Many life forms spring up in dirty places. Fish are rarely found in pristine water.
Therefore, a virtuous man must be broad-minded and tolerant. He should not stand aloof while admiring his own purity.
地之秽者多生物，水之清者常无鱼；故君子当存含垢纳污之量，不可持好洁独行之操。
Notes
Nature’s lesson: Imperfection nurtures life
- Fertile soil embraces decay, thus becomes rich ground for growth.
- Overly pure water rejects all impurity, thus becomes barren of life.
Metaphor for human conduct: Rigid “purity” isolates; tolerant “impurity” sustains.
Noble tolerance vs. Self-righteous isolation
Capacity to embrace flaws:
Not moral compromise, but pragmatic acceptance of human imperfection; Fosters connection and collective progress.
Spotless isolationism:
Demands impossible perfection thus leads to alienation and ineffectiveness.
Ultimate Insight:
True nobility lies not in condemning the world’s mud,
But in cultivating lotus roots within it.Embrace the fertile messiness of existence — this is wisdom’s soil.
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