Line by Line - Verse 65, Line 9

He who knows these two things finds in them also his model and rule.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

These are the two alternatives.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Know that these two are both standards
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

[No corresponding line]
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

In our own individual lives, we have a choice. We can be honest with ourselves OR we can lie to ourselves. When we opt for the former, we find that we have better footing. We deal with life as it is which helps us to pick our way along the path.

When we opt for the former, we find that obstacles constantly pop up all along our route. Because we are ill-prepared to deal with them, they often will stymie or completely halt our progress.

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