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Dao De Jing

1Sincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere. Those who are skilled (in the Tao) do not dispute (about it); the disputatious are not skilled in it. Those who know (the Tao) are not extensively learned; the extensively learned do not know it.

2The sage does not accumulate (for himself). The more that he expends for others, the more does he possess of his own; the more that he gives to others, the more does he have himself.

3With all the sharpness of the Way of Heaven, it injures not; with all the doing in the way of the sage he does not strive.

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Edition source ↗ · Historical translation; Gutenberg US public-domain record. Digital source printing unidentified.
James Legge · Gutenberg 216
An original-language partner is not yet available for this edition.