Discerning Virtue
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知人者智，自知者明。勝人者有力，自勝者強。知足者富。強行者有志。不失其所者久。死而不亡者壽。
One who knows others is wise; one who knows himself is clear-sighted. One who conquers others has force; one who conquers himself is strong. One who knows when he has enough is rich. One who presses on in what he does has purpose. One who does not lose his place lasts long. One who dies but is not lost has long life.
Six short maxims turn "knowing" and "winning" inward: outdoing others is nothing next to outdoing yourself.
The paired sayings turn knowing and winning inward. Heshang Gong reads the last line practically: if the eyes do not look where they should not, the ears do not listen where they should not and the mouth says nothing it should not, no one in the world bears you ill will, and so you live long.
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