Line by Line - Verse 73, Line 6

It is the way of Heaven not to strive, and yet it skilfully overcomes;
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

The Tao of heaven does not strive, and yet it overcomes.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

The Tao of Heaven:
Does not contend and yet excels in winning
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

This is how Tao works:
It doesn't push itself,
and it always succeeds.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

As far as we can discern, only the human race strives. We put so much effort into everything we do because, too often, we move against the general flow of life. We seem intent on paddling upstream against the current!

Nature doesn't have this problem. It follows the laws of the cosmos. It lives when it's time to live and it dies when it's time to die.

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