Chapter 8
"The seer flows like water
Lying low along the way
Nourishing whatever comes
To be held on display
Lying low along the way
Nourishing whatever comes
To be held on display
The seer keeps to simple ways
And therefore is content
When joy or sorrow manifests
To give complete assent
And therefore is content
When joy or sorrow manifests
To give complete assent
If you can clearly be yourself
And never rise to interfere
Everyone will cherish you
And always hold you dear"
- Translated by Jim Clatfelder, 2000, Chapter 8
"A person with superior goodness (shan) is like water,
Water is good in benefiting (li) all beings,
Without contending (cheng) with any.
Situated in places shunned (o) by many others,
Thereby it is near (chi) Tao.
(Such a person's) dwelling is the good earth,
(His/her) mind (hsin) is the good deep water (yuan),
(His/her) associates are good kind people (jen),
(His/her) speech shows good trust (hsin),
(His/her) governing is the good order,
(His/her) projects (shih) are carried out by good talents (neng),
(His/her) activities (tung) are good in timing.
Because he does not contend (pu cheng) with any,
He commits no wrong."
- Translated by Ellen Marie Chen, 1989, Chapter 8
And never rise to interfere
Everyone will cherish you
And always hold you dear"
- Translated by Jim Clatfelder, 2000, Chapter 8
"A person with superior goodness (shan) is like water,
Water is good in benefiting (li) all beings,
Without contending (cheng) with any.
Situated in places shunned (o) by many others,
Thereby it is near (chi) Tao.
(Such a person's) dwelling is the good earth,
(His/her) mind (hsin) is the good deep water (yuan),
(His/her) associates are good kind people (jen),
(His/her) speech shows good trust (hsin),
(His/her) governing is the good order,
(His/her) projects (shih) are carried out by good talents (neng),
(His/her) activities (tung) are good in timing.
Because he does not contend (pu cheng) with any,
He commits no wrong."
- Translated by Ellen Marie Chen, 1989, Chapter 8
"The highest good is like water.
Water give life to the ten thousand things and does not strive.
It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.
In dwelling, be close to the land.
In meditation, go deep in the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true.
In ruling, be just.
In daily life, be competent.
In action, be aware of the time and the season.
No fight: No blame."
- Translated by Gai-fu Feng and Jane English, 1989, Chapter 8
Water give life to the ten thousand things and does not strive.
It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.
In dwelling, be close to the land.
In meditation, go deep in the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true.
In ruling, be just.
In daily life, be competent.
In action, be aware of the time and the season.
No fight: No blame."
- Translated by Gai-fu Feng and Jane English, 1989, Chapter 8
"The highest goodness that we know has water
for its type,
It benefits all things, yet ever flows
To the spot which men disdain, the gutter and
the plain,
And so is near the Tao, its archetype.
A residence is excellent according to its
place,
A heart for eddies passion never knows,
Generosity for kindness, words for
faithfulness,
A government for order, business for its
gain,
And movements for their timeliness and grace.
As the man of excellence does not quarrel for
his place,
There are none to find fault with him for the
places which remain."
- Translated by Isaac Winter Heysinger, 1903, Chapter 8
"Perfect excellence is like gentle water.- Translated by Isaac Winter Heysinger, 1903, Chapter 8
Gentle water benefits all things and yet it does not struggle.
Do away with what all people hate.
Thus this is approaching Dao.
Give to what is of perfect personnel.
Stay in a perfect place,
think in a perfect way,
cooperate with perfect people,
speak perfect truth,
govern in perfect order,
work for perfect potentiality,
move when the time is perfect.
Because of non-struggle, therefore, there is no blame."
- Translated by Tang Zi-Chang, Chapter 8
上善若水.
水善利萬物而不爭.
處衆人之所惡.
故幾於道.
居善地心善淵.
與善仁.
言善信.
正善治.
事善能.
動善時.
夫唯不爭, 故無尤.- Chinese characters, Chapter 8, Tao Te Ching
shang shan ruo shui.
shui shan li wan wu er bu zheng.
chu zhong ren zhi suo wu.
gu ji yu dao.
ju shan di xin shan yuan.
yu shan ren.
yan shan xin.
zheng shan zhi.
shi shan neng.
dong shan shi.
fu wei bu zheng, gu wu you.
- Pinyin Romanization, Chapter 8, Daodejing
"The best way to life is to be like water
For water benefits all things and goes against none of them
It provides for all people and even cleanses those places a man is loath to go
In this way it is just like Tao
Live in accordance with the nature of things
Build your house on solid ground
Keep your mind still
When giving, be kind
When speaking, be truthful
When ruling, be just
When working, be one-pointed
When acting, remember, timing is everything
One who lives in accordance with nature does not go against the way of things
He moves in harmony with the present moment always knowing the truth of just what to do"
- Translated by Johathan Star, 2001, Chapter 8
"The highest form of goodness is like water.
Water knows how to benefit all things without striving with them.
It stays in places loathed by all men.
Therefore, it comes near the Tao.
In choosing your dwelling, know how to keep to the ground.
In cultivating your mind, know how to dive in the hidden deeps.
In dealing with others, know how to be gentle and kind.
In speaking, know how to keep your words.
In governing, know how to maintain order.
In transacting business, know how to be efficient.
In making a move, know how to choose the right moment.
If you do not strive with others,
You will be free from blame."
- Translated by John C. H. Wu, 1961, Chapter 8
Water knows how to benefit all things without striving with them.
It stays in places loathed by all men.
Therefore, it comes near the Tao.
In choosing your dwelling, know how to keep to the ground.
In cultivating your mind, know how to dive in the hidden deeps.
In dealing with others, know how to be gentle and kind.
In speaking, know how to keep your words.
In governing, know how to maintain order.
In transacting business, know how to be efficient.
In making a move, know how to choose the right moment.
If you do not strive with others,
You will be free from blame."
- Translated by John C. H. Wu, 1961, Chapter 8
"El hombre de bondad superior es como el agua.
El agua en su quietud favorece a todas las cosas,
ocupa el lugar despreciado por los hombres,
y así está cerca del dao.
Su lugar es favorable;
su corazón, sereno;
su don, del agrado del cielo;
su palabra, leal;
su gobierno, en orden;
en sus empresas, capaz;
sus movimientos, oportunos.
Sólo la falta de quietud
impide la superación."
- Translated by Juan Ignacio Preciado, 1978, Tao Te Ching, Capítulo 8
El agua en su quietud favorece a todas las cosas,
ocupa el lugar despreciado por los hombres,
y así está cerca del dao.
Su lugar es favorable;
su corazón, sereno;
su don, del agrado del cielo;
su palabra, leal;
su gobierno, en orden;
en sus empresas, capaz;
sus movimientos, oportunos.
Sólo la falta de quietud
impide la superación."
- Translated by Juan Ignacio Preciado, 1978, Tao Te Ching, Capítulo 8
Water blesses all things,
It does not hurt them.
It loves the lowly place that men dislike,
Therefore it comes very near to Tao.
The Master loves to dwell upon the earth.
In his heart he loves Infinity,
In his benevolence he loves giving,
In his words he loves sincerity,
In his government he loves peace,
In his business affairs he loves ability,
In his movements he loves punctuality.
The Master, indeed, does not fight,
Therefore his Inner Life increases."
- Translated by Isabella Mears, 1916, Chapter 8
"Highest good is like water.
Because water excels in benefiting the myriad creatures
without contending with them and settles where none would like to be,
it comes close to the way.
In a home it is the site that matters;
In quality of mind it is depth that matters;
In an ally it is benevolence that matters;
In speech it is good faith that matters;
In government it is order that matters;
In affairs it is ability that matters;
In action it is timeliness that matters.
It is because it does not contend that it is never at fault."
Because water excels in benefiting the myriad creatures
without contending with them and settles where none would like to be,
it comes close to the way.
In a home it is the site that matters;
In quality of mind it is depth that matters;
In an ally it is benevolence that matters;
In speech it is good faith that matters;
In government it is order that matters;
In affairs it is ability that matters;
In action it is timeliness that matters.
It is because it does not contend that it is never at fault."
- Translated by
D. C. Lau, 1963, Chapter 8
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 Tao.
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.
And when one with the highest excellence does not wrangle about his low position,
No one finds fault with him."
- Translated by
James Legge, 1891, Chapter 8
"The foremost goodness is like water.
Water is good at benefiting all living things,
even though there are arguments about how it could reside
in places that most people hate.
In that way it is very close to being like Dao.
It is good at residing in the earth; the mind sees that goodness as bottomless.
It is good at giving through nature; words express that goodness with sincerity.
It is good at showing the right course of governing.
It is good at enabling all work to be completed;
through motion goodness adjusts to the time.
Well then, there is really no reason for arguments.
Because there is nothing that is at fault."
- Translated by Nina Correa, 2005, Chapter 8
"The foremost goodness is like water.
Water is good at benefiting all living things,
even though there are arguments about how it could reside
in places that most people hate.
In that way it is very close to being like Dao.
It is good at residing in the earth; the mind sees that goodness as bottomless.
It is good at giving through nature; words express that goodness with sincerity.
It is good at showing the right course of governing.
It is good at enabling all work to be completed;
through motion goodness adjusts to the time.
Well then, there is really no reason for arguments.
Because there is nothing that is at fault."
- Translated by Nina Correa, 2005, Chapter 8
Chapter 8, Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu. Complied by Mike Garofalo.
Chapter and Thematic Index (Concordance) to the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
English Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index
Spanish Language Daodejing Translators' Source Index
Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices
Taoism: A Selected Reading List
A Daoist Druid's Final Journey
An Old Philosopher's Notebooks
How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise Persons
An Old Philosopher's Notebooks
How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise Persons
“The Path: What Chinese Philosophers Can Teach Us About the Good Life,” 2017, by Michael Puett and Christine Gross-Loh.
“Tao: The Watercourse Way,” 1977, by Alan Watts and Al Chung-liang Huang. Illustrated by Lee Chih-chang.
