八章
上善若水，水善利萬物而不爭。處眾人之所惡，故幾於道。居善地，心善淵，與善仁，言善信，正善治，事善能，動善時。夫唯不爭，故無尤。
8. The highest excellence is like (that of) water. The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying, without striving (to the contrary), the low place which all men dislike. Hence (its way) is near to (that of) the Tao.
The excellence of a residence is in (the suitability of) the place; that of the mind is in abysmal stillness; that of associations is in their being with the virtuous; that of government is in its securing good order; that of (the conduct of) affairs is in its ability; and that of (the initiation of) any movement is in its timeliness.
And when (one with the highest excellence) does not wrangle (about his low position), no one finds fault with him.
高尚的品性就像水一样。水，泽被万物而与世无争，驻留在众人厌恶的卑下之地，因此很接近于道。水的品性，善于择地而居、修心沉静、待物仁爱、信守言声、施泽有序、处事随型、行止顺时。正因为与世无争，所以不会招怨。
原著：老子；Tr. James Legge; 精解：龍裔君
