Chapter 22 of the Laozi

Chinese Text

曲qū则zé全quán, 枉wǎng则zé正zhèng;
洼wā则zé盈yíng, 弊bì则zé新xīn;
少shǎo则zé得dé, 多duō则zé或huò.
是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén抱bào一yī为wéi天tiān下xià式shì.
不bù自zì见xiàn, 故gù明míng;
不bù自zì是shì, 故gù彰zhāng;
不bù自zì伐fá, 故gù有yǒu功gōng;
不bù自zì矜jīn, 故gù长cháng.
夫fú惟wéi不bù争zhēng, 故gù天tiān下xià莫mò能néng与yú之zhī争zhēng.
古gǔ之zhī所suǒ谓wèi“曲qū则zé全quán”, 岂qǐ虚xū语yǔ？
故gù成chéng全quán而ér归guī之zhī.

Translation

What is incomplete becomes whole.
What is crooked becomes straight.
What is hollow becomes full.
What is worn becomes new.
With few (desires) one attains the Tao; with many (desires) one is lost.
Therefore, the Sage embraces Unity (the Tao) and is the model for the world.
He does not show himself, so he shines.
He does not affirm himself, so he is distinguished.
He does not boast, so he has merit.
He does not glorify himself, so he is superior to others.
He does not contend, so no one in the world can contend with him.
The ancient saying: "What is incomplete becomes whole," was this an empty phrase?
When a person becomes truly perfect, the world submits to him.

Notes

The first six sentences (up to "therefore") are all sayings borrowed from the ancients.

According to E, the word 曲 qū (commonly "crooked") here means 缺 quē, "that to which something is missing to be whole," for example, the moon that is not yet full. This saying and the next should be taken figuratively. (Cf. chapters XLI, XLV). E: The first six sentences are explained below by 老子 Lǎozǐ, when he says: He embraces Unity and is the model for the world; he does not show himself, so he shines, etc.

For example, the earthworm, 蚯蚓 qiūyǐn, which moves by bending and stretching.

When the land is low and hollow, water gathers there. This sentence means (E) that he who humbles himself will soon be exalted (lit. "receives increase").

That is, he who seeks obscurity shines more and more each day.

少则得 shǎo zé dé, that is: He makes it his rule to seek the essential. 多则惑 duō zé huò, that is: He who has vast knowledge possesses few important things.

By 寡 guǎ "few things," and 多 duō "many things," C means wealth, or knowledge acquired through study. In the practice of the Tao, he says, one does not have many desires, because a multitude of things causes confusion. If you have much wealth, it dazzles you; if you have acquired much through study, the excess of knowledge leads to blindness.

The Sage forgets prudence, renounces study, and applies his heart to one thing; that is why he attains the Tao. Hence the author says: "With few desires one attains (the Tao); their multitude leads us astray."

The people of the world seek to know and see many things, but they only move further from the Tao. That is why the author says: "The multitude (of things or desires) leads us astray."

He identifies with the Tao, and then desires that all people follow his example.

He does not boast and does not put himself forward.

He has merit and does not glorify himself, which is why the world attributes to him the merit of great things.

He is placed above others and does not take advantage of his preeminence.

He lowers himself (literally, "bends") to follow the advice of others.

We dispute because we have the ego (in German, das Ich), that is, our individuality. The Sage does not dispute because he is free from the ego. The greatest virtue is to be free from the ego; and then, who in the world can dispute or contend with us?

Aliter B: People rejoice from the heart and sincerely submit to him. It is to the Sage that the merit should be attributed (归 guī).

Aliter C: They return (归 guī) to their native simplicity.