Heaven and earth do not act from (the impulse of) any wish to be benevolent; they deal with all things as the dogs of grass are dealt with. The sages do not act from (any wish to be) benevolent; they deal with the people as the dogs of grass are dealt with.
May not the space between heaven and earth be compared to a bellows?
'Tis emptied, yet it loses not its power; 'Tis moved again, and sends forth air the more. Much speech to swift exhaustion lead we see; Your inner being guard, and keep it free.
About the text, translation & sources
The Chinese text follows our sister site, Longhu Mountain. The English is James Legge’s public-domain translation, first published in 1891, transcribed from the Project Gutenberg edition. Paragraph numbering is omitted; wording, parenthetical explanations and period language are retained. Chinese readings vary between editions.
The Tao Te Ching is traditionally attributed to Laozi. Its date and authorship are debated. Chapter titles are reading aids; they are not part of the ancient Chinese chapter text. The reflection boxes on this site are contemporary editorial questions, distinct from the translation.