Chapter 39

昔之得一者：天得一以清；
地得一以寧；
神得一以靈；
谷得一以盈；
萬物得一以生；
侯王得一以為天下正。
其致之也，天無以清，將恐裂；
地無以寧，將恐廢；
神無以靈，將恐歇；
谷無以盈，將恐竭；
萬物無以生，將恐滅；
侯王無以貞，將恐蹶。
故貴以賤為本，高以下為基。
是以侯王自稱孤、寡、不穀。
此非以賤為本邪？
非乎？
故致譽無譽。
是故不欲琭琭如玉，珞珞如石。

These are the ones that of old attained the One: heaven, attaining the One, is clear;
earth, attaining the One, is settled;
the spirits, attaining the One, are potent;
the valley, attaining the One, is full;
the ten thousand things, attaining the One, live;
lords and kings, attaining the One, set the world right.
Taken to the end: if heaven could not be clear, it might split;
if earth could not be settled, it might crumble;
if the spirits could not be potent, they might fade;
if the valley could not be full, it might run dry;
if the ten thousand things could not live, they might perish;
if lords and kings could not stand upright, they might fall.
So the noble has the humble as its root; the high has the low as its foundation.
That is why lords and kings call themselves the orphaned, the lacking, the unworthy.¹
Is this not having the humble as the root?
Is it not?
So praise pursued to the end is no praise.²
Therefore one does not wish to glitter like jade, but to be rough as stone.

Notes

1. 1. In Chinese 孤 gu, 寡 gua, and 不穀 bugu: “the orphaned,” “the one lacking in virtue,” and “the one who is not good.” Lords and kings of old used these words of themselves, to make themselves low.

2. 2. Our source reads 致譽無譽. Wang Bi’s text has 致數輿無輿: “count up the parts of a carriage, and there is no carriage.”