Line by Line - Verse 16, Line 8

not to know it leads to wild movements and evil issues.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Not knowing constancy leads to disaster.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Not knowing constancy, one recklessly causes trouble
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

If you don't understand that, you're going to screw up somewhere down the line.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

When we see only what we want to see and not what is, we set the stage for disharmony. We struggle against the current. We bang our heads against a wall. We try to force life to match our will and desire. And this constant struggle is what leads to our own misery.

Not only do we cause our own suffering, but as John Lash pointedly writes,

Seeing falsely, we will react to the world from emotion rather than from compassion.

Where compassion is lacking, there can be no virtue.

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