Tao Te Ching 9

by Michael Stephenson

Caw cannie – if ye keep fillin yer bowl, it’ll skail;
if ye ower-uise a blade, it’ll niver stey shairp.
Whit if ye fill a hoose wi siller, an aw ye dae is gaird it?
Whit if ye get the rank ye want, but loss yer sel tae gain it?
Best tae tak what ye need, an nae mair -
that’s the wey tae haud oan tae whit maitters.