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Chapter 8

上善若水

上shàng善shàn若ruò水shuǐ。
水shuǐ善shàn利lì万wàn物wù而ér不bù争zhēng。
处chù众zhòng人rén之zhī所suǒ恶è,
故gù几jī于yú道dào。
居jū善shàn地dì,
心xīn善shàn渊yuān,
与yǔ善shàn仁rén,
言yán善shàn信xìn,
政zhèng善shàn治zhì,
事shì善shàn能néng,
动dòng善shàn时shí。
夫fū唯wéi不bù争zhēng,故gù无wú尤yóu。

Highest good is like water: water benefits the things of the world and does not contend. Dwell in places that the masses of men despise.

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.