70. Easy to Know, Hard to Practice

吾（wú）言（yán）甚（shèn）易（yì）知（zhī），（）甚（shèn）易（yì）行（xíng）。（）

My words are very easy to understand and very easy to put into practice.

These teachings do not depend on difficult knowledge. Their core is simplicity and restraint expressed in ordinary conduct.

天（tiān）下（xià）莫（mò）能（néng）知（zhī），（）莫（mò）能（néng）行（xíng）。（）

Yet no one under heaven seems able to understand them or carry them out.

The difficulty is not complexity. Desire, fixed opinions, and habit can prevent people from living by even a simple truth.

言（yán）有（yǒu）宗（zōng），（）事（shì）有（yǒu）君（jūn）。（）

Words have a source; actions have a guiding principle.

Speech and conduct are not isolated techniques. Both are rooted in, and directed by, an understanding of the Way.

夫（fú）唯（wéi）无（wú）知（zhī），（）是（shì）以（yǐ）不（bù）我（wǒ）知（zhī）。（）

It is because people do not understand this that they do not understand me.

Looking only at surface expressions and methods misses the principle behind them, and therefore misses what the speaker means.

知（zhī）我（wǒ）者（zhě）希（xī），（）则（zé）我（wǒ）者（zhě）贵（guì）。（）

Few understand me, and those who follow my example are therefore precious.

Understanding is more than agreement. It becomes meaningful when the underlying principles are embodied in action.

是（shì）以（yǐ）圣（shèng）人（rén）被（pī）褐（hè）怀（huái）玉（yù）。（）

Thus the sage wears rough cloth while carrying jade within.

A plain appearance does not imply inner poverty. Character and insight of real value do not need display to prove themselves.

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