Near Herculane, Romania, 2011

 

知者不言,言者不知。
塞其兑,闭其门;
挫其锐,解其纷;
和其光,同其尘。
是谓玄同。
故不可得而亲,不可得而疏;
不可得而利,不可得而害;
不可得而贵,不可得而贱。
故为天下贵。

Those who know the Tao do not brag.
Those who brag do not know the Tao.
Put senses and desires under control.

Blunt the sharpness of the powerful,
and untangle the knot of the powerless;
soften the glare of the noble,
and stay with the humble.

This is the state of being one with the Tao.
Those obtaining this state
cannot be got closer or drifted apart,
benefited or harmed,
ennobled or humiliated.

Thus, they are truly respected by the people.

(Tao The Ching, chapter 56)