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Taoism & Chinese Folk Religion · Taoist Classics

Tao Te Ching 49

18

Taoism & Chinese Folk Religion · Taoist Classics

Tao Te Ching 49

LeggeEnglish
ChineseChinese
The sage has no invariable mind of his own; he makes the mind of the people his mind.
聖人無常心,以百姓心為心。善者,吾善之;不善者,吾亦善之;德善。信者,吾信之;不信者,吾亦信之;德信。聖人在,天下歙歙焉,為天下渾其心,百姓皆注其耳目,聖人皆孩之。
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.
—
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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Sources & credits: Legge · Chinese

Legge — Tao Te Ching (James Legge) (1891). Public Domain. Translated by James Legge (1891), public domain; Project Gutenberg #216. Source

Chinese — 道德經 (Classical Chinese) (c. 4th century BCE). Public Domain. Chinese text, Project Gutenberg #24039, public domain. Source