Chapter 68

善為士者不武，善戰者不怒，善勝敵者不與，善用人者為之下，是謂不爭之德，是謂用人之力，是謂配天，古之極也。

shan wei shi zhe bu
wu
善為士者不武

Those who know well how to fulfill their duty as an official will not use force.

shan zhan zhe bu nu
善戰者不怒

Those who know well how to be engaged in rivalry will not lose their temper.

shan sheng di zhe bu
yu
善勝敵者不與

Those who know well how to conquer their rivals will not be engaged in rivalry.

shan yong ren zhe wei
zhi xia
善用人者為之下

Those who know well how to engage people to work will stay low and behave humbly.

shi wei bu zheng zhi de
是謂不爭之德

This is de of non-rivalry.

shi wei yong ren zhi li
是謂用人之力

This is power of actuation.

shi wei pei tian
是謂配天

This is the kind of merit with which people can match up to the Great Nature.

gu zhi ji ye
古之極也

This can be traced back to how the people lived in the earliest times.