上善若水
The highest goodness is like water.
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上善若水
73 PAIRS · NINE PATTERNS
Thinking through opposites.
Follow reversal, mutual arising and unexpected outcomes through the actual sentences of the book.
Resemblance and reversalTransformationNegated expectationMutual arisingActing without possessionSoftness and overcomingRoot and rulerGiving before takingFortune and misfortune
13 EXAMPLES · X 若 Y
Resemblance and reversal
Chapter 8 ↗
进道若退
Advancing along the Way seems like retreating.
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故建言有之：明道若昧，进道若退，夷道若颣，上德若谷，大白若辱，广德若不足，建德若偷，质真若渝，大方无隅，大器晚成，大音希声，大象无形，道隐无名
夷道若颣
The level Way seems uneven.
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故建言有之：明道若昧，进道若退，夷道若颣，上德若谷，大白若辱，广德若不足，建德若偷，质真若渝，大方无隅，大器晚成，大音希声，大象无形，道隐无名
上德若谷
The highest virtue is like a valley.
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故建言有之：明道若昧，进道若退，夷道若颣，上德若谷，大白若辱，广德若不足，建德若偷，质真若渝，大方无隅，大器晚成，大音希声，大象无形，道隐无名
大白若辱
Great whiteness seems stained.
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故建言有之：明道若昧，进道若退，夷道若颣，上德若谷，大白若辱，广德若不足，建德若偷，质真若渝，大方无隅，大器晚成，大音希声，大象无形，道隐无名
广德若不足
Vast virtue seems insufficient.
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故建言有之：明道若昧，进道若退，夷道若颣，上德若谷，大白若辱，广德若不足，建德若偷，质真若渝，大方无隅，大器晚成，大音希声，大象无形，道隐无名
建德若偷
Firmly established virtue seems lax.
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故建言有之：明道若昧，进道若退，夷道若颣，上德若谷，大白若辱，广德若不足，建德若偷，质真若渝，大方无隅，大器晚成，大音希声，大象无形，道隐无名
质真若渝
Genuine substance seems changeable.
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故建言有之：明道若昧，进道若退，夷道若颣，上德若谷，大白若辱，广德若不足，建德若偷，质真若渝，大方无隅，大器晚成，大音希声，大象无形，道隐无名
大成若缺
Great accomplishment seems incomplete.
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大成若缺，其用不弊
大盈若冲
Great fullness seems empty.
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大盈若冲，其用不穷
大直若屈
Great straightness seems bent.
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大直若屈，其用不居
大巧若拙
Great skill seems clumsy.
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大巧若拙，其用不辍
大辩若讷
Great eloquence seems hesitant.
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大辩若讷，其用不差
17 EXAMPLES · X 则 Y
Transformation
曲则全
Bend, and remain whole.
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曲则全，枉则直，洼则盈，敝则新，少则得，多则惑
枉则直
Yield from crookedness, and become straight.
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曲则全，枉则直，洼则盈，敝则新，少则得，多则惑
洼则盈
Be hollow, and become filled.
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曲则全，枉则直，洼则盈，敝则新，少则得，多则惑
敝则新
Be worn, and become renewed.
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曲则全，枉则直，洼则盈，敝则新，少则得，多则惑
少则得
Have little, and gain.
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曲则全，枉则直，洼则盈，敝则新，少则得，多则惑
多则惑
Have much, and become confused.
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曲则全，枉则直，洼则盈，敝则新，少则得，多则惑
轻则失本
Lightness loses the root.
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轻则失本，躁则失君
躁则失君
Restlessness loses mastery.
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轻则失本，躁则失君
朴散则为器
When the uncarved block is divided, it becomes vessels.
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朴散则为器，圣人用之，则为官长，故大制不割
物壮则老
What reaches forceful maturity begins to age.
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物壮则老，是谓不道，不道早已
君子居则贵左
In ordinary life the gentleman honors the left.
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君子居则贵左，用兵则贵右
用兵则贵右
In warfare the right is honored.
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君子居则贵左，用兵则贵右
重积德则无不克
With deeply accumulated virtue, nothing cannot be overcome.
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重积德则无不克，无不克则莫知其极
以守则固
With this as one's defense, one is secure.
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夫慈以战则胜，以守则固
勇于敢则杀
Courage expressed in daring leads to death.
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勇于敢则杀，勇于不敢则活
木强则兵
When a tree grows strong and rigid, it meets the axe.
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是以兵强则不胜，木强则兵
人之道则不然
The human way, however, is otherwise.
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人之道则不然，损不足以奉有余
14 EXAMPLES · X 者不 Y
Negated expectation
企者不立
Those who stand on tiptoe cannot stand firm.
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企者不立，跨者不行，自见者不明，自是者不彰，自伐者无功，自矜者不长
跨者不行
Those who overstride cannot walk steadily.
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企者不立，跨者不行，自见者不明，自是者不彰，自伐者无功，自矜者不长
自见者不明
Those who display themselves are not clear-sighted.
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企者不立，跨者不行，自见者不明，自是者不彰，自伐者无功，自矜者不长
自是者不彰
Those who insist they are right do not shine.
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企者不立，跨者不行，自见者不明，自是者不彰，自伐者无功，自矜者不长
自矜者不长
Those who exalt themselves do not endure.
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企者不立，跨者不行，自见者不明，自是者不彰，自伐者无功，自矜者不长
善建者不拔
What is well established cannot be uprooted.
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善建者不拔，善抱者不脱，子孙以祭祀不辍
善抱者不脱
What is well embraced cannot slip away.
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善建者不拔，善抱者不脱，子孙以祭祀不辍
知者不言
Those who know do not speak.
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知者不言，言者不知
言者不知
Those who speak do not know.
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知者不言，言者不知
善战者不怒
Those skilled in battle do not rage.
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善为士者不武，善战者不怒，善胜敌者不与，善用人者为之下，是谓不争之德，是谓用人之力，是谓配天古之极
善者不辩
Those who are good do not dispute.
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善者不辩，辩者不善
辩者不善
Those who dispute are not good.
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善者不辩，辩者不善
知者不博
Those who know are not merely encyclopedic.
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知者不博，博者不知
博者不知
Those with encyclopedic information do not necessarily know.
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知者不博，博者不知
6 EXAMPLES · A B 相 C
Mutual arising
故有无相生
Thus being and non-being give rise to each other.
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故有无相生，难易相成，长短相较，高下相倾，音声相和，前后相随
难易相成
Difficulty and ease complete each other.
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故有无相生，难易相成，长短相较，高下相倾，音声相和，前后相随
长短相较
Long and short define each other.
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故有无相生，难易相成，长短相较，高下相倾，音声相和，前后相随
高下相倾
High and low incline toward each other.
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故有无相生，难易相成，长短相较，高下相倾，音声相和，前后相随
音声相和
Tones and voices harmonize with each other.
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故有无相生，难易相成，长短相较，高下相倾，音声相和，前后相随
前后相随
Before and after follow each other.
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故有无相生，难易相成，长短相较，高下相倾，音声相和，前后相随
9 EXAMPLES · X 而不 Y
Acting without possession
生而不有
Give life without claiming possession.
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万物作焉而不辞，生而不有，为而不恃，功成而弗居
为而不恃
Act without relying on one's merit.
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万物作焉而不辞，生而不有，为而不恃，功成而弗居
功成而弗居
Complete the work without dwelling on the achievement.
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万物作焉而不辞，生而不有，为而不恃，功成而弗居
长而不宰
Nurture without ruling over.
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生而不有，为而不恃，长而不宰，是谓玄德
往而不害
Go forth without causing harm.
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往而不害，安平太
廉而不刿
Be principled without cutting others.
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是以圣人方而不割，廉而不刿，直而不肆，光而不燿
直而不肆
Be straight without imposing oneself.
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是以圣人方而不割，廉而不刿，直而不肆，光而不燿
利而不害
Benefit without harming.
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天之道，利而不害
为而不争
Act without contending.
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圣人之道，为而不争
6 EXAMPLES · X 胜 Y
Softness and overcoming
柔弱胜刚强
The soft and yielding overcome the hard and strong.
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柔弱胜刚强
躁胜寒
Movement overcomes cold.
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躁胜寒，静胜热
静胜热
Stillness overcomes heat.
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躁胜寒，静胜热
哀者胜矣
The grieving side prevails.
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故抗兵相加，哀者胜矣
弱之胜强
The weak overcome the strong.
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弱之胜强，柔之胜刚，天下莫不知莫能行
柔之胜刚
The soft overcome the hard.
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弱之胜强，柔之胜刚，天下莫不知莫能行
2 EXAMPLES · X 为 Y 之根/君
Root and ruler
重为轻根
Weight is the root of lightness.
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重为轻根，静为躁君
静为躁君
Stillness is the master of restlessness.
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重为轻根，静为躁君
4 EXAMPLES · 将欲 X 之，必固 Y 之
Giving before taking
将欲歙之，必固张之
What is to be contracted must first be expanded.
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将欲歙之，必固张之
将欲弱之，必固强之
What is to be weakened must first be strengthened.
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将欲弱之，必固强之
将欲废之，必固兴之
What is to be brought down must first be raised up.
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将欲废之，必固兴之
将欲夺之，必固与之
What is to be taken away must first be given.
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将欲夺之，必固与之
2 EXAMPLES · X 兮 Y 之所 Z
Fortune and misfortune
祸兮福之所倚
Misfortune is what good fortune leans upon.
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祸兮福之所倚，福兮祸之所伏
福兮祸之所伏
Good fortune is where misfortune lies hidden.
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祸兮福之所倚，福兮祸之所伏