Chapter II If all men in the world know

Chapter II If all men in the world know what is fair, then it is unfair. If all men know what is good, then it is not good. For "to be" and "not to be" co-exist, There cannot be one without the other: without "difficult", there cannot be "easy"; without "long", there cannot be "short"; without "high", there cannot be "low"; without sound, there can be no voice; withou "before", there cannot be "after"; The contrary complement each other. Therefore the sage does everything without interference, teaches everyone without persuasion, and lets everything begin uninitiated and grow unpossessed. Everything is done without being his deed, and succeeds without being his success. Only when success belongs to nobody does it belong to everyone.

二章

天下皆知美之为【1】，美斯恶已【2】；皆知善之为，善斯不善已。有、无之相生也【3】，难、易之相成也【4】，长、短之相形也【5】，高、下之相盈也【6】，音、声之相和也【7】，先、后之相随【8】，恒也【9】。是以圣人处无为之事【10】，行不言之教【11】。万物作而弗始也【12】，为而弗恃也【13】，成功而弗居也【14】。夫唯弗居，是以不去。