it.
Whoever tries to grab it will lose it.
Hence, there is a time to go ahead and a time to stay behind.

There is a time to breathe easy and a time to breathe hard.
There is a time to be vigorous and a time to be gentle.

There is a time to gather and a time to release.
Therefore, the True Person avoids extremes, self-indulgence, and extravagance.


Verse 30

If you would assist leaders of people by way of the Tao,
you will oppose the use of armed force to overpower the world.

Those who use weapons will be harmed by them.
Where troops have camped only thorn bushes grow.

Bad harvests follow in the wake of a great army.
The skilful person strikes the blow and stops,
without taking advantage of victory.

Bring it to a conclusion but do not be vain.
Bring it to a conclusion but do not be boastful.
Bring it to a conclusion but do not be arrogant.
Bring it to a conclusion but only when there is no choice.
Bring it to a conclusion but without violence.

When force is used, youthful strength decays.
This is not the way of Tao.
And that which goes against the Tao will quickly pass away.