The devine law is a stream overflowing left and right.
大道泛兮，其可左右。
All things grow from it, and it never turns away.
万物持之以生而不辞,
It achieves the deed without the fame.
功成不名有。
It breeds all things but will not claim to be their lord.
衣养万物而不主，
So it may be called "Little".
常勿欲可名于小。
All things cling to it, but it will not claim to be their master.
万物归焉而不为主，
So it may be called "Great".
可名为大。
As it never claims to be great, so it becomes great.
以其终不自为大，故能成其大。
Keeping the great image in mind, you may go everywhere.
执大象，天下往。
Wherever you go, you bring no harm but safety, peace and security.
往而不害，安平太。
Music and food may attract travelers.
乐与饵，过客止。
The devine law is tasteless when it comes out of mouth.
道之出口，淡乎其无味。
It is invisible when looked at, inaudible when listened to, and inexhaustible when used.
识之不足见，听之不足闻。用之不足既。
Inhale before you exhale!
将欲歙之，必固张之。
Strengthen what is to be weakened!
将欲弱之，必固强之。
Raise what is to fall!
将欲废之，必固兴之。
Give before you take!
将欲取之，必固与之。
Such is the twilight before the day.
是谓微明。
The soft and weak may overcome the hard and strong.
柔弱胜刚强。
Fish should not go out of deep water.
鱼不可脱于渊,
The sharpest weapon of a state should not be shown to others.
国之利器不可以示人。
The divine law will not interfere, so there is nothing it cannot do.
道常无为而无不为。
If rulers can following it, everything will be done by itself.
猴王若能守之，万物将自化。
If there is desire to do anything, I shall control it with nameless simplicity.
化而欲作，吾将镇之以无名之朴。
Without desire, there will be tranquility, and the world will be peaceful by itself.
不欲以静，天下将自定。
It needs observation to know others, but （it needs） reflection to know oneself.
知人者，智，自知者，明。
Physically strong，one can conquer others；mentally strong ，one can conquer oneself.
胜人者，有力，自胜者，强。
Content ， one is rich; with strong will, one can persevere.
知足者，富。强行者，有志。
Staying where one should, one can endure long;
不失其所者，久。
Unforgettable， one is immortal.
死而不忘者，寿。
Good omen keeps to the left, and evil omen to the right.
吉事尚左，凶事尚右。
A licutenant general keeps to the left, and a full general to the right as in the funeral service.
偏将军居左，上将军居右。言以丧礼处之。
The heavier the casualties, the deeper the mourning should be.
杀人之众，以悲哀泣之，
Even a victory should be celebrated in funeral ceremonry.
战胜以丧礼处之。
The devine law is changeless, it is nameless simplicity.
道，常无名，
No matter how little and simple, the world cannot subdue it.
朴虽小，天下莫能臣也。
If rulers can observe it,everything will be subject to their rule.
候王若能守之，万物将自宾。
When heaven and earth mingle,sweet dew will fall.
天地相合，以降甘露，
Not ordered by people, it falls without prejudice.
民莫之令而自均。
When things begin to be named,names come into being.
始制有名，名亦既有，
The beginning implies the end；to know the end is to avoid danger.
夫亦将知止，知止可以不殆。
The divine law will prevail in the world just as streams flow from the vale to the river and the sea.
譬道之在天下，犹川谷之于江海。
Weapons are tools of evil omen,detested by all.
夫佳兵者，不祥之器，
Those who follow the devine law will not resort to them.
物或恶之，故有道者不处。
A worthy man prefers the left in time of peace and the right in time of war.
君子居则贵左，用兵则贵右。
Weapons are tools of evil omen,not be used by worthy men.
兵者不详之器，非君子之器，
When they are compelled to use them,the less often,the better.
不得已而用之，恰谈为上。
Victory should not be glorified.
胜而不美，
To glorify it is to take delight in killing.
而美之者，是乐杀人。
Those delighted in killing cannot do what they will in the world.
夫乐杀人者，则不可得志于天下矣。
If anyone tries to take the world by force and interface with it. I do not think he can succeed.
将欲取天下而为之，吾见其不得已。
The world is a sacred realm not to be interface in.
天下神器，不可为也，
Anyone who interface in it will fail,and who tries to keep it will lose it.
为者败之，执者失之。
For things may lead or follow,blow high or low, be strong or weak,loaded or unloaded.
故物，或行或随，或歔（通嘘）或吹、或强或赢、或挫或堕。
So the sage will not go to excess, to extravagance and to extreme.
是以圣人去甚、去奢、去泰。
Those who follow the devine law to serve the ruler will not conquer the world by force.
以道佐人主者，不以兵强天下。
Conquerors will be conquered in turn.
其事好还。
Where goes the army,there grow briars and thorns.
师之所处，荆棘生焉。
After a great war comes a year of famine.
军之后，必有凶年。
It is better to achieve good result than to conquer by force.
善有果而已，不敢以取强。
Goods results never lead to self-conceit, nor to vain glory, nor to undue pride.
果而勿矜，果而勿伐，果而勿骄，
Goods results are something unavoidable, not achieved by force.
果而不得已，果而勿强。
The prime is followed by decline, or it is against the devine law.
物壮则老(物极必反)，是谓不道，
What is against the devine law will end early.
不道早已。
