韬光

原文

天长地久。天地所以能长且久者，以其不自生，故能长生。是以圣人后其身而身先；外其身而身存。非以其无私耶？故能成其私。

王弼注

天长地久。天地所以能长且久者，以其不自生，自生则与物争，不自生则物归也。故能长生。是以圣人后其身而身先；外其身而身存。非以其无私耶，故能成其私。无私者，无为于身也。身先身存，故曰，能成其私也。

英文 · James Legge

(Sheathing the light) Heaven is long-enduring and earth continues long. The reason why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is because they do not live of, or for, themselves. This is how they are able to continue and endure. Therefore the sage puts his own person last, and yet it is found in the foremost place; he treats his person as if it were foreign to him, and yet that person is preserved. Is it not because he has no personal and private ends, that therefore such ends are realised?