The most quoted chapter in the book, and a complete philosophy of timing. It opens where problems are still soft: what is at rest is easy to hold; what has shown no signs is easy to plan for; what is brittle is easy to break; what is minute is easy to scatter — so deal with things before they arise, and bring order before disorder appears. Then the three images the world knows by heart: a tree that fills a man's arms grew from the tiniest shoot; a nine-story tower began with a heap of earth; a journey of a thousand miles started from beneath one's feet.
The second half guards the other end of endeavours: people often fail on the verge of success — be as careful at the end as at the beginning, and you will not fail. Grasping ruins what patience grew: those who act on things ruin them; those who grasp lose them, so the sage does neither. He desires not to desire, learns not-to-learn, turns back to what the multitude passed by — assisting all things in their natural development without daring to interfere.
Key verses
What is at rest is easy to hold. What has not yet shown signs is easy to plan for. What is brittle is easy to break; what is minute is easy to scatter. Deal with things before they arise; bring order before disorder appears. A tree that fills a man's arms grew from the tiniest shoot; a tower nine stories high began with a heap of earth; a journey of a thousand miles started from beneath one's feet. Those who act on things will ruin them; those who grasp at things will lose them. Therefore the sage does not act, and so does not ruin; does not grasp, and so does not lose. People in their undertakings often fail on the verge of success — be as careful at the end as at the beginning, and you will not fail. Therefore the sage desires not to desire, prizes no goods that are hard to come by; he learns not-to-learn, and turns back to what the multitude has passed by, so as to assist all things in their natural development without daring to interfere.
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