This chapter uses the metaphor of ”drawing a bow” to reveal the dynamic equilibrium of natural law, critique humanity’s exploitative logic of ”reducing deficiency to replenish excess,” and propose the sage’s wisdom and principle.
May not the Way (or Dao) of Heaven be compared to the (method of) bending a bow? The (part of the bow) which was high is brought low, and what was low is raised up. (So Heaven) diminishes where there is superabundance, and supplements where there is deficiency.
It is the Way of Heaven to diminish superabundance, and to supplement deficiency. It is not so with the way of man. He takes away from those who have not enough to add to his own superabundance.
Who can take his own superabundance and therewith serve all under heaven? Only he who is in possession of the Dao!
Therefore the (ruling) sage acts without claiming the results as his; he achieves his merit and does not rest (arrogantly) in it: – he does not wish to display his superiority.
The Dao, or the way of heaven, takes from excess to fill deficiency, embodying the dialectical cycle of “reversal as the Dao’s movement” — extremes trigger decline, while balance ensures continuity. However, the society’s way is to take from the poor to serve the rich, which exacerbates inequality (e.g., oppressive taxation, resource monopolies).
The sage unites with the Heavenly Dao, aligning with its natural laws. The sage “nurtures all things without ownership”, and thus becomes the embodiment of the Dao itself.
By contrasting Heavenly Dao and human systems, this chapter exposes civilization’s fundamental law: Any system defying natural equilibrium collapses under entropy; only by embracing “reversal as the Dao’s movement”—through dynamic adjustment and “surplus serving the world” — can we transcend historical cycles. This wisdom holds universal value for modern governance, organizational management, and personal growth.
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