Shengren (圣人, the Sage) in the Dao De Jing: Meaning and Occurrences

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén处chǔ无wú为wéi之zhī事shì，

Thus the sage puts himself in a position of non-active productive state,

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén之zhī治zhì，

Thus, governs the sage,

圣shèng人rén不bù仁rén，以yǐ百bǎi姓xìng为wéi刍chú狗gǒu。

The sage is inhumane, he treats the people like ritual dolls.

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén后hòu其qí身shēn而ér身shēn先xiān，

The sage puts himself last, and thus is first,

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén为wèi腹fù不bù为wèi目mù，

Therefore the sage provides for the soul, not for the senses.

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén抱bào一yī，为wéi天tiān下xià式shì。

Therefore the sage embraces unity, and follows the universe's patterns.

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén终zhōng日rì行xíng不bù离lí辎zī重zhòng。

Therefore the sage travels all day without putting down his heavy load.

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén常cháng善shàn救jiù人rén，

This is how the sage always elevates people,

圣shèng人rén用yòng之zhī则zé为wéi官guān长zhǎng。

The wise ruler intervenes and uses it to govern.

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén去qù甚shèn，

Hence, the sage shuns extremes,

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén不bù行xíng而ér知zhī，

So the sage knows without going,

圣shèng人rén无wú常cháng心xīn，

The sage has no fixed mind of his own;

圣shèng人rén在zài天tiān下xià歙shè歙shè，

The sage in the world draws himself in,

圣shèng人rén皆jiē孩hái之zhī。

and the sage treats them all as children.

故gù圣shèng人rén云yún：

So the sage says:

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén方fāng而ér不bù割gē，

So the sage is square but does not cut,

非fēi其qí神shén不bù伤shāng人rén，圣shèng人rén亦yì不bù伤shāng人rén。

not that their power does not harm people, but the sage, too, does not harm people.

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén终zhōng不bù为wéi大dà，

So the sage never does anything great,

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén犹yóu难nán之zhī，

So the sage treats things as difficult,

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén无wú为wéi故gù无wú败bài，

So the sage does not act, and so does not spoil;

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén欲yù不bù欲yù，

So the sage desires not to desire,

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén处chǔ上shàng而ér民mín不bù重zhòng，

So the sage is above, yet the people do not feel his weight;

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén被bèi褐hè怀huái玉yù。

So the sage wears coarse cloth but carries jade inside.

圣shèng人rén不bù病bìng，以yǐ其qí病bìng病bìng，

The sage is not sick, because he recognizes the sickness as sickness;

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén自zì知zhī不bù自zì见xiàn，

So the sage knows himself but does not show himself,

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén犹yóu难nán之zhī。

So even the sage finds it difficult.

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,

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén云yún：

So the sage says:

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén执zhí左zuǒ契qì，

So the sage holds the left half of the tally

圣shèng人rén不bù积jī，

The sage does not hoard.

圣shèng人rén之zhī道dào，为wéi而ér不bù争zhēng。

the Way of the sage acts and does not contend.