Tao Te Ching Chapter 8

the short of it:

Water attains the highest efficacy because it travels to the lowest places.

8. the easy nature.

The highest style of goodness is like water. Water is good to benefit all things; while it does not strive, but runs to the place which all [people] disdain. Therefore it is near to Tau. Where it abides, it is good for adaptability. In its heart, it is good for depth. In giving, it is good for benevolence. In speaking, it is good for fidelity. In correcting, it is good for government. In serving, it is good for ability. In acting, it is good for seasonableness. And inasmuch as it does not strive no one dislikes it. 

Lau Tsze. Chalmers, John. The Speculations on Metaphysics, Polity, and Morality, of “the Old Philosopher,” Lau-tsze, Translated from the Chinese, with an Introduction by J. Chalmers. United Kingdom: Trübner, 1868.

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8. (Untitled).

The highest goodness is like water, for water is excellent in benefiting all things, and it does not strive. It occupies the lowest place, which [people] abhor. And therefore it is near akin to Tao.

The (goodness)* of a dwelling is its site; the (goodness) of a mind is its profundity; the (goodness) of giving is charitableness; the (goodness) of speech is truthfulness; the (goodness) of government is order; the (goodness) of action is ability; the (goodness) of movement is timeliness.

Goodness strives not, and therefore it is not rebuked.

*Giles split up the original chapter divisions. They are re-combined here and changed for parallelism. He originally translated (goodness) here as excellence.

Lao Tzu. Lionel Giles. The Sayings of Lao Tzŭ. United Kingdom: Orient Press, 1904.

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8. (Untitled)

	Heavenly Love is like water. 
	Water blesses all things, 
			It does not hurt them. 
	It loves the lowly place that [people] dislike, 
			Therefore it comes very near to Tao. 
	The Master loves to dwell upon the earth. 
			In [their] heart [they love] Infinity, 
			In [their] benevolence [they love] giving, 
			In [their] words [they love] sincerity, 
			In [their] government [they love] peace, 
			In [their] business affairs [they love] ability, 
			In [their] movements [they love] punctuality. 
	The Master, indeed, does not fight, 
			Therefore [their] Inner Life increases.

Lao-tzu. Mears, Isabella. Tao Teh King … A Tentative Translation … by Isabella Mears. United Kingdom: Theosophical Publishing House, 1922.

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the long of it:

Water is a prime paradox in the Tao Te Ching, and in life. It is the substance of highest efficacy only because it is willing to go to the lowest, unseemliest places.

Chapter 8 itself reads like water, as does the sage; dribbling down from the top to wash away complexity and nurture life from beneath.

-TB