The supreme good is like water,

which benefits all of creation without trying to compete with it.

It is content with the low places that people despise. Thus it is like the Tao.

Those who have the values of water know how to find the best place to live,

how to cherish the kindness from the Nature Mother,

how to behave in the relation to benevolence

how to keep their words in sincerity,

how to lead under the guideline of natural laws.

how to display in their natural talent.

how to act in efficiency.

Since they avoid contending,

there is no resistence against them.

第八章   水載道性

上善若水。水善利萬物而不爭，處眾人之所惡，故幾于道。 居善地，心善淵，與善仁，言善信，政善治，事善能，動善時(shí)。夫唯不爭，故無尤。

[譯文]

品德高尚的人好像水一樣，水滋養(yǎng)萬物而無爭，往低處流淌，停留在人所厭惡的地方。因此，最接近于道。上善的人選擇和諧的生存環(huán)境，心系道本源的仁善，與人真誠相處，言而信守承諾，治理井然有序，做事?lián)P其所能，行動把握時(shí)機(jī)。

正是不去爭奪、巧取，才可以無憂無慮。