We met with our officiant this morning and confirmed that we'll be using these excerpts from the Tao Te Ching. Some of the chapters we only took a very little bit from because I had to cut out a bunch of references to nation-building (at FH's request). Anyway, I really like them!
Ch. 45
A great thing done is never perfect--
But that doesn't mean it fails: it does what it is.
Real richness means to act as if you had nothing,
Because then you will never be drained of it.
Ch. 8
The sage's way,
Tao,
is the way of water.
There must be water for life to be,
and it can flow wherever.
And water, being water,
is true
to Tao.
Those on the Way of Tao, like water
need to accept where they find themselves;
and that may often be where water goes
to the lowest places, and that is right.
Like a lake
the heart must be calm and quiet
having great depth beneath it.
Ch. 54
What is built on rock
cannot be pulled down;
What is held lightly
can never be lost.
