Sacred Text · The Tao Te Ching
Tao Te Ching, chapter 8
Chapter 8 of 81
“The highest excellence is like (that of) water. The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying, without striving (to the contrary), the low place which all men dislike. Hence (its way) is near to (that of) the Tao. The excellence of a residence is in (the suitability of) the place; that of the mind is in abysmal stillness; that of associations is in their being with the virtuous; that of government is in its securing good order; that of (the conduct of) affairs is in its ability; and that of (the initiation of) any movement is in its timeliness. And when (one with the highest excellence) does not wrangle (about his low position), no one finds fault with him.”
Tao Te Ching 8 · Legge
Translation: James Legge (1891), The Tâo Teh King, Sacred Books of the East vol. XXXIX, public domain, via Project Gutenberg (ebook 216). Reproduced in full and in context; chapter 1 and the chapter count (81 chapters) validated against the source before publishing. Legge’s round brackets are his own clarifying insertions.
Christian comparison
How this connects to Jesus
The highest excellence is like water, which benefits all things and rests in the low place that all others shun. Jesus made himself that low place, taking a towel to wash his followers’ feet (John 13:3-15), and offering himself as living water (John 4:14). The greatness that stoops to serve is at the very heart of the Gospel.
Explore: Water and the low placeWhy Jesus?Read the Gospel