後己 · 江海為百谷王

Hòu Jǐ

Classical Chinese Text

江海之所以能为百谷王者，以其善下之，故能为百谷王。是以圣人欲上民，必以言下之；欲先民，必以身后之。是以圣人处上而民不重，处前而民不害。是以天下乐推而不厌。以其不争，故天下莫能与之争。

Translation & Meaning

大江大海之所以能夠成為天下百川溪谷匯聚之王，正是因為它們善於安處低下的地勢，所以才能容納百川而為王。 因此聖人若要引導百姓，言語態度必定對百姓謙遜恭下；若要表率眾人，個人利益必定退居在眾人之後。 正因如此，聖人居於上位而百姓絲毫不覺壓迫沉重，走在前面引領而百姓絲毫不覺利益受損。所以天下人都樂意推崇擁戴他而從不厭倦。正因為他不與人爭權奪利，天下反而沒有人能與他相爭。

Commentary

青禾散人評注：山峰雖高卻留不住一滴水，江海居最下卻收納天下之水。「處上而民不重，處前而民不害」是一切真正領袖的試金石。

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 江 (jiāng): classical character (jiāng)
  • 海 (hǎi): classical character (hǎi)
  • 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
  • 所 (suǒ): place / frontier / that which
  • 以 (yǐ): in order to / by means of
  • 能 (néng): fruitful / capacity / ability
  • 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
  • 百 (bǎi): classical character (bǎi)
  • 谷 (gǔ): classical character (gǔ)
  • 王 (wáng): classical character (wáng)
  • 者 (zhě): aspects / those who / things
  • 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
  • 善 (shàn): goodness / skillful / kind
  • 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
  • 故 (gù): therefore / thus / consequence
  • 是 (shì): this / therefore
  • 圣 (shèng): sage / enlightened one
  • 人 (rén): person / human
  • 欲 (yù): intent / desire / craving
  • 上 (shàng): elevate / utmost / high
  • 民 (mín): classical character (mín)
  • 必 (bì): classical character (bì)
  • 言 (yán): words / speech
  • 先 (xiān): before / front
  • 身 (shēn): classical character (shēn)
  • 后 (hòu): after / behind
  • 处 (chù): stays / dwells / position
  • 而 (ér): yet / and / but
  • 不 (bù): not / un- / without
  • 重 (zhòng): classical character (zhòng)
  • 前 (qián): classical character (qián)
  • 害 (hài): classical character (hài)
  • 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
  • 乐 (lè): classical character (lè)
  • 推 (tuī): classical character (tuī)
  • 厌 (yàn): classical character (yàn)
  • 争 (zhēng): compete / contend / rival
  • 莫 (mò): classical character (mò)
  • 与 (yǔ): classical character (yǔ)