Chapter 67 — The three treasures三寶

久矣其細，猶曰其細久矣。肖，則失其所以為大矣。故曰，若肖久矣，其細也夫。

"Long since, its becoming small" says the same as that it has long since become small. If it resembled something, it would lose that by which it is great. Therefore it says that if it resembled something, it would long since have become small.

老子言：天下謂我德大，我則佯愚似不肖。

Laozi (老子) said: All under heaven says my virtue is great, but I feign foolishness and so seem to resemble nothing.

唯獨名德大者為身害，故佯愚似若不肖。無所分別，無所割截，不賤人而自貴。

It is only the name of having great virtue that harms the body, and so he feigns foolishness and seems to resemble nothing. He distinguishes nothing and cuts nothing off, and he does not hold others cheap in order to make himself precious.

肖，善也。謂辨惠也。若大辨惠之人，身高自貴行察察之政所從來久矣。

Resembling (肖) is being good, and it speaks of the brightness that discriminates. This says that it has long been so that a man of great discrimination raises himself up, holds himself precious, and carries on a government that pries into small things.

言辨惠者唯如小人，非長者。

This says that one who discriminates is only like a small man, and not a great one.

夫慈，以陳則勝，以守則固，故能勇也。

Love wins when it forms up in battle array and holds firm when it defends, and so one can be brave.

老子言：我有三寶，抱持而保倚。

Laozi said: I have three treasures, and I embrace and hold them, keep them and lean on them.

愛百姓若赤子。

He loves the people as a newborn child.

賦歛若取之於己也。

When he gathers in taxes, he does it as though taking from his own.

執謙退，不為倡始也。

He keeps to humility and withdrawing, and does not step out first.

以慈仁，故能勇於忠孝也。

Because he acts with love and benevolence, he can be brave in loyalty and filial duty.

不為天下首先。故能成器長。成器長，謂得道人也。我能為得道人之長也。

Because he does not step out first as the head of all under heaven, he can become the elder of vessels. The elder of vessels means one who has gained the Dao; I can become the elder of those who have gained the Dao.

今世人捨慈仁，但為勇武。

People of today cast off love and benevolence and make only quickness and force their way.

捨其儉約，但為奢泰。

They cast off thrift and sparing and make only overflowing extravagance their way.

捨其後己，但為人先。

They cast off putting themselves behind and make only going before others their way.

節儉愛費，天下不匱，故能廣也。

Spend sparingly and begrudge expense, and all under heaven does not run short, and so one can be broad.

天子身能節儉，故民日用廣矣。

Because the Son of Heaven himself can be thrifty and sparing, what the people have to use grows broader by the day.

唯後外其身，為物所歸，然後乃能立成器為天下利，為物之長也。

Only after he puts himself behind and sets his own person outside, and so becomes that to which things come home, can he set up and complete vessels, become the benefit of all under heaven, and be the elder of things.

且，猶取也。

Qie (且) says the same as taking.

相慜而不避於難，故勝也。

They pity one another and do not shun hardship, and so they win.

所行如此，動入死地。

When one's conduct is like this, the more he moves the further he enters the place of death.

夫慈仁者，百姓親附，並心一意，故以戰則勝敵，以守衛則堅固。

To one who is loving and benevolent the people draw close and attach themselves, making their hearts and minds one; and so when he fights he defeats the enemy, and when he guards and defends he is firm.

天將救助善人，必與慈仁之性，使能自營助也。

When heaven is about to save and help a good man, it always gives him a loving and benevolent nature, and so helps him manage for himself.