Tao Te Ching Chapter 22 | Lao-Tzu | Comparative Translations

Liveology
Jan 19, 2022
1 min read

Updated: May 3, 2023

The Way of Virtue

Tao Te Ching Table of Contents by Chapter

The partial becomes complete; the crooked, straight; the empty, full; the worn out, new. He whose (desires) are few gets them; he whose (desires) are many goes astray.

Therefore the sage holds in his embrace the one thing (of humility), and manifests it to all the world. He is free from self- display, and therefore he shines; from self assertion, and therefore he is distinguished; from self-boasting, and therefore his merit is acknowledged; from self-complacency, and therefore he acquires

superiority. It is because he is thus free from striving that therefore no one in the world is able to strive with him.

That saying of the ancients that 'the partial becomes complete' was not vainly spoken:--all real completion is comprehended under it.

If you want to become whole,

let yourself be partial.

If you want to become straight,

let yourself be crooked.

If you want to become full,

let yourself be empty.

If you want to be reborn,

let yourself die.

If you want to be given everything,

give everything up.

The Master, by residing in the Tao,

sets an example for all beings.

Because he doesn't display himself,

people can see his light.

Because he has nothing to prove,

people can trust his words.

Because he doesn't know who he is,

people recognize themselves in him.

Because he has no goal in mind,

everything he does succeeds.

When the ancient Masters said,

"If you want to be given everything, give everything up,"

they weren't using empty phrases.

Only in being lived by the Tao can you be truly yourself.

Translated by J. Legge

Translated by Stephen Mitchell

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