Chapter 45

If a great achievement is lacking, its use is not detrimental. If a great surplus surges, its use will never cease. Great straightforwardness seems bent ③, great ingenuity seems clumsy ③, and great eloquence seems dull ④. Stillness overcomes restlessness, and cold overcomes heat. Tranquility is the right path for the world. The most perfect thing seems to have some imperfections, but its function will never wane. The most abundant thing seems to be empty, but its function will never be exhausted. The most upright things seem to be bent. The most dexterous thing seems like the most clumsy. The most outstanding debater seems to be not good at expressing himself. Tranquility overcomes disturbance, and coldness overcomes summer heat. Only through tranquility and non-action can one rule the world. [Note] 1. Great accomplishment: The most perfect thing. 2. Chong: Emptiness, emptiness. 3. Qu: To bend. 4. Dull: Clumsy in speech and tongue. 5. Stillness overcomes restlessness, and coldness overcomes heat: Tranquility overcomes disturbance, and coldness overcomes summer heat. 6. Zheng: To communicate with "politics". [Quotation] This chapter can be regarded as a continuation of Chapter Forty-one both in content and writing style, discussing the dialectical relationship between content and form, essence and phenomenon. Chapter 41 is about "the Way", while this chapter is about "personality". Among them, the personality forms of "great achievement" and "great profit"; The external manifestations of "if lacking", "if aggressive", "if bent", "if clumsy" and "if slow" all indicate that a perfect personality is not revealed on the surface but is contained and absorbed within its inner life. [Commentary] Ren Jiyu wrote in "New Translation of Laozi" : "This chapter discusses dialectical thought." Laozi believed that some things seem to be a situation on the surface, but in essence they are a situation. The surface situation and the actual situation are sometimes completely opposite. In politics, one should not be proactive. Only by adhering to the principle of "non-action" can one achieve success. This analysis is accurate. Laozi used dialectics to understand things and people. Especially for those Kings, Dukes, generals and ministers who have achieved great feats such as national wealth, military strength, territory expansion of thousands of miles and the unification of dozens of states, if they do not become complacent because of this and see their own shortcomings and deficiencies; If what is full and abundant can be regarded as small, and what is rich can be regarded as insufficient, and if it is treated with flexibility and clumsiness, it will surely be of infinite use.