Page 188 - Built For God Handbook (Annotated and Explained Edition) - The Christian Edition of the Tao Te Ching - The New Evangelization - Pope John Paul II
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Chapter 61
Honoring the Lowly
a
The great kingdom is like the low lands where rivers flow
It is the central meeting-ground of the world
It is the female reservoir of the world
b
The masculine honors the feminine for her stillness
She uses stillness to keep the lower position
Similarly, a great kingdom that takes the low place of a small
kingdom gains the honor of the smaller
Likewise, a small kingdom that remains in the low place gains the
honor of a great kingdom
One gains honor by taking the lowest place and the other gains
honor by remaining low
c
A great kingdom desires to grow the population it nourishes
And a small kingdom desires to join by serving the greater
Both kingdoms achieve what they desire
Thus, whoever takes the lowest place will be honored by the other
b
