道德經第二十二章

曲則全，枉則直，窪則盈，弊則新，少則得，多則惑。

是以聖人抱一為天下式。

不自見，故明；不自是，故彰；不自伐，故有功；不自矜，故長。

夫唯不爭，故天下莫能與之爭。

古之所謂曲則全者，豈虛言哉！

誠全而歸之。

Dao De Ching Chapter 22 — Muller

22. The imperfect is completed...

The imperfect is completed.

The crooked is straightened.

The empty is filled.

The old is renewed.

With few there is attainment.

With much there is confusion.

Therefore the sage grasps the one and becomes the model for all.

She does not show herself and therefore is apparent.

She does not affirm herself and therefore is acknowledged.

She does not boast and therefore has merit.

She does not strive and is therefore successful.

It is exactly because she does not contend, that nobody can contend with her.

How could the ancient saying, "The imperfect is completed" be regarded as empty talk?

Believe in the complete and return to it.

22 ― Arthur Waley

“To remain whole, be twisted!”

To become straight, let yourself be bent.

To become full, be hollow.

Be tattered, that you may be renewed.

Those that have little, may get more,

Those that have much, are but perplexed.

Therefore the Sage

Clasps the Primal Unity,

Testing by it everything under heaven.

He does not show himself; therefore he sees everywhere.

He does not define himself, therefore he is distinct.

He does not boast of what he will do, therefore he succeeds.

He is not proud of his work, and therefore it endures.

He does not contend,

And for that very reason, no one under heaven can contend with him.

So then we see that the ancient saying “To remain whole, be twisted!” was no idle word;

For true wholeness can only be achieved by return.

22 ― James Legge

(The increase granted to humility)

The partial becomes complete; the crooked, straight; the empty, full; the worn out, new. He whose (desires) are few gets them; he whose (desires) are many goes astray.

Therefore the sage holds in his embrace the one thing (of humility) and manifests it to all the world. He is free from self-display, and therefore he shines; from self-assertion, and therefore he is distinguished; from self-boasting, and therefore his merit is acknowledged; from self-complacency, and therefore he acquires superiority. It is because he is thus free from striving that therefore no one in the world is able to strive with him.

That saying of the ancients that 'the partial becomes complete' was not vainly spoken: - all real completion is comprehended under it.