I kicked it all off with #30 and Lo had me choose a random number and came up with #74. Johnny popped up after a long while since we spoke last and chose #50
#30 "Tao Does Not Dominate"
Governing, in any capacity, when led by Tao
Doesn't use force to gain power.
Every force applied will suffer equal counterforce.
So violence, however it is intended,
Will always rebound upon itself.
Where armies march briers grow
And in their wake follows hunger and villainy.
Skillful in what she does
The Master achieves her goal and stops;
Neither forcing nor manipulating further.
She knows that dominating
Goes counter to Tao
And whoever opposes Tao
Will certainly die early.
#50 "Awareness of Death"
Every being is entrusted with life for a time
However, it is only a prelude to death.
Some live as optimists, embracing life,
Others live as pessimists, embracing death,
Some even live in preservation,
Passively living, advancing toward death.
The Master lives aware of her appointment with death,
This brings her to knowing Real Life.
She cannot be harmed by rhinoceros or man
Her movements flow from her being.
She cannot be fooled by illusion or hallucination
Her actions flow from her being.
She has freed herself of all separateness
Even the distinction between life and death.
#74 "Don't Cut Yourself"
People are not naturally afraid to die
It is what we are born to do.
Fear of death is important if you want to rule over the people
However, you must artificially instill this fear into their hearts.
To accomplish this you kill as an example to control the masses.
Since the beginning of time there has been one executioner,
Trying to take its place will lead to nothing good.
As a novice with a master carpenter's tools
You're going to cut yourself.
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En liten tjänst av I'm With Friends. Finns även på engelska.