Act without striving.
Manage without meddling.
Taste without chasing flavour.

See the small as great,
and the few as many.
Return injury with kindness.

Begin the hard while it’s still easy.
Do the great while it’s still small.
All challenges start simple.
All greatness begins humbly.

So the sage never attempts the grand—
and thus achieves what is truly great.

Those who promise too much
keep too little.
Those who see ease in all
will stumble in hardship.

That’s why the wise anticipate trouble
even in calm—
and so avoid being troubled at all.