“Tao Teh Ching: Chapter 49” by Lao Tzu

The Sage has no interests of his own,
But takes the interests of the people as his own.
He is kind to the kind;
He is also kind to the unkind:
For Virtue is kind.
He is faithful to the faithful;
He is also faithful to the unfaithful:
For Virtue is faithful.

In the midst of the world, the Sage is shy and self-effacing.
For the sake of the world he keeps his heart in its nebulous state.
All the people strain their ears and eyes:
The Sage only smiles like an amused infant.

In this passage, Lao Tzu appears to be offering guidance to rulers and leaders. In the first two lines, the emphasis is on placing the interests of the populace above those of the ruling self. The rest of the first stanza expresses the “love thy enemy” mindset. It is easy to be kind to those who are kind toward you; but the ability to be kind to those who are unkind is a sign of deep spirituality.

The second stanza almost seems like it should be a stand-alone passage. For me, this stanza is expressing the importance of remaining childlike, of nurturing that sense of wonder when interacting with the world around you. It is so easy to get caught up in the stress, and the hustle and bustle of daily life. But when we allow this to happen, our happiness and our connection with the divine is diminished. It is only when we open ourselves to the childlike fascination that is buried within that we again experience the unbridled joy and deep connection that we felt when we were young.

As always, thanks for stopping by and sharing in my musings. Have a blessed day!

Advertisement