Line by Line - Verse 65, Lines 12-13

showing indeed its possessor as opposite to others, but leading them to a great conformity to him.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

It leads all things back
Toward the great oneness.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

It goes opposite to material things
Then it reaches great congruence
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

That kind of power is so deep, so extensive,
it penetrates into every level of existence.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

Most of us have a tendency to look at the short-term. We try to figure out the easiest way to satisfy our ego-based desires. Quite frequently, those desires are based in the material world.

The wise person learns to take a wider and longer view. Sometimes it can be discerned that a short-term gain or pleasure is likely to lead to long-term repercussions. By keeping both the short-term and long-term aspects in focus, decisions can be made that benefit both.

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