Verse Thirty

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From: jimclatfelter
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008

Verse Thirty
Witter Bynner, 1944

One who would guide a leader of men in the uses of life
Will warn him against the use of arms for conquest.
Weapons often turn upon the wielder,
An army's harvest is a waste of thorns,
Conscription of a multitude of men
Drains the next year dry.
A good general, daring to march, dares also to halt,
Will never press his triumph beyond need.
What he must do he does but not for glory,
What he must do he does but not for show,
What he must do he does but not for self;
He has done it because it had to be done,
Not from a hot head.
Let life ripen and then fall,
Force is not the way at all:
Deny the way of life and you are dead.

Verse Thirty
Stephen Mitchell, 1988

Whoever relies on the Tao in governing men
doesn't try to force issues
or defeat enemies by force of arms.
For every force there is a counterforce.
Violence, even well intentioned,
always rebounds upon oneself.

The Master does his job
and then stops.
He understands that the universe
is forever out of control,
and that trying to dominate events
goes against the current of the Tao.
Because he believes in himself,
he doesn't try to convince others.
Because he is content with himself,
he doesn't need others' approval.
Because he accepts himself,
the whole world accepts him.

Verse Thirty
Gia-Fu Feng & Jane English, 1972

Whenever you advise a ruler in the way of Tao,
Counsel him not to use force to conquer the universe.
For this would only cause resistance.
Thorn bushes spring up wherever the army has passed.
Lean years follow in the wake of a great war.
Just do what needs to be done.
Never take advantage of power.
Achieve results,
But never glory in them.
Achieve results,
But never boast.
Achieve results,
But never be proud.
Achieve results,
Because this is the natural way.
Achieve results,
But not through violence.

Force is followed by loss of strength.
This is not the way of Tao.
That which goes against the Tao comes to an early end.

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From: jimclatfelter
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008

One who would guide a leader of men in the uses of life
Will warn him against the use of arms for conquest.
Weapons often turn upon the wielder,
An army's harvest is a waste of thorns,
Conscription of a multitude of men
Drains the next year dry.

I suppose violence always originates with a third-person, face-to-face, confrontational mind set. We all can fall into it from time to time. I know I do. It's a shame when those in power do such things. The history of the new century has had its beginning in the deeds of such men. I'm afraid they have drained more than the next year dry. I suspect they have drained many decades dry.

Force is followed by loss of strength.
This is not the way of Tao.
That which goes against the Tao comes to an early end.

This was known 25 centuries ago, yet strong egos still ignore all the warnings. And such egos get wide support.

Jim

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From: simon
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008

Well, yes, I have been musing on the subject of violence lately...
While I agree Jim, about the 'third person' origin of confrontation, it seems also true that every 'thing' has a desire for growth, expansion and survival - even plants and trees!
Around a large pine tree chez moi there is the biggest number of small oak seedlings, more than around the oak trees, almost as if there was a struggle for domination of the land.
Isn't this part and parcel of the 'little one'? Striving?
Yet in business situations, family or even driving through city traffic (all potential "confrontational situations") it is embarrassingly obvious - I love that phrase, so exact and honest! - that
Quote: Force is followed by loss of strength.

Seeing includes, and so there is no obstacle.

This simplicity still floors me, the fact that I am "busted wide open" with nothing to separate or hold 'things' off with...
And while this "should" be a weakness - according to common opinion - and perhaps it is, according to whatever priorities one has, yet it does not fail and gives great energy
Quote:
For every force there is a counterforce.
Violence, even well intentioned,
always rebounds upon oneself.

Well, where else could it go?
Quote:
Achieve results,
Because this is the natural way.

Isn't that a beautiful way of putting it?

Simon

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From: Luc
Posted: Sat May 03, 2008

jimclatfelter wrote:
What he must do he does but not for glory,
What he must do he does but not for show,
What he must do he does but not for self;

This is a vital thing for me. Seeing isn't passive. It means that I see what needs to be done and that I do it.
It looks as if the little one does it, and therefor people praise him or think he wants to gain profit from it or any other interpretation of the action.
But for Me the little one is just the means to perform the taks at hand.
No glory, no show, no self in that..

And Seeing even means that this action is performed without a believe that it will improve something. It happens because it is right.
Isn't it mysterious ? Isn't it wonderful ?

Luc

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