Chapter 67

Everyone in the world says my Tao is great, yet it seems to fall short of other teachings. But it is precisely its greatness that makes it seem to fall short. If it resembled anything else, its smallness would have been obvious long ago.

I have three treasures that I value and hold onto. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; and the third is not pushing ahead of others.

Because I am gentle, I can be brave. Because I am frugal, I can be generous. Because I do not push ahead of others, I can become a vessel of the highest honor. These days people abandon gentleness and chase after boldness; they abandon frugality and chase after generosity; they abandon the last place and seek only the first—the end of all this is death.

Gentleness wins even in battle and holds its ground firmly. Heaven saves those it favors, shielding them through their very gentleness.