Tao Te Ching Chapter 66
第66章
江海所以能為百谷王者，以其善下之，故能為百谷王。是以欲上民，必以言下之。欲先民，必以身後之。是以聖人處上而民不重，處前而民不害。是以天下樂推而不厭，以其不爭，故天下莫能與之爭。
That whereby the rivers and seas are able to receive the homage and tribute of all the valley streams, is their skill in being lower than they;--it is thus that they are the kings of them all. So it is that the sage (ruler), wishing to be above men, puts himself by his words below them, and, wishing to be before them, places his person behind them.
In this way though he has his place above them, men do not feel his weight, nor though he has his place before them, do they feel it an injury to them.
Therefore all in the world delight to exalt him and do not weary of him. Because he does not strive, no one finds it possible to strive with him.
English: James Legge (1891), The Tâo Teh King, Sacred Books of the East vol. 39 (1891) — public domain. Chinese: Wang Bi recension (王弼本), commentary removed.
Character glossary
- 江jiānglarge river; the Yangtze; surname
- 海hǎisea, ocean; maritime
- 所suǒplace, location; "that which", a particl
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 能néngcan, may; capable, full of energy
- 為wèito do, to act; to handle, to govern; to
- 百bǎione hundred; numerous, many
- 谷gǔvalley, gorge, ravine
- 王wángking, ruler; royal; surname
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 善shàngood, virtuous, charitable, kind
- 下xiàbelow, underneath; inferior; to bring do
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 故gùreason, cause; happening, instance
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 欲yùdesire, want, longing, intent
- 上shàngabove, on top, superior; to go up; to at
- 民míncitizens, subjects; a nation's people
- 必bìsurely, certainly; must; will
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 先xiānfirst, former, previous
- 身shēnbody, torso; person; pregnancy
- 後hòuafter; behind, rear; descendants
- 聖shèngholy, sacred; sage, saint
- 人rénman, person; people
- 處chùto reside at, to live in; place, locale;
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 重zhòngheavy, weighty; to double, to repeat
- 前qiánin front, forward; former, preceding
- 害hàito injure, to harm; to destroy, to kill
- 天tiānsky, heaven; god, celestial
- 樂lècheerful, happy, laughing; music
- 推tuīto push; to expel; to drive; to decline
- 厭yànto dislike, to detest; to reject; to sat
- 爭zhēngto dispute, to fight, to contend, to str
- 莫mòcannot; do not; is not; negative
- 與yǔand; with; to; for; to give, to grant
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Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0); Chinese Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.