Line by Line - Verse 7, Line 5

Therefore the sage puts his own person last, and yet it is found in the foremost place;
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

The sage stays behind, thus he is ahead.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Therefore the sages: Place themselves last but end up in front
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

The Masters hang back. That's why they're ahead of the game.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

The Way is never seen, yet it is always present. It hides in the shadows, but without it life wouldn't be possible. By making no claims, it IS everything.

Here's how Derek Lin explains this line:

A genuine, selfless desire to be helpful inspires people and wins their respect. Although sages have no wish to draw attention, people single them out and look to them for leadership. Although the sages place themselves last out of humility, the people push them to the forefront, into positions of responsibility.

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