44. Mysterious Virtue

One who knows Tao does not talk about it,
and those who talk about it do not know it.

Keep your mouth closed,
shut the doors of sight and sound,
smooth off your rough corners,
soften your glare,
be at one with the dust of the earth.
Nurture the mysterious.

Whoever observes this will regard alike
both friends and enemies,
kindness and injury,
honor and disgrace.

This is the great, the mysterious virtue.