1 He who devotes himself to learning (seeks) from day to day to increase (his knowledge); he who devotes himself to the Way (seeks) from day to day to diminish (his doing).

2 He diminishes it and again diminishes it, till he arrives at doing nothing (on purpose). Having arrived at this point of restraint, there is nothing which he does not accomplish.

3 He who gets as his own all under heaven does so by giving himself no trouble (with that end). If one take trouble (with that end), he is not equal to getting as his own all under heaven.