Line by Line - Verse 66, Lines 1-3

That whereby the rivers and seas are able to receive the homage and tribute of all the valley streams, is their skill in being lower than they; it is thus that they are the kings of them all.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Why is the sea king of a hundred streams?
Because it lies below them.
Therefore it is the king of a hundred streams.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Rivers and oceans can be the kings of a hundred valleys
Because of their goodness in staying low
So they can be the kings of a hundred valleys
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

An ocean is greater
than the hundred rivers
that flow into it,
and all it does is wait
to receive what they bring.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

Rivers are conduits -- they flow into something else like another river, a lake or the ocean.

When we utilize the imagery of a river, we too can serve as conduits. We can serve others which will aid the flow of society.

To view the Index page for this series to see what you may have missed or would like to read again, go here.