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Tao Te Ching (Legge) · Who thinks his great achievements poor

Tao Te Ching (Legge)

45. Who thinks his great achievements poor

1 Who thinks his great achievements poor Shall find his vigour long endure. Of greatest fulness, deemed a void, Exhaustion ne’er shall stem the tide. Do thou what’s straight still crooked deem; Thy greatest art still stupid seem, And eloquence a stammering scream.

2 Constant action overcomes cold; being still overcomes heat. Purity and stillness give the correct law to all under heaven.