What Must First Be Weakened

柔弱刚强

Róu Ruò Gāng Qiáng

Whatever is to be strengthened must first be kept weak. The soft overcomes the hard — and the fish cannot leave the depths, nor sharp tools leave their keeping.

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3 sentences · 5 notes

将jiāng欲yù歙xī之zhī，必bì固gù张zhāng之zhī；将jiāng欲yù弱ruò之zhī，必bì固gù强qiáng之zhī；将jiāng欲yù废fèi之zhī，必bì固gù兴xīng之zhī；将jiāng欲yù取qǔ之zhī，必bì固gù与yǔ之zhī：是shì谓wèi微wēi明míng。

1When one is about to take an inspiration, he is sure to make a (previous) expiration; when he is going to weaken another, he will first strengthen him; when he is going to overthrow another, he will first have raised him up; when he is going to despoil another, he will first have made gifts to him:--this is called 'Hiding the light (of his procedure).'

柔róu弱ruò胜shèng刚gāng强qiáng。

2The soft overcomes the hard; and the weak the strong.

鱼yú不bù可kě脱tuō于yú渊yuān，国guó之zhī利lì器qì不bù可kě以yǐ示shì人rén。

3Fishes should not be taken from the deep; instruments for the profit of a state should not be shown to the people.

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歙：收敛，收缩。

2固：暂且，姑且。此章几个“固”均如此解释。

3微明：即微妙的道理。明，这里有高明、深远的意思。

4脱：离开。

5利器：有几种说法：一是指权道，二是指赏罚，三是指圣智仁义巧利。

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