De Dao Jing || rendered by Douglas Allchin

A great land is a basin

towards which all rivers flow,
a receiver of all here below,
the female spirit of the world.
The receiver ever claims dominion through her stillness.
Still, she has reached the lowest place.

Lying low before a smaller land,

a greater land may win it over.
Lying low before a greater land,

a smaller land may win it over.
Each wins the other by being lower.

A great land is greater still when serving ever more.
A small land is better served when serving what is great.
Each benefits the other,
by which the greater land may see its lowly role.