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  "work": {
    "slug": "tao-te-ching",
    "name": "Tao Te Ching"
  },
  "parents": [],
  "chapter": {
    "num": 23,
    "slug": "23-chapter-23",
    "title": "Chapter 23 — Sparing Speech",
    "of": 81,
    "words": 193,
    "text": "## Chapter 23\n\n\nAbstaining from speech marks him who is obeying the spontaneity\nof his nature. A violent wind does not last for a whole morning; a\nsudden rain does not last for the whole day. To whom is it that these\n(two) things are owing? To Heaven and Earth. If Heaven and Earth\ncannot make such (spasmodic) actings last long, how much less can man!\n\nTherefore when one is making the Tao his business, those who are\nalso pursuing it, agree with him in it, and those who are making the\nmanifestation of its course their object agree with him in that; while\neven those who are failing in both these things agree with him where\nthey fail.\n\nHence, those with whom he agrees as to the Tao have the happiness\nof attaining to it; those with whom he agrees as to its manifestation\nhave the happiness of attaining to it; and those with whom he agrees\nin their failure have also the happiness of attaining (to the Tao).\n(But) when there is not faith sufficient (on his part), a want of\nfaith (in him) ensues (on the part of the others).",
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  }
}