The One Who Stands on Tiptoe

物或恶之

Wù Huò È Zhī

On tiptoe you cannot stand steady; striding you cannot walk far. Self-display, boasting and the extra bite of food are things every creature takes offence at.

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4 sentences · 5 notes

企qǐ者zhě不bù立lì；跨kuà者zhě不bù行xíng；自zì见jiàn者zhě不bù明míng；自zì是shì者zhě不bù彰zhāng；自zì伐fá者zhě无wú功gōng；自zì矜jīn者zhě不bù长cháng。

1He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm; he who stretches his legs does not walk (easily).

2(So), he who displays himself does not shine; he who asserts his own views is not distinguished; he who vaunts himself does not find his merit acknowledged; he who is self-conceited has no superiority allowed to him.

其qí在zài道dào也yě．曰yuē：余yú食shí赘zhuì形xíng。

3Such conditions, viewed from the standpoint of the Tao, are like remnants of food, or a tumour on the body, which all dislike.

物wù或huò恶wù之zhī，故gù有yǒu道dào者zhě不bù处chǔ。

4Hence those who pursue (the course) of the Tao do not adopt and allow them.

Chinese commentary · 5 notes

The notes printed with this chapter in Chinese editions, kept in Chinese, for readers who come to the text that way.

1企：就是翘起足，用脚尖站立。

2跨：加大步伐，想要快速行走。

3彰：明显，显著。

4长：长久。

5赘（zhuì）：多余的。

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Read this chapter in Chinese · 物或恶之