Tao Te Ching Chapter 77
第77章
天之道，其猶張弓與？高者抑之，下者舉之；有餘者損之，不足者補之。天之道，損有餘而補不足。
人之道則不然，損不足以奉有餘。
孰能有餘以奉天下？唯有道者。
是以聖人為而不恃，功成而不處，其不欲見賢。
May not the Way (or Tao) of Heaven be compared to the (method of) bending a bow? The (part of the bow) which was high is brought low, and what was low is raised up. (So Heaven) diminishes where there is superabundance, and supplements where there is deficiency.
It is the Way of Heaven to diminish superabundance, and to supplement deficiency. It is not so with the way of man. He takes away from those who have not enough to add to his own superabundance.
Who can take his own superabundance and therewith serve all under heaven? Only he who is in possession of the Tao!
Therefore the (ruling) sage acts without claiming the results as his; he achieves his merit and does not rest (arrogantly) in it:--he does not wish to display his superiority.
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
- 天tiānsky, heaven; god, celestial
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 猶yóusimilar to, just like, as
- 張zhāngto display; to expand, to open; to stret
- 弓gōngbow; curved, arched
- 與yǔand; with; to; for; to give, to grant
- 高gāotall, lofty; high, elevated
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 抑yìto curb, to hinder; to keep down, to rep
- 下xiàbelow, underneath; inferior; to bring do
- 舉jǔto raise; to recommend; to praise
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 餘yúsurplus, remainder, excess
- 損sǔnto damage, to harm
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 足zúfoot; to attain, to satisfy; enough
- 補bǔto fix, to mend, to patch, to restore
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 人rénman, person; people
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 然ráncertainly; naturally; suddenly
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 奉fèngto offer, to respect, to server; to rece
- 孰shúwho? which? what? which one?
- 能néngcan, may; capable, full of energy
- 唯wéionly; sole
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 聖shèngholy, sacred; sage, saint
- 為wèito do, to act; to handle, to govern; to
- 恃shìto trust, to rely on; to presume
- 功gōngachievement, good work; merit; service
- 成chéngto accomplish; to become; to complete, t
- 處chùto reside at, to live in; place, locale;
- 欲yùdesire, want, longing, intent
- 見jiànto see, to observe, to meet, to appear
- 賢xiánvirtuous, worthy; good, able
Similar passages
- Zhuangzi On Letting Alone
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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.