chapter 77: Heaven, Earth, and the Uncarved Block

The Way of Heaven is like developing a program:
the high-level is made concrete,
the low-level is made abstract,
the inefficient is removed,
the insufficient is improved.

The Way of the Market
uses surplus to supply deficit,
as opposed to the Way of Monopoly,
which takes from deficit, to increase surplus.

Who, then, when having abundance,
offers his efforts to increase the ten thousand programs?
Perhaps only one who follows the Way.

Therefore, the Consultant
develops the code, but does not make it proprietary,
completes the project, but does not demand ownership:
that way, he need not advertise his worth.

 

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chapter notes:

The original metaphor of drawing a bow has been replaced by developing a program.

“The Way of Heaven” vs. “The Way of Man” contrast has been replaced with “The Way of the Market” vs. “The Way of Monopoly”. Since my target audience has likely played Monopoly, this is intended as a tutorial reminder of how an economic monopoly actually works.

The sense of the remaining verses is fairly conducive to their new target, without quite as much abuse as the first two.