Chapter 73

勇于敢则杀

Chapter Translation

勇yǒng于yú敢gǎn则zé杀shā，

勇yǒng于yú不bù敢gǎn则zé活huó。

此cǐ两liǎng者zhě，

或huò利lì或huò害hài。

天tiān之zhī所suǒ恶è，

孰shú知zhī其qí故gù？

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén犹yóu难nán之zhī。

天tiān之zhī道dào，

不bù争zhēng而ér善shàn胜shèng，

不bù言yán而ér善shàn应yìng，

不bù召zhào而ér自zì来lái，

缮shàn然rán而ér善shàn谋móu。

天tiān网wǎng恢huī恢huī，

疏shū而ér不bù失shī。

a> One who is valiant in being daring will be killed. One who is valiant in being timid will live. Of these two, one is profitable and one is harmful.

b> Who knows why Tian hates what it hates? Even the sage takes this to be difficult.

c> The dao of Tian excels at prevailing though it does not contend; it excels at

responding, though it does not speak; things come of themselves though it does not summon; it excels at planning though it is flexible.

d> The net of Tian is vast; though the mesh is broadly spaced, nothing gets through.

A modern classroom translation, with labeled subsections for study.