Introduction

This verse doesn’t pull any punches in calling out our weird coping mechanism and broken logic. This verse took me an extended period of pondering and multiple iterations to get to its current state. I am sure there is more to glean, and I hope my commentary can serve as a launching point for your own, much more robust, contemplations. 

I found the language of this verse particularly challenging. Written Chinese has ways of inverting sentences to create emphasis and poetic structure that don’t carry over very well. For reference and transparency, the order of the final four lines in the original is:

“It isn’t really a ‘base of lowliness,’ is it?

Because accumulating honors is dishonorable. 

Not wanting to appear as a precious gem,
  Pretending to be coarse like a mountain bolder.”

Translation

In the past, there was oneness.
  Heaven obtained oneness through clarity;
  Earth obtained oneness through tranquility;
  Spirit obtained oneness through the soul;
  Fertility obtained oneness through fullness;
  Phenomena obtained oneness through creation;
  The Leader obtained oneness by aligning Heaven and Earth.

By extension, we fear that,
  Heaven without clarity will crack.
  Earth without tranquility will explode.
  Spirit without soul will dissipate.
  Fertility without fullness will dry up.
  Phenomenon without creation will extinguish.
  The Leader without nobility will be toppled.

Therefore, the basis for superiority is lowliness,
  the foundation for the high is the low.

This is why the Leader referring to itself as:
  Orphaned,
  Widowed,
  Inadequate.

Not wanting to appear as a precious gem,
  pretending to be coarse like a mountain boulder.
Because accumulating honors is dishonorable.

It isn’t really a “basis of lowliness,” is it?

Commentary

In the past, there was oneness.
  Heaven obtained oneness through clarity;
  Earth obtained oneness through tranquility;
  Spirit obtained oneness through the soul;
  Fertility obtained oneness through fullness;
  Phenomena obtained oneness through creation;
  The Leader obtained oneness by aligning Heaven and Earth.

Understanding this verse starts with reflecting on moments of Oneness we have experienced in our lives. Here are some “translated” lines to help you feel into the statements.