Chapter 70

My words are easy to understand and easy to perform,

Yet no man under heaven knows them or practices them,

My words have ancient beginnings.
My actions are disciplined.
Because men do not understand, they have no knowledge of me.

Those that know me are few;
Those that abuse me are honoured.
Therefore the sage wears rough sleepers clothing and wears the jewel in his heart.


Taken from Lao Tsu - Tao Te Ching - Wildwood House, 1973, trans Gia-fu Feng and Jane English.