Line by Line - Verse 39, Lines 7-8

Princes and kings who from it get
The model which to all they give.
All these are the results of the One (Tao).
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Kings and lords are whole, and the country is upright.
All these are in virtue of wholeness.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

The rulers attained oneness and became the standard for the world
These all emerged from oneness
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

Tao gave rulers authority.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

We each are the rulers of our own "world." That's the way I view these lines.

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