we should attemper our brightness,Ever tried looking in the direction of the sun on a clear day? You must shield your eyes because the sheer brightness overwhelms your ability to see. If you tried to stare at the sun for any length of time -- particularly through a pair of binoculars or a telescope -- you can go blind!
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~
Soften the glare,
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~
Dims the glare
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~
(No corresponding line)
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~
It's interesting how our society considers brightness to be good and darkness to bad. Both are necessary components of life. Both serve important purposes. Each can lead to disharmony IF we focus too exclusively on one over the other.
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