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<title>05 - Chapters 31 - 37</title>
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31.

Weapons are terrible things.
If you want to get right with Tao,
reject weapons.

The Master, 
knowing all things came from Tao,
recognizes what he has in common 
with his enemies
and always tries to avoid conflict.

But when there is no other choice,
he uses force reluctantly.
He does so with great restraint,
and never celebrates a victory;
to do so would be to rejoice in killing.
A person who would rejoice in killing
has completely lost touch with Tao.

When you win a war, 
you preside over a funeral.
Pay your respects to the dead.


32.

Tao is an eternal mystery,
so small you can never take hold of it.

If a leader gets right with Tao,
people will follow him on instinct.
All will be right with the world.
People will do the right thing 
without being told.

Everything that comes from Tao 
needs a name.
But once everything has its name, 
you should make no other distinction between things.
This prevents you
from becoming trapped by them.

Everything in the universe is full of Tao 
and leads to Tao,
just like the water in rivers 
that flows into oceans.


33.

Knowing things makes you smart,
but knowing yourself makes you wise.
To rule others, you must be powerful,
but to rule yourself, 
you must be strong.

If you have only what you need, 
you have true wealth.
If you never give up, 
you will find a way.
If you stay true to yourself,
you will never be lost.
If you stay alive your whole life,
you've really lived.


34.

Tao flows in all directions.
It's in everything, 
but nothing can contain it.
Everything needs Tao,
so Tao provides,
and never expects anything in return.

Everything comes from Tao,
but Tao doesn't call attention to itself.
It wants for nothing. 
Think nothing of it.

Everything leads to Tao,
but Tao doesn't call attention to itself.
Pretty impressive, huh?

It doesn't strive for success. 
That's why it succeeds.


35.

When you get right with Tao, 
everybody wants to be your friend.
When they're around you, 
they can relax and enjoy themselves.

People can be easily distracted 
by music or good food.
When we try to talk about Tao, 
it seems boring by comparison.

It doesn't look like much.
It doesn't sound like much.
But no matter how much you use, 
there's still plenty left.


36.

To make something smaller,
you need to appreciate its size.
To make something weaker,
you must recognize its strength.
To get rid of something,
you need to hold it tight.
To take something,
you must give it up entirely.

To put it another way:
Sensitivity and weakness 
overcome unfeeling strength.


37.

Tao never does anything 
but nothing is left undone.

If our leaders 
could get in touch with Tao,
the world would take care of itself.
Even if they wanted 
to impose their own ideas,
they'd be drawn back to Tao's 
nameless simplicity.

When our lives are that simple, 
we want for nothing.
We can relax, 
and the world becomes a better place. 


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