Chapter LXX
(Chapter 70)

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Ko Yuen Translation

The Difficulty of Right Apprehension
1. My words are easy to understand and to perform; but is there anyone in the world who can understand them and perform them?
2. My words derive from a creative and universal Principle, in accord with the One Law.  Men, not knowing these, understand me not.
3. Few are they that understand me; therefore am I the more to be valued.  The Wise Man weareth sack-cloth, but guardeth his jewel in his bosom.

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S. Mitchell Translation
My teachings are easy to understand
and easy to put into practice.
Yet your intellect will never grasp them,
and if you try to practice them, you'll fail.

My teachings are older than the world.
How can you grasp their meaning?

If you want to know me,
look inside your heart.

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James Legge Translation
1. My words are very easy to know, and very easy to practise; but there is no one in the world who is able to know and able to practise them.
2. There is an originating and all-comprehending (principle) in my words, and an authoritative law for the things (which I enforce).  It is because they do not know these, that men do not know me.
3. They who know me are few, and I am on that account (the more) to be prized.  It is thus that the sage wears (a poor garb of) hair cloth, while he carries his (signet of) jade in his bosom.

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GNL not Lao Interpolation

Individuality
My words are easy to understand
And my actions are easy to perform
Yet no other can understand or perform them.

My words have meaning; my actions have reason;
Yet these cannot be known and I cannot be known.

We are each unique, and therefore valuable;
Though the sage wears coarse clothes, his heart is jade.

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