the short of it:
the large is built on the small, small large.
64. Keeping the Small.
That which is at rest is easily held. That which has not yet appeared is easily provided against. That which is brittle is easily broken. That which is minute is easily dispersed.
Manage your business before it exists (takes form). Begin to regulate before the disorder comes. The tree that fills the arms grew from a slender twig. The castle of nine stories was raised from a mound of earth. The journey of a thousand miles commenced with one pace.
[Those] who [make mar]. [Those] that [grasp lose]. The sage makes nothing, therefore [they mar] nothing. [They grasp] nothing, therefore [they lose] nothing.
People undertake things, and always fail when they are on the point of succeeding. If they were as careful of the end as they usually are of the beginning there would be no failures.
Therefore the sage is ambitious of no ambition; and [they do] not prize things difficult to get. [They learn] no learning; and only [revert] to what others have passed over; [their] aim being to promote spontaneity in all things, while [they dare] not act (upon them).
64. ‘Guarding the Minute.’
64.1 That which is at rest is easily kept hold of; before a thing has given indications of its presence, it is easy to take measures against it; that which is brittle is easily broken; that which is very small is easily dispersed. Action should be taken before a thing has made its appearance; order should be secured before disorder has begun.
64.2 The tree which fills the arms grew from the tiniest sprout; the tower of nine stories rose form a (small) heap of earth; the journey of a thousand li commended with a single step.
64.3 [Those who act] (with an ulterior purpose) [do] harm; [those who take] hold of a thing (in the same way) [lose their] hold. The sage does not act (so), and therefore does no harm; [they do] not lay hold (so), and therefore [do] not lose [their] hold. (But) people in their conduct of affairs are constantly ruining them when they are on the eve of success. If they were careful at the end, as (they should be) at the beginning, they would not so ruin them.
64.4 Therefore the sage desires what (other [people]) do not desire, and does not prize things difficult to get; [they learn] what (other [people]) do not learn, and [turn] back to what the multitudes of [people] have passed by. Thus [they help] the natural development of all things, and [do] not dare to act (with an ulterior purpose of [their] own).
64. Mind the Insignificant.
64.1 What is still at rest is easily kept quiet. What has not as yet appeared is easily prevented. What is still feeble is easily broken. What is still scant is easily dispersed.
64.2 Treat things before they exist. Regulate things before disorder begins. The stout tree has originated from a tiny rootlet. A tower of nine stories is raised by heaping up (bricks of) clay. A thousand miles’ journey begins with a foot.
64.3 [Those] that [make mar]. [Those] that [grasp lose].
The holy [person] does not make; therefore [they mar] not. [They do] not grasp; therefore [they lose] not. The people when undertaking an enterprise are always near completion, and yet they fail.
64.4 Remain careful to the end as in the beginning and you will not fail in your enterprise.
64.5 Therefore the holy [person] desires to be desireless, and does not prize articles difficult to obtain. [They learn], not to be learned, and [seek] a home where multitudes of people pass by.
64.6 [They assist] the ten thousand things in their natural development, but [they do] not venture to interfere.
