Line by Line - Verse 71, Lines 4-5

The sage has not the disease. He knows the pain that would be inseparable from it, and therefore he does not have it.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

The sage is not sick because he is sick of sickness.
Therefore he is not sick.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

The sages are without fault
Because they recognize the fault as a fault
That is why they are without fault
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

The Masters aren't sick,
because they got sick of being sick.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

As mentioned yesterday, I am sharing two commentaries of this verse from Red Pine's book. Today's explanation comes from Wu Ch'eng (1249-1333), a writer from the Yuan Dynasty.

Those who understand yet who seem not to understand are the wisest of men. They protect their understanding with stupidity. Those who don't understand yet who think they understand are, in fact, the stupidest of men. They think blind eyes see and deaf ears hear. This is what is meant by "affliction."

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