Chapter XLIX
(Chapter 49)

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Ko Yuen Translation

The Adaptability of the Teh
1. The wise man hath no fixed principle; he adapteth his mind to his environment.
2. To the good I am good, and to the evil I am good also; thus all become good.  To the true I am true, and to the false I am true; thus all become true.
3. The sage appeareth hesitating to the world, because his mind is detached.  Therefore the people look and listen to him, as his children; and thus doth he shepherd them.

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S. Mitchell Translation
The Master has no mind of her own.
She works with the mind of the people.

She is good to people who are good.
She is also good to people who aren't good.
This is true goodness.

She trusts people who are trustworthy.
She also trusts people who aren't trustworthy.
This is true trust.

The Master's mind is like space.
People don't understand her.
They look to her and wait.
She treats them like her own children.

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James Legge Translation
1. The sage has no invariable mind of his own; he makes the mind of the people his mind.
2. To those who are good (to me), I am good; and to those who are not good (to me), I am also good; and thus (all) get to be good.  To those who are sincere (with me), I am sincere; and to those who are not sincere (with me), I am also sincere; and thus (all) get to be sincere.
3. The sage has in the world an appearance of indecision, and keeps his mind in a state of indifference to all.  The people all keep their eyes and ears directed to him, and he deals with them all as his children.

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GNL not Lao Interpolation

People
The sage does not distinguish between himself and the world;
The needs of other people are as his own.

He is good to those who are good;
He is also good to those who are not good,
Thereby he is good.
He trusts those who are trustworthy;
He also trusts those who are not trustworthy,
Thereby he is trustworthy.

The sage lives in harmony with the world,
And his mind is the world's mind.
So he nurtures the worlds of others
As a mother does her children.

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