Dao De Jing, Laozi
Chapter 77
Chapter 77
"The way of heaven,
Is it not like stretching a bow?
What is high up is pressed down,
What is low down is lifted up;
What has surplus (yu yü) is reduced,
What is deficient (pu tsu) is supplemented.
The way of heaven,
It reduces those who have surpluses,
To supplement those who are deficient.
The human way is just not so.
It reduces those who are deficient,
To offer those who have surpluses.
Who can offer his surpluses to the world?
Only a person of Tao.
Therefore the sage works (wei) without holding on to,
Accomplishes without claiming credit.
Is it not because he does not want to show off his merits?"
- Translated by Ellen M. Chen, Chapter 77
Is it not like stretching a bow?
What is high up is pressed down,
What is low down is lifted up;
What has surplus (yu yü) is reduced,
What is deficient (pu tsu) is supplemented.
The way of heaven,
It reduces those who have surpluses,
To supplement those who are deficient.
The human way is just not so.
It reduces those who are deficient,
To offer those who have surpluses.
Who can offer his surpluses to the world?
Only a person of Tao.
Therefore the sage works (wei) without holding on to,
Accomplishes without claiming credit.
Is it not because he does not want to show off his merits?"
- Translated by Ellen M. Chen, Chapter 77
"The Tao of Heaven resembles a drawn bow.
It brings down the high and exalts the lowly; it takes from those who have superfluity, and gives to those who have not enough. The Tao of Heaven abstracts where there is too much, and supplements where there is deficiency.
The Tao of men does not so.
It takes away from what is already deficient in order to bestow on those who have a superfluity.
Who is able to devote his surplus to the needs of others?
Only he who is possessed of Tao.
Thus it is that the Sage acts, yet does not plume himself; achieves works of merit, yet does not hold to them.
He has no wish to make a display of his worthiness."
- Translated by Frederic H. Balfour, 1884, Chapter 77
It brings down the high and exalts the lowly; it takes from those who have superfluity, and gives to those who have not enough. The Tao of Heaven abstracts where there is too much, and supplements where there is deficiency.
The Tao of men does not so.
It takes away from what is already deficient in order to bestow on those who have a superfluity.
Who is able to devote his surplus to the needs of others?
Only he who is possessed of Tao.
Thus it is that the Sage acts, yet does not plume himself; achieves works of merit, yet does not hold to them.
He has no wish to make a display of his worthiness."
- Translated by Frederic H. Balfour, 1884, Chapter 77
"Heaven's Way is like the stringing of a bow: It pulls down what is high it lifts up what is low it takes away from what has an abundance to give to what has not enough.
Heaven's Way: Take away from what has an abundance help along what has not enough.
People's way is not like this: Take away from what has not enough to offer it to what has an abundance.
Who can have an abundance to offer the world?
Only the one who has Tao.
And so the Wise Person: Works but does not rely on this achieves successes but does not dwell in them has no desire to show off his worth."
- Translated by Michael LaFargue, 1992, Chapter 77
Heaven's Way: Take away from what has an abundance help along what has not enough.
People's way is not like this: Take away from what has not enough to offer it to what has an abundance.
Who can have an abundance to offer the world?
Only the one who has Tao.
And so the Wise Person: Works but does not rely on this achieves successes but does not dwell in them has no desire to show off his worth."
- Translated by Michael LaFargue, 1992, Chapter 77
"Is not God's Way much like a bow well bent?
The upper part has been disturbed, pressed down;
The lower part is raised up from its place;
The slack is taken up; the slender width
Is broader drawn; for thus the Way of God
Cuts people down when they have had too much,
And fills the bowls of those who are in want.
But not the way of man will work like this:
The people who have not enough are spoiled
For tribute to the rich and surfeited.
Who can benefit the world
From stored abundance of his own?
He alone who has the Way,
The Wise Man who can act apart
And not depend on others' whims;
But not because of his high rank
Will he succeed; he does not wish
To flaunt superiority."
- Translated by Raymond B. Blakney, 1955, Chapter 77
The upper part has been disturbed, pressed down;
The lower part is raised up from its place;
The slack is taken up; the slender width
Is broader drawn; for thus the Way of God
Cuts people down when they have had too much,
And fills the bowls of those who are in want.
But not the way of man will work like this:
The people who have not enough are spoiled
For tribute to the rich and surfeited.
Who can benefit the world
From stored abundance of his own?
He alone who has the Way,
The Wise Man who can act apart
And not depend on others' whims;
But not because of his high rank
Will he succeed; he does not wish
To flaunt superiority."
- Translated by Raymond B. Blakney, 1955, Chapter 77
"Bend the bow and embrace the tiger
to emulate the way of heave
to emulate the way of heave
drawn with resoluteness
the bow changes length and width
turning in on itself
the bow changes length and width
turning in on itself
released with resoluteness
the bow projects its arrow fixedly to a target
by equalizing itself
the bow projects its arrow fixedly to a target
by equalizing itself
the bow can shoot up or down as needed
always seeking to balance out
flexibility and cohesion
always seeking to resolve
excesses of energy and deficiencies of energy
always seeking to balance out
flexibility and cohesion
always seeking to resolve
excesses of energy and deficiencies of energy
equalizing and balancing out and resolving
are the ways of heaven
are the ways of heaven
but the ways of man
make things unequal
imbalanced and unresolved
cutting man off from heaven and earth
make things unequal
imbalanced and unresolved
cutting man off from heaven and earth
only a sage wise man humbly cultivating the tao
way of life
can entreat heaven on man's behalf
asking heaven
to reestablish the natural order
by not asking heaven
way of life
can entreat heaven on man's behalf
asking heaven
to reestablish the natural order
by not asking heaven
when he is successful
he does not dwell on it
displaying his skill at emulating the way of heaven
he does not dwell on it
displaying his skill at emulating the way of heaven
he simply smiles
and moves on to the next task."
- Translated by John Bright-Fey, Chapter 77
and moves on to the next task."
- Translated by John Bright-Fey, Chapter 77
"Nature's way is like bending a great bow:
The top comes down, and the bottom comes up.
Length is shortened, and width is expanded.
Nature's way is to take from the too-much, and give to the not-enough.
Man's way is usually the opposite.
Who has enough to offer the world?"
- Translated by Ned Lund, Chapter 77
The top comes down, and the bottom comes up.
Length is shortened, and width is expanded.
Nature's way is to take from the too-much, and give to the not-enough.
Man's way is usually the opposite.
Who has enough to offer the world?"
- Translated by Ned Lund, Chapter 77
"The Way of Heaven is like the drawing of a bow.
What is high is brought lower, and what is low is brought higher.
What is too long is shortened;
What is too short is lengthened.
The Way of Heaven is to take away from what is excessive
And to replenish what is deficient.
But the Way of Man is different:
It takes away from those who have little,
And gives to those who already have plenty.
Who is able to offer the world whatever he has in excess?
Only the man of Tao.
Therefore the Sage works without claiming reward,
Accomplishes without taking credit.
He has no desire to display his excellence."
- Translated by Keith H. Seddon, Chapter 77
What is high is brought lower, and what is low is brought higher.
What is too long is shortened;
What is too short is lengthened.
The Way of Heaven is to take away from what is excessive
And to replenish what is deficient.
But the Way of Man is different:
It takes away from those who have little,
And gives to those who already have plenty.
Who is able to offer the world whatever he has in excess?
Only the man of Tao.
Therefore the Sage works without claiming reward,
Accomplishes without taking credit.
He has no desire to display his excellence."
- Translated by Keith H. Seddon, Chapter 77
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