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.
天長地久。天地所以能長且久者，以其不自生，故能長生。是以聖人後其身而身先，外其身而身存。非以其無私耶？故能成其私。Heaven endures and earth lasts. Heaven and earth can endure and last because they do not live for themselves; so they live long. Therefore the sage puts himself last and finds himself first, treats himself as outside and finds himself preserved. Is it not because he has no self-interest? So he can fulfill himself.
What this chapter says
一孔按：不先顾自己的，自己反倒保得住；他不去争，人都往他那里归。王弼注原话：自生则与物争，不自生则物归也；无私者，无为于身也。
Yikonglu's reading of this chapter is in Chinese for now; the English version comes with the video.
白Plain Chinese
天长地久。天地之所以能长久，是因为它们不为自己而生，所以能长生。因此圣人把自己放在后面，反而走在前面；把自身置之度外，反而得以保全。不正是因为他没有私心吗？所以反而成全了他自己。
Draft plain-Chinese rendering following Wang Bi; it will be checked when the chapter is taught.
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