语仁义忠信，恭俭推让，为修而已矣；此平世之士，教诲之人，游居学者之所好也。
This is what scholars who betake themselves to the hills and valleys, who are always blaming the world, and who stand aloof like withered trees, or throw themselves into deep pools 549, are fond of.
语大功，立大名，礼君臣，正上下，为治而已矣；此朝廷之士，尊主强国之人，致功并兼者之所好也。
Discoursing of benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, and good faith; being humble and frugal, self-forgetful and courteous;—all this is simply symptomatic of (self-)cultivation.
就薮泽，处闲旷，钓鱼闲处，无为而已矣；此江湖之士，避世之人，闲暇者之所好也。
This is what scholars who wish to tranquillise the world, teachers and instructors, men who pursue their studies at home and abroad, are fond of.
吹呴呼吸，吐故纳新，熊经鸟申，为寿而已矣；此道引之士，养形之人，彭祖寿考者之所好也。
Discoursing of their great merit and making a great name for themselves; insisting on the ceremonies between ruler and minister; and rectifying the relations between high and low;—all this shows their one object to be the promotion of government.
若夫不刻意而高，无仁义而修，无功名而治，无江海而闲，不道引而寿，无不忘也，无不有也，澹然无极，而众美从之。
This is what officers of the court, men who honour their lord and would strengthen the state and who would do their utmost to incorporate other states with their own, are fond of.
此天地之道，圣人之德也。
Resorting to marshes and lakes ; dwelling in solitary places; occupying themselves with angling and living at ease;—all this shows their one object to be to do nothing.
故曰，夫恬惔寂漠，虚无无为，此天地之平，而道德之质也。
This is what gentlemen of the rivers and seas, men who avoid the society of the world and desire to live at leisure, are fond of.
故曰，圣人休休焉则平易矣，平易则恬惔矣。
Blowing and breathing with open mouth; inhaling and exhaling the breath; expelling the old breath and taking in new; passing their time like the (dormant) bear 550, and stretching and twisting (the neck) like a bird 550; —all this simply shows the desire for longevity.
平易恬惔，则忧患不能入，邪气不能袭，故其德全而神不亏。
This is what the scholars who manipulate their breath, and the men who nourish the body and wish to live as long as Pang û, are fond of.
故曰，圣人之生也天行，其死也物化；静而与阴同德，动而与阳同波。
As to those who have a lofty character without any ingrained ideas; who pursue the path of self-cultivation without benevolence and righteousness; who succeed in government without great services or fame; who enjoy their ease without resorting to the rivers and seas; who attain to longevity without the management (of the breath); who forget all things and yet possess all things; whose placidity is unlimited, while all things to be valued attend them :—such men pursue the way of heaven and earth, and display the characteristics of the sages.
不为福先，不为祸始，感而后应，追而后动，不得已而后起。
Hence it is said 551, ‘ Placidity, indifference, silence, quietude, absolute vacancy, and non-action :—these are the qualities which maintain the level of heaven and earth and are the substance of the Tâo and its characteristics.’ In accordance with this it is said, ‘ The sage is entirely restful, and so (his mind) is evenly balanced and at ease.
去知与故，循天之理。
This even balance and ease appears in his placidity and indifference.
故无天灾，无物累，无人非，无鬼责。
In this state of even balance and ease, of placidity and indifference, anxieties and evils do not find access to him, no depraving influence can take him by surprise; his virtue is complete, and his spirit continues unimpaired.’ Therefore it is (also) said, ‘The life of the sage is (like) the action of Heaven; and his death is the transformation common to (all) things.
其生若浮，其死苦休。
In his stillness his virtue is the same as that of the Yin, and in movement his diffusiveness is like that of the Yang.
不思虑，不豫谋。
He does not take the initiative in producing either happiness or calamity.
He responds to the influence acting on him, and moves as he feels the pressure.
光矣而不燿，信矣而不期。
He rises to act only when he is obliged to do so.
其寝不梦，其觉无忧，其神纯粹，其魂不罢。
He discards wisdom and the memories of the past; he follows the lines of his Heaven (-given nature); and therefore he suffers no calamity from Heaven, no involvement from things, no blame from men, and no reproof from the spirits of the dead 552.
虚无恬淡，乃合天德。
His life seems to float along; his death seems to be a resting.
故曰，悲乐者德之邪，喜怒者道之过，好恶者德之失。
He does not indulge any anxious doubts; he does not lay plans beforehand.
故心不忧乐，德之至也；一而不变，静之至也；无所于忤，虚之至也；不与物交，惔之至也。
His light is without display; his good faith is without previous arrangement.
无所于逆，粹之至也。
His sleep is untroubled by dreams; his waking is followed by no sorrows.
故曰，形劳而不休则弊，精用而不已则劳，劳则竭。
His spirit is guileless and pure; his soul is not subject to weariness.
水之性，不杂则清，莫动则平，郁闭而不流，亦不能清，天德之象也。
Vacant and without self-assertion, placid and indifferent, he agrees with the virtue of Heaven.’ Therefore it is said (further), ‘Sadness and pleasure show a depraving element in the virtue (of those who feel them); joy and anger show some error in their course; love and hatred show a failure of their virtue.
故曰，纯粹而不杂，静一而不变，惔而无为，动而以天行，此养神之道也。
Hence for the mind to be free from sorrow and pleasure is the perfection of virtue; to be of one mind that does not change is the perfection of quietude; to be conscious of no opposition is the perfection of vacancy; to have no intercourse with (external) things is the perfection of indifference; and to have no rebellious dissatisfactions is the perfection of purity.’ Therefore it is said (still further), ‘ If the body be toiled, and does not rest, it becomes worn out; if the spirit be used without cessation, it becomes toiled; and when toiled, it becomes exhausted.