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Adherence to bond or covenant

"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."

Author

Lao Tzu

All Translations

Chinese

"和大怨, 必有餘怨, 安可以爲善。 是以聖人執左契, 而不責於人。 故有徳司契, 無徳司徹。 天道無親, 常與善人。"

Czech

"Srovnáme-li velko nenávist, nutně máme zbývající nenávist. Jak považovati to za dobré? Proto svatý člověk chápe se levé (části) smlouvy (která podle výkladu obsahovala za stara závazky), sám ničeho nežádaje od lidí. Kdo má ctnost, stará se o smlouvu, (by jí vyhověl), kdo nemá ctnosti, stará se o desátek. Nebes cesta jest bez lásky příbuzenské, vždycky jest s dobrým člověkem."

German

"Versöhnt man großen Groll, so bleibt sicherlich Groll übrig. Wie kann man das gutmachen? Daher: Der heilige Mensch übernimmt die linke Seite des Vertrags und treibt nicht von anderen ein. Wer Tugend hat, sorgt für die Vertragsverpflichtung, wer keine Tugend hat, sorgt für die Forderung. Des Himmels Tao hat keine Günstlinge, immerdar gibt er dem guten Menschen."

English

"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."

Spanish

"Cuando se reconcilia un gran resentimiento permanece aún necesariamente un cierto resentimiento, ¿cómo podría considerarse esto como algo bueno? Por eso el sabio conserva la mitad izquierda del contrato, pero no se querella contra el otro. Quien posee la virtud mantiene lo acordado, quien no posee la virtud se entrega a reclamaciones. El dao del cielo no sabe de parentescos, siempre se dispensa en los hombres de bien."

French

"Même apaisée, une grave querelle laisse un ressentiment. Que peut-on faire pour agir selon le Tao ? Le Sage accepte ce qu'on lui attribue, et ne réclame rien d'autre. Il honore ses engagements et ne veut pas plus. L'homme sans vertu veut s'approprier le maximum. La voie du ciel n'a pas de préférences. Elle comble de biens l'homme de bien."

Hungarian

"A nagy elégedetlenség megbékítése (ho) mindig tápot ad újabb elégedetlenségre. Hogyan lehetne (ezt) jónak tartani! Ezért a bölcs ember (seng-zsen) kezében tartja a baloldali rovásokat [jogainak bizonylatát], de sohasem terheli meg [követelésével] az embereket. A tö birtoklása: rovásokkal [kötelezvényekkel] rendelkezni; a tö hiánya pedig: adókkal (csö) rendelkezni [be is hajtani a követelést]. Az égi [természeti] tao-nak nincs rokonsága [nem részrehajló], hanem mindig a jó ember pártján áll."

Italian

"quando si placa un grande risentimento resta sempre un risentimento residuo e ciò non può essere considerato un bene per questo il saggio tiene per sé la parte dell’obbligo del patto e non esige nulla dagli altri chi ha virtú bada solo all’obbligo del contratto chi non ha virtú bada solo al proprio diritto la via del cielo non fa favoritismi sta sempre dalla parte dei buoni"

Romanian

"Când legile și regulile apasă pe capul oamenilor, Ei au dorința firească să le încalce. Cel Înțelept își face datoria, Deși n-așteaptă nimic de la nimeni. Astfel este virtuos. Dar nu-și însușește virtutea proprie. Întocmai ca natura, nu-și impune voința, E astfel pe Cărarea Tao."

Russian

"После успокоения большого возмущения непременно останутся его последствия. Как можно назвать это добром? Поэтому совершенномудрый дает клятву, что он не будет никого порицать. Добрые стремятся к соглашению, а недобрые - к вымогательству. Небесное дао относится ко всем одинаково, Оно всегда на стороне добрых."

Vietnamese

"Chuốc mua chi lắm oán thù, Rồi dàn, rồi xếp, sao cho vuông tròn. Cho nên những đấng thánh nhơn, Chẳng hề cầu cạnh, chẳng hờn trách ai. Thánh nhân thích chuyện cho người, Phàm phu tục tử ưa đòi, ưa vơ. Trời xanh chẳng có thân sơ, Làm lành thời sẽ thưởng cho ơn lành."

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