Chapter 29

1. If any one should wish to get the kingdom for himself, and to effect this by what he does, I see that he will not succeed. The kingdom is a spirit-like thing, and cannot be got by active doing. He who would so win it destroys it; he who would hold it in his grasp loses it.

2. The course and nature of things is such that
What was in front is now behind;
What warmed anon we freezing find.
Strength is of weakness oft the spoil;
The store in ruins mocks our toil¹. Hence the sage² puts away excessive effort, extravagance, and easy indulgence.

       将欲取天下而为之，吾见其不得已。
       天下，神器，不可为也。
　     为者败之，执者失之。
       故物或行或随，或歔或吹，或强或羸，或载或隳。
       是以圣人去甚，去奢，去泰。

【译文】
       想要把天下抓来任意摆弄的，我看他永远也达不成目的。天下是神圣的存在，是不可以任意摆弄的。任意摆弄就会败坏它，紧抓不放就会失去它。所以，各类存在可以任之独行，也可以任之从随；可以任之恬柔轻嘘，也可以任之迅猛疾吹；可以任之强盛，也可以任之衰颓；可以任之安稳，也可以任之毁灭。因此，圣人戒出手过分，戒自奉过奢，戒行走极端。

1 toil   

vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事

参考例句：

• The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。
• Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。

2 sage   

n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的

参考例句：

• I was grateful for the old man's sage advice.我很感激那位老人贤明的忠告。
• The sage is the instructor of a hundred ages.这位哲人是百代之师。