Tao Te Ching

Chapter 68
[Original text]

(Everyone in the world says that I am big, but I don’t seem worthy[1]. Husbands are only big, so I don’t seem worthy. If I’m small, it’s been a long time. Even if I’m small, I’m a husband![2])

I have three treasures, which I keep and protect: one is compassion[3], the other is frugality[4], and the third is not daring to be the first in the world[5].Compassion, so you can be brave; frugal, so you can be broad [6]; not daring to be the first in the world, so you can become a leader [7].

Today, give up compassion and be brave, give up frugality and be generous, give up the rear and be the first, and you will die!

Husband and kindness, victory through battle, solidarity through discipline.Heaven will save it and protect it with kindness.

【Note】

[1] Xiao: Similar.

[2] Sentence "All the world calls me": These sentences in brackets are inconsistent with the following. It is suspected that their location is wrong and should be moved to the end of Chapter 34.

[3] Compassion: Compassion.

[4] Thrift: thrifty, extended to restrain and restrain desires.

[5] The world first: Prior to the people of the world.

[6] Guang: generous, extended to the meaning of promotion.

[7] Device chief: the head of all things, here refers to the ruler.

【Analysis】

(Everyone in the world said to me: "The Dao is so great that there seems to be nothing like it." It is precisely because the "Tao" is so great that it does not resemble anything. If the "Tao" resembles something , then the "Tao" is too small.)
I have three treasures, which I have held, guarded, and preserved with great care for a long time.The first treasure is compassion, the second treasure is frugality, and the third treasure is not daring to be ahead of the world.Only with compassion can one be brave; with thrift, one can be generous; without being in front of the world, one can be the ruler of all things in the world.

Now, if one abandons kindness and becomes brave, one abandons frugality and becomes generous, one abandons decadence and strives to be the first, one will die.

Compassion, when used in battle, leads to victory, and when used in defense, it strengthens the defense.When heaven wants to save a person, it will definitely protect him with love.

【Explanation by Famous Artists】

Mr. He Shang:
Lao Tzu said: Everyone in the world says I have great virtue, but I pretend to be stupid and unworthy.Only those who are famous and virtuous do harm to themselves, so pretending to be stupid seems unworthy.There is no distinction, no cut off, no shame and self-blame.Xiao, Shan Ye.It is also called discernment.If a person who is a great judge of benefits is tall and self-esteemed, and he practices the government of inspection and investigation, he has been doing it for a long time.Word discernment is only like a villain, not an elder.

Lao Tzu said: I have three treasures, hold and rely on them.Love the people like a child.If you take it from yourself.Retiring modestly is not an initiative.With benevolence, it is possible to be brave in loyalty and filial piety.The Son of Heaven can be frugal in body, so the people use it widely.Don't dare to be the first in the world.A person who becomes a master is also called a Taoist.I can be the leader of the Taoist.

People in this world give up their benevolence, but they are brave.Give up its frugality, but it is luxurious.Leave others behind, but be others first.If you do this, you will move to death.

With a benevolent husband, the people will be close to each other and have one heart and one mind. Therefore, the enemy can be defeated by fighting, and the enemy can be strengthened by guarding.Heaven will help good people, and it must be benevolent, so that they can help themselves.

(End of this chapter)