Chapter 8 — Changing one's nature易性
1The highest good is like water
上善若水。水善利萬物而不爭，處眾人之所惡，
The highest good is like water. Water benefits the ten thousand things and does not contend. It dwells in the places that people hate.
note 4
人惡卑也。
People hate the low places.
上善之人，如水之性。
The person of highest good is like the nature of water.
水在天為霧露，在地為源泉也。
In the sky water becomes mist and dew; on the earth it becomes a spring.
眾人惡卑濕垢濁，水獨靜流居之也。
People hate what is low, damp, filthy and murky; water alone flows quietly and dwells there.
2And so it is close to the Dao
故幾於道。
And so it is close to the Dao.
note 2
道無水有，故曰，幾也。
The Dao is nonbeing and water is being. And so it is said only to be close.
水性幾於道同。
The nature of water comes close to being the same as the Dao.
3It does not contend, and so it is without fault
居善地，心善淵，與善仁，言善信，正善治，事善能，動善時。夫唯不爭，故無尤。
In dwelling, the ground is good. In the heart, depth is good. In giving, benevolence is good. In words, trust is good. In governing, order is good. In affairs, ability is good. In movement, the right moment is good. It is only because it does not contend that it is without fault.
note 10
言人皆應於治道也。
This says that everyone should answer to the Dao of governing.
水性善喜於地，草木之上即流而下，有似於牝動而下人也。
The nature of water likes the ground: when it reaches the top of grass and trees it at once flows downward, much as the female moves by putting herself below others.
水深空虛，淵深清明。
Where water is deep it is empty, and a deep pool is clear and bright.
萬物得水以生。與，虛不與盈也。
The ten thousand things get water and live. Giving means giving to what is empty and not to what is already full.
水內影照形，不失其情也。
Water reflects a shadow within and shows the shape, so it does not lose the truth of the thing.
無有不洗，清且平也。
There is nothing it cannot wash, and it is clear and also level.
能方能圓，曲直隨形。
It can be square and it can be round; it follows the shape that holds it, bent or straight.
夏散冬凝，應期而動，不失天時。
In summer it scatters and in winter it freezes; it moves as the season calls for and does not lose the timing of heaven.
壅之則止，決之則流，聽從人也。
Dam it and it stops, open a way and it flows; it follows whatever people do.
水性如是，故天下無有怨尤水者也。
Such is the nature of water, and so no one in the world resents water or finds fault with it.