一孔录The video for this chapter is still in production. For now this page gives the original text, the facsimile page, a working translation and the commentary; the full reading follows when the video is out.
天下皆謂我道大，似不肖。夫唯大，故似不肖。若肖，久矣其細也夫！我有三寶，持而保之：一曰慈，二曰儉，三曰不敢為天下先。慈故能勇，儉故能廣，不敢為天下先故能成器長。今舍慈且勇，舍儉且廣，舍後且先，死矣！夫慈，以戰則勝，以守則固。天將救之，以慈衛之。All the world says my Way is great but seems unlike anything. It is precisely because it is great that it seems unlike anything. Were it like something, it would long since have become petty. I have three treasures which I hold and keep: the first is compassion, the second is frugality, the third is not daring to be first in the world. Compassionate, one can be brave; frugal, one can be generous; not daring to be first in the world, one can become head of the officials. Now to be brave while forsaking compassion, generous while forsaking frugality, first while forsaking the last place: that is death! Compassion wins in battle and holds firm in defense. When heaven means to save someone, it guards him with compassion.
白Plain Chinese
天下人都说我的道太大，不像任何具体的东西。正因为它大，所以不像任何具体的东西。如果像某个具体的东西，早就渺小了！我有三件宝贝，持守并保有它们：第一叫慈爱，第二叫俭约，第三叫不敢居于天下人之先。慈爱所以能勇敢，俭约所以能宽广，不敢居于天下人之先所以能成为万物之长。现在舍弃慈爱而求勇敢，舍弃俭约而求宽广，舍弃退让而求争先，就是死路！慈爱，用来作战就能胜利，用来守卫就能坚固。天要救助谁，就用慈爱来护卫他。
Draft plain-Chinese rendering following Wang Bi; it will be checked when the chapter is taught.
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