Chapter 61 Dyer
A great country is like the lowland toward which all streams flow.
It is the reservoir of all under Heaven, the feminine of the world.
The female overcomes the male with stillness by lowering herself through her quietness.
So if a great country lowers itself before a small one, it wins friendship and trust.
And if a small country can lower itself before a great one, it will win over that great country.
The one wins by stooping the other by remaining low.
Chapter 61 Henricks
1. The large state is like the lower part of a river;
2. It is the female of the world;
3. It is the meeting point of the world.
4. The female constantly overcomes the male with tranquility.
5. Because she is tranquil, therefore she is fittingly underneath.
6. The large state—if it is below the small state, then it takes over the small state;
7. The small state—if it is below the large state, then it is taken over by the large state.
8. Therefore some by being low take over,
9. And some by being low are taken over.
10. Therefore the large state merely desires to unite and rear others;
11. While the small state merely desires to enter and serve others.
12. If both get what they want,
13. Then the large state should fittingly be underneath.
Chapter 61 Lau
A large state is the lower reaches of a river:
The place where all the streams of the world unite.
In the union of the world,
The female always gets the better of the male by stillness.
Being still, she takes the lower position.
Hence the large state, by taking the lower position, annexes the small state;
The small state, by taking the lower position, affiliates itself to the large state.
Thus the one, by taking the lower position, annexes;
The other, by taking the lower position, is annexed.
All that the large state wants is to take the other under its wing;
All that the small state wants is to have its services accepted by the other.
If each of the two wants to find its proper place,
It is meet that the large should take the lower position.
Chapter 61 Wu
A great country is like the lowland toward which all
streams flow. It is the Reservoir of all under heaven,
the Feminine of the world. The Feminine always conquers the Masculine by her
quietness, by lowering herself through her quietness. Hence, if a great country can lower itself before a
small country, it will win over the small country; and if a
small country can lower itself before a great country, it
will win over the great country. The one wins by
stooping; the other, by remaining low. What a great country wants is simply to embrace
more people; and what a small country wants is simply
to come to serve its patron. Thus, each gets what it
wants. But it behooves a great country to lower itself.