Chapter 7 · Long Enduring by Self-Forgetting

Tao Te Ching (Legge, 1891) · chapter title added by Learn the Dao

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The chapter’s first line

Heaven is long-enduring and earth continues long.

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This chapter in plain modern English — David Kooi’s rendering ↓

Heaven is long-enduring and earth continues long. The reason why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is because they do not live of, or for, themselves. This is how they are able to continue and endure. Therefore the sage puts his own person last, and yet it is found in the foremost place; he treats his person as if it were foreign to him, and yet that person is preserved. Is it not because he has no personal and private ends, that therefore such ends are realised?

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Chapter 7, in a second rendering

Not In It For Themselves

Dao De Kooi — an original rendering by David Kooi

Heaven and earth go on and on. They can afford to - they're not in it for themselves, so there's nothing to burn out. Same move works for a person. Put yourself last and you tend to end up out front. Treat your own skin as not the point, and it gets looked after anyway. It's not a trick to get ahead. Drop the angling for yourself and, funny enough, the self gets taken care of.

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