Of Tao's mighty deeds.

All things under heaven sprang from It as existing (and named);

that existence sprang from It as non-existent (and not named).

老 子: 「道 德 经」 : 第 四 十 一 章

上 士 闻 道 ， 勤 而 行 之 ? 中 士 闻 道 ， 若 存 若 亡 ?

下 士 闻 道 ， 大 笑 之 。 不 笑 不 足 以 为 道 。

故 建 言 有 之 ：

　 　明 道 若 昧 ?

　 　进 道 若 退 ?

　 　夷 道 若 ? ?

　 　上 德 若 谷 ?

　 　广 德 若 不 足 ?

　 　建 德 若 偷 ?

　 　质 真 若 渝 ?

　 　大 白 若 辱 ?

　 　大 方 无 隅 ?

　 　大 器 晚 成 ?

　 　大 音 希 声 ?

　 　大 象 无 形 ?

　 　道 隐 无 名 。

　 　夫 唯 道 ， 善 贷 且 成 。

Chapter 41

Scholars of the highest class, when they hear about the Tao,

earnestly carry it into practice. Scholars of the middle class, when

they have heard about it, seem now to keep it and now to lose it.

Scholars of the lowest class, when they have heard about it, laugh

greatly at it. If it were not (thus) laughed at, it would not be fit

to be the Tao.

Therefore the sentence-makers have thus expressed themselves:--

'The Tao, when brightest seen, seems light to lack;

Who progress in it makes, seems drawing back;

Its even way is like a rugged track.

Its highest virtue from the vale doth rise;

Its greatest beauty seems to offend the eyes;

And he has most whose lot the least supplies.

Its firmest virtue seems but poor and low;

Its solid truth seems change to undergo;

Its largest square doth yet no corner show

A vessel great, it is the slowest made;

Loud is its sound, but never word it said;

A semblance great, the shadow of a shade.'

The Tao is hidden, and has no name; but it is the Tao which is

skilful at imparting (to all things what they need) and making them

complete.

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老 子: 「道 德 经」 : 第 四 十 二 章

道 生 一 ， 一 生 二 ， 二 生 三 ， 三 生 万 物 。

万 物 负 阴 而 抱 阳 ， 冲 气 以 为 和 。

　 　人 之 所 恶 ， 唯 孤 、 寡 、 不 谷 ， 而 王 公 以 为 称 。

　 　故 物 或 损 之 而 益 ， 或 益 之 而 损 。

　 　人 之 所 教 ， 我 亦 教 之 。

强 梁 者 不 得 其 死 ， 吾 将 以 为 教 父 。

Chapter 42

The Tao produced One; One produced Two; Two produced Three;

Three produced All things. All things leave behind them the Obscurity

(out of which they have come), and go forward to embrace the

Brightness (into which they have emerged), while they are harmonised

by the Breath of Vacancy.

What men dislike is to be orphans, to have little virtue, to be as

carriages without naves; and yet these are the designations which

kings and princes use for themselves. So it is that some things are

increased by being diminished, and others are diminished by being

increased.

What other men (thus) teach, I also teach. The violent and strong

do not die their natural death. I will make this the basis of my

teaching.

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老 子: 「道 德 经」 : 第 四 十 三 章

天 下 之 至 柔 ， 驰 骋 天 下 之 至 坚 。

无 有 入 无 间 ， 吾 是 以 知 无 为 之 有 益 。

　 　不 言 之 教 ， 无 为 之 益 ， 天 下 希 及 之 。

Chapter 43

The softest thing in the world dashes against and overcomes the

hardest; that which has no (substantial) existence enters where there

is no crevice. I know hereby what advantage belongs to doing nothing

(with a purpose).

There are few in the world who attain to the teaching without

words, and the advantage arising from non-action.

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老 子: 「道 德 经」 : 第 四 十 四 章

　 　名 与 身 孰 亲 。 身 与 货 孰 多 。 得 与 亡 孰 病 。

　 　甚 爱 必 大 费 ? 多 藏 必 厚 亡 。

　 　故 知 足 不 辱 ， 知 止 不 殆 ， 可 以 长 久 。

Chapter 44

Or fame or life,

Which do you hold more dear?

Or life or wealth,

To which would you adhere?

Keep life and lose those other things;

Keep them and lose your life:--which brings

Sorrow and pain more near?

Thus we may see,

Who cleaves to fame

Rejects what is more great;

Who loves large stores

Gives up the richer state.

Who is content

Needs fear no shame.

Who knows to stop

Incurs no blame.

From danger free

Long live shall he.

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老 子: 「道 德 经」 : 第 四 十 五 章

　 　大 成 若 缺 ， 其 用 不 弊 。

　 　大 盈 若 冲 ， 其 用 不 穷 。

　 　大 直 若 屈 ， 大 巧 若 拙 ， 大 辩 若 讷 。

　 　静 胜 躁 ， 寒 胜 热 。 清 静 为 天 下 正 。

Chapter 45

Who thinks his great achievements poor

Shall find his vigour long endure.

Of greatest fulness, deemed a void,

Exhaustion ne'er shall stem the tide.

Do thou what's straight still crooked deem;

Thy greatest art still stupid seem,

And eloquence a stammering scream.

Constant action overcomes cold; being still overcomes heat. Purity

and stillness give the correct law to all under heaven.

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老 子: 「道 德 经」 : 第 四 十 六 章

天 下 有 道 ， 却 走 马 以 粪 。

天 下 无 道 ， 戎 马 生 于 郊 。

　 　祸 莫 大 于 不 知 足 ? 咎 莫 大 于 欲 得 。

故 知 足 之 足 ， 常 足 矣 。

Chapter 46

When the Tao prevails in the world, they send back their swift

horses to (draw) the dung-carts. When the Tao is disregarded in the

world, the war-horses breed in the border lands.

There is no guilt greater than to sanction ambition; no calamity

greater than to be discontented with one's lot; no fault greater than

the wish to be getting. Therefore the sufficiency of contentment is

an enduring and unchanging sufficiency.

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老 子: 「道 德 经」 : 第 四 十 七 章

不 出 户 ， 知 天 下 ? 不 窥 牖 ， 见 天 道 。

其 出 弥 远 ， 其 知 弥 少 。

　 　是 以 圣 人 不 行 而 知 ， 不 见 而 明 ， 不 为 而 成 。

Chapter 47

Without going outside his door, one understands (all that takes

place) under the sky; without looking out from his window, one sees

the Tao of Heaven. The farther that one goes out (from himself), the

less he knows.

Therefore the sages got their knowledge without travelling; gave

their (right) names to things without seeing them; and accomplished

their ends without any purpose of doing so.

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老 子: 「道 德 经」 : 第 四 十 八 章

为 学 日 益 ， 为 道 日 损 。

损 之 又 损 ， 以 至 于 无 为 。

　 　无 为 而 无 不 为 。

取 天 下 常 以 无 事 ， 及 其 有 事 ， 不 足 以 取 天 下 。

Chapter 48

He who devotes himself to learning (seeks) from day to day to

increase (his knowledge); he who devotes himself to the Tao (seeks)

from day to day to diminish (his doing).

He diminishes it and again diminishes it, till he arrives at doing

nothing (on purpose). Having arrived at this point of non-action,

there is nothing which he does not do.

He who gets as his own all under heaven does so by giving himself

no trouble (with that end). If one take trouble (with that end), he

is not equal to getting as his own all under heaven.

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老 子: 「道 德 经」 : 第 四 十 九 章

　 　 圣 人 常 无 心 ， 以 百 姓 心 为 心 。

　 　 善 者 ， 吾 善 之 ? 不 善 者 ， 吾 亦 善 之 ? 德 善 。

　 　 信 者 ， 吾 信 之 ? 不 信 者 ， 吾 亦 信 之 ? 德 信 。

　 　 圣 人 在 天 下 ， 歙 歙 焉 ， 为 天 下 浑 其 心 ，

百 姓 皆 注 其 耳 目 ， 圣 人 皆 孩 之 。

Chapter 49

The sage has no invariable mind of his own; he makes the mind

of the people his mind.

To those who are good (to me), I am good; and to those who are not

good (to me), I am also good;--and thus (all) get to be good. To

those who are sincere (with me), I am sincere; and to those who are

not sincere (with me), I am also sincere;--and thus (all) get to be

sincere.

The sage has in the world an appearance of indecision, and keeps

his mind in a state of indifference to all. The people all keep their

eyes and ears directed to him, and he deals with them all as his

children.

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老 子: 「道 德 经」 : 第 五 十 章

出 生 入 死 。

生 之 徒 ， 十 有 三 ?

死 之 徒 ， 十 有 三 ?

人 之 生 ， 动 之 于 死 地 ， 亦 十 有 三 。

　 　夫 何 故 。

以 其 生 之 厚 。

盖 闻 善 摄 生 者 ， 路 行 不 遇 兕 虎 ， 入 军 不 被 甲 兵 ?

兕 无 所 投 其 角 ， 虎 无 所 用 其 爪 ， 兵 无 所 容 其 刃 。

夫 何 故 。 以 其 无 死 地 。

Chapter 50

Men come forth and live; they enter (again) and die.

Of every ten three are ministers of life (to themselves); and three

are ministers of death.

There are also three in every ten whose aim is to live, but whose

movements tend to the land (or place) of death. And for what reason?

Because of their excessive endeavours to perpetuate life.

But I have heard that he who is skilful in managing the life

entrusted to him for a time travels on the land without having to shun

rhinoceros or tiger, and enters a host without having to avoid buff

coat or sharp weapon. The rhinoceros finds no place in him into which

to thrust its horn, nor the tiger a place in which to fix its claws,

nor the weapon a place to admit its point. And for what reason?

Because there is in him no place of death.

老 子: 「道 德 经」 : 第 五 十 一 章

道 生 之 ， 德 畜 之 ， 物 形 之 ， 势 成 之 。

　 　是 以 万 物 莫 不 尊 道 而 贵 德 。

　 　道 之 尊 ， 德 之 贵 ， 夫 莫 之 命 而 常 自 然 。

　 　故 道 生 之 ， 德 畜 之 ?

长 之 育 之 ? 成 之 熟 之 ? 养 之 覆 之 。

生 而 不 有 ， 为 而 不 恃 ，

长 而 不 宰 。 是 谓 玄 德 。

Chapter 51

All things are produced by the Tao, and nourished by its

outflowing operation. They receive their forms according to the

nature of each, and are completed according to the circumstances of

their condition. Therefore all things without exception honour the

Tao, and exalt its outflowing operation.

This honouring of the Tao and exalting of its operation is not the

result of any ordination, but always a spontaneous tribute.

Thus it is that the Tao produces (all things), nourishes them,

brings them to their full growth, nurses them, completes them, matures

them, maintains them, and overspreads them.

It produces them and makes no claim to the possession of them; it

carries them through their processes and does not vaunt its ability in

doing so; it brings them to maturity and exercises no control over

them;--this is called its mysterious operation.

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老 子: 「道 德 经」 : 第 五 十 二 章

天 下 有 始 ， 以 为 天 下 母 。

既 得 其 母 ， 以 知 其 子 ，

复 守 其 母 ， 没 身 不 殆 。

　 　塞 其 兑 ， 闭 其 门 ， 终 身 不 勤 。

开 其 兑 ， 济 其 事 ， 终 身 不 救 。

　 　见 小 曰 明 ， 守 柔 曰 强 。

用 其 光 ， 复 归 其 明 ， 无 遗 身 殃 ? 是 为 袭 常 。

Chapter 52

(The Tao) which originated all under the sky is to be

considered as the mother of them all.

When the mother is found, we know what her children should be.

When one knows that he is his mother's child, and proceeds to guard

(the qualities of) the mother that belong to him, to the end of his

life he will be free from all peril.

Let him keep his mouth closed, and shut up the portals (of his

nostrils), and all his life he will be exempt from laborious exertion.

Let him keep his mouth open, and (spend his breath) in the promotion

of his affairs, and all his life there will be no safety for him.

The perception of what is small is (the secret of clear-

sightedness; the guarding of what is soft and tender is (the secret

of) strength.

Who uses well his light,

Reverting to its (source so) bright,

Will from his body ward all blight,

And hides the unchanging from men's sight.

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老 子: 「道 德 经」 : 第 五 十 三 章

使 我 介 然 有 知 ， 行 于 大 道 ， 唯 施 是 畏 。

　 　大 道 甚 夷 ， 而 人 好 径 。

朝 甚 除 ， 田 甚 芜 ， 仓 甚 虚 ?

服 文 采 ， 带 利 剑 ， 厌 饮 食 ，

财 货 有 余 ? 是 为 盗 夸 。

非 道 也 哉 。

Chapter 53

If I were suddenly to become known, and (put into a position

to) conduct (a government) according to the Great Tao, what I should

be most afraid of would be a boastful display.

The great Tao (or way) is very level and easy; but people love the

by-ways.

Their court(-yards and buildings) shall be well kept, but their

fields shall be ill-cultivated, and their granaries very empty. They

shall wear elegant and ornamented robes, carry a sharp sword at their

girdle, pamper themselves in eating and drinking, and have a

superabundance of property and wealth;--such (princes) may be called

robbers and boasters. This is contrary to the Tao surely!

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老 子: 「道 德 经」 : 第 五 十 四 章

善 建 者 不 拔 ，

善 抱 者 不 脱 ， 子 孙 以 祭 祀 不 辍 。

　 　修 之 于 身 ， 其 德 乃 真 ?

修 之 于 家 ， 其 德 乃 余 ?

修 之 于 乡 ， 其 德 乃 长 ?

修 之 于 邦 ， 其 德 乃 丰 ?

修 之 于 天 下 ， 其 德 乃 普 。

　 　 故 以 身 观 身 ，

以 家 观 家 ， 以 乡 观 乡 ，

以 邦 观 邦 ， 以 天 下 观 天 下 。

吾 何 以 知 天 下 然 哉 。 以 此 。

Chapter 54

What (Tao's) skilful planter plants

Can never be uptorn;

What his skilful arms enfold,

From him can ne'er be borne.

Sons shall bring in lengthening line,

Sacrifices to his shrine.

Tao when nursed within one's self,

His vigour will make true;

And where the family it rules

What riches will accrue!

The neighbourhood where it prevails

In thriving will abound;

And when 'tis seen throughout the state,

Good fortune will be found.

Employ it the kingdom o'er,

And men thrive all around.

In this way the effect will be seen in the person, by the

observation of different cases; in the family; in the neighbourhood;

in the state; and in the kingdom.

How do I know that this effect is sure to hold thus all under the

sky? By this (method of observation).

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老 子: 「道 德 经」 : 第 五 十 五 章

含 「 德 」 之 厚 ， 比 于 赤 子 。

毒 虫 不 螫 ， 猛 兽 不 据 ， 攫 鸟 不 搏 。

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