Lao Tzu for Everyone
Students, Scholars,
& Seekers
Chinese-English Interlinear
Peter Gilboy, Ph. D.
regarding the characters
used in this translation.
Lesson 17
The 4 Types
of Leaders
信xìn
(亻person + 言words)
trust, faith, believe
It is sometimes said that Lao Tzu’s writings are meant only as advice to rulers. That is questionable in my view. But here he doe address leadership, noting the four types of rulers—from the sage-ruler to the despot. Little commentary is needed because we recognize these men and women immediately in our own time.
The first line and the last one reveal how we can discern the finest leaders who are with us today.
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Note: The following two lessons, 18 and 19, appear to be a continuation of this one. They can easily be read together.
(Originally, there were no chapter divisions. Those came much later, perhaps as teachers separated Lao Tzu’s words into sections or lessons that could be more easily studied or memorized independently.)
Interlinear
Line 1
The best leaders are those
whose subjects only
know of their existence.
大dà 上shàng 下xià 知zhī 有yǒu 之zhī
great above, top under know have/exist (pron.)
As to the highest,
below know the existence of them.
______
In this commentary, Wang Bi (226-249 AD) identifies this leader as the 聖shèng sage who who manages the affairs of the state through 无wú 為wéi "not doing," and who goes about his teaching with 不bù no 言yán words.
. . . . . .
Line 2
Next, some the leaders
who are loved and praised.
其qí 次cì 親qīn 譽yù 之zh
(pron.) sequence affection praise (pron.)
Its sequence,
affection and praise them.
. . . . . .
Line 3
Then come the leaders
who are feared.
其qí 次cì 畏wèi 之zhī
(pron.) sequence fear (pron.)
Its sequence,
is fearing them.
. . . . . .
Line 4
The lowest are leaders
whose subjects
ridicule them.
其qí 下xià 侮wǔ* 之zhī
(pron.) low/inferior insult (pron.)
Its least, is insulting them
_____
*Regarding 侮wǔ, "insult." Both MWT editions have 母mǔ, "mother." 侮wǔ "insult," is the found in the later Wang Bi, Fu Yi, Heshang Gong and Guodian editions. Note that 母mǔ, a partial graph of 侮wǔ, "insult." This may be an example of a scribe taking a shortcut, being lazy, or simply being unfamiliar with the character that was dictated. It’s also possible that the writing of the character for “insult” was still fluid in the state where the MWT editions were transcribed.
On the other hand, if the MWT character is authentic, then the line would convey that the lowest kind of leader is one who "mothers," the people, perhaps by overprotecting and pampering them. Such "mothering" would be no more than another sort of interfering with the people, and a lacking respect for them.
. . . . . .
Line 5
When are leaders words
are unreliable,
the people will have not trust.
信xìn* 不bù 足zú 案àn** 有yǒu 不bù 信xìn
true words not enough rely/guide have not true words
True words insufficient to rely,
have no true trust.
________
*信xìn, has the meanings of "trust," "believe," "confidence."
**案àn, has the meanings of "guide," "judicial decision," "reasoned judgment."
. . . . . .
.
Line 6
To lead, the leader's words
must be valued.
猷yóu 呵hē 其qí 貴guì 言yán 也yě
plan/map out exclaim (pron.) expensive words (part.)
Map out! His/her words are of value.
. . . . . .
Line 7
When the best leaders
complete their work,
everyone says,
"It just happened happened like this."
成chéng 功gōng 遂suì 事shì 而ér
complete merit progress duty and
百bài 姓xìng 胃wèi
100 family say
我wǒ 自zì 然rán
I oneself just so
Completes duties meritoriously,
a hundred families say, “I self-so-ness.”
Referring back to Line 1, when the people "only know of the existence" of a ruler, implies that there is no interference by the state, no schemes and plans. The natural conditions are permitted to return. This is what Lao Tzu has called, 自zì 然rán
________
*Note: The use of 自zì 然rán, "self-so-ness" here, may be another of Lao Tzu's plays on words. The most frequent translation of this line has the sense of, "I did it myself," which implies personal agency on the part of the person. This is not the proper sense of the term in Lao Tzu or Chuang Tzu.
As a double meaning, 自zì 然rán also has the implication of, "I am myself," that is, "I have attained to self-so-ness." Put differently, "It happened naturally," or "It just happened."
Again, this use of 自zì 然rán to refer the spontaneous way of things, is found throughout Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu, as when Chuang Tzu [Lesson 16] says:,
At that time (of old), no one did anything,
and things were ever themselves.
當dàng 是shì 時shí 也yě
same time this hour (part.)
莫mò 之zhī 為wèi 而ér 常cháng 自zì 然 rán
no one (pron.) act/do and constant self-so-ness.
. . . . . .