Dharma & Dao

Tao Te Ching · Chapter 8 of 81

Chapter 8

modern paraphrase of James Legge's 1891 translation

Modern paraphrase. This is an AI-generated retelling in contemporary English (model: claude-opus-4-7). It is not the James Legge translation. The original is one click away.

  1. The highest excellence is like water. Water benefits all things and, without contending, settles into the low places that people scorn. So it comes close to the Tao.

  2. Excellence in a home lies in its location; in the mind, in deep stillness; in relationships, in being with the virtuous; in government, in good order; in handling affairs, in competence; in action, in good timing.

  3. And because such a person does not contend, no one finds fault with him.

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