Tao Te Ching·Chapter 07: take the nature as mentor

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道德经 · 第七章

Tao Te Ching · Chapter 07

天長地久。
The heavens are lasting and the earth enduring.

天地之所以能長且久者，以其不自生也，故能長生。
The reason the world is able to be lasting and enduring.
Is because it does not live for itself.
Thus it is able to be long-lived.

是以聖人退其身而身先，外其身而身存。
It is on this model that the sages withdraw their persons from contention yet find themselves out in front,
Put their own persons out of mind yet find themselves taken care of.

不以其無私與?故能成其私。
Isn’t it simply because they are unselfish that they can satisfy their own needs?