It acts without action, does without doing, finds flavour in what is flavourless, can make the small great and the few many. Requites injuries with good deeds, deals with the hard while it is still easy, with the great while it is still small. In the governance of empire everything difficult must be dealt with while it is still easy. Therefore the Sage never has to deal with the great; and so achieves greatness.

Tao Te Ching, Chapter 63