Chapter 78
Nothing in the world is softer than water,
yet nothing can overcome it when attacking the hard.
Because nothing can replace water—
The weak ultimately conquer the strong; the gentle penetrate the rigid.
All under heaven know this truth, yet few practice it!
Thus the sage declares:
"One who bears a nation’s disgrace is worthy to be its ruler;
One who shoulders the world’s calamities is fit to be its king."
The highest truths often appear contrary to common sense.
(Note: This chapter uses water as a metaphor to expound the Daoist principle that "softness overcomes hardness." Though supremely gentle, water can erode stone and split rock, revealing the latent power of "non-contention." Laozi elevates this physical phenomenon into a philosophy of governance: true leaders must emulate rivers that absorb impurities, humbly enduring the people’s burdens. The closing line—"truths seem paradoxical"—captures the essence of Daoist dialectics: supreme wisdom often manifests as counterintuitive paradoxes, such as "great skill appears clumsy" or "profound intelligence seems foolish," echoing the book’s core axiom that "reversal is the movement of the Dao" (反者道之动). For modern leadership, this chapter teaches that true strength arises from tolerance, and authority is born of responsibility.)
