Section 4: The Sage   Eno
The pivot of heaven is uprightness.
The pivot of earth is flatness.
The pivot of man is quiescence.   Spring, autumn, winter, and summer
are the season times of heaven.
Mountains ridges and river valleys
are the limbs of earth.
Showing pleasure or anger, taking or giving,
there are the schemes of man.   The sage adapts with the times but is not transformed,
follows along with things but is not moved by them.
He is able to be balanced and tranquil
and so he is settled.
With a settled heart [xin] within,
the eyes and ears are keen and clear,
the four limbs are strong and firm.
He is fit to be the dwelling of the essence [Jing].   By essence [Jing] is meant the essence [Jing] of qi.
When qi follows the Dao there is birth.
With birth there is awareness.
From awareness comes knowing.
With knowing the limit is reached. [Two lines here will go with next section to keep in step] If the form of the heart
acquires excessive knowledge, life is lost.   Linnell:
天 主 正 That which presides over Heaven is proper alignment,
地 主 平 That which presides over Earth is equability,
人 主 安 靜 That which presides over people is calmness and stillness.   春 秋 冬 夏 Spring, autumn, winter, summer –
天 之 時 也 The timing of heaven!
山 陵 川 谷 Mountains, hills, streams, valleys –
地 之 枝 也 The limbs of the earth!
喜 怒 取 予 Love, anger, taking, giving –
人 之 謀 也 The schemes of the people!   是 故 聖 人 Thus the sage :
與 時 變 而 不 化 Takes part in the changing of the seasons, but is not transformed;
從 物 而 不 移 He attends to creatures, but is not changed by them.
能 正 能 靜 When you can be properly aligned and can be still–
然 後 能 定 Then, you can be settled.
定 心 在 中 With a settled heart/mind [xin] in your center,
耳 目 聰 明 Your ears and eyes are acute and clear,
四 枝 堅 固 Your four limbs are hard and strong,
可 以 為 精 舍 You are able to become a dwelling for essence [Jing].
精 也 者 This essence [Jing] –
氣 之 精 者 也 Is essence [Jing] of Qi!   氣 道 乃 生 With Qi and Dao, then there is life;
生 乃 思 With life, then there is contemplation;
思 乃 知 With contemplation, then there is understanding;
知 乃 止 矣 When you reach understanding, then stop! [Two lines here will go with next section to keep in step] 凡 心 之 形 Always : if the form of the heart/mind
過 知 失 生 Has too much understanding, life is lost.
Roth
-- Section 7 --
For the heavens, the ruling principle is to be aligned.
2. For the earth, the ruling principle is to be level.
3. For human beings the ruling principle is to be tranquil.
4. Spring, autumn, winter, and summer are the seasons of the heavens.
5. Mountains, hills, rivers, and valleys are the resources of the earth.
6. Pleasure and anger, accepting and rejecting are the devices of human beings.
7. Therefore, the sage:
8. Alters with the seasons but doesn’t transform,
9. Shifts with things but doesn’t change places with them.
-- Section 8 --
1. If you can be aligned and be tranquil,
2. Only then can you be stable.
3. With a stable mind [Xin] at your core,
4. With the eyes and ears acute and clear,
5. And with the four limbs firm and fixed,
6. You can thereby make a lodging place for the vital essence [Jing].
7. The vital essence [Jing]: it is the essence [Jing] of the vital energy [Qi].
8. When the vital energy [Qi] is guided, it [the vital essence-Roth note] is generated,
9. But when it is generated, there is thought,
10. When there is thought, there is knowledge,
11. But when there is knowledge, then you must stop. [Two lines here will go with next section to keep in step] 12. Whenever the forms of the mind have excessive knowledge,
13. You loose your vitality.   Shazi Daoren
-- Section 7 --
Heaven's ruling principle is to be aligned.
Earth's ruling principle is to be level.
Humanity's ruling principles are grace and tranquility.
Spring, autumn, winter, and summer,
these are heaven's seasons.
Mountains, hills, rivers, and valleys,
these are earth's features.
Pleasure and anger, taking and giving,
these are human devices.
Therefore the Sage,
changes with the seasons and doesn't transform them,
yields to things and does not change them.
-- Section 8 --
If able to be aligned, able to be calm,
only then can you be stable.
With a stable heart [xin] within your bosom,
eyes and ears acute and clear,
four limbs firm and sure,
you can thereby make a dwelling-place for Essence [Jing].
As for Essence [Jing]:
It is the Essence [Jing] of Energy [Qi].
Energy's [Qi] Dao is to flourish,
to flourish is to think,
to think is to know,
to know is where to stop. [Two lines here will go with next section to keep in step] All forms of the Heart,
crossing over to knowledge lose life.   Yueya
-- Section 7 --
The ruling principle of the heavens is alignment.
The ruling principle of the earth is levelness.
The ruling principle of human beings is stillness.
Spring, autumn, winter, and summer are the seasons
Of the heavens.
Mountains, hills, rivers, and valleys are the constituents
Of the earth.
Pleasure, anger, accepting, and rejecting are the devices
Of human beings.
Thus, we may speak of the sage一
Alters with the seasons but does not transform;
Shifts with things but is not changed by them.
-— Section 8 -—
If you can be aligned and tranquil,
Only then can you become stable.
With a stabilized heart-mind [xin] at your core,
With the ears and eyes acute and bright,
And with the four limbs firm and fixed,
You are able to become a lodging place for vital essence [Jing].   The vital essence [Jing] is the essence of qi.
When qi is guided, vital essence [Jing] is generated.
When it is generated, then there is thinking.
When there is thinking, then there is knowing.
When there is knowing, then you should cease. [Two lines here will go with next section to keep in step] Considering the forms of the heart-mind,
Excessive knowing dissipates vitality.   Reid: 79 天主正,
Heaven is ruled by alignment;
80 地主平,
Earth is ruled by balance;
81 人主安靜。
People are ruled by peaceful {12} silence.
82 春秋冬夏,
Spring, autumn, winter, and summer
83 天之時也;
Are the seasons of Heaven;
84 山陵川谷,
Mountains, hills, streams, and valleys
85 地之枝也;
Are the extensions of Earth;
86 喜怒取予,
Euphoria, anger, taking, and giving
87 人之謀也。
Are the underlying motivations of humanity.
88 是故聖人
Therefore, sages
89 與時變而不化,
Follow the times of change, yet are not transformed.
90 從物而不移。
They adapt to things, yet are not displaced.
91 能正能靜,
If you can be aligned, you can be silent.
92 然後能定。
Then you can be settled.
93 定心 在中,
When the heart-mind settles in its very center,
94 耳目聰明,
The ears and eyes become acute and perceptive,
95 四枝堅固,
And the four limbs become solid and stable. {13} 96 可以為精舍。
You can thereby house the pure and vital essence.
97 精也者,
This pure essence
98 氣之精者也。
Is the pure essence of energy-breath.
99 氣道乃生,
The way of energy-breath is to flourish.
100 生乃思,
Flourishing, it becomes thoughts;
101 思乃知,
Thoughts become knowledge;
102 知乃止矣。
After knowledge, it stops. [Two lines here will go with next section to keep in step] 103 凡心之形,
Invariably, mental formulations
104 過知失生。
Will supersede knowledge even at the expense of one’s life.     {12} “安 Stability; calm; comfort” is usually suppressed in translations of this line. {13}  See also the Xin Shu Xia, lines 122-123, “When the source is not dried up, the four limbs will become firm and solid, enabling commeand of their functions and keeping them fit and strong”