Tao Te Ching · Ch. 61

大邦者下流,天下之牝,天下之交也。牝常以靜勝牡,以靜為下。故大邦以下小邦,則取小邦;小邦以下大邦,則取大邦。故或下以取,或下而取。大邦不過欲兼畜人,小邦不過欲入事人。夫兩者各得其所欲,大者宜為下。

Dà bāng zhě xià liú, tiān xià zhī pìn, tiān xià zhī jiāo yě. Pìn cháng yǐ jìng shèng mǔ, yǐ jìng wéi xià. Gù dà bāng yǐ xià xiǎo bāng, zé qǔ xiǎo bāng; Xiǎo bāng yǐ xià dà bāng, zé qǔ dà bāng. Gù huò xià yǐ qǔ, huò xià ér qǔ. Dà bāng bù guò yù jiān xù rén, xiǎo bāng bù guò yù rù shì rén. Fú liǎng zhě gè dé qí suǒ yù, dà zhě yí wéi xià.

A great state is like a river delta — it lies low and becomes the meeting place of all streams under heaven, the feminine of the world. The feminine always overcomes the masculine through stillness; in stillness she takes the lower position. Therefore, when a great state lowers itself before a small state, it wins the small state over; when a small state lowers itself before a great state, it wins the great state's favor. So lowering oneself either wins others over or wins favor from others. A great state wishes only to unite and nurture people; a small state wishes only to enter into service with others. When both achieve what they desire, it is right for the greater one to take the lower position.

— Tao Te Ching 61

Source: Wang Bi edition (Chinese) + Hanyu Pinyin transliteration