•人之生也柔弱其死也堅強•萬物草木之生也柔脆其死也枯槁•(•)故堅強者死之徒•柔弱者生之徒•是以兵強則不勝木強則兵•強大處下•柔弱處上The people are born
(indeed!) soft and weak.They die (indeed!) hard and
inflexible.The ten thousand creatures,
the grass and trees, are born(indeed!) soft and fragile.They die (indeed!) dried
and withered.Therefore : that which is
hard and inflexible is a followerof death.That which is soft and weak
is a follower of life.Thus if a weapon is
inflexible, the consequence is defeat.If a tree is inflexible,
then it snaps.Inflexible and great dwell
below.Soft and weak dwell above.♦Thepeople[they]
areborn(indeed!)softandweak.Theydie(indeed!)hardandinflexible.Theten thousandcreatures,
thegrassandtrees, [they] areborn(indeed!)softandfragile.♦Theydie(indeed!)driedandwithered.Therefore:that whichishardandinflexibleis afollowerAofdeath.That whichissoftandweakis afolloweroflife.Thus2if aweaponisinflexible, theconsequenceisdefeat2.B[notvictory]If atreeisinflexible,thenitsnaps°.InflexibleandgreatdwellbelowC.Softandweakdwellabove.NotesA : “follower” as in
disciple or one who agrees with a particular way of looking at thingsB :an inflexible weapon
shatters easily; this line can be translated in many ways, because “weaponisinflexible” can also meanweaponisstrongarmyisinflexiblearmyisstrongC : interestingly, this is
the same symbol translated in #61, #66, and #68 as “lower-than” (which was a
good thing), so in this case it is theinferiorqualities which are
lower-thanCross-referencessoft : #10, #36, #43, #52,
#55, #78weak : #3, #29, #36, #40,
#55, #78die/death : #6, #33, #42,
#50, #67, #74, #75, #80hard : #36, #43, #78follower of deathandfollower of life : #50Chapter Seventy Seven天之道其猶張弓與•高者抑之•下者舉之有餘者損之•不足者補之•天之道損有餘而補不足人之道則不然損不足以奉有餘孰能有餘(而)奉[於]天下唯有道者•是以聖人為而不恃功成而不處•其不欲見賢•The Way of heaven, how it
is just like stretching a bow?He who is high is pressed
down by it.He who is low is lifted by
it.He who has excess is
reduced by it.He who does not have enough
is filled by it.The Way of heavenReduces what has excess and
fills what does not haveenough.The Way of people on the
other hand is not like this,And takes from those who do
not have enough in order tooffer it to those who have too much.Who can have too much and
offer it to the world?Only he who possesses Dao.Thus the sage :Acts, but is not concerned
with the results.Accomplishes his tasks, but
does not dwell on them.He does not desire to
display his virtue.TheWayofheaven,
howitisjust likestretchingabow?He whoishighispressed downbyit.He whoislowisliftedbyit.He whohasexcessisreducedbyit.
[decrease]He whodoesnothaveenoughisfilledbyit.TheWayofheavenReduceswhathasexcessandfillswhat doesnothaveenough.
[decrease]TheWayofpeopleon the other handisnotlike this,
[
•人之生也柔弱其死也堅強•萬物草木之生也柔脆其死也枯槁•(•)故堅強者死之徒•柔弱者生之徒•是以兵強則不勝木強則兵•強大處下•柔弱處上The people are born (indeed!) soft and weak.They die (indeed!) hard and inflexible.The ten thousand creatures, the grass and trees, are born(indeed!) soft and fragile.They die (indeed!) dried and withered.Therefore : that which is hard and inflexible is a followerof death.That which is soft and weak is a follower of life.Thus if a weapon is inflexible, the consequence is defeat.If a tree is inflexible, then it snaps.Inflexible and great dwell below.Soft and weak dwell above.♦Thepeople[they] areborn(indeed!)softandweak.Theydie(indeed!)hardandinflexible.Theten thousandcreatures, thegrassandtrees, [they] areborn(indeed!)softandfragile.♦Theydie(indeed!)driedandwithered.Therefore:that whichishardandinflexibleis afollowerAofdeath.That whichissoftandweakis afolloweroflife.Thus2if aweaponisinflexible, theconsequenceisdefeat2.B[notvictory]If atreeisinflexible,thenitsnaps°.InflexibleandgreatdwellbelowC.Softandweakdwellabove.NotesA : “follower” as in disciple or one who agrees with a particular way of looking at thingsB :an inflexible weapon shatters easily; this line can be translated in many ways, because “weaponisinflexible” can also meanweaponisstrongarmyisinflexiblearmyisstrongC : interestingly, this is the same symbol translated in #61, #66, and #68 as “lower-than” (which was a good thing), so in this case it is theinferiorqualities which are lower-thanCross-referencessoft : #10, #36, #43, #52, #55, #78weak : #3, #29, #36, #40, #55, #78die/death : #6, #33, #42, #50, #67, #74, #75, #80hard : #36, #43, #78follower of deathandfollower of life : #50
•人之生也柔弱
其死也堅強•
萬物草木之生也柔脆
其死也枯槁•
(•)故堅強者死之徒•
柔弱者生之徒•
是以兵強則不勝
木強則兵•
強大處下•
柔弱處上
The people are born (indeed!) soft and weak.
They die (indeed!) hard and inflexible.
The ten thousand creatures, the grass and trees, are born
(indeed!) soft and fragile.
They die (indeed!) dried and withered.
Therefore : that which is hard and inflexible is a follower
of death.
That which is soft and weak is a follower of life.
Thus if a weapon is inflexible, the consequence is defeat.
If a tree is inflexible, then it snaps.
Inflexible and great dwell below.
Soft and weak dwell above.
♦Thepeople[they] areborn(indeed!)softandweak.
Theydie(indeed!)hardandinflexible.
Theten thousandcreatures, thegrassandtrees, [they] are
born(indeed!)softandfragile.
♦Theydie(indeed!)driedandwithered.
Therefore:that whichishardandinflexibleis afollowerA
ofdeath.
That whichissoftandweakis afolloweroflife.
Thus2if aweaponisinflexible, theconsequenceisdefeat2.B[notvictory]
If atreeisinflexible,thenitsnaps°.
InflexibleandgreatdwellbelowC.
Softandweakdwellabove.
Notes
A : “follower” as in disciple or one who agrees with a particular way of looking at things
B :an inflexible weapon shatters easily; this line can be translated in many ways, because “weaponisinflexible” can also mean
weaponisstrong
armyisinflexible
armyisstrong
C : interestingly, this is the same symbol translated in #61, #66, and #68 as “lower-than” (which was a good thing), so in this case it is theinferiorqualities which are lower-than
Cross-references
soft : #10, #36, #43, #52, #55, #78
weak : #3, #29, #36, #40, #55, #78
die/death : #6, #33, #42, #50, #67, #74, #75, #80
hard : #36, #43, #78
follower of deathandfollower of life : #50
Chapter Seventy Seven
天之道其猶張弓與•高者抑之•下者舉之有餘者損之•不足者補之•天之道損有餘而補不足人之道則不然損不足以奉有餘孰能有餘(而)奉[於]天下唯有道者•是以聖人為而不恃功成而不處•其不欲見賢•The Way of heaven, how it
is just like stretching a bow?He who is high is pressed
down by it.He who is low is lifted by
it.He who has excess is
reduced by it.He who does not have enough
is filled by it.The Way of heavenReduces what has excess and
fills what does not haveenough.The Way of people on the
other hand is not like this,And takes from those who do
not have enough in order tooffer it to those who have too much.Who can have too much and
offer it to the world?Only he who possesses Dao.Thus the sage :Acts, but is not concerned
with the results.Accomplishes his tasks, but
does not dwell on them.He does not desire to
display his virtue.TheWayofheaven,
howitisjust likestretchingabow?He whoishighispressed downbyit.He whoislowisliftedbyit.He whohasexcessisreducedbyit.
[decrease]He whodoesnothaveenoughisfilledbyit.TheWayofheavenReduceswhathasexcessandfillswhat doesnothaveenough.
[decrease]TheWayofpeopleon the other handisnotlike this,
[
天之道其猶張弓與•
高者抑之•
下者舉之
有餘者損之•
不足者補之•
天之道
損有餘而補不足
人之道則不然
損不足以奉有餘
孰能有餘(而)奉[於]天下
唯有道者•
是以聖人
為而不恃
功成而不處•
其不欲見賢•
The Way of heaven, how it is just like stretching a bow?
He who is high is pressed down by it.
He who is low is lifted by it.
He who has excess is reduced by it.
He who does not have enough is filled by it.
The Way of heaven
Reduces what has excess and fills what does not have
enough.
The Way of people on the other hand is not like this,
And takes from those who do not have enough in order to
offer it to those who have too much.
Who can have too much and offer it to the world?
Only he who possesses Dao.
Thus the sage :
Acts, but is not concerned with the results.
Accomplishes his tasks, but does not dwell on them.
He does not desire to display his virtue.
TheWayofheaven, howitisjust likestretchingabow?
He whoishighispressed downbyit.
He whoislowisliftedbyit.
He whohasexcessisreducedbyit. [decrease]
He whodoesnothaveenoughisfilledbyit.
TheWayofheaven
Reduceswhathasexcessandfillswhat doesnothave
enough. [decrease]
TheWayofpeopleon the other handisnotlike this,
[
Andtakes from[those who] donothaveenoughin order to
offerit to [those who]havetoo much.
[decreases] [excess]
Whocanhavetoo muchandofferittotheworld2? [excess]
Onlyhe whopossessesDao.
Thus2thesage2:
Acts,butisnotconcerned with[the results]. [depend upon,rely upon]
Accomplisheshistasks,butdoesnotdwellon them. [results,achievements]
Hedoesnotdesiretodisplayhisvirtue. [show]
Notes
Cross-references
Way of heaven : #9, #47, #73, #79, #81
he who “possesses Dao” : #15, #23, #24, #31, #65
acting but not concerned : #2, #10, #51
accomplishing tasks : #2, #9, #17, #34
and not dwelling on them : #2, #9
not displaying oneself (showing off) : #22, #24, #47, #72
Chapter Seventy Eight
天下莫柔弱於水而攻堅強者莫之能勝•以其無以易之•弱之勝強•柔之勝剛• •天下莫不知•莫能行•是以聖人云•受國之垢是謂社稷[之]主受國[之]不祥是謂天下[之]王正言若反•In the world, nothing is softer and weaker than water.Yet for attacking that which is hard and strong,There is nothing that can surpass it.This is because it endlessly replaces itself.Weakness conquers strength.Softness conquers hardness.In the world, there is no one who does not know this,But there is no one who can practice it.Thus the sage says :Accepting upon oneself the disgrace of the nationIs called being master of the shrines.Accepting upon oneself the misfortune of the nationIs called being king of the world.Honest words seem contrary.♦In theworld2,nothingissofterandweakerthanwater.♦Yetforattackingthat whichishardandstrong,♦There is nothingthatcansurpassit. [them]♦This isbecauseitendlessly2replaces{changes}it[self].AWeakness[it]conquersstrength. [victorious,beats]Softness[it]conquershardness. [victorious,beats]In theworld2,there is no one whodoesnotknowthis,Butthere is no one whocanpracticeit. [perform]Thus2thesage2says:Accepting[upon oneself] thedisgraceofthenationIscalledbeingmasteroftheshrines2B.Accepting[upon oneself] themisfortune2ofthenation[notlucky]Iscalledbeingkingoftheworld2.♦Honestwordsseemcontrary.NotesA : the grammar of this sentence is very difficult to parse; I do not know if無以meant“endlessly” when the DDJ was written, but this is the only translation that seems to make senseB : the symbols specifically refer to the shrine of the god of soil, and the shrine of the god of grainCross-referencessoft : #10, #36, #43, #52, #55, #76weak : #3, #29, #36, #40, #55, #76hard : #36, #43, #76strong : #3, #29, #30, #33, #36, #52, #55, #67soft conquers hard : #36, #43no one who can practice it : #70the sage says : #57
天下莫柔弱於水
而攻堅強者
莫之能勝•
以其無以易之•
弱之勝強•
柔之勝剛• •
天下莫不知•
莫能行•
是以聖人云•
受國之垢
是謂社稷[之]主
受國[之]不祥
是謂天下[之]王
正言若反•
In the world, nothing is softer and weaker than water.
Yet for attacking that which is hard and strong,
There is nothing that can surpass it.
This is because it endlessly replaces itself.
Weakness conquers strength.
Softness conquers hardness.
In the world, there is no one who does not know this,
But there is no one who can practice it.
Thus the sage says :
Accepting upon oneself the disgrace of the nation
Is called being master of the shrines.
Accepting upon oneself the misfortune of the nation
Is called being king of the world.
Honest words seem contrary.
♦In theworld2,nothingissofterandweakerthanwater.
♦Yetforattackingthat whichishardandstrong,
♦There is nothingthatcansurpassit. [them]
♦This isbecauseitendlessly2replaces{changes}it[self].A
Weakness[it]conquersstrength. [victorious,beats]
Softness[it]conquershardness. [victorious,beats]
In theworld2,there is no one whodoesnotknowthis,
Butthere is no one whocanpracticeit. [perform]
Thus2thesage2says:
Accepting[upon oneself] thedisgraceofthenation
Iscalledbeingmasteroftheshrines2B.
Accepting[upon oneself] themisfortune2ofthenation[notlucky]
Iscalledbeingkingoftheworld2.
♦Honestwordsseemcontrary.
Notes
A : the grammar of this sentence is very difficult to parse; I do not know if無以meant“endlessly” when the DDJ was written, but this is the only translation that seems to make sense
B : the symbols specifically refer to the shrine of the god of soil, and the shrine of the god of grain
Cross-references
soft : #10, #36, #43, #52, #55, #76
weak : #3, #29, #36, #40, #55, #76
hard : #36, #43, #76
strong : #3, #29, #30, #33, #36, #52, #55, #67
soft conquers hard : #36, #43
no one who can practice it : #70
the sage says : #57
Chapter Seventy Nine