Line by Line - Verse 15, Line 6

irresolute like those who are afraid of all around them;
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Alert, like men aware of danger.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Cautious, like fearing four neighbors
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

They were cautious, like a soldier behind enemy lines.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

When we adopt a "devil may care" attitude, we too often skate over details and do not rightly size up risks. We cut corners. We are free and easy with our attention. When circumstances change or the variables we miscalculated become important, life has a way of catching us off guard and partially or utterly unprepared.

This is why Lao Tzu stresses the importance in BEING in each and every moment. When we are aware of the currents of life, we are less apt to be swept away by them. When our attention is given to every moment, we are more able to circumvent barriers when they are small, rather than waiting until they become insurmountable.

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