Chapter 38 of the Dao De Jing

Copies of translations of the Dao De Jing

Lately, I’ve been feeling rudderless. I often go to the Dao De Jing for perspective, and this morning I reached for my favorite copy, Ursula Le Guin’s translation. I landed on Chapter 38, the first chapter of the book’s second half, which dives deeper into De, 德, or Virtue. It explores virtue itself, not the path toward it. I appreciate that.

Great power, not clinging to power,
has true power.
Lesser power, clinging to power,
lacks true power.
Great power, doing nothing,
has nothing to do.
Lesser power, doing nothing,
has an end in view.

Clinging was the word that caught my attention. I’ve been gripping. Checking whether I’m doing my life right, building a case for my own footing instead of standing on it. Chapter 38 reminded me that it isn’t discipline; it is the first sign that the ground under me, my De 德, is already eroding.

Rules, ritual, principle only show up once virtue has slipped. We know they are here when we exert effort.

Feeling rudderless was never my problem; the gripping was. De 德 doesn’t come from trying harder to find my footing. I was never lost, only distracted by the clinging.

What are you clinging to right now?