he who acts, spoils;

he who grasps, loses.

people often fail on the verge of success;

take care at the end as at the beginning,

so that you may avoid failure.

the sage desires no-desire,

values no-value,

learns no-learning,

and returns to the places that people have fccotten;

he would help all people to becce natural,

but then he would not be natural.