The river makes a valley
by flowing beneath it
Carving out all the
carvings
The river and the valley
work together
The sage leads without leading
He does not contend, and
no one contends against him
The mighty ocean is
lower
Than the submissive
rivers that flow into it
By being lower, the
ocean is higher
One who is that of the Dao
lowers themselves
Thus becoming higher
than those around him
Putting others ahead of
himself, he becomes first
