《Caigentan(菜根譚) Original Text, Former Collection #20》 [020]

《Caigentan(菜根譚) Original Text, Former Collection #20》 [020]

📜 Original Text

事事留個有餘不盡的意思，便造物不能忌我，鬼神不能損我。
若業必求滿，功必求盈者，不生內變，必召外憂。

📚 English Translation

If in all matters one leaves a margin and avoids pursuing things to their fullest limit, then even the Creator will not envy them, and no spirit or deity can bring them harm.
But if one insists on absolute completion in every task and overflowing success in every achievement, even if no inner conflict arises, external troubles are sure to follow.

🔍 Explanation: The Subtle Power of Restraint and Incompleteness

This passage offers a profound lesson on the ancient wisdom of "too much is as bad as too little" (過猶不及). It warns against the desire to fill every void and grasp everything completely. Instead, it teaches that by practicing restraint and intentionally leaving space, one can avoid misfortune and live in peace.

The first sentence encourages a conscious attitude of leaving room in everything. This doesn’t mean being careless or indifferent, but rather maintaining a deliberate sense of incompleteness—a refusal to hoard all the credit, flaunt one’s talents, or exhaust every opportunity.
In doing so, “even the Creator will not envy them, and no spirit or deity can bring them harm.” This isn’t just a superstitious belief, but a metaphorical way of saying that when one refrains from excess, they avoid drawing jealousy, rivalry, and backlash. The space left untouched becomes a shield.

The second sentence contrasts this with the mindset of overachievement. Those who always demand perfect results and chase maximum success will inevitably invite trouble—even if everything seems calm on the inside. The text warns that “even if no inner conflict arises, external troubles are sure to follow.”
This refers to problems like envy from others, competitive resistance, unexpected setbacks, and the heavy burden of unrealistic expectations. In short, excessive ambition is often self-defeating.

Ultimately, this passage celebrates the art of incompleteness. True peace and balance come not from filling every space, but from knowing when to stop.
By leaving room—whether in effort, recognition, or desire—we gain the freedom to breathe, the grace to avoid harm, and the wisdom to live in quiet strength.

Leaving room and practicing restraint shields us from envy and harm, while the pursuit of perfection invites unnecessary troubles.

✍️ Hanja Breakdown (Revised for smoother reference)

• 事 (shì): matter, event, action.
• 事事 (shì shì): every matter, in all things.
• 留 (liú): to leave, to keep, to retain.
• 個 (gè): a, an (measure word); used here to soften the tone or refer to a concept.
• 有餘 (yǒu yú): to have a surplus, to have a margin.
• 不 (bù): not, no.
• 盡 (jìn): to exhaust, to finish, to completely use up.
• 不盡 (bù jìn): not exhausted, not completely filled/used.
• 意思 (yì sī): meaning, intention, thought, idea, mindset.
• 有餘不盡的意思 (yǒu yú bù jìn de yì sī): the intention/mindset of leaving a margin and not fully exhausting.
• 便 (biàn): then, thereupon, consequently.
• 造 (zào): to make, to create.
• 物 (wù): thing, object, being, nature.
• 造物 (zào wù): the Creator, the divine power that creates things.
• 忌 (jì): to envy, to be jealous of, to resent.
• 不能忌我 (bù néng jì wǒ): cannot envy/resent me.
• 鬼 (guǐ): ghost, spirit.
• 神 (shén): god, deity.
• 鬼神 (guǐ shén): spirits and deities, supernatural beings.
• 損 (sǔn): to harm, to damage, to diminish.
• 不能損我 (bù néng sǔn wǒ): cannot harm me.
• 若 (ruò): if, supposing.
• 業 (yè): undertaking, work, endeavor, career.
• 業必求滿 (yè bì qiú mǎn): if one's work/endeavor must seek absolute fullness/completion.
• 功 (gōng): merit, achievement, accomplishment.
• 功必求盈 (gōng bì qiú yíng): if one's achievements must seek overflowing success.
• 者 (zhě): person, one who (used here to refer to the type of person described by the preceding phrase).
• 不 (bù): not, no.
• 生 (shēng): to arise, to be born, to occur.
• 內 (nèi): inside, internal.
• 變 (biàn): change, upheaval, strife, turmoil.
• 內變 (nèi biàn): internal change, inner turmoil/strife.
• 不生內變 (bù shēng nèi biàn): no internal change/strife arises.
• 召 (zhào): to summon, to invite, to call forth.
• 外 (wài): outside, external.
• 憂 (yōu): worry, concern, trouble, affliction.
• 外憂 (wài yōu): external worry, external trouble.
• 必召外憂 (bì zhào wài yōu): will certainly invite external worries/troubles.