Laozi
希言自然，故飄風不終朝， 驟雨不終日。孰為此者？天地。 天地尚不能久，而況於人乎？ 故從事於道者，道者，同於道； 德者，同於德；失者，同於失。 同於道者，道亦樂得之； 同於德者，德亦樂得之； 同於失者，失亦樂得之。 信不足，焉有不信焉。
James Legge
Abstaining from speech marks him who is obeying the spontaneity of his nature. A violent wind does not last for a whole morning; a sudden rain does not last for the whole day. To whom is it that these (two) things are owing? To Heaven and Earth. If Heaven and Earth cannot make such (spasmodic) actings last long, how much less can man!
Therefore when one is making the Tao his business, those who are also pursuing it, agree with him in it, and those who are making the manifestation of its course their object agree with him in that; while even those who are failing in both these things agree with him where they fail.
Hence, those with whom he agrees as to the Tao have the happiness of attaining to it; those with whom he agrees as to its manifestation have the happiness of attaining to it; and those with whom he agrees in their failure have also the happiness of attaining (to the Tao). (But) when there is not faith sufficient (on his part), a want of faith (in him) ensues (on the part of the others).
Victor H. Mair
To be sparing of speech is natural. A whirlwind does not last the whole morning, A downpour does not last the whole day. Who causes them? If even heaven and earth cannot cause them to persist, how much less can human beings? Therefore, In pursuing his affairs, a man of the Way identifies with the Way, a man of integrity identifies with integrity, a man who fails identifies with failure. To him who identifies with integrity, the Way awards integrity; To him who identifies with failure, the Way awards failure.
C. Spurgeon Medhurst
Few words are natural.
A whirlwind does not outlast the morning; a deluge does not outlast the day. Who produces these?—The Heaven-Earth. If the Heaven-Earth cannot produce lasting phenomena, how much less can man?
Wherefore settling everything in accordance with the Tao, embodying the Tao they become identified with the Tao. Embodying its virtue, they become identified with virtue. Embodying loss, they become identified with loss.
Identified with the Tao, they joyfully accept the Tao; identified with virtue, they joyfully accept virtue; identified with loss, they joyfully accept loss.
If sincerity is lacking it is because of superficial faith.
Nothing reveals man’s slight hold on himself like his unending torrential flow of speech. According to the Apostle James unbridled tongues are signs of irreligious hearts (i. 26). An orderly, calm progression—not sudden spurts of spasmodic eloquence—is the example set by Nature for man’s imitation. The whirlwind and the deluge do not last. Man’s noisy insincerity is the result of his superficiality. This leads him to ofttimes content himself with less than the best, to identify himself with what is positive loss, or with what is a mere reflection of the real. God only speaks in the heart of him who, independent of outward circumstance, dwells “in the secret place of the Most High,” “under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Psalm. xci, 1.) “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy:
I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” (Isa. lvii, 15.)
Ursula K. Le Guin
Nature doesn’t make long speeches. A whirlwind doesn’t last all morning. A cloudburst doesn’t last all day. Who makes the wind and rain? Heaven and earth do. If heaven and earth don’t go on and on, certainly people don’t need to.
The people who work with Tao are Tao people, they belong to the Way. People who work with power belong to power. People who work with loss belong to what’s lost.
Give yourself to the Way and you’ll be at home on the Way. Give yourself to power and you’ll be at home in power. Give yourself to loss and when you’re lost you’ll be at home.
To give no trust is to get no trust.