He who knows other men is discerning;
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~
Knowing others is wisdom;
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~
Those who understand others are intelligent
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~
Knowing others makes you smart,
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~
Here is how
John Lash sees the first line of this verse.
Understanding how other people think and feel is a developed state of awareness which very few people have the sensitivity to obtain. It is important for the Tai Chi person to understand what motivates other people's actions. Such understanding will help him to avoid conflicts with others and will help him to see how he can aid others in their development.
To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.
Of course, this is about way more than tai chi; without the line that follows, it's sort of an incomplete thought.
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