Line by Line - Verse 44, Line 6

Who is content
Needs fear no shame.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

A contented man is never disappointed.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Knowing contentment avoids disgrace
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

If you know when you have enough,
you will never be disgraced.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

When we come to realize that enough is sufficient, we willingly step off of the treadmill of this dog-eat-dog world. The simple life is, in many ways, less stressful than its ambitious counterpart. The contented individual has no need to compete in the marketplace of society and celebrates the beauty inherent in all things.

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