后己 · 江海为百谷王

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

大江大海之所以能够成为天下百川溪谷汇聚之王，正是因为它们善于安处低下的地势，所以才能容纳百川而为王。 因此圣人若要引导百姓，言语态度必定对百姓谦逊恭下；若要表率众人，个人利益必定退居在众人之后。 正因如此，圣人居于上位而百姓丝毫不觉压迫沉重，走在前面引领而百姓丝毫不觉利益受损。所以天下人都乐意推崇拥戴他而从不厌倦。正因为他不与人争权夺利，天下反而没有人能与他相争。

Commentary

青禾散人评注：山峰虽高却留不住一滴水，江海居最下却收纳天下之水。“处上而民不重，处前而民不害”是一切真正领袖的试金石。

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)