41st Chapter
When a great truth seeker hears of the Tao, he practices diligently.
When an average truth seeker hears of the Tao, he does not follow the precepts formally, so the benefit from following Tao is not great, he sometimes retains it and sometimes not.
When one who disregards seeking the truth hears the Tao, he will laugh about it.
Tao is disregarded in the world, there is no man who follows Tao who hasn’t been teased. If a man says he follows Tao and he has not been laughed at, then he might be off the path.

Therefore, we hear people say,
The one knows the truth (Tao) looks like a foolish person to worldly eyes.
The more he is close to Tao, the more he is far from the world, his material power and possessions are reduced.
Tao is a straight path to return to our true nature, but our ego makes it rough and difficult to walk on.

A man with great virtues is humble like a valley that can contain and nourish everything.
A man with the light in his heart is lowly and looks like he has been humiliated.
He gives spiritual bounty, but he looks poor, with nothing to give.
He builds spiritual virtue in the world, but his work is not recognized and people think he is lazy.
He is unpretentious, so he looks no different from others.
He is righteous and follows the rules, like a square, but with its corners not sharp to hurt others.
He is a great instrument, but his work is the last to be recognized.
He is like a musical instrument that makes a great sound, although the instrument is played, people don’t hear it.
He shows the sign of greatness, but people can’t see it so to them it is not there.
Tao is with him and hidden from man’s eyes, people can’t perceive it.

Only a man that truly follows Tao can receive the bounties of Tao and become a channel to nourish and complete others.

Implications from the Holy Books

O SON OF SPIRIT!
I created thee rich, why dost thou bring thyself down to poverty? Noble I made thee, wherewith dost thou abase thyself? Out of the essence of knowledge I gave thee being, why seekest thou enlightenment from anyone beside Me? Out of the clay of love I molded thee, how dost thou busy thyself with another? Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting. ── Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words, Arabic 13

O CHILDREN OF THE DIVINE AND INVISIBLE ESSENCE! Ye shall be hindered from loving Me and souls shall be perturbed as they make mention of Me. For minds cannot grasp Me nor hearts contain Me. ── Bahá’u’lláh, The Hidden Words, Arabic 66

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