Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 4 On Giving to Abundance

Giving is a virtuous character of the believer. Giving resulting in abundance of returns is taught by Jesus in

Luk 6:38  give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.

The last sentences of Lao Zi's Dao De Jing verse 81b teaches this too. Here is the detail:

聖人不積。
既以為人己愈有。
既以與人己愈多。
天之道利而不害。
聖人之道為而不爭。

My translation is:

Wise man do not accumulate things for himself.
The more he help others, the more he has!
The more he give to others, the more he gets!
The way of Heaven is always beneficial and never harmful.
The way of the Wise is to work for others and yet claim no glory or rewards.

Such concepts are very difficult to receive and believe by modern man in this competitive world. This resulted in some translator of Dao De Jing to include his warning that Lao Zi's teachings cannot be followed mechanically.

As believers, because the similar verse of 'giving first and receiving multi-folds return' is taught in the Bible and by Jesus in particular, we can believe and practice accordingly.

You will see from my posting that Biblical truth is my reference point in interpreting and learning from the Chinese Classics. The Chinese Classics often bring forth additional and finer ideas that I would have missed in the Bible. Hope you will benefit from such ideas too. Click on the Label Chinese Classics to find such similar posts.

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