Below is the chapter from two excellent sources along with the original Chinese text. The first source is from a translation by D.T. Suzuki & Paul Carus in 1913 followed by a translation by Stephen Mitchell in 1988.
Chapter 61
1. A great state, one that lowly flows, becomes the empire's union, and the empire's wife.
2. The wife always through quietude conquers her husband, and by quietude renders herself lowly.
3. Thus a great state through lowliness toward small states will conquer the small states, and small states through lowliness toward great states will conquer great states.
4. Therefore some render themselves lowly for the purpose of conquering; others are lowly and therefore conquer.
5. A great state desires no more than to unite and feed the people; a small state desires no more than to devote itself to the service of the people; but that both may obtain their wishes, the greater one must stoop.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When a country obtains great power,
it becomes like the sea:
all streams run downward into it.
The more powerful it grows,
the greater the need for humility.
Humility means trusting the Tao,
thus never needing to be defensive.
A great nation is like a great man:
When he makes a mistake, he realises it.
Having realised it, he admits it.
Having admitted it, he corrects it.
He considers those who point out his faults
as his most benevolent teachers.
He thinks of his enemy
as the shadow that he himself casts.
If a nation is centred in the Tao,
if it nourishes its own people
and doesn't meddle in the affairs of others,
it will be a light to all nations in the world.
2. The wife always through quietude conquers her husband, and by quietude renders herself lowly.
3. Thus a great state through lowliness toward small states will conquer the small states, and small states through lowliness toward great states will conquer great states.
4. Therefore some render themselves lowly for the purpose of conquering; others are lowly and therefore conquer.
5. A great state desires no more than to unite and feed the people; a small state desires no more than to devote itself to the service of the people; but that both may obtain their wishes, the greater one must stoop.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When a country obtains great power,
it becomes like the sea:
all streams run downward into it.
The more powerful it grows,
the greater the need for humility.
Humility means trusting the Tao,
thus never needing to be defensive.
A great nation is like a great man:
When he makes a mistake, he realises it.
Having realised it, he admits it.
Having admitted it, he corrects it.
He considers those who point out his faults
as his most benevolent teachers.
He thinks of his enemy
as the shadow that he himself casts.
If a nation is centred in the Tao,
if it nourishes its own people
and doesn't meddle in the affairs of others,
it will be a light to all nations in the world.
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