Chapter 49 Dyer
The sage has no fixed mind.
He is aware of the needs of others.
Those who are good he treats with goodness.
Those who are bad he also treats with goodness because the nature of his being is good.
He is kind to the kind.
He is also kind to the unkind because the nature of his being is kindness.
He is faithful to the faithful.
He is also faithful to the unfaithful.
The sage lives in harmony with all below Heaven.
He sees everything as his own self.
He loves everyone as his own child.
All people are drawn to him.
He behaves like a little child.
Chapter 49 Henricks
1. The Sage constantly has no [set] mind;
2. He takes the mind of the common people as his mind.
3. Those who are good he regards as good;
4. Those who are not good he also regards as good.
5. [In this way] he attains goodness.
6. Those who are trustworthy he trusts;
7. And those who are not trustworthy he also trusts.
8. [In this way] he gets their trust.
9. As for the Sage's presence in the world—he is one with it.
10. And with the world he merges his mind.
11. The common people all fix their eyes and ears on him.
12. And the Sage treats them all as his children.
Chapter 49 Lau
The sage has no mind of his own.
He takes as his own the mind of the people.
Those who are good I treat as good.
Those who are not good I also treat as good.
In so doing I gain in goodness.
Those who are of good faith I have faith in.
Those who are lacking in good faith I also have faith in.
In so doing I gain in good faith.
The sage in his attempt to distract the mind of the empire seeks urgently to muddle it.
The people all have something to occupy their eyes and ears, and the sage treats them all like children.
Chapter 49 Wu
The Sage has no interests of his own,
But takes the interests of the people as his own.
He is kind to the kind;
He is also kind to the unkind:
For Virtue is kind.
He is faithful to the faithful;
He is also faithful to the unfaithful:
For Virtue is faithful.
In the midst of the world, the Sage is shy and self-effacing.
For the sake of the world he keeps his heart in its nebulous state.
All the people strain their ears and eyes:
The Sage only smiles like an amused infant.