致虛極，守靜篤。萬物並作，吾以觀復。夫物芸芸，各復歸其根。歸根曰靜，是謂復命。復命曰常，知常曰明。不知常，妄作凶。知常容，容乃公，公乃王，王乃 天，天乃道，道乃久，沒身不殆。
My translation of Chapter 16 to Tao Te Ching:
Reach the deepest of emptiness
Observe the faithfulness of silence
Experience the creation of everything
through my eternal gaze
Each and everything goes back to its root
where absolute silence realms
The place of continual rebirth
Continual rebirth is the eternal path
Understand this eternal path
one becomes enlightened
Fail to understand
one acts presumptuously to ominous end
Understand this eternal path
one becomes tolerant
Being tolerant
one becomes equitable
Being equitable
one qualifies to rule
Being qualified to rule
one becomes Heavenly
Being Heavenly
One being at one with Tao
Tao being eternal
One becomes immortal
Paul's inspiration: The phrase Reach the deepest of emptiness, Observe the faithfulness of silence. has become a definitive guideline for any person observing Tao. It applies to as small as individual mediation, and to as big as managing a country by a political leader. To as mundane as finishing our daily household chores, and to as important as finding a creative solution to the current economic problems. Recitation will not make us smarter, but being enlightened by it can certainly make us wiser, well, hopefully!
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