Chapter XXII
(Chapter 22)

Ko Yuen Translation The Guerdon of Modesty
1.	The part becometh the whole. The curve becometh straight; the void becometh full; the old becometh new. He who desireth little accomplisheth his Will with ease; who desireth many things becometh distracted¹.
2.	Therefore, the sage concentrateth upon one Will, and it is as a light to the whole world. Hiding himself, he shineth; withdrawing himself, he attracteth notice; humbling himself, he is exalted; dissatisfied with himself², he gaineth force to achieve his Will. Because he striveth not, no man may contend against him.
3.	That is no idle saw of the men of old; "The part becometh the whole"; it is the Canon of Perfection³.

S. Mitchell Translation

If you want to become whole,
let yourself be partial.
If you want to become straight,
let yourself be crooked.
If you want to become full,
let yourself be empty.
If you want to be reborn,
let yourself die.
If you want to be given everything,
give everything up.

The Master, by residing in the Tao,
sets an example for all beings.
Because he doesn't display himself,
people can see his light.
Because he has nothing to prove,
people can trust his words.
Because he doesn't know who he is,
people recognize themselves in him.
Because he has no goad in mind,
everything he does succeeds.

When the ancient Masters said,
"If you want to be given everything,
give everything up,"
they weren't using empty phrases.
Only in being lived by the Tao can you be truly yourself.

James Legge Translation
1.	The partial becomes complete; the crooked, straight; the empty, full; the worn out, new. He whose (desires) are few gets them; he whose (desires) are many goes astray.
2.	Therefore the sage holds in his embrace the one thing (of humility), and manifests it to all the world. He is free from self-display, and therefore he shines; from self-assertion, and therefore he is distinguished; from self-boasting, and therefore his merit isacknowledged; from self-complacency, and therefore he acquires superiority. It is because he is thus free from striving that therefore no one in the world is able to strive with him.
3.	That saying of the ancients that 'the partial becomes complete' was not vainly spoken: all real completion is comprehended under it.

GNL not Lao Interpolation

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Accept and you become whole,
Bend and you straighten,
Empty and you fill,
Decay and you renew,
Want and you acquire,
Fulfill and you become confused.

The sage accepts the world
As the world accepts the Way;
He does not display himself, so is clearly seen,
Does not justify himself, so is recognized,
Does not boast, so is credited,
Does not pride himself, so endures,
Does not contend, so none contend against him.

The ancients said, "Accept and you become whole",
Once whole, the world is as your home.

Tao Teh King
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Ko Yuen Commentary
1.	Thus he hath none of them. Return to text
2.	since the one Will is not yet attained. Return to text
3.	Any part X becomes the whole Zero, by cancelling itself through "love" of -X. Return to text

Tao Teh King
Main Page

Chapter XXII(Chapter 22)

Ko Yuen Translation

The Guerdon of Modesty

S. Mitchell Translation

James Legge Translation

GNL not Lao Interpolation

Home

Ko Yuen Commentary

Chapter XXII
(Chapter 22)