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将欲取天下而为之,
Jiāng yù qǔ tiānxià ér wéi zhī,
Those who seek to grasp and shape the world,
吾见其不得已。
Wú jiàn qí bùdé yǐ.
I see their efforts end in failure.
天下神器,
Tiānxià shénqì,
The world is sacred;
不可为也,
Bù kě wéi yě,
It cannot be manipulated,
不可执也。
Bù kě zhí yě.
It cannot be controlled.
为者败之,
Wéi zhě bài zhī,
Interfering leads to destruction,
执者失之。
Zhí zhě shī zhī.
Holding on leads to loss.
故物或行或随,
Gù wù huò xíng huò suí,
Things sometimes advance, sometimes follow,
或嘘或吹,
Huò xū huò chuī,
Sometimes breathe softly, sometimes blow hard,
或强或羸,
Huò qiáng huò léi,
Sometimes are strong, sometimes weak,
或载或隳,
Huò zài huò huī,
Sometimes rise, sometimes fall.
是以圣人去甚,
Shì yǐ shèngrén qù shèn,
Therefore, the sage avoids extremes,
去奢,去泰。
Qù shē, qù tài.
Avoids excess, and avoids complacency.