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Section 28

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知其雄，
Zhī qí xióng,
 Know the strength of man,
守其雌，
Shǒu qí cí,
 Yet embrace the gentleness of woman:
为天下溪。
Wéi tiānxià xī.
 Be the stream that supports the world.
为天下溪，
Wéi tiānxià xī,
 When you are the world's stream,
常德不离，
Cháng dé bù lí,
 Constant virtue will not leave you,
复归于婴儿。
Fù guī yú yīng'ér.
 And you return to the innocence of a child.
知其白，
Zhī qí bái,
 Know the clarity of white,
守其黑，
Shǒu qí hēi,
 Yet hold onto the mystery of black:
为天下式，
Wéi tiānxià shì,
 Be a pattern for the world.
常德不忒，
Cháng dé bù tuō,
 As a pattern for the world,
复归于无极。
Fù guī yú wújí.
 Constant virtue remains unwavering,
知其荣，
Zhī qí róng,
 And you return to the limitless.
守其辱，
Shǒu qí rǔ,
 Know the honor,
为天下谷。
Wéi tiānxià gǔ.
 Yet keep the humility:
为天下谷，
Wéi tiānxià gǔ,
 Be the valley of the world.
常德乃足，
Cháng dé nǎi zú,
 When you are the world's valley,
复归于朴。
Fù guī yú pǔ.
 Constant virtue is sufficient,
为天下式。
Wéi tiānxià shì.
 And you return to the primal simplicity.
朴散则为器，
Pǔ sàn zé wèi qì,
 The world is formed from simplicity.
圣人用之，
Shèngrén yòng zhī,
 When simplicity is shaped, it becomes a tool.
则为官长，
Zé wéi guān zhǎng,
 The sage uses it,
故大制不割。
Gù dà zhì bù gē.
 Thus the greatest creations are achieved without cutting.