Laozi · Complete work
Chapter 77
Chapter 77 of 81. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Classical Chinese
天之道，其猶張弓與？高者抑之，下者舉之；有餘者損之，不足者補之。天之道，損有餘而補不足。人之道，則不然，損不足以奉有餘。孰能有餘以奉天下，唯有道者。是以聖人為而不恃，功成而不處，其不欲見賢。
Mouseia
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the original source for fidelity, modern clarity, beauty, symbolism, and structure.
Is not the Way of Heaven like the drawing of a bow?What is high it presses down; what is low it raises up;What has excess it reduces; what lacks it replenishes.The Way of Heaven reduces excess and replenishes lack.The way of humankind is otherwise: it reduces what is lacking to offer more to what has excess.Who can offer what is in excess to all under Heaven? Only one who has the Way.Thus the sage acts but does not rely on what he has done, completes the work but does not dwell upon it, and has no desire to display his worth.
OpenTao
Complete CC BY 4.0 translation made directly from the received Chinese text; source line structure preserved.
Could the Way of heaven be like drawing a bow?The upper limb is pressed down, the lower lifted up;the surplus is reduced; the shortfall is made up.The Way of heaven reduces the surplus and makes up the shortfall.The human way is otherwise: it takes from those with too little and offers it up to those with too much.Who can offer their surplus to all under heaven? Only one who has the Way.Thus the sage acts but does not lean on what he has done; completes the work but does not dwell in it; and has no wish to display his excellence.
James Legge (1891)
Complete public-domain translation made directly from the original source text.
1. May not the Way (or Tao) of Heaven be compared to the (method of) bending a bow? The (part of the bow) which was high is brought low, and what was low is raised up. (So Heaven) diminishes where there is superabundance, and supplements where there is deficiency.
2. It is the Way of Heaven to diminish superabundance, and to supplement deficiency. It is not so with the way of man. He takes away from those who have not enough to add to his own superabundance.
3. Who can take his own superabundance and therewith serve all under heaven? Only he who is in possession of the Tao!
4. Therefore the (ruling) sage acts without claiming the results as his; he achieves his merit and does not rest (arrogantly) in it:--he does not wish to display his superiority.