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"What enables the rivers and seas to be king over all the valleys Is that they are good at staying lower than them. It is this that enables them to be the king of all the valleys. This is the reason that the sages in wanting to stand above the common people Must put themselves below them in what they have to say; In wanting to stand before the common people They must put themselves behind them in their personal concerns. Hence, they dwell above them yet the people do not find them a heavy burden, They dwell in front of them yet the people do not find that they block the way. The entire world delights in promoting them, and never tires of doing so. Is it not because they strive without contentiousness (wuzheng) that no one in the world is able to contend with them?"

Author

Lao Tzu

All Translations

English

"What enables the rivers and seas to be king over all the valleys Is that they are good at staying lower than them. It is this that enables them to be the king of all the valleys. This is the reason that the sages in wanting to stand above the common people Must put themselves below them in what they have to say; In wanting to stand before the common people They must put themselves behind them in their personal concerns. Hence, they dwell above them yet the people do not find them a heavy burden, They dwell in front of them yet the people do not find that they block the way. The entire world delights in promoting them, and never tires of doing so. Is it not because they strive without contentiousness (wuzheng) that no one in the world is able to contend with them?"

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