9 - Achieving and Withdrawing

If you hold something and it overflows, this is inferior to desisting.
If you try to gather rapid river currents, you cannot keep them for long.
If gold and jewels fill a room, you cannot protect it.
If rich and honored you are haughty, You will lose it due to that mistake.
Achieving, then withdrawing oneself - this is the way of heaven.

持而盈之，
不如其已；
湍而群之，
不可長保。
金玉盈室，
莫之能守；
富貴而驕，
自遺其咎。
功遂身退天之道。

This chapter argues against hoarding and showing off. If you show your wealth, you may lose it. If you hoard your wealth, you will eventually lose it anyway. The celestial way is to achieve, but withdraw.

In martial arts, this is related to martial virtue (wude). In the same way, if you show off your skills, you may lose them, and so it is better to be careful and humble.

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