µÀµÂ¾ Tao Te Ching Translation by Lin Yutang ÁÖÓïÌÃ
1
The Tao the can be told of
Is not the Absolute Tao;
The Names that can be given
Are not Absolute Names.
The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth;
The Named is
the Mother of All Things.
Therefore:
Oftentimes, one strips oneself of passion
In order to see the Secret of Life;
Oftentimes, one regards
life with passion,
In order to see its manifest forms.
These two (the Secret and its manifestations)
Are (in their
nature) the same;
They are given different names
When
they become manifest.
They may both be called the Cosmic Mystery:
Reaching from the Mystery into the Deeper Mystery
Is the
Gate to the Secret of
All Life.
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2
When the people of the Earth all know beauty as beauty,
There arises (the recognition of) ugliness.
When the people of the Earth all know the good as good,
There arises (the recognition of) evil.
Therefore:
Being and non-being interdepend in
growth;
Difficult and easy interdepend in
completion;
Long and short interdepend in
contrast;
High and low interdepend in
position;
Tones and voice interdepend in
harmony;
Front and behind interdepend in
company.
Therefore the Sage:
Manages affairs without
action;
Preaches the doctrine without words;
All things take their rise, but he does not turn away from them;
He gives them life, but does not take possession of them;
He
acts, but does not appropriate;
Accomplishes, but claims no
credit.
It is because he lays claim to no credit
That
the credit cannot be taken away from him.
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3
Exalt not the wise,
So that the people shall not scheme and contend;
Prize not rare objects,
So that the people
shall not steal;
Shut out from site the things of desire,
So that the people's hearts shall not be disturbed.
Therefore in the government of the Sage:
He
keeps empty their hearts
Makes full their bellies,
Discourages their ambitions,
Strengthens their
frames;
So that the people may be innocent of knowledge and
desires.
And the cunning ones shall not presume to interfere.
By action without deeds
May all
live in peace.
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4
Tao is a hollow vessel,
And its use is
inexhaustible!
Fathomless!
Like the
fountain head of all things,
Its sharp edges
rounded off,
Its tangles untied,
Its light tempered,
Its turmoil
submerged,
Yet dark like deep water it seems to remain.
I do not know whose Son it it,
An
image of what existed before God.
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5
Nature is unkind:
It treats the creation like
sacrificial straw-dogs.
The Sage is unkind:
He treats the people like
sacrificial straw-dogs.
How the universe is like a bellows!
Empty, yet
it gives a supply that never fails;
The more it is
worked, the more it brings forth.
By many words is wit exhausted.
Rather, therefore, hold to
the core.
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6
The Spirit of the
Valley never dies.
It is called the Mystic
Female.
The Door of the Mystic Female
Is the root of Heaven and Earth.
Continuously, continuously,
It
seems to remain.
Draw upon it
And it serves you with ease.
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7
The universe is everlasting.
The reason the universe is
everlasting
Is that it does not life for Self.
Therefore it can long endure.
Therefore the Sage puts himself last,
And finds
himself in the foremost place;
Regards his body as
accidental,
And his body is thereby
preserved.
Is it not because he does not live for Self
That his Self is realized?
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8
The best of men is like water;
Water benefits
all things
And does not compete with them.
It dwells in (the lowly) places that all disdain -
Wherein it comes near to the Tao.
In his dwelling, (the Sage) loves the (lowly) earth;
In his
heart, he loves what is profound;
In his relations with others,
he loves kindness;
In his words, he loves sincerity;
In government, he loves peace;
In business affairs, he loves
ability;
In hi actions, he loves choosing the right time.
It is because he does not contend
That he is without reproach.
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9
Stretch (a bow) to the very full,
And you will
wish you had stopped in time.
Temper a (sword-edge) to its very
sharpest,
And the edge will not last long.
When gold and jade fill your hall,
You will not
be able to keep them safe.
To be proud with wealth and
honor
Is to sow seeds of one's own downfall.
Retire when your work is done,
Such is Heaven's
way.
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10
In embracing the One with
your soul,
Can you never forsake the Tao?
In controlling your vital force to achieve gentleness,
Can you become like the new-born
child?
In cleansing and purifying your Mystic vision,
Can you strive after perfection?
In loving the
people and governing the kingdom,
Can you rule
without interference?
In opening and shutting the Gate of
Heaven,
Can you play the part of the Female?
In comprehending all knowledge,
Can you
renounce the mind?
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11
Thirty spokes unite around the nave;
From their
not-being (loss of their individuality)
Arises the utility of the wheel.
Mold clay into a vessel;
From its not-being (in
the vessel's hollow)
Arises the
utility of the vessel.
Cut out doors and windows in the house
(-wall),
From their not-being (empty space) arises
the utility of the house.
Therefore by the existence of things
we profit.
And by the non-existence of things we are
served.
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12
The five colors blind the eyes of man;
The five musical notes
deafen the ears of man;
The five flavors dull the taste of
man;
Horse-racing, hunting and chasing madden the minds of
man;
Rare, valuable goods keep their owners awake at
night.
Therefore the Sage:
Provides for the belly and not the eye.
Hence, he rejects the one and accepts the other.
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13
"Favor and disgrace cause one dismay;
What we value and what
we fear are within our Self."
What does this mean:
"Favor and disgrace cause one
dismay?"
Those who receive a favor from above
Are dismayed when they receive it,
And dismayed when they lose it.
What does this mean:
"What we value and what we fear are
within our Self?"
We have fears because we have a self.
When we do not regard that self as self,
What have we to
fear?
Therefore he who values the world as his self
May then be entrusted with the government of the world;
And he
who loves the world as his self -
The world may
then be entrusted to his care.
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14
Looked at, but cannot be seen -
That is called
the Invisible (yi).
Listened to, but cannot be heard
-
That is called the Inaudible (hsi).
Grasped at, but cannot be touched -
That is
called the Intangible (wei).
These three elude our inquiries
And hence blend and become One.
Not by its rising, is there light,
Nor by its sinking, is
there darkness.
Unceasing, continuous,
It cannot be defined,
And reverts again to the
realm of nothingness.
That is why it is called the Form of the Formless,
The Image
of Nothingness.
That is why it is called the Elusive:
Meet it and you do not see its face;
Follow it and you do not see its back.
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15
The wise ones
of old had subtle wisdom and depth of understanding,
So profound
that they could not be understood.
And because they could not be
understood,
Perforce must they be so described:
Cautious, like crossing a wintry stream,
Irresolute, like one fearing danger all around,
Grave, like one acting as guest,
Self-effacing, like ice beginning to melt,
Genuine,
like a piece of
undressed wood,
Open-minded, like a
valley,
And mixing
freely, like murky water.
Who can find repose in a muddy world?
By lying
still, it becomes clear.
Who can maintain his calm for
long?
By activity, it comes back to life.
He who embraces this Tao
Guards against being
over-full.
Because he guards against being over-full,
He is beyond wearing out and renewal.
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16
Attain the utmost in Passivity,
Hold firm to the basis of
Quietude.
The myriad things take shape and rise to activity,
But I watch them fall back to their repose.
Like vegetation that luxuriantly grows
But
returns to the root (soil) from which it springs.
To return to the root is Repose;
It is called
going back to one's Destiny.
Going back to one's Destiny is to
find the Eternal
Law.
To know the Eternal Law is
Enlightenment.
And not to know the Eternal Law
Is to court disaster.
He who knows the Eternal Law is tolerant;
Being tolerant, he
is impartial;
Being impartial, he is kingly;
Being kingly, he is in accord with Nature;
Being in accord with Nature, he is in accord with Tao;
Being
in accord with Tao, he is eternal,
And his whole life is
preserved from harm.
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17
Of the best rulers
The people (only) know
that they exist;
The next best the love and praise;
The next they fear;
And the next they revile.
When they do not command the people's faith,
Some will lose faith in them,
And
then they resort to oaths!
But (of the best) when their task is
accomplished,
their work done,
The people
all remark, "We have done it ourselves."
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18
On the decline of the great Tao,
The doctrine
of "humanity"
and "justice" arose.
When knowledge and cleverness
appeared,
Great hypocrisy followed in its
wake.
When the six relationships no longer lived at peace,
There was (praise of) "kind parents" and "filial
sons."
When a country fell into chaos and misrule,
There was (praise of) "loyal ministers."
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19
Banish wisdom, discard knowledge,
And the people
shall profit a hundredfold;
Banish "humanity," discard
"justice,"
And the people shall recover love of
their kin;
Banish cunning, discard "utility,"
And the thieves and brigands shall disappear.
As these three touch the externals and are inadequate,
The people have need of what they can depend upon:
Reveal thy simple self,
Embrace thy
original nature,
Check thy selfishness,
Curtail thy desires.
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20
Banish learning, and vexations end.
Between
"Ah!" and "Ough!"
How much difference is
there?
Between "good" and "evil"
How much
difference is there?
That which men fear
Is indeed to be feared;
But, alas, distant yet is the dawn (of
awakening)!
The people of the world are merry-making,
As if
partaking of the sacrificial feasts,
As if mounting
the terrace in spring;
I alone am mild, like one
unemployed,
Like a new-born babe that cannot yet
smile,
Unattached, like one without a home.
The people of the world have enough and to spare,
But I am
like one left out,
My heart must be that of a
fool,
Being muddled, nebulous!
The vulgar are knowing, luminous;
I alone am
dull, confused.
The vulgar are clever, self-assured;
I alone, depressed.
Patient as the sea,
Adrift, seemingly aimless.
The people of the world all have a purpose;
I
alone appear stubborn and uncouth.
I alone differ from the other
people,
And value drawing sustenance from
the Mother.
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21
The marks of great Character
Follow alone from the Tao.
The thing that is called Tao
Is elusive,
evasive.
Evasive, elusive,
Yet latent in
it are forms.
Elusive, evasive,
Yet
latent in it are objects.
Dark and dim,
Yet latent in it is the life-force.
The life-force being very
true,
Latent in it are evidences.
From the days of old till now
Its Named (manifested forms)
have never ceased,
By which we may view the Father of All
Things.
How do I know the shape of the Father of All
Things?
Through these (manifested forms)!
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22
To yield is to be preserved whole.
To be bent is to become
straight.
To be hollow is to be filled.
To be tattered
is to be renewed.
To be in want is to possess.
To have
plenty is to be confused.
Therefore the Sage embraces the One,
And becomes the model of the world.
He does not reveal
himself,
And is therefore luminous.
He does not justify himself,
And is therefore
far-famed.
He does not boast of himself,
And therefore people give him credit.
He does not pride
himself,
And is therefore the chief among
men.
Is it not indeed true, as the ancients say,
"To
yield is to be preserved whole?"
Thus he is preserved and the
world does him homage.
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23
Nature says few words:
Hence it is that a squall lasts not a
whole morning.
A rainstorm continues not a whole day.
Where do they come from?
From Nature.
Even Nature
does not last long (in its utterances),
How much
less should human beings?
Therefore it is that:
He who follows the Tao is
identified with the Tao.
He who follows Character
(Teh) is identified with Character.
He who
abandons (Tao) is identified with abandonment (of Tao).
He who
is identified with Tao -
Tao is also glad to
welcome him.
He who is identified with character -
Character is also glad to welcome him.
He who
is identified with abandonment -
Abandonment is
also glad t welcome him.
He who has not enough faith
Will not be able to command faith from others.
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24
He who stands on tiptoe does not stand (firm);
He who strains
his strides does not walk (well);
He who reveals himself is not
luminous;
He who justifies himself is not far-famed;
He who boasts of himself is not given credit;
He who prides
himself is not chief among men.
These in the eyes
of Tao
Are called "the dregs and tumors of
Virtue,"
Which are things of
disgust.
Therefore the man of Tao spurns them.
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25
Before the Heaven and Earth existed
There was something
nebulous:
Silent, isolated,
Standing alone, changing not,
Eternally revolving
without fail,
Worthy to be the Mother of All
Things.
I do not know its name
And
address it as Tao.
If forced to give it a name, I shall call it
"Great."
Being great implies reaching out in space,
Reaching out in space implies far-reaching,
Far-reaching
implies reversion to the original point.
Therefore:
Tao is Great,
The Heaven is great,
The Earth is great,
The King is also
great.
There are the Great Four in the universe,
And
the King is one of them.
Man models himself after the Earth;
The Earth models itself
after Heaven;
The Heaven models itself after Tao;
Tao models
itself after nature.
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26
The Solid is
the root of the light;
The Quiescent is the master of the
Hasty.
Therefore the Sage travels all day
Yet never
leaves his provision-cart.
In the midst of honor and
glory,
He lives leisurely, undisturbed.
How can the ruler of a great country
Make light of his body
in the empire (by rushing about)?
In light frivolity, the Center
is lost;
In hasty action, self-mastery is lost.
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27
A good runner leaves no track.
A good speech leaves no flaws
for attack.
A good reckoner makes use of no counters.
A well-shut door makes use of no bolts,
And yet
cannot be opened.
A well-tied knot makes use of no rope,
And yet cannot be untied.
Therefore the Sage is good at helping men;
For
that reason there is no rejected (useless) person.
He is good at
saving things;
For that reason there is nothing
rejected.
- This is called stealing the
Light.
Therefore the good man is the Teacher of the bad.
And the bad
man is the lesson of
the good.
He who neither values his teacher
Nor loves the lesson
Is one gone far astray,
Though he be
learned.
- Such is the subtle secret.
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28
He who is aware of the Male
But keeps to the Female
Becomes the ravine of
the world.
Being the ravine of the world,
He has the original character (teh) which is not cut up.
And returns again to the (innocence of the) babe.
He who is conscious of the white (bright)
But keeps to the
black (dark)
Becomes the model for the world.
Being the model for the world,
He has the
eternal power which never errs,
And returns again
to the Primordial Nothingness.
He who is familiar with honor and glory
But keeps to
obscurity
Becomes the valley of the world.
Being the valley of the world,
He has an
eternal power which always suffices,
And returns
again to the natural integrity of uncarved wood.
Break up this uncarved wood
And it is shaped
into vessel
In the hands of the Sage
They
become the officials and magistrates.
Therefore the
great ruler does not cut up.
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29
There are those who will conquer the world
And make of it
(what they conceive or desire).
I see that they
will not succeed.
(For) the world is God's own Vessel
It cannot be made (by human interference).
He
who makes it spoils it.
He who holds it loses
it.
For: Some things go forward,
Some things follow behind;
some blow hot,
And some blow
cold;
Some are strong,
And some are weak;
Some may break,
And some may fall.
Hence the Sage eschews
excess, eschews extravagance,
Eschews pride.
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30
He who by Tao purposes to help the ruler of men
Will oppose
all conquest by force of
arms.
For such things are wont to rebound.
Where armies are, thorns and brambles grow.
The raising of a
great host
Is followed by a year of dearth.
Therefore a good general effects his purpose and stops.
He dares not rely upon the strength of arms;
Effects his purpose and does not glory in it;
Effects his
purpose and does not boast of it;
Effects his purpose and does
not take pride in it;
Effects his purpose as a
regrettable necessity;
Effects his purpose but does
not love violence.
(For) things age after reaching their
prime.
That (violence) would be against the Tao.
And
he who is against the Tao perishes young.
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31
Of all
things, soldiers
are instruments of evil,
Hated by men.
Therefore the religious man (possessed of Tao) avoids them.
The gentleman favors the left in civilian life,
But on
military occasions favors the right.
Soldiers are weapons of evil.
They are not the
weapons of the gentleman.
When the use of soldiers cannot be
helped,
The best policy is calm restraint.
Even in victory, there is no
beauty,
And who calls it beautiful
Is
one who delights in slaughter.
He who delights in
slaughter
Will not succeed in his ambition to rule
the world.
[The things of good omen favor the left.
The things of ill
omen favor the right.
The lieutenant-general stands on the
left,
The general stands on the right.
That is to say,
it is celebrated as a Funeral Rite.]
The slaying of multitudes should be mourned with sorrow.
A
victory should be celebrated with the Funeral
Rite.
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32
Tao is absolute and has no name.
Though the uncarved wood is
small,
It cannot be employed (used as vessel) by
anyone.
If kings and barons can keep (this unspoiled
nature),
The whole world shall yield them lordship
of their own accord.
The Heaven and Earth join,
And the sweet rain
falls,
Beyond the command of men,
Yet
evenly upon all.
Then human civilization arose and there were names.
Since there were names,
It were well one knew
where to stop.
He who knows where to stop
May be exempt from danger.
Tao in the world
May be compared to rivers that run
into the sea.
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33
He who knows others is learned;
He who knows
himself is wide.
He who conquers others has power of
muscles;
He who conquers himself is strong.
He who is contented is rich.
He who id
determined has strength of will.
He who does not lose his center
endures.
He who dies yet (his power) remains has long
life.
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34
The Great Tao flows everywhere,
(Like a flood)
it may go left or right.
The myriad things derive their life
from it,
And it does not deny them.
When
its work is accomplished,
It does not take
possession.
It clothes and feeds the myriad things,
Yet does not claim them as its own.
Often
(regarded) without mind or passion,
It may be
considered small.
Being the home
of all things, yet claiming not,
It may be
considered great.
Because to the end it does not claim
greatness,
Its greatness is achieved.
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35
Hold the Great
Symbol
and all the world follows,
Follows without meeting harm,
(And
lives in) health, peace, commonwealth.
Offer good things to eat
And the wayfarer stays.
But Tao is mild to the taste.
Looked at, it cannot be seen;
Listened to, it
cannot be heard;
Applied, its supply never
fails.
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36
He who is to be made to dwindle (in power)
Must
first be caused to expand.
He who is to be weakened
Must first be made strong.
He who is to be laid
low
Must first be exalted to power.
He
who is to be taken away from
Must first be
given,
- This is the Subtle Light.
Gentleness overcomes strength:
Fish should be
left in the deep pool,
And sharp weapons of the
state should be left
Where none
can see them.
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37
The Tao never does,
Yet through it everything is
done.
If princes and dukes can keep the Tao,
the world will of its own accord be reformed.
When reformed and rising to action,
Let it be
restrained by the Nameless pristine simplicity.
The Nameless
pristine simplicity
Is stripped of desire (for
contention).
By stripping of desire quiescence is
achieved,
And the world arrives at peace of its own
accord.
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38
The man of superior
character is not (conscious of his) character.
Hence he has character.
The man of inferior character (is intent
on) not losing character.
Hence he is devoid of
character.
The man of superior character never acts,
Nor ever (does so) with an ulterior motive.
The
man of inferior character acts,
And (does so) with
an ulterior motive.
The man of superior kindness acts,
But (does so) without an ulterior motive.
The
man of superior justice acts,
And (does so) with an
ulterior motive.
(But when) the man of superiorli acts
and finds no response,
He rolls up his sleeves to
force it on others.
Therefore:
After
Tao is lost, then (arises the doctrine of) humanity.
After
humanity is lost, then (arises the doctrine of) justice.
After
justice is lost, then (arises the doctrine of) li.
Now
li is the thinning out of loyalty and honesty of heart.
And the beginning of chaos.
The prophets are
the flowering of Tao
And the origin of folly.
Therefore the noble man dwells in the heavy (base),
And not in the thinning (end).
He dwells in the
fruit,
And not in the flowering (expression).
Therefore he rejects the one and accepts the other.
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39
There were those in ancient times possessed of the One;
Through possession of the One, the Heaven was clarified,
Through possession of the One, The Earth was stabilized,
Through possession of the One, the gods were spiritualized,
Through possession of the One, the valleys were made full,
Through possession of the One, all things lived and grew,
Through possession of the One, the princes and dukes
became the ennobled of the people.
- that was how each became so.
Without clarity, the Heavens would shake,
Without stability,
the Earth would quake,
Without spiritual power, the gods would
crumble,
Without being filled, the valleys would crack,
Without the life-giving power, all things would perish,
Without the ennobling power, the princes and dukes would
stumble.
therefore the nobility depend upon the common man for
support,
And the exalted ones depend upon the lowly for their
base.
That is why the princes and dukes call themselves
"the orphaned," "the lonely one," "the unworthy."
Is is not true then that they depend upon the common man for
support?
Truly, take down the parts of a chariot,
And there is no chariot
(left).
Rather than jingle like the jade,
Rumble like the rocks.
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40
Reversion is the action of Tao.
Gentleness is
the function of Tao.
The things of this world come from
Being,
And Being (comes) from Non-being.
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41
When the highest type of men hear the Tao (truth),
they try hard to live in accordance with it.
When the mediocre type hear the Tao,
they seem
to be aware and yet unaware of it.
When the lowest type hear the
Tao,
They break into loud laughter -
If it were not laughed at, it would not be Tao.
Therefore there is the established saying:
"Who
understands Tao seems dull of comprehension;
Who is
advance in Tao seems to slip backwards;
Who moves
on the even Tao (Path) seems to go up and down."
Superior character appears like a hollow (valley);
Sheer
white appears like tarnished;
Great character appears like
infirm;
Pure worth appears like contaminated.
Great space has no corners;
Great
talent takes long to mature;
Great music is faintly
heard;
Great form has no contour;
And Tao is hidden without a name.
It is this
Tao that is adept at lending (its power)
and
bringing fulfillment.
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42
Out of Tao, One is born;
Out of One, Two;
Out of
Two, Three;
Out of Three, the created universe.
The
created universe carries the yin at its back
and the yang in front;
Through the union of the pervading
principles it
reaches harmony.
To be "orphaned," "lonely" and "unworthy" is what men hate most.
Yet the princes and dukes call themselves by such
names.
For sometimes things are benefited by being taken away
from,
And suffer by being added to.
Others have taught this maxim,
Which I shall teach
also:
"The violent man shall die a violent death."
This I shall regard as my spiritual teacher.
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43
The softest substance of the world
Goes through the
hardest.
That-which-is-without-form penetrates
that-which-has-no-crevice;
Through this I know the benefit
of taking
no action.
The teaching without words
And the
benefit of taking no action
Are without compare in
the universe.
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44
Fame or one's own self, which does one love more?
One's own
self or material goods, which has more worth?
Loss (of self) or
possession (of goods), which is the greater evil?
Therefore: he who loves most spends most,
He who
hoards much loses much.
The contented man meets no
disgrace;
Who know when to stop runs into no danger -
He can long endure.
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45
The highest perfection is like
imperfection,
And its use is never
impaired.
The greatest abundance seems meager,
And its use will never fail.
What s most
straight appears devious,
The greatest skill appears
clumsiness;
The greatest eloquence seems like stuttering.
Movement overcomes cold,
(But) keeping still overcomes
heat.
Who is calm and quiet becomes the guide for the
universe.
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46
When the world lives in accord with Tao,
Racing horses are
turned back to haul refuse carts.
When the world lives not in
accord with Tao,
Cavalry abounds in the countryside.
There is no greater curse than the lack of contentment.
No
greater sin than the desire for possession.
Therefore he who is
contented with contentment
shall be always
content.
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47
Without stepping outside one's doors,
One can
know what is happening in the world,
Without looking out of
one's windows,
One can see the Tao of heaven.
The farther one pursues knowledge,
The less one
knows.
Therefore the Sage knows without running about,
Understands without seeing,
Accomplishes without doing.
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48
The student of knowledge (aims at) learning day by day;
The
student of Tao (aims at) losing day by day.
By
continual losing
One reaches doing nothing
(laissez-faire).
He who conquers the world often does so
by doing
nothing.
When one is compelled to do
something,
The world is already beyond his conquering.
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49
The Sage has no decided opinions and feelings,
But regards the people's opinions and feelings as his own.
The good ones I declare good;
The bad ones I also declare
good.
That is the goodness of Virtue.
The
honest ones I believe;
The liars I also believe;
That is the faith of Virtue.
The Sage dwells in the world peacefully, harmoniously.
The
people of the world are brought into a community of heart,
And
the Sage regards them all as his own children.
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50
Out of life, death enters.
The companions (organs) of life
are thirteen;
The companions (organs) of death are (also) thirteen.
What
send man to death in this life are also (these) thirteen.
How is it so?
Because of the intense activity
of multiplying life.
It has been said that the who is a good preserver of hi life
Meets no tigers or wild buffaloes on land,
Is not vulnerable to weapons in the field of
battle.
The horns of the wild buffalo are powerless against
him.
How is it so?
Because he is beyond
death.
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51
Tao gives them birth,
Teh
(character) fosters them.
The material world gives
them form.
The circumstances of the moment complete
them.
Therefore all things of the universe worship Tao and exalt
Teh.
Tao is worshipped and Teh is exalted
Without anyone's order but is so of its own accord.
Therefore Tao gives them birth,
Teh fosters them,
Makes them grow, develops them,
Gives them a harbor, a place
to dwell in peace,
Feeds them and shelter them.
It gives them birth and does not own them,
Acts (helps) and does not appropriate them,
Is superior, and does not control them.
- This is the Mystic Virtue.
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52
There was a beginning of the universe
Which may
be regarded as the Mother of the Universe.
From the Mother, we
may know her sons.
After knowing the sons, keep to
the Mother.
Thus one's whole life may be preserved
from harm.
Stop its apertures,
Close its doors,
And one's
whole life is without toil.
Open its apertures,
Be busy about its affairs,
And
one's whole life is beyond redemption.
He who can see the small is clear-sighted;
He who stays by
gentility is strong.
use the light,
And return to clear-sightedness -
Thus cause
not yourself later distress.
- This is to rest in the
Absolute.
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53
If I were possessed of Austere Knowledge,
Walking on the Main
Path (Tao),
I would avoid the by-paths.
the Main path is easy to walk on,
Yet people love
the small by-paths.
The (official) courts are spic and span,
(While) the fields
go untilled,
And the (people's) granaries are very low.
(Yet) clad in embroidered gowns,
And carrying find
swords,
Surfeited with good food and drinks,
(They
are) splitting with wealth and possessions.
- This
is to lead the world toward brigandage.
Is this not
corruption of Tao?
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54
Who is firmly established is not easily shaken.
Who has a
firm grasp does not easily let go.
From generation to generation
his ancestral sacrifices
Shall be continued without
fail.
Cultivated in the individual, character will become genuine;
Cultivated in the family, character will become abundant;
Cultivated in the village, character will multiply;
Cultivated in the state, character will prosper;
Cultivated
in the world, character will become universal.
Therefore:
According to (the character of ) the
individual,
judge the
individual;
According to (the character of ) the
family,
judge the family;
According to (the character of ) the village,
judge the village;
According to (the character of ) the state,
judge the state;
According to (the character of ) the world,
judge the world.
How do I know this is so?
By this.
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55
Who is rich in
character
Is like a child.
No poisonous
insects sting him,
No wild beasts attack him,
And no birds of prey pounce upon him.
His bones
are soft, his sinews tender, yet his grip is strong.
Not knowing
the union of male and female, yet his organs are complete,
Which means his vigor is unspoiled.
Crying the
whole day, yet his voice never runs hoarse,
Which
means his (natural) harmony is perfect.
To know harmony is to be
in accord with the eternal,
(And) to know eternity is called
discerning.
(But) to improve upon life is called an
ill-omen;
To let go the emotions through impulse
is called assertiveness.
(For) things age after reaching their
prime;
That (assertiveness) would be against Tao.
And
he who is against Tao perishes young.
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56
He who knows does not speak;
He who speaks does not
know.
Fill up its apertures,
Close its doors,
Dull its edges,
Untie its tangles,
Soften its
light,
Submerge its turmoil,
- This is the Mystic
Unity.
Then love and hatred cannot touch him.
Profit and loss cannot
reach him.
Honor and disgrace cannot affect him.
Therefore is he always the honored one of the world.
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57
Rule a kingdom by the Normal.
Fight a battle by ( abnormal)
tactics of surprise.
Win the world by doing nothing.
How do I know it is so?
Through this: -
The more prohibitions there
are,
The poorer the people
become.
The more sharp weapons there are,
The greater the chaos in the
state.
The more skills of technique,
The more cunning
things are produced.
The greater the number of
statutes,
The greater the number
of thieves and brigands.
Therefore the sage says:
I do nothing and the
people are reformed
of themselves.
I love quietude and the people are
righteous of themselves.
I deal in no business and
the people grow rich by themselves.
I have no
desires and the people are simple
and honest by themselves.
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58
When the government is lazy and dull,
Its people
are unspoiled;
When the government is efficient and smart,
Its people are discontented.
Disaster is the avenue of fortune,
(And) fortune is the
concealment for disaster.
Who would be able to know
its ultimate results?
(As it is), there would never be the
normal.
But the normal would (immediately) revert
to the deceitful.
And the good revert to the
sinister.
Thus long has mankind gone astray!
Therefore the Sage is square (has firm principles),
but not cutting (sharp-cornered),
Has integrity
but does
not hurt (others),
Is straight, but not high-handed,
Bright, but not dazzling.
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59
In managing human affairs, there is no better rule
than to be sparing.
To be sparing is to forestall;
To forestall is to be
prepared and strengthened;
To be prepared and strengthened is to
be ever-victorious;
To be ever-victorious is to have infinite
capacity;
He who has infinite capacity is fit to rule a
country,
And the Mother (principle) of a ruling country can long
endure.
This is to be firmly rooted, to have deep
strength,
The road to immortality and enduring
vision.
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60
Rule a big country as you would fry
small fish.
Who rules the world in accord with Tao
Shall find that the spirits lose their power.
It is not that the spirits lose their power,
But that they cease to do people harm.
It is not (only) that
they cease to do people harm,
The Sage (himself)
also does no harm to the people.
When both do not do each other
harm,
The original character is restored.
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61
A big country (should be like) the delta low-regions,
Being the concourse of the world,
(And) the Female of the world.
The Female overcomes the Male by
quietude,
And achieves the lowly position by quietude.
Therefore if a big country places itself below a small country
It absorbs
the small country.
(And) if a small country places itself below
a big country,
It absorbs the big country.
Therefore some place themselves low to absorb (others),
Some are (naturally) low and absorb (others).
What a big country wants is but to
shelter others,
And what a small
country wants is but to be able to
come in and be
sheltered.
Thus (considering) that both may have what they
want,
A big country ought to place itself
low.
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62
Tao is the mysterious secret of the universe,
The good man's
treasure,
And the bad man's refuge.
Beautiful saying can be sold at the market,
Noble
conduct can be presented as a gift.
Though there be bad
people,
Why reject them?
Therefore on the crowning of an emperor,
On the
appointment of the Three Ministers,
Rather than
send tributes of jade and teams of four horses,
Send in the tribute of Tao.
Wherein did the ancients prize this
Tao?
Did they not say, "to search for the guilty ones and pardon
them"?
Therefore is (tao) the treasure of the
world.
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63
Accomplish do-nothing.
Attend to
no-affairs.
Taste the flavorless.
Whether
it is big or small, many or few,
Requite hatred with
virtue.
Deal with the difficult while yet it is
easy;
Deal wit the big while yet it is small.
The difficult (problems) of the world
Must be
dealt with while they are yet easy;
The great (problems) of the
world
Must be dealt with while they are yet
small.
Therefore the Sage by never dealing with great
(problems)
Accomplishes greatness.
He who lightly makes a promise
Will find it
often hard to keep his faith.
He who makes light of many
things
Will encounter many difficulties.
Hence even the Sage regards things as difficult,
And for that reason never meets with difficulties.
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64
That which lies still is easy to hold;
That
which is not yet manifest is easy to forestall;
That which is
brittle (like ice) easily melts;
That which is
minute easily scatters.
Deal with a thing before it is
there;
Check disorder before it is rife.
A tree with a full span's girth begins from a tiny sprout;
A nine-storied terrace begins with a clod of earth.
A journey of a thousand li beings at one's
feet.
He who acts, spoils;
He who grasps, lets slip.
Because the Sage does not act, he does not spoil,
Because he
does not grasp, he does not let slip.
The affairs
of men are often spoiled within an ace of completion.
By being careful at the end as at the beginning
Failure is averted.
Therefore the Sage desires to have no desire,
And values not objects difficult to obtain.
Learns that which is
unlearned,
And restores what the multitude have
lost.
That he may assist in the course of Nature
And not presume to interfere.
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65
The ancients who knew how to follow the Tao
Aimed not to enlighten the people.,
But to keep
them ignorant.
The reason it is difficult for the people to
leave in peace
Is because of too much
knowledge.
Those who seek to rule a country by knowledge
Are the nation's curse.
Those who seek not to
rule a country by knowledge
Are the nation's
blessing.
Those who know these two (principles)
Also know the ancient standard,
And to know
always the ancient standard
Is called the Mystic
Virtue.
When the Mystic Virtue becomes clear,
far-reaching,
And things revert back (to their
source)
Then and then only emerges the Grand
Harmony.
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66
How did the great rivers and seas become the Lords
of the ravines?
By being good at keeping
low.
That was how they became Lords of the Ravines.
Therefore in order to be the chief among the people,
One must speak like their inferiors.
In order
to be foremost among the people,
One must walk
behind them.
Thus it is that the Sage stays above,
And the people do not feel his weight;
Walks in
front,
And the people do not wish him harm.
Then the people of the world are glad to uphold him forever.
Because he does not contend,
No one in the world can contend
against him.
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67
All the world says: my teaching (Tao) greatly resembles folly.
Because it is great; therefore it resembles folly.
If it did not resemble folly,
It would have
long ago become petty indeed!
I have Three Treasures;
Guard them and keep them safe:
the first is Love.
The second is, Never too
much.
The third is, Never be the first in the
world.
Through Love, one has no fear;
Through not
doing too much, one has amplitude
(of reserve
power);
Through not presuming to be the first in the
world,
One can develop one's talent and let it
mature.
If one forsakes love and fearlessness,
forsakes
restraint and reserve power,
forsakes following
behind and rushes in front,
He is doomed!
For love is victorious in attack,
And
invulnerable in defense.
Heaven arms with love
Those it would not see destroyed.
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68
The brave soldier is not violent;
The good fighter does not
lose his temper;
The great conqueror does not fight (on small
issues);
The good user of men places himself below others.
- This is the virtue of not-contending,
Is
called the capacity to use men,
Is reaching to the
height of being
Mated to Heaven,
to what was of old.
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69
There is the maxim of military strategists;
I
dare not be the first to invade, but rather be
the invaded.
Dare not press forward an inch,
but rather retreat a foot.
That is, to march without
formations,
To roll up the sleeves,
To charge not in frontal attacks,
To arm without
weapons.
There is no greater catastrophe than to
underestimate the enemy.
To underestimate the enemy might entail
the loss of my treasures.
Therefore when two
equally matched armies meet,
It is the man of
sorrow who wins.
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70
My teachings are very easy to understand
and
very easy to practice,
But no one can understand them and
no one can practice them.
In my
words there is a principle.
In the affairs of men
there is a system.
Because they know not these,
They
also know me not.
Since there are few that know
me,
Therefore I am distinguished.
Therefore the Sage wears a coarse cloth on top
And carries jade within his bosom.
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71
Who knows that he does not know is the highest;
Who (pretends
to) know what he does not know is sick-minded.
And who
recognizes sick-mindedness as sick-mindedness
is
not sick-minded.
The Sage is not sick-minded.
Because he recognizes sick-mindedness as
sick-mindness,
Therefore he is not
sick-minded.
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72
When people have no fear of force,
Then (as is the common practice) great force descends
upon them.
Despise not their dwellings,
Dislike not their progeny.
Because you do not dislike them,
You will not be disliked yourself.
Therefore the Sage knows
himself, but does not show himself,
Loves himself,
but does not exalt himself.
Therefore he rejects the one (force)
and
accepts the other (gentility).
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73
Who is brave in daring (you) kill,
Who is brave in not daring
(you) let live.
In these two,
There is
some advantage and some disadvantage.
(Even
if) Heaven dislikes certain people,
Who would know
(who are to be killed and) why?
Therefore even the Sage regards
it as a difficult question.
Heaven's Way (Tao) is
good at conquest without strife,
Rewarding (vice
and virtue) without words,
Making its appearance
without call,
Achieving results without obvious
design.
The
heaven's net is broad and wide.
With big meshes, yet
letting nothing slip through.
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74
The people are not afraid of death;
Why threaten them with
death?
Supposing that the people are afraid
of death,
And we can seize and kill the
unruly,
Who would dare to do so?
Often it
happens that the executioner is killed.
And to take the place of
the executioner
Is like handling the hatchet for
the master carpenter.
He who handles the hatchet for the master
carpenter
seldom escapes injury to his hands.
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75
When people are hungry,
It is because their rulers eat too
much tax-grain.
Therefore the unruliness of hungry
people
Is due to the interference of their
rulers.
That is why they are unruly.
The
people are not afraid of death,
Because they are anxious to make
a living.
That is why they are not afraid of death.
It is those who interfere not with their living
That are wise in exalting life.
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76
When man is born, he is tender and weak;
At
death, he is hard and stiff.
When the things and plants are
alive, they are soft
and supple;
When
they are dead, they are brittle and dry.
Therefore
hardness and stiffness are the companions of death,
And softness and gentleness are the companions of life.
Therefore when an army is headstrong,
it will lose in a battle.
When a tree is hard, it will be cut
down.
The big and strong belong underneath.
The gentle and weak belong at the top.
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77
The Tao (way) of Heaven,
Is it not like the bending of a
bow?
The top comes down and the bottom-end goes
up,
The extra (length) is shortened, the
insufficient (width) is expanded.
It is the way of Heaven to
take away from those that have too much
And give to those that
have not enough.
Not so with man's way:
He takes from those that have not
And gives it as
tribute to those that have too much.
Who can have enough and to
spare to give to the entire world?
Only the man of Tao.
Therefore the Sage acts, but does not possess,
Accomplishes but lays claim to no credit,
Because
he has no wish to seem superior.
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78
There is nothing weaker than water
But none is superior to it
in overcoming the hard,
For which there is no substitute.
That weakness overcomes strength
And gentleness overcomes rigidity,
No one does not
know;
No one can put into practice.
Therefore the Sage says:
"Who receives unto
himself the calumny of the world
Is the preserver
of the state.
Who bears himself the sins of the
world
Is king of the world."
Straight
words seem crooked.
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79
Patching up a great hatred is sure to leave some hatred behind.
How can this be regarded as satisfactory?
Therefore the Sage
holds the left
tally,
And does not put the guilt on the other party.
the virtuous man is for patching up;
The vicious is
for fixing
guilt.
But "the way of
Heaven is impartial;
It sides only with the good man."
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80
(Let there be) a small country with a small population,
Where
the supply of goods are tenfold or hundredfold,
more than they can use.
Let the people value their lives and not
migrate far.
Though there be boats and
carriages,
None be there to ride
them.
Though there be armor and
weapons,
No occasion to display
them.
Let the people again tie ropes for reckoning,
Let them enjoy their food,
Beautify their clothing,
Be satisfied with their
homes,
Delight in their customs.
The
neighboring settlements overlook one another
So that they can
hear the barking of dogs and crowing
of cocks of
their neighbors,
And the people till the end of their days shall
never
have been outside their country.
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81
True words are not fine-sounding;
Fine-sounding
words are not true.
A good man does not argue;
he who argues is not a good man.
the wise one
does not know many things;
He who knows many things
is not wise.
The Sage does not accumulate (for himself).
He
lives for other people,
And grows richer
himself;
He gives to other people,
And has greater abundance.
The Tao of Heaven
Blesses, but does not
harm.
The Way of the Sage
Accomplishes,
but does not contend.
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Notes on the Translation
Hsuan - This word is the equivalent of
"mystic" and "mysticism." Taoism is also known as the Hsuanchiao,
or "Mystic Religion."
back
Miao may also be translated as "Essence"; is
means "the wonderful," the "ultimate", the "logically unknowable", the
"quintessence," or "esoteric truth."
back
Exalting the wise in government is a typically
Confucian idea.
back
"Empty-heart" in the Chinese language
means "open-mindedness," or "humility," a sign of the cultured
gentleman. Sometimes used to mean "passivity." Throughout
Laotse's book, "empty" and "full" are used as meaning "humility" and
"pride" respectively.
back
Wei, "to act," frequently used in this book
to denote "interfere." Wu-Wei, 'or "inaction," practically
means non-interference, for is is the exact equivalent of
laissez-faire.
back
The doctrine of naturalism, the Sage reaching
the impartiality and often the stolid indifference of Nature.
back
Center, the original nature of man. "Hold to
the core" is an important Taoist tenet.
back
The Valley, like the bellows, is a symbol of
Taoistic "emptiness."
back
The principle of yin, the negative, the
receptive, the quiescent.
back
He who makes use of nature's laws
accomplishes results "without labor."
back
self: Gives life to others through its
transformations.
back
one: Important phrase in Taoism.
back
The babe as symbol of innocence, a common
imagery found also in Chuangtse; sometimes the imagery of the "new-born
calf" is used.
back
female: The Yin, the receptive, the passive, the
quiet. "The Door of the Mystic Female is the root of Heaven and
Earth," see Ch. 6.
back
Lit. "Keep on one's guard."
back
belly and eye: "Belly" here refers to the inner self, the
unconscious, the instinctive; the "eye" refers to the external self or the
sensuous word.
back
value and fear: Interpreted as life and death. The text of Chuangtse
confirms this interpretation.
back
self: Lit. "body."
back
yi-hsi-wei: Jesuit scholars consider these three words (in
ancient Chinese pronounced nearly like i-hi-vei) an interesting
coincidence with the Hebrew word "Jahve."
back
Another ancient text, the "rulers."
back
Tun, "thickness," like solid furniture,
associated with the original simplicity of man, in opposition to
"thinness," associated with cunning, over-refinement and
sophistication.
back
P'u, important Taoist idea, the uncarved, the
unembellished, the natural goodness and honesty of man. Generally
used to mean simplicity, plainness of heart and living.
back
Hun, "muddled," "mixing freely," therefore
"easygoing," "not particular." Taoist wisdom: a wise man
should appear like a fool.
back
Self-satisfaction, conceit.
back
Ch'ang, the
"constant," the law of growth and decay, of necessary alternation of
opposites, can be interpreted as the "universal law of nature," or the
"inner law of man," the true self (hsingming chih ch'ang), the two
being identical in their nature.
back
Wang; a possible translation is "cosmopolitan,"
i.e., regarding the world as one.
back
T'ien, heaven or nature. Both
t'ien here and Tao in the next line are clearly used as adjectives;
hence the translation "in accord with." T'ien very commonly
means "nature," or "natural."
back
Some texts read: "The people do not
know."
back
humanity and justice: Essential Confucian doctrines,
usually translated (badly) as "benevolence" and "righteousness."
back
Su, the unadorned, uncultured, the innate
quality, simple self; originally "plain silk background" as opposed to
superimposed colored drawings; hence the expression to "reveal,"
"realize," su.
back
Imagery of the sucking child,
symbolizing drawing power from Mother Nature.
back
Teh as manifestation of Tao, or Tao embodied,
the moral principle, tr. by Waley as "power."
back
The Absolute, to which transient attributes
revert.
back
Ming with two meanings, "clear" (bright,
sterling) and "clear-sighted" (wise, discerning).
back
An Ancient text reads "man" in place of "king."
back
Tse-jan, lit. "self-so," "self-formed,"
"that which is so by itself."
back
Literally "heavy",: with the
Earth as model. In Chinese, "heaviness" or "thickness" of character,
meaning "honesty," "generosity," is associated with the idea of stable
luck and endurance, whereas "thinness" or "lightness" of character,
meaning "frivolity" or "sharpness," is associated with lack of stable
luck.
back
The sage uses each according to
his talent.
back
Hsi, to enter or secure by devious means such as
invasion, attack at night, penetration, etc. The idea is cunningly
to make use of knowledge of Nature's law to obtain the best results.
back
Tse, raw-material,
resources, help, something to draw upon for profit, such as a
lesson.
back
See Ch. 6. The valley, or ravine, is symbol of
the Female Principle, the receptive, the passive.
back
Literally, "blow out," "blow in." I follow
Waley's rendering, which conveys the meaning perfectly.
back
The Chinese character for
"military" is composed of two parts: "stop" and "arms." Chinese
pacifists interpret this as meaning disapproval of arms ("stop armament"),
whereas it may just as well mean to "stop" the enemy "by force."
Etymologically, however, the word for "stop" is a picture of a footprint,
so the whole is a picture of a "spear" over "footprints."
back
Another reading, "fine
weapons." Ping can mean both "soldiers" and "weapons."
back
left and right: These are ceremonial arrangements.
the left is a symbol of good omen, the creative; the right is a symbol of
bad omen, the destructive.
back
Another equally good reading: "not
boasting," "and who boasts of victory."
back
funeral rite: One of the five Cardinal Rites of
Chou-li. The last five lines but two read like a commentary,
interpolated in the text by mistake. The evidence is conclusive: (1)
The terms "lieutenant general" and "general" are the only ones in the
whole text that are anachronisms, for these terms did not exist until Han
times. (2) The commentary by Wang Pi is missing in this chapter, so it
must have slipped into the text by a copyist's mistake. See also Ch.
69. Cf. Mencius, "The best fighter should receive the supreme punishment";
again, "Only he who does not love slaughter can unify the empire."
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name: Names imply differentiation of things and loss of
original state of Tao.
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run into the sea: Really to be compared to the sea, or to
the rivers seeking repose in the sea.
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long life: In this chapter, Laotse gives a number of
aphorisms on knowledge and learning, strength, wealth, and his definition
of long life. It is clear that the line "He who dies yet his power
remains has long life," comes very near to Laotse's definition of
immortality; here Laotse gives a slight twist to the Chinese word
shou, or "long life," which in the Chinese mind is considered one
of the greatest blessings on earth.
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home of all things: Literally "All things return, or
belong, to it."
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great symbol: The symbol of Nature, Heaven or Earth.
This chapter consists of rhymed three-word lines.
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Li, Confucian doctrine of
social order and control, characterized by ritual s; also courtesy, good
manners.
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Another commonly accepted reading through
word-substitution in the text: "Truly, the highest prestige requires no
praise." Apart from the forced substitution of words, this reading
makes no sense in the context.
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Pervading influence of the spirit
reaches everywhere, in contrast with superficial activities which create
obstacles of their own.
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Because it assumes fluid form according
to circumstances.
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doing nothing: By moral influence.
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do something: By ordering people about.
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Hsin (feelings): lit. "heart." Both thinking and
feeling are denoted by this word. It is impossible to say a "decided
heart."
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thirteen companions: According to Han Fei, the four limbs
and nine external cavities. Another orthodox reading is
"three-tenths," but this makes less sense.
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beyond death: Lit. "deathless."
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From within myself; or the meaning could be very
well developed in the following chapter, since the chapter division is
arbitrary.
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Lit. "thick," "heavy."
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Hsin (impulse): lit. "mind," or "heart."
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mystic unity: All submerged in the One.
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Cheng, the
normal, the straight, the righteous; ch'i, the abnormal, the
deceitful, the surprising.
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Ch'i (cunning): same word as that used for "surprise
tactics."
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Hua (reformed): touched, transformed, "civilized" by
moral influence. The best explanation of "doing nothing."
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does not hurt: In removing corruption by artificial laws
and statutes and punishments.
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sparing: Never do too much.
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fry small fish: Let alone, or the fish will become paste
by constant turning about.
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Ch'u (absorbs): takes, conquers, overcomes, wins
over.
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Ts'e, tender love
(associated with the mother).
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Chien, lit. "frugality," "be sparing"; see
chapter 59.
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Invader and invaded,
lit. "host" and "guest." It is possible to read it differently by
supplying the often dropped when: "When I dare not be the invader,
then I will be the defender."
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without weapons: Or to feel like being in this condition,
i.e., the subjective condition of humility. This is entirely
consistent with Laotse's philosophy of camouflage, the earliest in the
world. Cf. "great eloquence is like stuttering," etc., Ch.
45.
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man of sorrow: Who hates killing. See Ch. 31.
The corrected text of Yu Yueh would make this read, "The man who yields
wins."
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Wei (force): military force or authority; sometimes
also used in connection with "God's anger." Another interpretation,
"when the people have no fear of God, then God's anger descends upon
them." But this does not fit in so well with the context. See
the next two chapters on the futility of punishment, especially the first
two lines, Ch. 74.
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the heaven's net is broad and wide: This has now become a
Chinese proverb for "virtue always rewarded, vice always punished."
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Ch'iang (headstrong): "stiff," "strong," and
"headstrong."
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underneath, at the top: As with twigs and trunks.
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left tally : Sign of inferiority in an agreement.
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fixing guilt: Wang Pi's commentary: "for pointing out
faults." This in modern days is embodied in the "guilt clause,"
which is always determined by the victor in battle.
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way of heaven: An ancient quotation appearing in many
ancient texts.
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