| |
Original |
Legge's
Translation |
Susuki's
Translation |
Goddard's
Translation |
| 1 |
大國者下流，天下之交也，天下之牝。 |
What makes a great state is its being (like) a low-lying, down-
flowing (stream);--it becomes the centre to which tend
(all the small
states) under heaven. |
A great state, one that lowly flows, becomes the empire's union, and the empire's
wife. |
A great state that is useful is like a bond of unity within the Empire; it is
the Empire's wife. |
| 2 |
牝常以靜勝牡，以靜為下。 |
(To illustrate from) the case of all females:--the female always overcomes the
male by her stillness. Stillness may be considered
(a
sort of) abasement.
|
The wife always through quietude conquers her husband, and by quietude renders
herself lowly.
|
The female controls the male by her quietude and submission.
|
| 3 |
故大國
以下小國，則取小國﹔小國以下大國，則取大國。 |
Thus it is that a great state, by condescending to small states, gains them for
itself; and that small states, by abasing themselves
to
a great state, win it over to them.
|
Thus a great state through lowliness toward small states will conquer the small
states, and small states through lowliness toward
great states will conquer great states.
|
Thus a great state by its service to smaller states wins their allegiance. A
small state by submission to a great state wins an
influence over them.
|
| 4 |
故或下以取，或下而取
。 |
In the one case the abasement leads to gaining adherents, in the other case to
procuring favour.
|
Therefore some render themselves lowly for the purpose of conquering; others
are lowly and therefore conquer.
|
Thus some stoop to conquer, and others stoop and conquer.
|
| 5 |
大國不過欲兼畜人，小國不過欲入事人。夫兩者各得所欲，大者宜為下
。 |
The great state only wishes to unite men together and nourish them; a small state
only wishes to be received by, and to serve, the other.
Each gets what it desires, but the great state must
learn to abase itself. |
A great state desires no more than to unite and feed the people; a small state
desires no more than to devote itself to the service
of the people; but that both may obtain their wishes,
the greater one must stoop. |
Great states can have no higher purpose than to federate states and feed the
people. Small states can have no higher purpose than
to enter a federation and serve the people. Both alike,
each in his own way, gain their end, but to do so,
the greater must practice humility. |
