(Translated by Sherwin Lu)
An Abstract:
The power of the Tao works both on things staying within proper boundaries and on those that have overstepped the limits. The former stay true to their names while the latter have changed their nature and cannot escape the unchangeable corrective power of the Tao. This very unchangeableness in change should be the source of our human intelligence. In handling all human affairs, one must first check the names and then from the names one traces back to the underlying principles to see if they are rightly or wrongly applied to the reality. Right application will lead to happy results; otherwise, disasters. To distinguish the right and wrong one must judge by law. When judging, one must prudently guard against interferences from personal or factional motives and interests. Everything has a visible form and an audible name and the two should match. When adverse acts are added to and reinforcing one another, any state, big or small, is doomed.
The Text:
The Tao is the source of divine power. The divine power works both on things staying within proper boundaries and on those that have overstepped the limits. Things within limits will stay true to their names without much elaboration in words; Those out of bounds cannot escape the corrective power of the Tao, whatever rhetoric is used for their defense. Things staying in bounds remain in a constant state, protected by the power of the Tao from being changed; Those beyond the limits must have undergone changes in their nature and would unchangeably be subject to the corrective power of the Tao. The changeableness versus constancy of things and the ultimate unchangeableness of the power of the Tao –- this very constancy in change – is what “divinity” means. It should be the source of our human intelligence.
When things first emerge, starting from the Earth and reaching the Heaven, the Tao already permeates between the Heaven and the Earth, invisible to the human eye. At first people did not know how to call it. Because people do not know about the Tao, adverse things happen. When things happen that are adverse to the Tao, they will rebound on the deviators. They sow seeds for death and suppress what gives life: they strike at its root and pull away its support; they strangle the new growth and … [missing words] … Inevitably there would be chaos and they themselves end in notoriety.
Whoever overreaches himself will miss his goal. Whoever is arrogant and pushy will reap humiliation. Whatever overgrows will wither away sooner than otherwise. These three are all examples of overstepping the proper limits in pursuit of success, only to meet with failures and even invite disasters…. [missing words] … Being mild toward others, even when one possesses enough power to overwhelm them, ensures survival, whereas to be aggressive to cover up one’s weakness is to court certain death. Sticking to mildness will bring luck, while making a fetish of military might, self destruction. A promise ( 诺[1] ) made means “words to be matched (with act)”. Rejection means “saying no”. Promises not kept will throw people into confusion. To keep a promise is to stay within the bounds of propriety.
In handling all human affairs, one must first check the names [2]. Names … [missing words] … Then, from the names one traces back to the underlying principles to see if they are rightly or wrongly applied to the reality. Right application will lead to happy results; otherwise, disasters. To distinguish the right and wrong one must judge by law. When judging if things tally with law or not, one must prudently guard against interferences from personal or factional motives and interests. To see things in their whole processes, from their names through the underlying principles as applied in reality with good or bad results, is called “principle application review”. Only when one is motivated solely by public interests, would one be able to see the Tao clearly and rise against deviations from It. Therefore, a sage who masters the Tao, when observing all-under-heaven, follow the principles that embody the Tao, so that he can tell the rights and wrongs in their whole processes of unfolding, i.e., trace the principles from names. Everything has a visible form and an audible name[2] and the two should match. Otherwise, disasters would follow just as shadows follow objects, echoes, sounds, and weight, weights. So, only those who have mastered the Tao can remain just and free from interference of selfish motives and interests so as to know … [missing words] … and grasped the essentials of names and principles.
If troubles accumulate at home and unwise moves are taken externally, then destruction is on the way. If things are turning for the worse in internal affairs and the ruler is still bent on waging wars against other states, then destruction is not far off. If violations of the Tao are happening at the top level unchecked, then destruction is at hand. He who mobilizes the whole state to fight one which is inoffensive or unthreatening is going against the Tao. If he fails, it is a favor bestowed on him by Heaven. If he succeeds, he still merits no good name. Serious and stubborn violations of Heavenly justice inevitably invite dangers both for the state and for oneself. When adverse acts are added to and reinforcing one another, any state, big or small, is doomed.
[1] 诺：a combination of the two characters “言” (the original form before simplification，meaning “word”, “say”) and “若” (meaning “as”). The combined new word means: “(promise to do) as said”.
[2] “name”, what is in words, as against “form”, i.e., what really exists.
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