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Having no commerce with trouble To never be wrong A hardship, but otherwise not a mistake

When not plowing to harvest And not breaking new ground for established fields Then it is worthwhile to have somewhere to go

The sun declines with its radiance Not drumming on clay pots and singing Leads to much of old age’s lament Unfortunate

The billy goat butts the hedge No power to pull back No power to follow through Not a direction with merit But problems give rise to opportunities

Estranged and alone Watching a hog, covered with muck Once a wagon transporting demons At first stringing that bow But later unstringing the bow It is not an adversary but a marital suitor In going, greet the rain After this, all is well

Three people set out And in due order lose one member A single person sets out And in due order finds a companion

Inexperience At the foot of the mountain are hazards (To be) at risk and yet remain still (Shows) inexperience Inexperience (is) fulfilled: According to fulfillment’s conduct at the heart of the time It is not I (who) seeks the young (and) inexperienced, The young (and) inexperienced seek me: The objectives (are) complementary The first consultation informs: According to the firmness within The second (and) third (show) disrespect Disrespect deserves no information: Disrespect (shows) immaturity Inexperience (is) the way to cultivate uprightness (This is) a sacred task

Interplay Smallness departs, greatness arrives, (With) promise (and) fulfillment: When this occurs heaven (and) earth interact And so the myriad beings communicate High (and) low interact and their purposes converge Within (is) light and without (is) shadow Within (is) strength and without (is) acceptance Within (is) the noble young one and without (are) the common ones The noble young one’s principles prevail The common one’s principles fade

12.6x Separation ends (and is) then overcome: (But) how could this be sustained?

Separating oneself from inferior people (Who) are not worth a noble young one’s loyalty Greatness departs, smallness arrives: When this occurs heaven (and) earth do not interact And so the myriad beings do not communicate High (and) low do not interact And so all under heaven lack government Within (is) darkness and without (is) light Within (is) weakness and without (is) strength Within (are) the common people and without (is) the noble young one The common people’s principles prevail The noble young one’s principles fade

13.4x Mounting those battlements Means that nothing can be done * One’s promise

15.4x Nothing cannot be turned to advantage (With) candid authenticity: (This is) not against the rules

Readiness Firmness resonates, and so the intentions (are) carried out Responsiveness using movement Readiness Readiness responds with movement Since heaven and earth (behave) like this How much more true (this is) (for) establishing delegates (And) mobilizing the reserves! Heaven and earth behave with responsive movement And so the sun and the moon never stray And the four seasons do not vary The wise ones make use of responsive movement (And) as a result, punishments (and) penalties (are) specific And the people consent Readiness’ meaningful timing (is) very important now!

18.6x Not serving sovereign (or) noble: The aim (is) a proper standard

Detoxifying The firm (is) above while the flexible (is) below Adaptive and yet motionless Fixations Detoxifying (is) most fulfilling: As all under heaven (is) healed Worthwhile to cross the great stream: (In) moving on there is work to do Before the beginning, three days, After the beginning, three days: In the end, in due order, there will be a beginning As heaven behaves

Hungry mouth Persistence (is) promising: Nourish uprightness (and) in due order good fortune Study the hungry mouth: Study what is the purpose in nourishment From the searching mouth (to) the feeding: Study what are the sources of nourishment Heaven (and) earth nourish the myriad beings The wise ones nourish the worthy (and) thereby reach the whole of humanity Hungry mouth’s opportune timing (is) very important here!

Continuity (Means) to endure The firm (is) above and the flexible (is) below Thunder (and) wind support each other Versatile and energetic The firm (and) the flexible fully correspond Continuity Continuity fulfills (and) nothing (is) wrong, Worthwhile to be persistent: Enduring (is) upon one’s own path Heaven’s (and) earth’s courses Continue, going on and (on) without end Worthwhile to have somewhere to go: At the end, in due order, there will be a beginning Sun and moon take the sky and so (are) able to continue in brilliance The four seasons evolve (and) turn And so are able to continue accomplishing The wise ones endure upon their paths And all under heaven (is) transformed (and) completed Comprehend what is meant to be continued Then heaven (and) earth (and) the myriad beings Will now have natures (which) may be seen plainly

34.6x No power to pull back, No power to follow through: Not examining details * Problems give rise to opportunities: The error does not last long

36.2x Six second’s promise: Compliantly using the givens

36.6x At first rising into the sky: To illuminate the four domains * At last going into the earth: Disregarding due order

The wind and the thunder Increasing The noble young one, accordingly, When seeing the good, as a rule, makes improvements When having transgressed, as a rule, makes corrections

The lake rises into the sky Decisiveness The noble young one, accordingly, Dispenses favor to reach those below Resting on virtue is thereby avoided

51.1x The shock brings fear (and) alarm: The fear leads to well-being * Mirthful words (and) echoing laughter: After there is a precedent

Arousal (means) fulfillment Shock brings fear (and) alarm: The fear leads to well-being Mirthful words (and) echoing laughter: After there is a precedent The thunder startles (for) a hundred li (around): Disturbing the distant and frightening the near Do not let drop the ladle of sacred wine: Emerge fit to guard the ancestral shrine, the altars to place (and) to grain (And) thereby perform the offerings (with) mastery

Stillness (Means) to keep still (If) time to stop, then stop (If) time to move, then move (When) activity (and) rest do not lose their timing One’s path (is) revealed (and) clarified Stillness (means) self-restraint Restraint (is) to one’s own purpose Above (and) below resist corresponding Having nothing to do with each other And so it is that having no grasp of one’s own being (And) moving (through) one’s courtyard Without seeing other people (Is) without blame

Abundance (Means) greatness Intelligence (is) behind movement Given this, abundance The sovereign approaches this: Appreciate the greatness Do not be anxious, (it) suits the sun (to be at) midday: Appropriate for illuminating all under heaven The sun (at) midday, in due order, goes down The moon (at) full, in due order, (is) consumed (If) heaven (and) earth fill up (and) empty out In accord with the time (in both) waning (and) waxing Then how much more true for humanity! (And) how much more true for the ghosts and the spirits!

Such a lack of restraint And therefore such lament Not a mistake

After completion (comes) fulfillment The minor is that which fulfills Worthwhile to persist: The firm (and) the flexible (are all) correct and also properly placed At the beginning, promise: The flexible occupies the center By the end equilibrium results in disorder This process (is) finished