28 The Passing of Greatness wind below, lake above
When greatness passes, the ridgepole bends.
When there has been peace for a long time, the beginnings of disorder inevitably sprout. It is best to prevent it when it is still weak, to stop it from creeping up. When the transformative path is flourishing, contaminations easily arise; it is best to set up guidelines and regulations.
It is not good to rely on force and cause disturbance; though strength is predominant, yet it is balanced, and it is docile and acts joyfully, so there is still a way to restore order and equilibrium. Then success is attained.
Developed people stand alone without fear, avoid society without distress.
Moisture originally nourishes wood, but also can destroy it;... Only when sustained by the power to stand alone without fear and avoid society without distress can learning be firmly rooted and development have a proper basis; then it is possible to refine and support the mediocre.
... a balance of firmness and flexibility makes for success, while being too firm or too flexible makes for failure. ... studying humbly to attain higher things is one's work here.
When too obstinate and unbalanced, indulging in stubbornness, if one cultivates oneself in this way, one's virtues will surely be ruined, and if one governs society in this way, disturbances will surely arise.
When strong but not excessively so, one can establish oneself and others as well. But if one likes greatness and enjoys achievement, one may not keep calm; ... But one may have some personal ambition, in which case self-help and helping others will not necessarily be fulfilled;
... enjoying peace, one does not know the problems of the people,...
... when correct concentration has no insight, winding up as a fall at the peak.
Idem
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