Under heaven nothing is more soft and yielding than water
Yet for attacking the solid and strong, nothing is better
It has no equal.
The weak can overcome the strong
The supple can overcome the stiff
Under heaven everyone knows this
Yet no one puts it into practice.
Therefore the sage says:
He who takes upon himself the humiliation of the people is fit to rule them.
He who takes upon himself the country’s disasters deserves to be king of the universe.
The truth often sounds paradoxical
