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天地不仁，
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Heaven and earth do not show mercy, |
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以万物为刍狗；
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They treat all things as straw dogs. |
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圣人不仁，
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Wise beings do not show mercy, |
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以百姓为刍狗。
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They see people as straw dogs. |
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天地之间，
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The space between heaven and earth, |
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其犹橐蘥乎？
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Is it not like a bellows? |
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虚而不屈，
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Empty yet never exhausted, |
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动而愈出。
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The more it moves, the more it produces. |
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多言数穷，
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Excessive words lead to exhaustion, |
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不如守中。
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Better to hold on to the center. |