8𝌍易性

道德經 Dao De Jing [Tao Te Ching]

Chapter 8: The Placid and Contented Nature

	繁體 Trad ↔ 简体 Simp	Legge's Translation	Susuki's Translation	Goddard's Translation
	易性	The Placid and Contented Nature	Easy By Nature	The Nature of Goodness
1	上善若水。水善利萬物而不爭。	The highest excellence is like (that of) water. The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying, without striving (to the contrary), the low place which all men dislike. Hence (its way) is near to (that of) the Dao.	Superior goodness resembleth water. The water's goodness benefiteth the ten thousand things, yet it quarreleth not.Water dwelleth in the places which the multitudes of men shun; therefore it is near unto the eternal Reason	True goodness is like water, in that it benefits everything and harms nothing. Like water it ever seeks the lowest place, the place that all others avoid. It is closely kin to the Dao.
2	處眾人之所惡，故幾於道。居善地，心善淵，與善仁，言善信，政善治，事善能，動善時。	The excellence of a residence is in (the suitability of) the place; that of the mind is in abysmal stillness; that of associations is in their being with the virtuous; that of government is in its securing good order; that of (the conduct of) affairs is in its ability; and that of (the initiation of) any movement is in its timeliness.	The dwelling of goodness is in lowliness. The heart of goodness is in commotion. When giving, goodness showeth benevolence. In words, goodness keepeth faith. In government goodness standeth for order. In business goodness exhibiteth ability. The movements of goodness keep time.	For a dwelling it chooses the quiet meadow; for a heart the circling eddy. In generosity it is kind; in speech it is sincere; in authority it is order; in affairs it is ability; in movement it is rhythm.
3	夫唯不爭，故無尤。	And when (one with the highest excellence) does not wrangle (about his low position), no one finds fault with him.	It quarreleth not. Therefore it is not rebuked.	In as much as it is always peaceable it is never rebuked.

繁體 Trad ↔ 简体 Simp

Legge's Translation

Susuki's Translation

Goddard's Translation

易性

The Placid and Contented Nature

Easy By Nature

The Nature of Goodness

上善若水。水善利萬物而不爭。

The highest excellence is like (that of) water. The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying, without striving (to the contrary), the low place which all men dislike. Hence (its way) is near to (that of) the Dao.

Superior goodness resembleth water. The water's goodness benefiteth the ten thousand things, yet it quarreleth not.Water dwelleth in the places which the multitudes of men shun; therefore it is near unto the eternal Reason

True goodness is like water, in that it benefits everything and harms nothing. Like water it ever seeks the lowest place, the place that all others avoid. It is closely kin to the Dao.

處眾人之所惡，故幾於道。居善地，心善淵，與善仁，言善信，政善治，事善能，動善時。

The excellence of a residence is in (the suitability of) the place; that of the mind is in abysmal stillness; that of associations is in their being with the virtuous; that of government is in its securing good order; that of (the conduct of) affairs is in its ability; and
that of (the initiation of) any movement is in its timeliness.

The dwelling of goodness is in lowliness. The heart of goodness is in commotion. When giving, goodness showeth benevolence. In words, goodness keepeth faith. In government goodness standeth for order. In business goodness exhibiteth ability. The movements of goodness keep time.

For a dwelling it chooses the quiet meadow; for a heart the circling eddy. In generosity it is kind; in speech it is sincere; in authority it is order; in affairs it is ability; in movement it is rhythm.

夫唯不爭，故無尤。

And when (one with the highest excellence) does not wrangle (about his low position), no one finds fault with him.

It quarreleth not. Therefore it is not rebuked.

In as much as it is always peaceable it is never rebuked.