德进八 - Te Chapter 78

人之生也 柔弱 亓死也 恒仞贤强

万物草木之生也 柔脆 亓死也 枯槁

故曰

坚强者 死之徒也

柔弱微细 生之徒也

兵强则不胜 木强则恒

强大居下，柔弱微细居上

人活着的时候，外在身体是柔软的、内在精神是敏感软弱的，死了以后肉体长久的待在八尺之地，留下精神财富、身体则变得僵硬；草木活着的时候，枝叶是柔软脆弱的，死了以后就变得干硬枯槁了。所以说，坚固僵化的事物会逐渐失去活动能力、逐渐失去生命的气息，而柔弱的、细微的事物则充满了生机和活力。 行军打仗的时候，军队自恃强大就会表现出僵化，就无法取得胜利；树木生长强大之后就一直保持住那个状态，不再进一步生长下去了。 事物发展壮大了，适合落到低下的、基础的位置；而柔弱的、细微的事物处在萌芽发展的过程中，（始终往更高处生长）更应该处于上位。

• 仞，伸臂一寻八尺。

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When people are alive, their physical bodies are soft and their mental states are sensitive and weak, but after death, their physical bodies will stay in the earth for a long time while their spiritual wealth remains. Similarly, when plants are alive, their branches and leaves are soft and fragile, but after death, they become hard and withered. Therefore, things that are solid and rigid will gradually lose their ability to move and lose their life force, while things that are weak and delicate will be full of vitality and life.

During military campaigns and battles, armies that rely on their own strength will become rigid and unable to win, and trees that have grown strong will no longer continue to grow.

Things that have grown strong and developed are suitable for lower, basic positions, while those that are weak and delicate, which are in the process of growth and development, should be in higher positions.