The sage

The Dao De Jing's sage puts himself last and is first (chapter 7), does not show himself or contend (chapter 22), knows without going and achieves without acting (chapter 47), and wears coarse cloth with jade inside (chapter 70).

The sage (圣人) is named in 26 of the 81 chapters, and the pattern is nearly always the same: a chapter says how things are, then turns with “Therefore” (是以) to what the sage does. Chapter 7 says heaven and earth last because “they do not foster themselves”, and then: “The sage puts himself last, and thus is first, he detaches himself, and thus endures.” The last chapter ends: “the Way of the sage acts and does not contend.”

Most of what the sage does is a refusal. In chapter 22 he “Does not show himself, and therefore is apparent”, and “He does not contend, therefore the world cannot contend with him.” In chapter 2 he is “succeeding without taking credit”; in chapter 77 he “achieves but does not dwell on it, and has no wish to show his worth”; in chapter 72 he “knows himself but does not show himself”. Chapter 47 gives the fullest form: “So the sage knows without going, names without seeing, and achieves without acting.” Chapter 63 adds: “So the sage never does anything great, and so he can achieve greatness.”

Toward others the sage keeps no one out. Chapter 27: “the sage always elevates people, and doesn't ostracize others.” Chapter 49: “he makes the people's mind his mind”, and is good even “to those who are not good”. In chapter 79 he holds his half of the tally “but makes no demands on others”, and chapter 58 gives his manner in four pairs: “square but does not cut, sharp-edged but does not wound, straight but not overbearing, bright but does not dazzle.”

Other lines draw the same figure without the word. The ancient masters of chapter 15 have “a depth that cannot be known”, and can only be described by images. The great man (大丈夫) of chapter 38 “dwells in what is thick, not in what is thin”. The speaker of chapter 20 stands apart from the bustling crowd, “Like an infant who has not yet laughed”, and the speaker of chapter 67 has “three treasures”: compassion, frugality and “not daring to be first in the world”. Chapter 70 gives the outward sign: “the sage wears coarse cloth but carries jade inside.”

The sage: the chapters at a glance
Chapter	What it says
Chapter 2 天下皆知	The sage keeps to non-action and unspoken guidance, and succeeds without taking credit, so credit never leaves him.
Chapter 7 天长地久	The sage puts himself last and is first, detaches himself and endures.
Chapter 15 古之善为	The ancient masters of the Way are too deep to be known, so they are described through images: cautious, respectful, melting like ice, open like a valley.
Chapter 20 绝学无忧	The speaker sets himself apart from the bustling crowd: alone, like an infant, seemingly a fool, valuing the nurturing mother.
Chapter 22 曲则全枉	The sage does not show, affirm, boast of or glorify himself, and because he does not contend, no one can contend with him.
Chapter 26 重为轻根	The sage travels all day without putting down his heavy load and stays composed among spectacles.
Chapter 27 善行无辙	The sage always helps people and things and casts nothing and no one away.
Chapter 38 上德不德	The great man dwells in what is thick and in the fruit, not in what is thin and in the flower.
Chapter 47 不出户知	The sage knows without going, names without seeing and achieves without acting.
Chapter 49 圣人无常	The sage makes the people's mind his mind and is good and trusting even to those who are not.
Chapter 58 其政闷闷	The sage is square but does not cut, straight but not overbearing, bright but does not dazzle.
Chapter 63 为无为事	The sage never does anything great and so achieves greatness; he treats things as difficult and so has no difficulty.
Chapter 64 其安易持	The sage does not act and so does not spoil, does not grasp and so does not lose.
Chapter 67 天下皆谓	The speaker's three treasures: compassion, frugality, and not daring to be first in the world.
Chapter 70 吾言甚易	Those who understand the speaker are few; the sage wears coarse cloth but carries jade inside.
Chapter 71 知不知上	The sage is not sick, because he recognizes the sickness as sickness.
Chapter 72 民不畏威	The sage knows himself but does not show himself, loves himself but does not exalt himself.
Chapter 77 天之道其	The sage acts without expecting and has no wish to show his worth.
Chapter 79 和大怨必	The sage holds the left half of the tally but makes no demands on others.
Chapter 81 信言不美	The sage does not hoard, and the Way of the sage acts and does not contend.

Every line on the theme

Chapter 2

是以圣人处无为之事，

Thus the sage puts himself in a position of non-active productive state,
行不言之教，万物作焉而不辞，

carries out unspoken guidance. The myriad things conform to the same law, without a word.
生而不有，为而不恃，

Living without possessing, acting without expectations,
功成而弗居。夫唯弗居，

succeeding without taking credit. Precisely because he does not take credit,
是以不去。

so that credit never leaves him.

Chapter 2, line 6

Chapter 7

是以圣人后其身而身先，

The sage puts himself last, and thus is first,
外其身而身存。

he detaches himself, and thus endures.
非以其无私邪？

Is he not selfless?
故能成其私。

This is precisely the cause of his fulfillment.

Chapter 7, line 5

Chapter 15

古之善为士者，微妙玄通，深不可识。

The ancient masters of the Way had subtle marvelous mystic penetration; a depth that cannot be known.
夫唯不可识，故强为之容。

Precisely because they cannot be known, I am forced to describe their appearance.
豫兮若冬涉川，

Apprehend it akin to wade across a river in the winter.
犹兮若畏四邻，

Just like one afraid of his neighbors on all sides.
俨兮其若容，

Respectful, toward its outer appearance.
涣兮若冰之将释，

Like ice, ever melting away before revealing itself.
敦兮其若朴，

Considerate toward its simplicity.
旷兮其若谷，混兮其若浊。

Open, like a valley. Obscure, like muddy water.

Chapter 15, line 1

Chapter 20

众人熙熙，如享太牢，

All the people are bustling about, as if they enjoy the sacrifice,
如春登台。

enjoy climbing the Spring Altar.
我独泊兮其未兆，

I remain alone, not yet having revealed myself.
如婴儿之未孩。

Like an infant who has not yet laughed.
儽儽兮若无所归。

Weary, like one despairing of nowhere to return to.
众人皆有余，

All the people possess surplus,
而我独若遗。

while I alone seem left behind.
我愚人之心也哉！

Mine is the mind of a fool!
沌沌兮！

So confused!
俗人昭昭，我独昏昏；

Average people are clear-minded, I am alone and muddle-headed.
俗人察察，我独闷闷。

Average people know everything. I am alone and depressed.
澹兮其若海，

Tranquil like the ocean,
飂兮若无止。

high winds that never stop.
众人皆有以，而我独顽似鄙。

Everyone has a purpose, whereas I am alone, stubborn as a scoundrel.
我独异于人，而贵食母。

I alone differ from people, as I value the nurturing mother.

Chapter 20, line 6

Chapter 22

是以圣人抱一，为天下式。

Therefore the sage embraces unity, and follows the universe's patterns.
不自见故明，不自是故彰，

Does not show himself, and therefore is apparent. Does not affirm himself, and therefore is acknowledged.
不自伐故有功，不自矜故长。

Does not boast and therefore has merit. Does not glorify himself and can therefore improve.
夫唯不争，故天下莫能与之争。

He does not contend, therefore the world cannot contend with him.

Chapter 22, line 4

Chapter 26

是以圣人终日行不离辎重。

Therefore the sage travels all day without putting down his heavy load.
唯有荣观，燕处超然，

Though there may be spectacles to see, he effortlessly remains composed.

Chapter 26, line 2

Chapter 27

是以圣人常善救人，

This is how the sage always elevates people,
故无弃人；

and doesn't ostracize others.
常善救物，故无弃物，

He always takes care of things, and doesn't cast away anything.
是谓袭明。

This is called following the light.

Chapter 27, line 6

Chapter 38

是以大丈夫处其厚，

So the great man dwells in what is thick,
不居其薄；

not in what is thin;
处其实，不居其华。

in the fruit, not in the flower.
故去彼取此。

Thus he lets go of that, and takes up this.

Chapter 38, line 13

Chapter 47

是以圣人不行而知，

So the sage knows without going,
不见而名，

names without seeing,
不为而成。

and achieves without acting.

Chapter 47, line 4

Chapter 49

圣人无常心，

The sage has no fixed mind of his own;
以百姓心为心。

he makes the people's mind his mind.
善者，吾善之；

To the good, I am good;
不善者，吾亦善之，德善。

to those who are not good, I am also good, and so goodness is gained.
信者，吾信之；

The trustworthy I trust;
不信者，吾亦信之，德信。

the untrustworthy I also trust, and so trust is gained.
圣人在天下歙歙，

The sage in the world draws himself in,
为天下浑其心，

and for the world's sake keeps his mind undivided;
圣人皆孩之。

the sage treats them all as children.

Chapter 49, line 1

Chapter 58

是以圣人方而不割，

So the sage is square but does not cut,
廉而不刿，直而不肆，

sharp-edged but does not wound, straight but not overbearing,
光而不燿。

bright but does not dazzle.

Chapter 58, line 8

Chapter 63

是以圣人终不为大，

So the sage never does anything great,
故能成其大。

and so he can achieve greatness.

Chapter 63, line 7

是以圣人犹难之，

So the sage treats things as difficult,
故终无难矣。

and so in the end has no difficulty.

Chapter 63, line 11

Chapter 64

是以圣人无为故无败，

So the sage does not act, and so does not spoil;
无执故无失。

does not grasp, and so does not lose.

Chapter 64, line 11

Chapter 67

我有三宝，持而保之。

I have three treasures, which I hold and keep:
一曰慈，二曰俭，

the first is compassion, the second is frugality,
三曰不敢为天下先。

the third is not daring to be first in the world.

Chapter 67, line 5

Chapter 70

知我者希，则我者贵。

Those who understand me are few; those who follow me are rare and precious.
是以圣人被褐怀玉。

So the sage wears coarse cloth but carries jade inside.