第九章
持而盈之，不如其已；揣而銳之，不可長保。
金玉滿堂，莫之能守。富貴而驕，自遺其咎。
功遂身退，天之道也！
Chapter9
Stretch a bow[1] to the very full，
And you will wish you had stopped in time；
Temper a sword-edge to its very sharpest，
And you will find it soon grows dull
When bronze and jade fill your hall
It can no longer be guarded.
Wealth and place breed insolence
That brings ruin in its train.
When your work is done， then withdraw！
Such is Heaven's[2] Way.
[1] the expression used can also apply to filling a vessel to the brim； but "stretching a bow" makes a better parallel to "sharpening a sword".
[2] as opposed to the Way of man.
持而盈之，不如其已；揣而銳之，不可長保。
金玉滿堂，莫之能守。富貴而驕，自遺其咎。
功遂身退，天之道也！
Chapter9
Stretch a bow[1] to the very full，
And you will wish you had stopped in time；
Temper a sword-edge to its very sharpest，
And you will find it soon grows dull
When bronze and jade fill your hall
It can no longer be guarded.
Wealth and place breed insolence
That brings ruin in its train.
When your work is done， then withdraw！
Such is Heaven's[2] Way.
[1] the expression used can also apply to filling a vessel to the brim； but "stretching a bow" makes a better parallel to "sharpening a sword".
[2] as opposed to the Way of man.