Sunday, December 24, 2023

1138. When The Shoe Fits - Chuang Tzu -


Translated by Thomas Merton


Ch’ui the draftsman

Could draw more perfect circles freehand

Than with a compass.


His fingers brought forth

Spontaneous forms from nowhere. His mind

Was meanwhile free and without concern

With what he was doing.


No application was needed

His mind was perfectly simple

and knew no obstacle.  


So, when the shoe fits

The foot is forgotten,

When the belt fits

The belly is forgotten,

When the heart is right

“For” and “against” are forgotten.


No drives, no compulsions,

No needs, no attractions:

Then your affairs

Are under control. 

You are a free man.


Easy is right. Begin right

And you are easy.

Continue easy and you are right.


The right way to go easy

Is to forget the right way

And forget that the going is easy.




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