Chapter 78

天下莫柔弱於水，而攻堅強者，莫之能勝，以其無以易之。
弱之勝強，柔之勝剛，天下莫不知，莫能行。
是以聖人云：「受國之垢，是謂社稷主；
受國不祥，是為天下王。」
正言若反。

Nothing in the world is softer and weaker than water, yet for attacking the hard and strong nothing surpasses it, for nothing can take its place.
That the weak overcomes the strong and the soft overcomes the hard, everyone in the world knows, yet no one can practice it.
So the sage says: “One who takes on the filth of the state is called lord of its altars;
one who takes on the ill omens of the state is king of the world.”
Straight words seem to say the reverse.