Verse 15: Managers of old

古之善為士者，
The best managers of ancient times,
微妙玄通，
Subtle, miraculous, mysterious, effective,
深不可識。
Deep beyond knowing.
夫唯不可識，
Since we cannot know,
故強為之容。
we attempt to describe.
豫兮若冬涉川；
Prepared as when crossing a river in winter;
猶兮若畏四鄰；
Hesitant as when fearing the four surroundings;
儼兮其若容；
Dignified as when one's guest
渙兮若冰之將釋；
Flexible as when ice starts to melt;
敦兮其若樸；
Innocent as an uncarved block of wood;
曠兮其若谷；
Receptive as a valley;
混兮其若濁；
Chaotic as mud;
澹兮其若海；
Tranquil as the ocean;
飂兮若無止。
Drifting with the wind endlessly
孰能濁以靜之徐清。
Who can purify the turmoil by remaining still?
孰能安以動之徐生。
Who can give birth to peace by activity?
保此道者不欲盈。
Those who keep to the way do not desired to be filled.
夫唯不盈故能蔽而新成。
Those who are not filled can shield, and yet seem always rejuvenated.

Comments
"Dignified as one's guest" probably means treating every human encounter as if one is a guest and accords all due respect while fulfilling his/her purpose
"Chaotic as mud" may be clearer when we recall that mud is a collection of sediment of varying sizes. This therefore refers to the sages dealing in almost all sorts of matters, with all sorts of knowledge. Their actions and methods are murky, but their minds are clear.

Verse 14: The string of the way

視之不見名曰夷。
Sighted but not observed, is named barbaric.
聽之不聞名曰希。
Heard but not listened, is named rare.
摶之不得名曰微。
Felt but not grasped, is named tiny.
此三者不可致詰，故混而為一。
These three cannot be further investigated, so they mix into one.
其上不皦，其下不昧，
Its high is not bright, its low is not dark,
繩繩不可名
Its strings cannot be named.
復歸於無物
Returning to non-objects,
是謂無狀之狀，
It is called the greatness of the non-greatness.
無物之象，是謂惚恍。
The image of non-objects, is called the indistinct.
迎之不見其首，
In welcoming the front cannot be seen
隨之不見其後。
In following the back cannot be seen
執古之道以御今之有
Pursue the ancient way to master the present
能知古始，是謂道紀。
To be able to know the ancient beginning, is called the string of the way.

Comments,
"Barbaric" sometimes translated as elusive. I have kept this here for comedic effect, since he's actually implying that the Tao seems like barbaric raiders, disrupting the accumulative lifestyle of civilisation. Haha. I have also kept the string imagery here, since it is fitting that the Tao is the indescribable fabric of reality/existence/everything.

Verse 13" Disgraceful favor, sickly body

寵辱若驚，
Favor is as startling as disgrace,
貴大患若身。
Valuables are as sickly as the body.
何謂寵辱若驚﹖
Why say "favor is as startling as disgrace"?
寵為下。
Favor is such:
得之若驚, 失之若驚。
Gaining it is startling, losing it is startling
是謂寵辱若驚。
Hence it is called "favor is as startling as disgrace".
何謂貴大患若身﹖
Why say "Valuables are as sickly as the body?"
吾所以有大患者，為吾有身，
The reason that I have sickness, is that I have a body.
及吾無身，吾有何患
So if I have no body, what sickness will I have?
故貴以身為天下，
Hence, those who value "taking their body as the world"
若可寄天下。
Are able to be entrusted with the world.
愛以身為天下，
Those who love "taking their body as the world"
若可託天下
Are able to be trusted with the world.

Comments
"Taking their body as the world" seems to me to refer to seeing no separation between one's being (body mind and everyting) with everything else in ther world

Verse 17: Systems of people management

太上，下知有之。
Of the greatest high, those below are aware of it.
其次親而譽之。
Of the lower high, those below draw near to and applaud it
其次畏之。
Of the more lower high, those below fear it.
其次侮之。
Of the lowest high, those below hate it.
信不足焉，有不信焉。(a)
When there is a lack of trust, there are the untrustworthy.
悠兮其貴言，(b)
Ease follows after sincere words
功成事遂，
Work completes, matters carry out smoothly
百姓皆謂我自然。
The citizens all say "I am in my natural self"

Comments
This passage often translates into forms of government, describing the different levels of rulership. I have updated this to include all forms of people management/authority, and it can now include anything from national management to even religion. (a) is highly elusive to me at this point, while (b) is often untranslated (Yutang translates this as "The rulers conveniently take oaths")