1. for regulating the human (in our constitution) and rendering the (proper) service to the heavenly, there is nothing like moderation.

2. it is only by this moderation that there is effected an early return (to man's normal state). that early return is what i call the repeated accumulation of the attributes (of the tao). with that repeated accumulation of those attributes, there comes the subjugation (of every obstacle to such return). of this subjugation we know not what shall be the limit; and when one knows not what the limit shall be, he may be the ruler of a state.

3. he who possesses the mother of the state may continue long. his case is like that (of the plant) of which we say that its roots are deep and its flower stalks firm:--this is the way to secure that its enduring life shall long be seen.

治人，事天，莫若啬。

夫唯啬，是谓早服。

早服谓之重积德。

重积德则无不克。

无不克则莫知其极。

莫知其极，可以有国。

有国之母，可以长久。

是谓深根固柢、长生久视之道。

【译文】

治理人、事奉天，没有比涵养节用更重要的了。涵养节用可以先和服于道，先和服于道则可以使德深厚，德深厚则无不胜任，无不胜任则能耐不可限量，能耐不可限量则足以保有国家。保有国家的根本，可以长久存在。这就叫做根扎得深，柢撑得固，从而长维生存久于在世的道。