第三十三章 Dao De Jing · Chapter 33
Knowing yourself, mastering yourself and knowing what is enough are the true wisdom, strength and wealth.
Text
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知人者智，自知者明。
Knowing others is wisdom; knowing yourself is clarity.
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胜人者有力，自胜者强。
Overcoming others takes force; overcoming yourself is strength.
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知足者富，强行者有志，
Knowing what is enough is wealth; persevering is having will.
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不失其所者久，
Not losing your place is to last.
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死而不亡者寿。
To die and not perish is long life.
Words in this chapter
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 知 | zhī | to know |
| 人 | rén | people, others |
| 者 | zhě | one who, that which |
| 智 | zhì | wise, wisdom |
| 自 | zì | oneself, by oneself |
| 明 | míng | clarity, insight; clear |
| 胜 | shèng | to overcome; victory |
| 有 | yǒu | to have, to possess |
| 力 | lì | force, strength |
| 强 | qiáng | strong |
| 知足 | zhī zú | knowing what is enough |
| 富 | fù | rich, wealth |
| 强行 | qiáng xíng | to press on, persevere |
| 志 | zhì | will, ambition |
| 不 | bù | not |
| 失 | shī | to lose; loss |
| 其 | qí | its, his, their |
| 所 | suǒ | place |
| 久 | jiǔ | lasting, long |
| 死 | sǐ | to die |
| 而 | ér | and yet, but |
| 亡 | wáng | to perish |
| 寿 | shòu | long life |
Compare: James Legge (1891)
He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent. He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty. He who is satisfied with his lot is rich; he who goes on acting with energy has a (firm) will.
He who does not fail in the requirements of his position, continues long; he who dies and yet does not perish, has longevity.
Public domain. Source: Wikisource.
Meaning of chapter 33
Chapter 33 contrasts what one can gain over others with what one can achieve in oneself.
It is a chain of short definitions in pairs. Knowing others is wisdom (智); knowing yourself is clarity (明). Overcoming others takes force; overcoming yourself is strength. Each pair puts the outward achievement first and then a harder, inward one. Two more lines follow the same pattern: knowing what is enough (知足) is wealth, and persevering is having will. 明, clarity, is a word the text keeps for deep understanding, as in chapter 16, where knowing the constant is called clarity, and in chapter 52.
The last two lines turn to lasting. Not losing one's place is to last, and to die without perishing is long life. The final line is read in different ways; Wang Bi explains that the body dies but the Way by which one lived does not disappear, and the site's translation keeps to the plain words. Knowing what is enough returns in chapters 44 and 46.