1. heaven is long-enduring and earth continues long. the reason why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is because they do not live of, or for, themselves. this is how they are able to continue and endure.

2. therefore the sage puts his own person last, and yet it is found in the foremost place; he treats his person as if it were foreign to him, and yet that person is preserved. is it not because he has no personal and private ends, that therefore such ends are realised?

天長地久。天地所以能長且久者，以其不自生，故能長生。

是以圣人后其身而身先；外其身而身存。非以其無私邪？故能成其私。

【译文】

天长地久。天地所以能够长久，是因为它们不去强求一种非其不可的状况维持，所以能够长久。因此，圣人把自己的切身利益置后，反而成了人群的首领；把自己的身家性命置之度外，反而更好地保护了自己的身家性命。不正是因为他对自己很无所谓吗？这样反而可以更好地成就他自己。