and what is not in accordance with it soon comes to an end.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~
That which goes against the Tao comes to an early end.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~
That which is contrary to the Tao soon ends
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~
if you're not right with Tao, you might as well be dead.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~
I will let Su Ch'e (as quoted by
Red Pine) finish out this verse.
Those who possess the Tao prosper and yet seem poor, become full and yet seem empty. What is not virile does not become old and does not die. The virile die. This is the way things are. Using an army to control the world represents the height of strength. But it only hastens old age and death.
To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.
While this entire verse is one of the few in the TTC that is specifically (superficially) about making war, it also has a meaning about personal cultivation. Think of strong runners or wrestlers, brawny guys who have heart attacks or are weak in the area we associate with virility. Or big healthy guys who can't sustain an emotional relationship. My teacher says "An excessive strong outside signifies a weak inside."
ReplyDeleteThat's a very good point!!
ReplyDelete