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Laozi

79

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和大怨,必有餘怨;安可以為善? 是以聖人執左契,而不責於人。 有德司契,無德司徹。 天道無親,常與善人。

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James Legge

79

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When a reconciliation is effected (between two parties) after a great animosity, there is sure to be a grudge remaining (in the mind of the one who was wrong). And how can this be beneficial (to the other)?

Therefore (to guard against this), the sage keeps the left-hand portion of the record of the engagement, and does not insist on the (speedy) fulfilment of it by the other party. (So), he who has the attributes (of the Tao) regards (only) the conditions of the engagement, while he who has not those attributes regards only the conditions favourable to himself.

In the Way of Heaven, there is no partiality of love; it is always on the side of the good man.

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Victor H. Mair

79

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Compromise with great resentment will surely yield lingering resentment; How can this be seen as good? For this reason, The sage holds the debtor’s side of a contract and does not make claims upon others. Therefore, The man of integrity attends to his debts; The man without integrity attends to his exactions. The Way of heaven is impartial, yet is always with the good person.

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C. Spurgeon Medhurst

79

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To compromise a great hate leaves ill-will behind; that only is a blessing which produces tranquillity.

Therefore the Holy Man does not pry into other people’s affairs, [^1] even when he holds the left-hand bond, [^2] possessing the attributes of the Tao, he quietly holds his own; he who lacks the qualities of Tao strives to put everybody right. [^3]

It is heaven’s way to be without favorites, [^4] and to be always on the side of the good man. [^5]

The wise man is more concerned with the steadiness and direction of his own thoughts than with the actions of others. By his care to be himself unsullied to the very innermost recesses of his being, he purifies the atmosphere wherever he goes, and accomplishes more than he could were he ever reproaching what he considers untimely. Therefore the cry of the Hebrew prophet, “Be ye clean ye that bear the vessels of the Lord.” (Isa. lii, 11.)

[^1] In colloquial Chinese he does not blow aside the fur, to see if it contains burs or chips.

[^2] “Contracts were written on two bamboo slips which fitted together, the left one containing the debit or obligations, the right one containing the credits or dues.”—Carus, in loc.

The Sage is content with having the truth himself, without seeking to impose his knowledge on everybody else.

[^3] Cf. Matt. vii, 1-5, vid. T. T. K. chap. 60.

[^4] Cf. Rom. viii, 28.

[^5] Lit.—“The Heavenly Tao is without relatives; it ever sides with the good man.”

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Ursula K. Le Guin

79

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After a great enmity is settled some enmity always remains. How to make peace? Wise souls keep their part of the contract and don’t make demands on others. People whose power is real fulfill their obligations; people whose power is hollow insist on their claims.

The Way of heaven plays no favorites. It stays with the good.

Note UKLG: This chapter is equally relevant to private relationships and to political treaties. Its realistic morality is based on a mystical perception of the fullness of the Way.

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