61 大邦者下流

老子道德經第六十一章

大邦者下流
天下之交 天下之牝
牝常以靜勝牡 以靜為下
故大邦以下小邦 則取小邦
小邦以下大邦 則取大邦
故或下以取 或下而取
大邦不過欲兼畜人
小邦不過欲入事人
夫兩者各得所欲
大者宜為下

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SIXTY-ONE (Feng)

A great country is like low land.
It is the meeting ground of the universe,
The mother of the universe.

The female overcomes the male with stillness,
Lying low in stillness.

Therefore if a great country gives way to a smaller country,
It will conquer the smaller country.
And if a small country submits to a great country,
It can conquer the great country.
Therefore those that would conquer must yield,
And those that conquer do so because they yield.

A great nation needs more people;
A small country needs to serve.
Each gets what it wants.
It is fitting for a great nation to yield.

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61

Being great is like being in the low land
where all ideas are received;
Or like being feminine
whose compassion quietly encompasses all.

Be humble, so that
others will follow you when you are strong,
and help you when you are weak.

Some people tend to be dominant
while others submissive.
Humility serves everyone well.

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61. (st)

Power flows down
to every level of existence
like a river to the ocean.

Victory comes
from lying perfectly still
and waiting for power
to come your way.

If you yield to someone
less powerful than yourself,
you will be in a position
to influence them.

If you submit to someone
more powerful than yourself,
you create an opportunity
to get your own way.

So if you want to get ahead,
lay low and bide your time.
That way, everybody's happy.