Verse 2
Everyone recognises beauty
only because of ugliness
Everyone recognises virtue
only because of sin
Life and death are born together
Difficult and easy
Long and short
High and low—
all these exist together
Sound and silence blend as one
Before and after arrive as one
The Sage acts without action
and teaches without talking
All things flourish around him
and he does not refuse any one of them
He gives but not to receive
He works but not for reward
He completes but not for results
He does nothing for himself in this passing world
so nothing he does ever passes
only because of ugliness
Everyone recognises virtue
only because of sin
Life and death are born together
Difficult and easy
Long and short
High and low—
all these exist together
Sound and silence blend as one
Before and after arrive as one
The Sage acts without action
and teaches without talking
All things flourish around him
and he does not refuse any one of them
He gives but not to receive
He works but not for reward
He completes but not for results
He does nothing for himself in this passing world
so nothing he does ever passes
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