Tao Te Ching

Chapter 79
[Original text]

There is nothing weaker than water in the world, and nothing can overcome the strong, because nothing is easy to overcome.

The weak overcomes the strong, and the soft overcomes the strong. No one in the world knows or can do it.

Therefore, the sage said: "Receiving the dirt of the country[2] is called the master of the country; receiving the ominousness of the country[3] is called the king of the world."

【Note】

[1] Easy: replace.

[2] Dirt: Dirt, extended to shame.

[3] Auspicious: Unlucky, disaster.

【Analysis】

There is nothing in the world that is weaker than water, but there is nothing that can succeed in striking hard things, for water cannot be replaced by any substance.

The weak can overcome the strong, and the weak can overcome the strong. There is no one in the world who does not know this principle, but no one can actually implement it.

Therefore, the sage said: "Only one who can bear the country's shame can be called the lord of a country; only one who can bear the country's disasters can be qualified to be the king of the world." These positive remarks sound like irony.

【Explanation by Famous Artists】

Mr. He Shang:
(Water) If the circle is in the middle, it will be round, if in the square, it will be square.Water can cherish mountains and Xiangling, grind iron and eliminate copper, nothing can beat water and achieve success.If you attack the strong, there is no way to make water easy.

Water can extinguish fire, and yin can eliminate yang.The tongue is soft, the teeth are rigid, and the tongue dies before the teeth.Know that the weak will last forever, and the strong will be injured.Shame and humility, so strong.

It's called the next thing.A ruler who can bear the filth and turbidity of the country, if the rivers and seas do not go against the small currents, can protect his country for a long time, and become the ruler of a country.If the ruler can lead himself and receive the misfortune on behalf of the people, then he can rule the world.This is a statement of integrity, but the world does not know it and regards it as irony.

(End of this chapter)