~{ 其安易持,其未兆易谋。其脆易泮,其微易散。为之于未有,治~}
~{之于未乱。~}
~{ 合抱之木,生于毫末;九层之台,起于累土;千里之行,始于足~}
~{下。~}
~{ 民之从事,常于几成而败之。慎终如始,则无败事。~}
64a.CareattheBeginningWhatliesstilliseasytograsp;
Whatliesfaroffiseasytoanticipate;
Whatisbrittleiseasytoshatter;
Whatissmalliseasytodisperse.
Yetatreebroaderthanamancanembraceisbornofatinyshoot;
Adamgreaterthanarivercanoverrunstartswithaclodofearth;
Ajourneyofathousandmilesbeginsatthespotunderone'sfeet.
Thereforedealwiththingsbeforetheyhappen;
Createorderbeforethereisconfusion.
64b.CareattheEnd
Hewhoacts,spoils;
Hewhograsps,loses.
Peopleoftenfailonthevergeofsuccess;
Takecareattheendasatthebeginning,
Sothatyoumayavoidfailure.
Thegentledesireno-desire,
Valueno-value,
Learnno-learning,
Andreturntotheplacespeoplehaveforgotten;
Theywouldhelpallpeopletobecomenatural,
Butthentheywouldnotbenatural.