第七十七章 Dao De Jing · Chapter 77

Heaven's Way evens things out, while people's way takes from the poor to give to the rich.

天tiān之zhī道dào，其qí犹yóu张zhāng弓gōng与yú？

Is the Way of heaven not like drawing a bow?
高gāo者zhě抑yì之zhī，下xià者zhě举jǔ之zhī；

What is high is pressed down, what is low is raised up;
有yǒu余yú者zhě损sǔn之zhī，

what has too much is reduced,
不bù足zú者zhě补bǔ之zhī。

what has too little is added to.
天tiān之zhī道dào，损sǔn有yǒu余yú而ér补bǔ不bù足zú。

The Way of heaven reduces what has too much and adds to what has too little.
人rén之zhī道dào则zé不bù然rán，

The way of people is not so:
损sǔn不bù足zú以yǐ奉fèng有yǒu余yú。

it takes from those who have too little to give to those who have too much.
孰shú能néng有yǒu余yú以yǐ奉fèng天tiān下xià？

Who can take what he has in excess and give it to the world?
唯wéi有yǒu道dào者zhě。

Only one who has the Way.
是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén为wéi而ér不bù恃shì，

So the sage acts but does not rely on it,
功gōng成chéng而ér不bù处chǔ，其qí不bù欲yù见xiàn贤xián。

achieves but does not dwell on it, and has no wish to show his worth.

Words in this chapter

Words in chapter 77, with pinyin and meaning
Word	Pinyin	Meaning
天	tiān	heaven
之	zhī	of, 's (linking particle)
道	dào	the Way
其	qí	it, he, they (subject)
犹	yóu	just like
张	zhāng	to stretch, to open out
弓	gōng	bow
与	yú	question particle
高	gāo	high
者	zhě	one who, that which
抑	yì	to press down
之	zhī	it, them (object)
下	xià	low, below
举	jǔ	to raise
有余	yǒu yú	to have plenty
损	sǔn	to diminish, to lose
不	bù	not
足	zú	enough, sufficient
补	bǔ	to make up, to add to
而	ér	and, and then
人	rén	people, others
则	zé	then
不然	bù rán	not so
以	yǐ	in order to
奉	fèng	to give, to offer
孰	shú	who, which
能	néng	can, to be able
天下	tiān xià	all under heaven, the world
唯	wéi	only, just
有	yǒu	to have, to possess
是以	shì yǐ	therefore, for this reason
圣人	shèng rén	the sage
为	wéi	to act, to do, to make
而	ér	and yet, but
恃	shì	to rely on, presume on
功	gōng	achievement, work done
成	chéng	to complete, accomplish
处	chǔ	to dwell in, abide by
欲	yù	desire, to desire
见	xiàn	to display, show
贤	xián	the worthy, the talented

Compare: James Legge (1891)

May not the Way (or Tao) of Heaven be compared to the (method of) bending a bow? The (part of the bow) which was high is brought low, and what was low is raised up. (So Heaven) diminishes where there is superabundance, and supplements where there is deficiency.

It is the Way of Heaven to diminish superabundance, and to supplement deficiency. It is not so with the way of man. He takes away from those who have not enough to add to his own superabundance.

Who can take his own superabundance and therewith serve all under heaven? Only he who is in possession of the Tao!

Therefore the (ruling) sage acts without claiming the results as his; he achieves his merit and does not rest (arrogantly) in it:--he does not wish to display his superiority.

Public domain. Source: Wikisource.

Meaning of chapter 77

Chapter 77 compares the Way of heaven to drawing a bow. When a bow is strung and drawn, what is high is pressed down and what is low is raised; in the same way, heaven reduces what has too much and adds to what has too little.

The way of people, lowercase in the translation because it is not the Way, does the opposite: it takes from those who have too little to give to those who have too much. Only one who has the Way can take what he has in excess and give it to the world. The chapter is among the book's plainest statements about fairness, and it sets heaven's balance against human custom.

The sage acts but does not rely on it, achieves but does not dwell on it, and has no wish to show his worth, lines that echo chapters 2 and 51. 天之道 (the Way of heaven) returns in chapters 9, 73, 79 and 81; chapter 79 adds that it has no favorites.

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Meaning of chapter 77