Line by Line - Verse 24, Line 1

He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm;
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

He who stands on tiptoe is not steady.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Those who are on tiptoes cannot stand
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

Keep your feet firmly planted
unless you want to fall on your face.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

One of the aspects I have so enjoyed about writing this series line by line is that, by going slower and savoring each line, I come to understand the text in deeper hues than before.

For example, as is my usual wont, I have tended to view this line too literally. But Derek Lin points out that there is an underlying message within this line too.

To stand on tiptoes is to raise oneself above others. This is an effective metaphor for arrogance, because we know from everyday experience that it is not possible to stand that way for long. Similarly, an arrogant person's facade of superiority cannot last.

To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.