Laozi
善建不拔，善抱者不脫，子孫以祭祀不輟。 修之於身，其德乃真；修之於家，其德乃餘； 修之於鄉，其德乃長；修之於國，其德乃豐； 修之於天下，其德乃普。 故以身觀身，以家觀家，以鄉觀鄉，以國觀國，以天下觀天下。 吾何以知天下然哉？以此。
James Legge
What (Tao’s) skilful planter plants Can never be uptorn; What his skilful arms enfold, From him can ne’er be borne. Sons shall bring in lengthening line, Sacrifices to his shrine.
Tao when nursed within one’s self, His vigour will make true; And where the family it rules What riches will accrue! The neighbourhood where it prevails In thriving will abound; And when ‘tis seen throughout the state, Good fortune will be found. Employ it the kingdom o’er, And men thrive all around.
In this way the effect will be seen in the person, by the observation of different cases; in the family; in the neighbourhood; in the state; and in the kingdom.
How do I know that this effect is sure to hold thus all under the sky? By this (method of observation).
Victor H. Mair
What is firmly established cannot be uprooted; What is tightly embraced cannot slip away. Thus sacrificial offerings made by sons and grandsons will never end. Cultivated in the person, integrity is true. Cultivated in the family, integrity is ample. Cultivated in the village, integrity lasts long. Cultivated in the state, integrity is abundant. Cultivated everywhere under heaven, integrity is vast. Observe other persons through your own person. Observe other families through your own family. Observe other villages through your own village. Observe other states through your own state. Observe all under heaven through all under heaven. How do I know the nature of all under heaven? Through this.
C. Spurgeon Medhurst
Who plants well will not have his work uprooted; who embraces well will not lose what he holds; the offerings of his sons and grandsons will never end. [^1]
Who thus regulates himself has virtue which is genuine; who thus regulates his household has virtue which overflows; who thus regulates his neighborhood has virtue which excels; who thus regulates the state has virtue which abounds; who thus regulates the world has virtue [^2] which is universal.
Therefore let every man prove himself; let each household, neighborhood, and state do the same; let the world also follow the same course.
How do I know that it must be thus with the world? By this same (which has been just said).
”The kingdom of God is within you.” “Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up.” “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many abiding places.”
This was the teaching, and the daily experience of the Lord Jesus. Whoever roots his life on these levels will not only be never swept from off his feet but will become a regulative force, which will not cease at the stage called death. The offerings of his sons and grandsons will never end.
[^1] “Where is that which is so planted that it cannot be uprooted, or so held that it cannot be torn away? Only the Sage knows the truth of spirit and the illusion of matter, so that he can give up the latter for the sake of the former. His virtue overflows, but indeed he establishes nothing, so that what he establishes cannot be uprooted. Truly he grasps nothing, and so what he embraces cannot be taken from him. Will not his sons and his grandsons be able therefore to continue their sacrifices without ceasing?”—Su-cheh.
[^2] “Virtue” (teh) is the same Chinese word as that translated “energy” in chaps. 38, 61, 55, etc. See Index.
Ursula K. Le Guin
Well planted is not uprooted, well kept is not lost. The offerings of the generations to the ancestors will not cease.
To follow the way yourself is real power. To follow it in the family is abundant power. To follow it in the community is steady power. To follow it in the whole country is lasting power. To follow it in the world is universal power.
So in myself I see what self is, in my household I see what family is, in my town I see what community is, in my nation I see what a country is, in the world I see what is under heaven.
How do I know the world is so? By this.
Note UKLG: I follow Waley’s interpretation of this chapter. It is Tao that plants and keeps; the various kinds of power belong to Tao; and finally in myself I see the Tao of self, and so on.