The Master that knows the Tao becomes like fluidly moving water
and yields to become unyielding.
The sharpest knife that can bring down the strongest tree
is nothing to the Master, for he simply lets it pass through.
The fiercest insult that wounds even the uncaring man
is nothing to the Master, for there is no mentality it strikes.
The tightest rope that binds the wiliest foxes
is nothing to the Master, for there is nothing he is tied to.
The most valuable jewel that attracts the stingiest merchants
is nothing to the Master, for there is nothing he desires.
The Master weathers these obstacles,
splits around them,
and streams over, under and around them.
In this fashion, the Master follows like water wherever it flows
He has no places to reach and nothing to fight against
and thus he can reach all.
I like how your poem describes the master as water, because he has abilities similar to water. It shows his flexibility and fluidity very well.
ReplyDeleteI really like the adjectives you used (fiercest, sharpest tightest) because it really puts an emphasis on how strong and flexible the Master is.
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