Line by Line - Verse 68, Line 4

He whose hests men most fulfill
Yet humbly plies his art.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

A good employer is humble.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Those who are good at managing people lower themselves
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

A true leader shows humility.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

For me, this line is about being a good role model. If you value honesty, then it's important for the employer or leader to be honest. If you value hard work, then it's important for the employer or leader to work hard.

If a leader or employer is dishonest and lazy, these actions will encourage those under you to behave in the same way AND/OR it will breed resentment. Both attributes will harm productivity and morale.

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