Chapter 61

大國者下流，天下之交也，天下之牝。
牝常以靜勝牡，以靜為下。
故大國以下小國，則取小國；
小國以下大國，則取大國。
故或下以取，或下而取。
大國不過欲兼畜人，小國不過欲入事人。
夫兩者各得所欲，大者宜為下。

A great state is the lower reaches of the river, where the world meets; it is the female of the world.
By stillness the female always wins over the male; in stillness she takes the lower place.
So a great state, by putting itself below a small state, takes the small state;
a small state, by putting itself below a great state, is taken in by the great state.
So one puts itself below in order to take, another is below and so is taken in.
The great state wants nothing more than to gather and nourish others; the small state wants nothing more than to come in and serve others.
For each of the two to get what it wants, the great one should take the lower place.