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Chapter 61
第六十一章
What makes a great state is its being (like) a low-lying, down-flowing (stream);--it becomes the centre to which tend (all the small states) under heaven.
大邦者下流，天下之牝，天下之交也。
(To illustrate from) the case of all females:--the female always overcomes the male by her stillness.
牝常以靜勝牡，
Stillness may be considered (a sort of) abasement.
以靜為下。
Thus it is that a great state, by condescending to small states, gains them for itself;
故大邦以下小邦，則取小邦；
and that small states, by abasing themselves to a great state, win it over to them.
小邦以下大邦，則取大邦。
In the one case the abasement leads to gaining adherents, in the other case to procuring favour.
故或下以取，或下而取。
The great state only wishes to unite men together and nourish them; a small state only wishes to be received by, and to serve, the other.
大邦不過欲兼畜人，小邦不過欲入事人。
Each gets what it desires, but the great state must learn to abase itself.
夫兩者各得所欲，大者宜為下。
