七十七章
天之道，其犹张弓欤？
高者抑之，下者举之，有馀者损之，不足者补之。
天之道，损有馀而补不足。
人之道，则不然：损不足以奉有馀。
孰能有馀以奉天下？唯有道者。
是以圣人为而不恃，功成而不居，其不欲见贤。
The Tao (way) of Heaven,
Is it not like the bending of a bow?
The top comes down and the bottom-end goes up,
The extra (length) is shortened, the insufficient (width)
is expanded.
It is the way of Heaven to take away from those that have toomuch
And give to those that have not enough.
Not so with man’s way:
He takes from those that have not
And gives it as tribute to those that have too much.
Who can have enough and to spare to give to the entire world?
Only the man of Tao.
Therefore the Sage acts, but does not possess,
Accomplishes but lays claim to no credit,
Because he has no wish to seem superior.
