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Laotzu's Tao and Wu Wei, by Dwight Goddard and Henri Borel, [1919], at sacred-texts.com
Tao of heaven resembles the stretching of a bow. The mighty it humbles, the lowly it exalts. They who have abundance it diminishes and gives to them who have need.
That is Tao of heaven; it depletes those who abound, and completes those who lack.
The human way is not so. Men take from those who lack to give to those who already abound. Where is the man who by his abundance can best serve the world?
The wise man makes but claims not, he accomplishes merit, yet is not attached to it, neither does he display his excellence. Is it not so?