Tao Te Ching Chapter 79
第79章
和大怨，必有餘怨，安可以為善？是以聖人執左契，而不責於人。有德司契，無德司徹。天道無親，常與善人。
When a reconciliation is effected (between two parties) after a great animosity, there is sure to be a grudge remaining (in the mind of the one who was wrong). And how can this be beneficial (to the other)?
Therefore (to guard against this), the sage keeps the left-hand portion of the record of the engagement, and does not insist on the (speedy) fulfilment of it by the other party. (So), he who has the attributes (of the Tao) regards (only) the conditions of the engagement, while he who has not those attributes regards only the conditions favourable to himself.
In the Way of Heaven, there is no partiality of love; it is always on the side of the good man.
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
- 和héharmony, peace; calm, peaceful
- 大dàbig, great, vast, high, deep
- 怨yuànto blame, to complain, to hate; enmity,
- 必bìsurely, certainly; must; will
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 餘yúsurplus, remainder, excess
- 安ānpeaceful, tranquil, quiet
- 可kěmay, can, -able; possibly
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 為wèito do, to act; to handle, to govern; to
- 善shàngood, virtuous, charitable, kind
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 聖shèngholy, sacred; sage, saint
- 人rénman, person; people
- 執zhíto execute; to grasp, to hold; to keep;
- 左zuǒleft; unorthodox, improper
- 契qìdeed, bond, contract; to engrave
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 責zéone's responsibility, duty
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 德déethics, morality; compassion, kindness
- 司sīto take charge of, to control, to manage
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 徹chèpenetrating, pervasive; to penetrate, to
- 天tiānsky, heaven; god, celestial
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 親qīnrelatives, parents; intimate; the hazeln
- 常chángcommon, general, normal; always, frequen
- 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.