Laozi · Complete work
Chapter 29
Chapter 29 of 81. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Classical Chinese
將欲取天下而為之，吾見其不得已。天下神器，不可為也，為者敗之，執者失之。故物或行或隨；或歔或吹；或強或羸；或挫或隳。是以聖人去甚，去奢，去泰。
Mouseia
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the original source for fidelity, modern clarity, beauty, symbolism, and structure.
Those who would take all under heaven and work upon it—I see that they will not succeed.All under heaven is a sacred vessel: it cannot be worked upon; those who work upon it ruin it, those who grasp it lose it.Thus, among things some lead and some follow;some breathe softly and some blow hard;some are strong and some frail;some are cut down and some fall.Therefore the sage casts off excess, casts off extravagance, casts off arrogance.
OpenTao
Complete CC BY 4.0 translation made directly from the received Chinese text; source line structure preserved.
Whoever would seize the world and shape it by deliberate action—I can see they will not succeed.The world is a spirit-vessel; it cannot be fashioned. Whoever tries to shape it ruins it; whoever grips it loses it.So it is with things: some go ahead, some follow;some breathe softly, some blow hard;some are sturdy, some frail;some bear up, some collapse.That is why the sage casts off extremes, casts off extravagance, casts off all that is overfull.
James Legge (1891)
Complete public-domain translation made directly from the original source text.
1. If any one should wish to get the kingdom for himself, and to effect this by what he does, I see that he will not succeed. The kingdom is a spirit-like thing, and cannot be got by active doing. He who would so win it destroys it; he who would hold it in his grasp loses it.
2.
The course and nature of things is such thatWhat was in front is now behind;What warmed anon we freezing find.Strength is of weakness oft the spoil;The store in ruins mocks our toil.
Hence the sage puts away excessive effort, extravagance, and easy indulgence.