Chapter 48
为学日益
为学日益，
为道日损。
损之又损，
以至于无为。
无为而无不为。
取天下常以无事，
及其有事，
不足以取天下。
a> He who studies is daily enlarged; he who follows the Dao is daily diminished. Diminished and then diminished yet more, at last attaining non-action (wuwei). Never acting, nothing is undone.
b> To control the world, undertake nothing. Once you undertake to do anything you are unfit to control the world.
A modern classroom translation, with labeled subsections for study.
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