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The Taoteching #22

Partial means whole

crooked means straight

hollow means full

worn-out means new

less means content

more means confused

thus the sage holds onto the one

to use in guiding the world

not watching himself he appears

not displaying himself he flourishes

not flattering himself he succeeds

not parading himself he leads

because he doesn’t compete

no one can compete against him

the ancients who said partial means whole

came close indeed

becoming whole depends on this

Lao-tzu

from The Taoteching