The Tao Te Ching - Verse 49

Tao Te Ching – Verse 49

The Master has no mind of her own.
She works with the mind of the people.
She is good to people who are good.
She is also good to people who aren't good.
This is true goodness.

She trusts people who are trustworthy.
She also trusts people who aren't trustworthy.
This is true trust.

The Master's mind is like space.
People don't understand her.
They look to her and wait.
She treats them like her own children.

Laozi. Tao Te Ching. Translated by Stephen Mitchell. Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006.

We are sharing the 81 verses of the Tao Te Ching across 81 weeks starting in March 2025. Here is our introductory post if you’d like to learn more about this project.