Chapter 7

天長地久。天地所以能長且久者，以其不自生，故能長生。是以聖人後其身而身先，外其身而身存。非以其無私耶，故能成其私。

Translation

Heaven endures, Earth abides. The reason Heaven and Earth can endure and abide is that they do not live for themselves — therefore they can live forever. Thus the Sage places himself last, yet finds himself first; regards himself as outside, yet his self is preserved. Is it not because he is without self-interest that he can truly fulfill what is his own?

Word Notes

• 私 — "self-interest": Acting for oneself; personal gain.

Chapter Explanation

Heaven endures long, Earth lasts far. The reason Heaven and Earth can endure long and last far is that they give life to the myriad beings but do not live for themselves — therefore they can live forever. For this reason, the Sage places himself last in all things, yielding to others — yet his person ends up in front. He regards himself as outside, not contending for power and advantage — yet his self is preserved. Is it not because he acts without self-interest? By acting without self-interest, he is therefore able to truly fulfill what is his own.

Discourse

This chapter says that Heaven and Earth were born of the Valley Spirit. The Valley Spirit does not die — no one has seen this. But that Heaven endures — this everyone knows. Since Heaven and Earth can endure, the Valley Spirit can be inferred.

The reason Heaven and Earth can endure is that they give life to the myriad beings but do not live for themselves. Giving life to all things yet not living for themselves — it would seem they should be swiftly exhausted. But the underlying principle governing the space between Heaven and Earth is cyclical. Heaven and Earth give life to the myriad beings, and after the myriad beings have come into existence, their vital energy still returns to Heaven and Earth. Moreover, the myriad beings cannot exist outside of Heaven and Earth. Thus, for Heaven and Earth to give life to the myriad beings is to give life to themselves. If Heaven and Earth did not regard the myriad beings as one body with themselves and only looked after themselves, they would become merely a single isolated thing — how could that be worthy of being called Heaven and Earth?

The Sage stands alongside Heaven and Earth, and he too treats all under Heaven as one family, all nations as one person. He places himself last and regards himself as outside. Yet through the cycling of Heaven and Earth, what was placed last turns around and naturally ends up first; what was regarded as outside — his self thereby grows great beyond all outer limit, enduring through all ages.

Were it otherwise — if one cared only for oneself and scrambled to be first, if one cared only for oneself and scrambled to survive — everyone would seek to destroy such a person. How could he come first? How could he survive?