天長地久
[tian1] [chang2] [di4] [jiu3]
Heaven and Earth are eternal [lit. long lasting]
天長地久。
[tian1] [chang2] [di4] [jiu3]。
Heaven and Earth are eternal [lit. long lasting]
Both heaven and earth are long lasting to the point of (seeming) eternal. The phrasing in the original is more poetic but harder to translate into English in a more literal sense. It boils down to both of them being intertwined for eternity rather than one being separate from the other. Previously, I have also translated “Heaven and Earth” as something akin to physical existence.
天地之所以能長且久者 以其不自生也 故能長生
[tian1] [di4] [zhi1] [suo3] [yi3] [neng2] [chang2] [qie3] [jiu3] [zhe3] [yi3] [qi2] [bu4] [zi4] [sheng1] [ye3] [gu4] [neng2] [chang2] [sheng1]
Heaven and Earth are able to persist for eternity [lit. long and lasting] because they do not live for themselves, therefore, they are able to live for eternity [lit. long]
天地所以能長且久者，以其不自生，故能長久。
[tian1] [di4] [suo3] [yi3] [neng2] [chang2] [qie3] [jiu3] [zhe3]， [yi3] [qi2] [bu4] [zi4] [sheng1]， [gu4] [neng2] [chang2] [jiu3]。
Heaven and Earth are able to persist for eternity [lit. long and lasting] because they do not live for themselves, therefore they are able to live for eternity [lit. long]
Heaven and Earth, or existence in general, persists because it does not exist for itself but just exists. Having a goal creates a purpose, and having a purpose creates an end. Without having a purpose or even the concept of a purpose, there is no ending by this logic. By being non-coercive, one is receptive to the whims of existence and the Dao and rides in it like a dandelion seed upon the breeze.
This is more than just saying “be aimless” as even when one strives to be aimless, one still ages and one still dies. This is saying that since Heaven and Earth are non-coercive and merely exist in accordance with the Dao, allowing existence to pass over like water over a stone, even though the stone may eventually erode away, the stone will never tire and fade prematurely. They will last exactly as long as they should last. Since Heaven and Earth are otherwise eternal in this worldview, so they shall continue on forever as long as they do not fight the tides of existence and go against the Dao.
Being non-coercive leads to either longevity or eternity depending. Ultimately the distinction does not matter. By not focusing on one’s own goals and instead following the lead of the Dao, one is able to play the strings of fate to some degree. As most media involving fate depicts, if one knows one’s own fate, one will typically act to try and change it, and the usual reveal is that by trying to change fate, one inevitably sets the whole chain of events into place leading to the original catastrophe or fate one was avoiding. Fate may win out, but by not fighting it, one does not prematurely jump ship too early.
是以聖人芮其身而身先 外其身而身存
[shi4] [yi3] [sheng4] [ren2] [rui4] [qi2] [shen1] [er2] [shen1] [xian1] [wai4] [qi2] [shen1] [er2] [shen1] [cun2]
Therefore, the sages shrink their presence but remain at the front, they distance themselves [lit. remain on the outside], yet remain [inside]
是以聖人後其身而身先，外其身而身存。
[shi4] [yi3] [sheng4] [ren2] [hou4] [qi2] [shen1] [er2] [shen1] [xian1]， [wai4] [qi2] [shen1] [er2] [shen1] [cun2]。
Therefore, the sages shrink their presence but remain at the front, they distance themselves [lit. remain on the outside], yet remain [inside]
The sages, or the wise, ultimately end up mirroring the universe. They shrink their presence by not being imposing or pushy, but ultimately remain at the forefront as what they say or what they offer is in league with the “will” of the Dao and is therefore worthy of being the topic of discussion. They distance themselves, but ultimately remain close again due to the fact that what they offer is in league with the Dao. Effectively, this aims to illustrate that even if a wise person may try to become a hermit, anyone wise enough to understand what they offer would seek them out and try to draw them back in.
不以其无私與 故能成其私
[bu4] [yi3] [qi2] [wu2] [si1] [yu3] [gu4] [neng2] [cheng2] [qi2] [si1]
Is it not because they do not strive for their own [affairs] that their own affairs succeed?
非以其無私邪？故能成其私。
[fei1] [yi3] [qi2] [wu2] [si1] [xie2]？ [gu4] [neng2] [cheng2] [qi2] [si1]。
Is it not because they do not strive for their [own] vices that their own affairs succeed?
I take this section to be a sort of proto-mindfulness. You focus on the task at hand and not the results or else your mind becomes clouded. This isn’t to say that you forget what the result should be, just that when you perform an action, that action in that moment is all that matters. By not obsessing with the outcome and instead following in accordance with the Dao, one gets their desired outcome if it can be got.
By being non-coercive and falling in line with the Dao one is able to ultimately get what one needs. The Dao will ultimately either help or hinder, but by allowing it to flow and act naturally, one may either arrive there by choice or by force. By following the whims of the universe and not trying to fight “fate”, one is better able to prepare oneself and the universe will arguably reward one for doing so. It is like swimming across instead of against a rip tide, one will doom you and one gives you the chance to survive.
This isn’t to say that there is some status quo one must adhere to where if one follows so is one rewarded like a dog with a treat when it does what you want, but instead that when you “forget” what you wanted, you may wander a different path and happen upon some event which leads to your needs and wants being satisfied a different way. By adapting to the flow of the universe, you will taken care of as you can pull from your new situation more efficiently. “The world is your oyster” and its pearl is your desire, but you’ll never find it looking for a steak.