jesterswilde
DAO DE JINGHome

Chapter 61

大国者下流

大dà国guó者zhě下xià流liú，
天tiān下xià之zhī交jiāo也yě，
天tiān下xià之zhī牝pìn。
牝pìn常cháng以yǐ静jìng胜shèng牡mǔ，
以yǐ静jìng为wéi下xià。
故gù大dà国guó以yǐ下xià小xiǎo国guó，
则zé取qǔ小xiǎo国guó；
小xiǎo国guó以yǐ下xià大dà国guó，
则zé取qǔ大dà国guó。
故gù或huò下xià以yǐ取qǔ，
或huò下xià而ér取qǔ。
大dà国guó不bù过guò欲yù兼jiān畜chù人rén，
小xiǎo国guó不bù过guò欲yù入rù事shì人rén。
夫fū两liǎng者zhě各gè得dé所suǒ欲yù，
大dà者zhě宜yí为wéi下xià。

A large state lies downstream; it is the female of the world. In intercourse, the female overcomes the male by means of stillness, because stillness lies below. Thus when the large state takes the lower position it

controls the small state. When a small state takes the lower position, it places itself under the control of the large state. In the one case the state takes the lower position to control, in the other it takes the lower position to place itself under control. Large states wish no more than to annex and nurture people; small states wish no more than to enter into service. Both gain what they wish. It is appropriate that the large dwell below.

A modern classroom translation, with labeled subsections for study.

© 2010, 2016, 2019 Robert Eno. Freely available for personal use and not-for-profit educational settings. For other purposes, apart from fair use, copyright is not waived.