天下皆知美之为美也，恶已；
皆知善，此其不善已。
When everyone in the world knows beauty as beauty, ugliness arises;
When everyone knows good as good, evil arises.
有，无之相生也；
难，易之相成也。
Thus, being and non-being give birth to each other;
difficult and easy compete with each other.
长，短之相形也；
高，下之相呈也。
Long and short contrast each other;
high and low distinguish each other.
音，声之相和也；
先，后之相随也。
Sound and voice harmonize each other,
Front and back follow each other.
是以圣人居无为之事，行不言之教。
Therefore, the king dwells in inaction activities and practices wordless teaching.
万物作而弗恃也；为而弗恃也，成而弗居。
All things arise, and he doesn’t turn away from them;
he acts but doesn’t boast on his achievements;
he accomplishes but doesn’t claim credit.
夫唯弗居也，是以弗去也。
It is precisely because he does not claim credit, that his people never leave him.

See the related Taoist parable: Sai Weng Loses His Horse.

Chapter 2 relates to the Yi Jing hexagram 1, ䷀, 乾 (qián), which means "initiating", "Heaven," or "force."