Line by Line - Verse 78, Line 5

and the weak the strong,
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

The supple can overcome the stiff.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

And the soft overcomes the hard
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

and the supple can win out over the stiff.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

Like water, those who choose fluidity and flexibility are those most likely to find lasting success in life. It is when we are able and willing to change with changing circumstances -- like a river that alters its course when confronted with an obstacle -- that no obstacle becomes too great.

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