Laozi · Complete work
Chapter 66
Chapter 66 of 81. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Classical Chinese
江海所以能為百谷王者，以其善下之，故能為百谷王。是以聖人欲上民，必以言下之；欲先民，必以身後之。是以聖人處上而民不重，處前而民不害。是以天下樂推而不厭。以其不爭，故天下莫能與之爭。
Mouseia
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the original source for fidelity, modern clarity, beauty, symbolism, and structure.
Rivers and seas can be kings of the hundred valleys because they are skilled at staying below them; therefore they can be kings of the hundred valleys.Thus, if the sage desires to stand above the people, he must place his words below them;If he desires to stand before the people, he must place himself behind them.Thus the sage dwells above, yet the people do not feel burdened; dwells before, yet the people do not feel harmed.Therefore all under Heaven gladly raise him up and do not tire of him.Because he does not contend, no one under Heaven can contend with him.
OpenTao
Complete CC BY 4.0 translation made directly from the received Chinese text; source line structure preserved.
The rivers and seas can reign over the hundred valleys because they are skilled at lying below them; that is why they are kings of the hundred valleys.So when the sage wishes to stand above the people, he must speak as one below them;when he wishes to lead them, he must place himself behind them.Thus the sage stands above, yet the people feel no burden; he stands before them, yet they suffer no harm.So everyone under heaven gladly pushes him forward and never wearies of him.Because he does not contend, no one in the world can contend with him.
James Legge (1891)
Complete public-domain translation made directly from the original source text.
1. That whereby the rivers and seas are able to receive the homage and tribute of all the valley streams, is their skill in being lower than they;--it is thus that they are the kings of them all. So it is that the sage (ruler), wishing to be above men, puts himself by his words below them, and, wishing to be before them, places his person behind them.
2. In this way though he has his place above them, men do not feel his weight, nor though he has his place before them, do they feel it an injury to them.
3. Therefore all in the world delight to exalt him and do not weary of him. Because he does not strive, no one finds it possible to strive with him.