Chapter 62

道者萬物之奧。善人之寶。不善人之所保。美言可以市。尊行可以加人。人之不善。何棄之有。故立天子。置三公。雖有拱璧以先駟馬。不如坐進此道。古之所以貴此道者何。不曰求以得。有罪以免耶。故為天下貴。

Translation

Dao is the sanctuary of the myriad beings — treasure of the good, refuge of those who are not good. Beautiful words may buy favor in the marketplace; honored conduct may raise a person above others. But when a person falls short of goodness, why would one cast them away?

Therefore, when the Son of Heaven is enthroned and the Three Dukes installed — though one brings forward jade discs held in both hands, borne ahead of a team of four horses — none of this compares to sitting still and advancing in Dao.

Why did the ancients hold Dao so dear? Was it not said: seek, and you obtain; transgress, and you are pardoned? This is why Dao is the most precious thing under Heaven.

Word Notes

• 奧 — "sanctuary": The southwest corner of a room — the place where a person rests and finds shelter.
• 置 — "to establish": To set up, to install in office.
• 拱 — "held in both hands": The hands joined together. A jade disc so large it must be held with both hands.
• 駟 — "a team of four horses": Four horses pulling a single chariot.

Chapter Explanation

Dao is the place where the myriad beings find their home and rest — the treasure that good people use to cultivate themselves and bring order to the world, and the thing that even those who are not good rely upon to protect themselves. How can those who are not good borrow its protection? There is a saying that puts it well: when one's speech accords with Dao, one can win others over; when one's conduct accords with Dao, one can rise above others. When a person is not good, if they can reform and start anew, why should anyone cast them aside? Therefore, when one uses Dao to enthrone the Son of Heaven and establish the Three Dukes, only those who possess Dao can fill these positions, and only then will people submit. For this reason, even if one presents a great jade disc held in both hands, borne ahead of a team of four horses — these do not compare to sitting still and advancing in Dao. Why did the ancients prize Dao so? Is it not because whatever one seeks through it can be obtained, and whatever transgressions one has committed can be pardoned? This is why it is the most precious thing under Heaven.

Discourse

A jade disc held in both hands and a team of four horses are what the world considers precious treasures. Yet when you are hungry, you cannot eat them; when you are cold, you cannot wear them; and when the state faces a crisis, they cannot save it. How, then, can they be considered precious? Moreover, the House of Zhao possessed a jade disc worth multiple cities, and it brought them nothing but aggression from Qin. Duke Jing of Qi had horses by the thousands, yet when he died, the people could not find a single good thing to say about him. Such jade discs and teams of horses are not merely useless — they are positively harmful.

Therefore the good person does not treasure such things, but treasures Dao. For with Dao, every inch of progress brings an inch of benefit; every foot of progress brings a foot of benefit. Whatever one seeks is obtained. Transgressions can be pardoned. It can bring order to the state and peace to all under Heaven, causing the myriad beings each to find their proper place.