There is no one who can practice them. My words possess a lineage, My duties possess a ruler. Now : only because I am without-knowledge, Thus I am not understood. Those who understand me are rare, Consequently I am one who is valued! Thus the sage wears coarse cloth, but carries jade in his heart. ♦My words are very easy to understand, ♦Very easy to practice. [perform] But there is no one in the world2 who can understand them, [they] There is no one who can practice them. [they] [perform] ♦[My]A words possess a lineage, [My]A duties possess a ruler. ♦Now : only because [I am]B without-knowledge, ♦Thus2 I am not understood. ♦Those who understand me are rare, Consequently I am one who is valued ! ♦Thus2 the sage2 wears coarse cloth, but carries jade in his heart. Notes A : “My” is inferred here from the first line, but could just as reasonably be left out, or “All” substituted B : there is no subject in the original Chinese, so this could also be saying “only because [the previous two lines] is not understood”, but because 無 知 (without-knowledge) is specifically used, it is translated in this way Cross-references no one who can practice this : #78 being valuable : #56, #62 Chapter Seventy One 知 不 知 (尚) [矣(•)] 不 知 知 病 [矣(•)] (•)夫 唯 病 病 是 以 不 病 聖 人 不 病 • 以 其 病 病 • 是 以 不 病 Knowing that you do not know is honorable! Not knowing that you know is a sickness! Now : only when you are sick of sickness, Thus you are not sick. The sage is not sick Because he is sick of sickness. Thus he is not sick. Knowing that you do not know is honorable ! Not knowing that you know is a sickness ! Now : only when you are sick of sickness, Thus2 you are not sick. The sage2 is not sick ♦Because he is sick of sickness. ♦Thus2 he is not sick. Notes The third and fourth lines are not in the MWD’s This chapter can be translated many different ways due to its terseness and the many ways to interpret 病 (disease, sickness, to be ill) “Sickness” here presumably refers to the suffering that comes from not following Dao Cross-references Chapter Seventy Two 民 不 畏 威 則 大 威 至 [矣(•)] • 無 狎 其 所 居 無 厭 其 所 生 (•)夫 唯 不 厭 是 以 不 厭 是 以 聖 人 自 知 不 自 見 • 自 愛 不 自 貴 • (•)故 去 彼 取 此 If the citizens do not fear your authority, Then a greater authority will arrive! Do not disrespect their dwellings, Do not despise their livelihood.