Lao Tzu

If I had even the tiniest grain of insight,

I should live in accordance with

the subtle Way of the universe;

my only fear would be to stray from it.

The Integral Way of the universe

is very smooth and straight,

yet people’s minds prefer devious bypaths.

The courts are polished and decorated

while the fields are untilled,

and the granaries are empty.

People wear fine clothes

to adorn their external appearance.

They carry sharp swords at their sides

and worship might rather than righteousness.

They know only to make merry

by indulging in food and drink.

They crave to possess more riches

than they could ever use.

This is the committing of robbery

and is not the Universal Integral Way of natural life.