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 and Paul Carus in 1913 followed by a translation by Stephen Mitchell in 1988.
Chapter 77
1. Is not Heaven's Reason truly like stretching a bow? The high it brings down, the lowly it lifts up. Those who have abundance it depleteth; those who are deficient it augmenteth.
2. Such is Heaven's Reason. It depleteth those who have abundance but completeth the deficient.
3. Man's Reason is not so. He depleteth the deficient in order to serve those who have abundance.
4. Where is he who would have abundance for serving the world?
5. Indeed, it is the holy man who acts but claims not; merit he acquires but he does not dwell upon it, and does he ever show any anxiety to display his excellence?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As it acts in the world, the Tao
is like the bending of a bow.
The top is bent downward;
the bottom is bent up.
It adjusts excess and deficiency
so that there is perfect balance.
It takes from what is too much
and gives to what isn't enough.
Those who try to control,
who use force to protect their power,
go against the direction of the Tao.
They take from those who don't have enough
and give to those who have far too much.
The Master can keep giving
because there is no end to her wealth.
She acts without expectation,
succeeds without taking credit,
and doesn't think that she is better
than anyone else.
2. Such is Heaven's Reason. It depleteth those who have abundance but completeth the deficient.
3. Man's Reason is not so. He depleteth the deficient in order to serve those who have abundance.
4. Where is he who would have abundance for serving the world?
5. Indeed, it is the holy man who acts but claims not; merit he acquires but he does not dwell upon it, and does he ever show any anxiety to display his excellence?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As it acts in the world, the Tao
is like the bending of a bow.
The top is bent downward;
the bottom is bent up.
It adjusts excess and deficiency
so that there is perfect balance.
It takes from what is too much
and gives to what isn't enough.
Those who try to control,
who use force to protect their power,
go against the direction of the Tao.
They take from those who don't have enough
and give to those who have far too much.
The Master can keep giving
because there is no end to her wealth.
She acts without expectation,
succeeds without taking credit,
and doesn't think that she is better
than anyone else.
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