That which you wish to contract,
you must first allow to expand.
That which you wish to weaken,
you must first allow to strengthen.
That which you wish to abolish,
you must first allow to flourish.
That which you wish to take,
you must first offer freely.

This is called understanding the subtle;
how the soft overcomes the hard,
how the weak overcomes the strong.

A fish must not leave the depths;
and the sharpest power of the state
must never be unveiled to the world.