[DDJ Meaning] Chapter 66

[dawei]

David Hinton 2002
66
Oceans and rivers become emperors of the hundred valleys
because they stay so perfectly below them.
This alone makes them emperors of the hundred valleys.
So, wanting to rule over the people a sage speaks from below them, and wanting to lead the people he follows along behind them,
then he can reign above without weighing the people down and stay ahead without leading the people to ruin.
All beneath heaven rejoices in its tireless praise of such a sage.
And because he's given up contention,
nothing in all beneath heaven contends with him.

 

 

Dwight Goddard 1919
66
The reason rivers and seas are called the kings of the valley is because they keep below them.
Therefore the wise man desiring to be above his people must in his demeanor keep below them; wishing to benefit his people, he must ever keep himself out of sight.
The wise man dwells above, yet the people do not feel the burden; he is the leader and the people suffer no harm. Therefore the world rejoices to exalt him and never wearies of him.
Because he will not quarrel with anyone, no one can quarrel with him.

 

Bradford Hatcher 2005
66
What is the reason why the rivers and ocean
can serve as sovereign to the hundred valleys?
Because they are so well below them
In this way (they) can act as sovereign
to the hundred valleys
Applying this, in desiring to rise above the people,
Always in expression be subordinate to them
In desiring to go ahead of the people
Always regard yourself as behind them
This is how wise ones remain above
And yet the people are not burdened
Remain ahead
And yet the people are not obstructed
So it is that (all) under heaven readily come forward
and never weary
Because such as these will never contend
So none under heaven can contend against them

 

Wing-Tsit Chan 1963
66 

The great rivers and seas are kings of all mountains streams Because they skillfully stay below them. That is why they can be their kings. 
Therefore, in order to be the superior of the people, One must, in the use of words, place himself below them. And in order to be ahead of the people, One must, in one's own person, follow them. 
Therefore the sage rejoices in praising him without getting tired of it. 
It is precisely because he does not compete that the world cannot compete with him. 

 

Gu Zhengku 1993
66

All the streamlets flow towards the river and the sea
Because the latter takes the lower positions,
Hence the latter becomes the king of countless valleys.
Therefore, if one wants to be the ruler of the people,
One must put oneself behind the people.
Thus the sage, though being placed high over the people,
Never burdens the people;
The sage, though going ahead of the people,
Never stands in the way of the people.
That is why the people hold him in esteem
And are never tired of him.
He contends with no one,
So no one in the world is able to contend with him.

 

Ch'u Ta-Kao 1904
66

As Tao is to the world, so are streams and valleys to the rivers and seas.
Rivers and seas can be kings to all valleys because the former can well lower themselves to the latter.
Thus they become kings to all valleys.
Therefore the Sage, in order to be above the people, must in words keep below them;
In order to be ahead of the people, he must in person keep behind them.
Thus when he is above, the people do not feel his burden;
When he is ahead, the people do not feel his hinderance.
Therefore all the world is pleased to hold him in high esteem and never get tired of him.
Because he does not compete; therefore no one competes with him.''

 

 

Flowing Hands 1987
66
When rivers flow and converge into a great sea,
the sea welcomes the rivers without any fuss.
For both follow their natural paths and know their part.
Why is it that man always turns away from his natural path?
Because he has lost his uniformity and balance with nature.
He has forsaken simplicity for wealth and comfort.
He has forsaken honesty and trust for greed and cunning.
When man decides to go back to the ways of nature and
live a simple, honest life, he and the World will return to balance.
When the World is out of balance, so nature will be.
Natural disasters and phenomenon will occur.
Upset the balance and things will start to go wrong.
Whatever goes against the Dao will never last.

[dawei]

On 11/2/2018 at 5:49 PM, dawei said:

Ch'u Ta-Kao 1904
66

As Tao is to the world, so are streams and valleys to the rivers and seas.
 

 

Flowing Hands 1987
66
When rivers flow and converge into a great sea,
the sea welcomes the rivers without any fuss.
For both follow their natural paths and know their part.
Why is it that man always turns away from his natural path?
Because he has lost his uniformity and balance with nature.
He has forsaken simplicity for wealth and comfort.
He has forsaken honesty and trust for greed and cunning.
When man decides to go back to the ways of nature and
live a simple, honest life, he and the World will return to balance.
When the World is out of balance, so nature will be.
Natural disasters and phenomenon will occur.
Upset the balance and things will start to go wrong.
Whatever goes against the Dao will never last.

 

So no takers yet, so I'll bite

 

Ch'u Ta-Kao makes an insightful analogy about Dao and the world.  Everyone else missed this.  And he wrote that in 1904!

 

But Flowing Hands spells it out in a deeper way to understand this. 

 

Without fuss... means both parts are playing within a loop, they know their part...  interactive life members: above and below

 

That man has taken the below position due to going against Dao.. thus has become the below position. 

[Marblehead]

Well, what can I say?  I just didn't want to be first to respond to this last set of chapters.

 

Sure, it is true that the natural flow of streams is into rivers and of the rivers into the seas.

 

This defines water seeking its lower point.

 

But what of man?  Is there a definable natural flow?

 

Sure, Lao Tzu defined it with his "Three Treasures".

 

But can we go further?  I think we need stop here because even the "Three Treasures" are not absolute.

 

So even though I will not argue against what is said regarding man in the above chapter, I don't believe it can be used to actually say that a certain path is against any individual's seeking of their own balance.

 

[Sketch]

 

• Verse Sixty Six

 

The River flows down into the Sea - it is because it is the low place that the sea is where the waters gather.

 

All the streams come down from the mountains, and they flow into the rivers, which then flow into the sea.

 

It’s as if the Sea were the boss, with all of the tributaries 

Reporting in order. Everything collects in the lowest place.

 

When the person you should emulate

wants people to do something,

They set the example and set the pace

Start working first

Sets their own needs last.

 

The person to emulate knows they can’t be heavy,

can’t be acquisitive,

pompous or too involved in the rules for their own sake.

 

If you must set yourself up in front of 

Other people and not do any harm,

 

Conduct the heavenly choir here on earth. Guide people to follow natures ways.

 

Never grow weary of this task - once you set up shop, the people are watching.

 

If you act the same in all of your dealings, and strive to improve your self as your means to helping others,

 

Your actions are indisputable. Therefore the world will not fight you.

 

Everyone calls Lao Tzu, “Big Road Guy”, “Trail Marker Dude”, and “Originator of the Dao”, but he looked nothing like that - just doing what he could to represent . 

 

Any so called grown up does the same, 

At least pretending that their behavior 

Is correct and a good example to all.

 

One way or another, a leader sets the example.