68. Not Contending

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善（shàn）为（wéi）士（shì）者（zhě），（）不（bù）武（wǔ）；（）善（shàn）战（zhàn）者（zhě），（）不（bù）怒（nù）；（）善（shàn）胜（shèng）敌（dí）者（zhě），（）不（bù）与（yǔ）；（）善（shàn）用（yòng）人（rén）者（zhě），（）为（wéi）之（zhī）下（xià）。（）

A good commander does not flaunt force; a good fighter is not driven by anger; one who is good at defeating an opponent does not meet him in a contest of strength; one who is good at employing people places himself below them.

Real ability appears as self-command: no display of force, no rule by anger, no needless collision, and no use of rank to belittle capable people.

是（shì）谓（wèi）不（bù）争（zhēng）之（zhī）德（dé），（）是（shì）谓（wèi）用（yòng）人（rén）之（zhī）力（lì），（）是（shì）谓（wèi）配（pèi）天（tiān）古（gǔ）之（zhī）极（jí）。（）

This is called the virtue of not contending; it is called drawing upon the strength of others; it is called aligning with Heaven, the highest principle known from ancient times.

Non-contention avoids needless conflict, while humility brings people's abilities together. Such conduct follows the grain of things and represents the chapter's highest model of action and leadership.

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68. Not Contending

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