Yield and be preserved — if one yields to the crowd and does not act on his own initiative, he preserves his life. Bend and become upright — Wang means to humble oneself and elevate others; after a long time, one naturally attains uprightness. Be low and become full — a low-lying area allows water to flow there; a humble person attracts virtue to oneself. Wear out and become new — if one accepts disadvantages and puts others before oneself, the world will respect him; after a long time, he naturally becomes renewed. Take little and gain much — if one takes little for oneself, one gains much; Heaven favors humility, and the divine relies on emptiness. Too much leads to confusion — those with abundant wealth are confused about what they should protect; those with extensive learning are confused by what they have heard. Therefore, the sage holds to unity and becomes a model for the world — Bao means to hold or preserve; Shi means a standard or law; the sage preserves unity, thus understanding all matters, and can become the model for the world. Not relying on his own eyes, the sage uses the eyes of all under heaven to observe, and thus attains clarity. Not considering himself right, he becomes prominent in the world. Not claiming his own excellence, he achieves merit for the world. Not regarding himself as great, he endures for a long time without danger. It is precisely because the sage does not contend that the world cannot contend with him.

This means that in the world, neither the virtuous nor the unworthy can contend with one who does not compete. What was previously called "bending leads to preservation" is certainly not an empty saying — the ancient saying that yielding and following others preserves one's life is by no means a falsehood. Truly preserving oneself brings it back to him — Cheng means sincerity or reality; one who can practice yielding and following will have his body made whole, returning it to his parents without harm.