德枯 - Te Chapter 80

天下莫柔弱于水 而攻坚强者莫之能胜也 以亓无以易之也

水之胜刚也 弱之胜强也 天下莫弗知也 而莫之能行也

故圣人之言云曰

受邦之诟 是胃社稷之主

受邦之不祥 是胃天下之王

正言若反

天下间没有比水更加柔弱的事物了，但是在攻克坚固强硬的事物的时候却没有什么东西能胜过水了。这是因为没有什么东西可以改变水的性质。水能够胜过刚强的事物，和柔弱的事物能胜过坚硬强大的事物是一个道理，天下间没有人不知道的。只是几乎没有人能够做到（象水一样去践行）。 所以通达事理的人这样说，能够经受住天灾影响收成的压力、承担整个邦国民众吃饭的责任的人（吃不饱会引发民怨），就可以成为邦国土地和粮食的主人；能够承担整个邦国所有凶险的问题（并应对、解决这些凶险），就可以被称作天下的君王。 以上这些“民怨”、“凶险”贬义词的提法，其实是从正面肯定“社稷之主”、“天下之王”的能力和责任。

• 王，仁义合者称王。

• 仁，会意字，两个人，人对人的道德约束；义（義），羊代表祭牲，“我”去祭天，代表人对“天”的道德约束，公义。

---

There is no weaker thing in the world than water, but when it comes to conquering strong and hard things, there is nothing that can beat water. This is because there is nothing that can change the nature of water. The principle that water can conquer strong things, and weak things can conquer hard and powerful things, is something that everyone in the world knows. However, almost no one can practice it.

Therefore, those who understand the principle say that those who can bear the pressure of natural disasters and the responsibility of feeding the entire nation can become the masters of the land and food of the state; those who can bear all the dangers of the state can be called the king of the world.

These negative words, "public resentment" and "dangers," are actually positive affirmations of the abilities and responsibilities of the "ruler of the state" and "king of the world."