27. Subtle Skill
Text
English translation
Original Chinese text
善行无辙迹，善言无瑕讁；善数不用筹策；善闭无关楗而不可开，善结无绳约而不可解。
English translation
Those skilled in traveling leave no track; those skilled in speaking leave no flaw to criticize. Those skilled in counting need no tally rods. Those skilled in closing use no bolt, yet no one can open; those skilled in binding use no rope, yet no one can untie.
The highest skill does not depend on conspicuous devices or leave openings for failure. Travel, speech, calculation, closing, and binding all illustrate effective action that shows little strain.
Original Chinese text
是以圣人常善救人，故无弃人；常善救物，故无弃物。
English translation
Therefore the wise person is always good at helping people, and so no person is cast aside; always good at making use of things, and so nothing is discarded.
“Helping” includes enabling someone or something to fulfill its potential. Wise action looks for what can be developed instead of quickly labeling people or things useless.
Original Chinese text
是谓袭明。
English translation
This is called carrying insight forward.
The phrase suggests a quiet, continuing clarity: recognizing the value in people and things, then putting that recognition into practice.
Original Chinese text
故善人者，不善人之师；不善人者，善人之资。
English translation
Thus those who act well are teachers for those who do not; those who do not act well are material from which the capable can learn.
The two groups need not merely reject each other. Good conduct can serve as instruction, while failures can become material for reflection and improvement.
Original Chinese text
不贵其师，不爱其资，虽智大迷，是谓要妙。
English translation
If one does not value the teacher or care for the material for learning, then even with cleverness one is deeply confused. This is called the essential subtlety.
Learning requires respect for good examples and attention to bad ones. Trusting cleverness while dismissing either source blocks genuine understanding.