The Superior Student
Translation by Tree Buffalo
The superior student, when listening to Nature, follows it diligently.
The mediocre student, when listening to Nature, sometimes keeps it, sometimes loses it.
The inferior student, when listening to Nature, laughs heartily at it.
Because not laughing would not be natural.
Therefore, establish the following sayings:
Bright paths seem dark, forward paths seem backward, and level paths seem uneven.
Perfect clarity seems opaque.
Superior virtue seems empty, abundant virtue seems insufficient, and solid virtue seems flimsy.
Substantial reality seems uncertain.
The greatest space has no boundaries, the greatest tool has no goal, the greatest sound has no tone, and the greatest form has no shape.
Read some of the first English translations of Chapter 41 here.
