English

Let there be a small state with few people,
where military devices find no use;
Let the people look solemnly upon death,
and banish the thought of moving elsewhere.

They may have carts and boats,
but there is no reason to ride them;
They may have armor and weapons,
but there is no reason to display them.

Let the people go back to tying knots
to keep records.
Let their food be savory,
their clothes beautiful,
their customs pleasurable,
their dwellings secure.

A large state is like a low-lying estuary,
the female of all under heaven.
In the congress of all under heaven,
the female always conquers the male through her stillness.
Because she is still,
it is fitting for her to lie low.
By lying beneath a small state,
a large state can take over a small state.
By lying beneath a large state,
a small state can be taken over by a large state.
Therefore,

One may either take over or be taken over by lying low.
Therefore,

Without going out-of-doors,
one may know all under heaven;
Without peering through windows,
one may know the Way of heaven.

The farther one goes,
The less one knows.
For this reason,
The sage knows without journeying,
understands without looking,
accomplishes without acting.

The person of superior integrity
does not insist upon his integrity;
For this reason, he has integrity.
The person of inferior integrity
never loses sight of his integrity;
For this reason, he lacks integrity.

The person of superior integrity takes no action,
nor has he a purpose for acting.
The person of superior humaneness takes action,
but has no purpose for acting.
The person of superior righteousness takes action,
and has a purpose for acting.
The person of superior etiquette takes action,

The 10th Satyr of the 1st Book

Nempe incomposito dixi pede, etc.

Well, sir, 'tis granted I said Dryden's rhymes
Were stol'n, unequal, nay dull, many times.
What foolish patron is there found of his
So blindly partial to deny me this?
But that his plays, embroidered up and down,
With wit and learning justly pleased the town,
In the same paper I as freely own.
Yet having this allowed, the heavy mass
That stuffs up his loose volumes must not pass.
For by that rule I might as well admit

VIII

" To whom
it may
concern:
unless
I get
a check soon
I will be
forced
to lead
an immortal
life. "

Threats
will get you
nowhere!

Envoi

Ladies, forgive me.
This was the work
of the cock-eyed muse.

VII Ode

" Dear Sirs:
you have
branded
my son
illiterate.
This is
a dirty lie
as I
was married
a week
before he
was born. "

A natural
mistake
under the
circum-
stances .

VI Dirge

" This is
to let
you know
that my husband
got his
project cut off
two weeks ago
and I
have not
had any
relief since. "

V

" As you requested,
I am forwarding
my marriage
certificate
and my three
children,
one of which
as you can see
is a mistake. "

That was
to be
expected!

" Madam,
I am glad
to report
that my husband
who is missing