有物混成先天地生寂兮寥兮獨立不改周行而不殆可以為天下母吾不知其名•字之曰道強為之名曰大大曰逝逝曰遠遠曰反(•)__道大天大地大王亦大域中有四大而王居其一焉•人法地地法天天法道道法自然•Something existed unformed yet complete,Before heaven and earth were created.Silent! Empty!Standing alone, not changing.It circulates everywhere, and causes no danger.It can be considered the mother of the world.I do not know its name;Its symbol is called Dao.If I tried to make its name, I would call it great.Being great speaks of departing.Departing speaks of being remote.Being remote speaks of returning.Dao is great,Heaven is great,Earth is great,The king is also great.Within the realm exist four that are great,And the king resides as one of them!People follow the earth.The earth follows heaven.Heaven follows Dao.Dao follows what is naturally so.[Some]thingexistedunformedyetcomplete, [mingled,blended,unstructured]♦Beforeheavenandearthwerecreated.Silent!Empty!Standingalone,notchanging.Itcirculateseverywhere2,and[causes]Anodanger.Itcanbeconsidered2themotherof theworld2.Idonotknowitsname;ItssymboliscalledDao.If Itriedtomakeitsname, I wouldcallitgreat.Beinggreatspeaksofdeparting.Departingspeaksof beingremote.Beingremotespeaksofreturning.♦Daoisgreat,♦Heavenisgreat,♦Earthisgreat,♦Thekingisalsogreat.Withintherealmexistfourthat aregreat, [region,territory]Andthekingresidesasoneofthem!♦PeoplefollowBtheearth.♦Theearthfollowsheaven.♦HeavenfollowsDao.♦Daofollowswhat isnaturally so2.NotesA : “is in” could also be used here, but as the subject is Dao, this seems unlikely; this sentence is not in the three earliest sourcesB : “follow” as in “emulates” or “uses as a model for their own behavior”Cross-referencesno danger : #16, #32, #44, #52mother : #1, #20, #52, #59mother of the world : #52returning : #14, #16, #19, #20, #22, #28, #34, #40, #52,#58, #60, #64, #65, #80remote : #65remoteandreturning : #65naturally so : #17, #23, #51, #64Chapter Twenty Six重為輕根靜為躁君是以(君子)終日行不離[其]輜重雖有榮觀燕處超然奈何萬乘之主而以身輕天下輕則失本躁則失君Serious serves as the source of frivolous.Stillness serves as the ruler of restlessness.Thus the noble man travels the entire day,And does not stray from his wagon.He is serious, even though glorious sights and feasts exist;He lives above them, like this.So how could one be the master of ten thousand chariots,And conduct his self frivolously in the world?Be frivolous, then lose the source.Be restless, then lose the rulership.♦Serious{heavy}serves asthesourceoffrivolous{light}.♦Stillnessserves astherulerofrestlessnessA.Thus2thenoble man2*Btravelstheentireday,And doesnotstrayfromhiswagon. [leave,depart,separate]He isseriousC,even thoughglorioussightsandfeastsexist;Helivesabove them,like thisD. [transcend,jump over][So]how2could [one be] themasteroften thousandchariots,EAndconducthisselfFfrivolously{lightly} in theworld2?[use]Befrivolous{light},thenlosethesource.♦Berestless,thenlosetherulership.NotesA : this symbol also means impatience, agitation, anxiety, etc;“stillness” and “restlessness” are presumably referring to inner, mental/emotional qualitiesB : Only WB and HSG changed “noble man” to the non-Confucian term “sage”C : traditionally, the first symbol of this sentence is considered to be the last symbol of the previous sentence (“heavywagon”); but because the MWD’s have “fields” instead of “wagon” at the end of the previous sentence, and “heavy fields” makes no sense, it is parsed this wayD :presumably, by being serious and stillE :someone very important, such as the supreme ruler of a large nation (one with 10,000 chariots)F : this is written in this awkward manner to emphasize that it is the personality or sense-of-self that is being talked about (in the translator’s opinion – see the Introduction and cross-references below)Cross-referencesstillness : #15, #16, #37, #45, #57, #61stillnessandrestlessness : #45noble man : #31self : #7, #9, #13, #16, #44, #52, #54, #66Chapter Twenty Seven善行無轍迹善言無瑕謫善數不用籌策善閉無關楗而不可開•善結無纆約而不可解•是以聖人常善救人故無棄人常善救物故無棄物•是謂襲明(•)故善人者不善人之師不善人者善人之資•不貴其師不愛其資雖智大迷是謂要妙A good traveler is without wagon track or footprint.A good speaker is without flaw or disgrace.A good accountant does not use counting tokens.A good barrier is without bar or lock, yet can not beopened.A good binding is without cord or restraint, yet can not beloosened.Thus the sage :Is always good at helping people,Therefore he does not abandon people.Is always good at helping creatures,Therefore he does not abandon creatures.This is called following your insight.Therefore : he who is a virtuous person is the teacher of hewho is not a virtuous person.He who is not a virtuous person is the resource of he whois a virtuous person.If the latter does not value his teacher,Or the former does not love his resource,Even if there is wisdom, there will be great confusion.This is called the essential subtle mystery.Agoodtraveleriswithout[wagon]trackAorfootprint.Agoodspeakeriswithoutflaw{fault} ordisgrace{blame}.Agoodaccountantdoesnotusecounting tokens2. [counter] [tokenmethod]Agoodbarrieriswithoutbarorlock,yetcannotbeopened. [obstruction,blockage]Agoodbindingiswithoutcordorrestraint,yetcannotbeloosened.♦Thus2thesage2:Isalwaysgoodathelpingpeople,Thereforehe doesnotabandonpeople.Isalwaysgoodathelpingcreatures,Thereforehe doesnotabandoncreatures.This iscalledfollowingyourinsight.[wise,sight]Therefore:he whois avirtuouspersonis theteacherof[hewho] isnotavirtuousperson.He whoisnotavirtuouspersonis theresourceof[he who]is avirtuousperson. [wealth,supply,support]♦[If the latter] doesnotvaluehisteacher,♦[Or the former] doesnotlovehisresource, [wealth,supply,support]Even ifthere iswisdom*, there will begreatconfusion.This iscalledtheessentialsubtle mystery.NotesA: this symbol also has the connotation of “rut”, hence the track of a vehicleCross-referencesone who is not virtuous : #49, #62, #81teaching : #2, #42, #43mystery : #1, #6, #10, #15, #51, #56, #62, #65anti-Confucian : #3, #18, #19, #33, #38Chapter Twenty Eight
有物混成先天地生寂兮寥兮獨立不改周行而不殆可以為天下母吾不知其名•字之曰道強為之名曰大大曰逝逝曰遠遠曰反(•)__道大天大地大王亦大域中有四大而王居其一焉•人法地地法天天法道道法自然•Something existed unformed yet complete,Before heaven and earth were created.Silent! Empty!Standing alone, not changing.It circulates everywhere, and causes no danger.It can be considered the mother of the world.I do not know its name;Its symbol is called Dao.If I tried to make its name, I would call it great.Being great speaks of departing.Departing speaks of being remote.Being remote speaks of returning.Dao is great,Heaven is great,Earth is great,The king is also great.Within the realm exist four that are great,And the king resides as one of them!People follow the earth.The earth follows heaven.Heaven follows Dao.Dao follows what is naturally so.[Some]thingexistedunformedyetcomplete, [mingled,blended,unstructured]♦Beforeheavenandearthwerecreated.Silent!Empty!Standingalone,notchanging.Itcirculateseverywhere2,and[causes]Anodanger.Itcanbeconsidered2themotherof theworld2.Idonotknowitsname;ItssymboliscalledDao.If Itriedtomakeitsname, I wouldcallitgreat.Beinggreatspeaksofdeparting.Departingspeaksof beingremote.Beingremotespeaksofreturning.♦Daoisgreat,♦Heavenisgreat,♦Earthisgreat,♦Thekingisalsogreat.Withintherealmexistfourthat aregreat, [region,territory]Andthekingresidesasoneofthem!♦PeoplefollowBtheearth.♦Theearthfollowsheaven.♦HeavenfollowsDao.♦Daofollowswhat isnaturally so2.NotesA : “is in” could also be used here, but as the subject is Dao, this seems unlikely; this sentence is not in the three earliest sourcesB : “follow” as in “emulates” or “uses as a model for their own behavior”Cross-referencesno danger : #16, #32, #44, #52mother : #1, #20, #52, #59mother of the world : #52returning : #14, #16, #19, #20, #22, #28, #34, #40, #52,#58, #60, #64, #65, #80remote : #65remoteandreturning : #65naturally so : #17, #23, #51, #64
有物混成
先天地生
寂兮寥兮
獨立不改
周行而不殆
可以為天下母
吾不知其名•
字之曰道
強為之名曰大
大曰逝
逝曰遠
遠曰反
(•)__道大
天大
地大
王亦大
域中有四大
而王居其一焉•
人法地
地法天
天法道
道法自然•
Something existed unformed yet complete,Before heaven and earth were created.Silent! Empty!
Standing alone, not changing.It circulates everywhere, and causes no danger.
It can be considered the mother of the world.
I do not know its name;
Its symbol is called Dao.If I tried to make its name, I would call it great.Being great speaks of departing.Departing speaks of being remote.
Being remote speaks of returning.
Dao is great,
Heaven is great,Earth is great,The king is also great.Within the realm exist four that are great,And the king resides as one of them!
People follow the earth.The earth follows heaven.Heaven follows Dao.Dao follows what is naturally so.
[Some]thingexistedunformedyetcomplete, [mingled,blended,unstructured]♦Beforeheavenandearthwerecreated.Silent!Empty!
Standingalone,notchanging.Itcirculateseverywhere2,and[causes]Anodanger.
Itcanbeconsidered2themotherof theworld2.
Idonotknowitsname;
ItssymboliscalledDao.If Itriedtomakeitsname, I wouldcallitgreat.Beinggreatspeaksofdeparting.Departingspeaksof beingremote.
Beingremotespeaksofreturning.
♦Daoisgreat,
♦Heavenisgreat,♦Earthisgreat,♦Thekingisalsogreat.Withintherealmexistfourthat aregreat, [region,territory]Andthekingresidesasoneofthem!
♦PeoplefollowBtheearth.♦Theearthfollowsheaven.♦HeavenfollowsDao.♦Daofollowswhat isnaturally so2.
Notes
A : “is in” could also be used here, but as the subject is Dao, this seems unlikely; this sentence is not in the three earliest sources
B : “follow” as in “emulates” or “uses as a model for their own behavior”
Cross-references
no danger : #16, #32, #44, #52
mother : #1, #20, #52, #59
mother of the world : #52
returning : #14, #16, #19, #20, #22, #28, #34, #40, #52,
#58, #60, #64, #65, #80
remote : #65
remoteandreturning : #65
naturally so : #17, #23, #51, #64
Chapter Twenty Six
重為輕根靜為躁君是以(君子)終日行不離[其]輜重雖有榮觀燕處超然奈何萬乘之主而以身輕天下輕則失本躁則失君Serious serves as the source of frivolous.Stillness serves as the ruler of restlessness.Thus the noble man travels the entire day,And does not stray from his wagon.He is serious, even though glorious sights and feasts exist;He lives above them, like this.So how could one be the master of ten thousand chariots,And conduct his self frivolously in the world?Be frivolous, then lose the source.Be restless, then lose the rulership.♦Serious{heavy}serves asthesourceoffrivolous{light}.♦Stillnessserves astherulerofrestlessnessA.Thus2thenoble man2*Btravelstheentireday,And doesnotstrayfromhiswagon. [leave,depart,separate]He isseriousC,even thoughglorioussightsandfeastsexist;Helivesabove them,like thisD. [transcend,jump over][So]how2could [one be] themasteroften thousandchariots,EAndconducthisselfFfrivolously{lightly} in theworld2?[use]Befrivolous{light},thenlosethesource.♦Berestless,thenlosetherulership.NotesA : this symbol also means impatience, agitation, anxiety, etc;“stillness” and “restlessness” are presumably referring to inner, mental/emotional qualitiesB : Only WB and HSG changed “noble man” to the non-Confucian term “sage”C : traditionally, the first symbol of this sentence is considered to be the last symbol of the previous sentence (“heavywagon”); but because the MWD’s have “fields” instead of “wagon” at the end of the previous sentence, and “heavy fields” makes no sense, it is parsed this wayD :presumably, by being serious and stillE :someone very important, such as the supreme ruler of a large nation (one with 10,000 chariots)F : this is written in this awkward manner to emphasize that it is the personality or sense-of-self that is being talked about (in the translator’s opinion – see the Introduction and cross-references below)Cross-referencesstillness : #15, #16, #37, #45, #57, #61stillnessandrestlessness : #45noble man : #31self : #7, #9, #13, #16, #44, #52, #54, #66
重為輕根
靜為躁君
是以(君子)終日
行不離[其]輜
重雖有榮觀燕
處超然
奈何萬乘之主
而以身輕天下
輕則失本
躁則失君
Serious serves as the source of frivolous.Stillness serves as the ruler of restlessness.
Thus the noble man travels the entire day,
And does not stray from his wagon.
He is serious, even though glorious sights and feasts exist;
He lives above them, like this.
So how could one be the master of ten thousand chariots,
And conduct his self frivolously in the world?
Be frivolous, then lose the source.Be restless, then lose the rulership.
♦Serious{heavy}serves asthesourceoffrivolous{light}.♦Stillnessserves astherulerofrestlessnessA.Thus2thenoble man2*Btravelstheentireday,
And doesnotstrayfromhiswagon. [leave,depart,separate]
He isseriousC,even thoughglorioussightsandfeastsexist;
Helivesabove them,like thisD. [transcend,jump over][So]how2could [one be] themasteroften thousand
chariots,E
AndconducthisselfFfrivolously{lightly} in theworld2?
[use]
Befrivolous{light},thenlosethesource.♦Berestless,thenlosetherulership.
Notes
A : this symbol also means impatience, agitation, anxiety, etc;“stillness” and “restlessness” are presumably referring to inner, mental/emotional qualities
B : Only WB and HSG changed “noble man” to the non-Confucian term “sage”
C : traditionally, the first symbol of this sentence is considered to be the last symbol of the previous sentence (“heavywagon”); but because the MWD’s have “fields” instead of “wagon” at the end of the previous sentence, and “heavy fields” makes no sense, it is parsed this way
D :presumably, by being serious and still
E :someone very important, such as the supreme ruler of a large nation (one with 10,000 chariots)
F : this is written in this awkward manner to emphasize that it is the personality or sense-of-self that is being talked about (in the translator’s opinion – see the Introduction and cross-references below)
Cross-references
stillness : #15, #16, #37, #45, #57, #61
stillnessandrestlessness : #45
noble man : #31
self : #7, #9, #13, #16, #44, #52, #54, #66
Chapter Twenty Seven
善行無轍迹善言無瑕謫善數不用籌策善閉無關楗而不可開•善結無纆約而不可解•是以聖人常善救人故無棄人常善救物故無棄物•是謂襲明(•)故善人者不善人之師不善人者善人之資•不貴其師不愛其資雖智大迷是謂要妙A good traveler is without wagon track or footprint.A good speaker is without flaw or disgrace.A good accountant does not use counting tokens.A good barrier is without bar or lock, yet can not beopened.A good binding is without cord or restraint, yet can not beloosened.Thus the sage :Is always good at helping people,Therefore he does not abandon people.Is always good at helping creatures,Therefore he does not abandon creatures.This is called following your insight.Therefore : he who is a virtuous person is the teacher of hewho is not a virtuous person.He who is not a virtuous person is the resource of he whois a virtuous person.If the latter does not value his teacher,Or the former does not love his resource,Even if there is wisdom, there will be great confusion.This is called the essential subtle mystery.Agoodtraveleriswithout[wagon]trackAorfootprint.Agoodspeakeriswithoutflaw{fault} ordisgrace{blame}.Agoodaccountantdoesnotusecounting tokens2. [counter] [tokenmethod]Agoodbarrieriswithoutbarorlock,yetcannotbeopened. [obstruction,blockage]Agoodbindingiswithoutcordorrestraint,yetcannotbeloosened.♦Thus2thesage2:Isalwaysgoodathelpingpeople,Thereforehe doesnotabandonpeople.Isalwaysgoodathelpingcreatures,Thereforehe doesnotabandoncreatures.This iscalledfollowingyourinsight.[wise,sight]Therefore:he whois avirtuouspersonis theteacherof[hewho] isnotavirtuousperson.He whoisnotavirtuouspersonis theresourceof[he who]is avirtuousperson. [wealth,supply,support]♦[If the latter] doesnotvaluehisteacher,♦[Or the former] doesnotlovehisresource, [wealth,supply,support]Even ifthere iswisdom*, there will begreatconfusion.This iscalledtheessentialsubtle mystery.NotesA: this symbol also has the connotation of “rut”, hence the track of a vehicleCross-referencesone who is not virtuous : #49, #62, #81teaching : #2, #42, #43mystery : #1, #6, #10, #15, #51, #56, #62, #65anti-Confucian : #3, #18, #19, #33, #38
善行無轍迹
善言無瑕謫
善數不用籌策
善閉無關楗而不可開•
善結無纆約而不可解•
是以聖人
常善救人
故無棄人
常善救物
故無棄物•
是謂襲明
(•)故善人者不善人之師
不善人者善人之資•
不貴其師
不愛其資
雖智大迷
是謂要妙
A good traveler is without wagon track or footprint.
A good speaker is without flaw or disgrace.
A good accountant does not use counting tokens.
A good barrier is without bar or lock, yet can not be
opened.
A good binding is without cord or restraint, yet can not be
loosened.
Thus the sage :
Is always good at helping people,
Therefore he does not abandon people.
Is always good at helping creatures,
Therefore he does not abandon creatures.
This is called following your insight.
Therefore : he who is a virtuous person is the teacher of he
who is not a virtuous person.
He who is not a virtuous person is the resource of he who
is a virtuous person.
If the latter does not value his teacher,
Or the former does not love his resource,
Even if there is wisdom, there will be great confusion.
This is called the essential subtle mystery.
Agoodtraveleriswithout[wagon]trackAorfootprint.
Agoodspeakeriswithoutflaw{fault} ordisgrace{blame}.
Agoodaccountantdoesnotusecounting tokens2. [counter] [tokenmethod]
Agoodbarrieris
withoutbarorlock,yetcannotbe
opened. [obstruction,blockage]
Agoodbindingiswithoutcordorrestraint,yetcannotbe
loosened.
♦Thus2thesage2:
Isalwaysgoodathelpingpeople,
Thereforehe doesnotabandonpeople.
Isalwaysgoodathelpingcreatures,
Thereforehe doesnotabandoncreatures.
This iscalledfollowingyourinsight.[wise,sight]
Therefore:he whois avirtuouspersonis theteacherof[he
who] isnotavirtuousperson.
He whoisnotavirtuouspersonis theresourceof[he who]
is avirtuousperson. [wealth,supply,support]
♦[If the latter] doesnotvaluehisteacher,
♦[Or the former] doesnotlovehisresource, [wealth,supply,support]
Even ifthere iswisdom*, there will begreatconfusion.
This iscalledtheessentialsubtle mystery.
Notes
A: this symbol also has the connotation of “rut”, hence the track of a vehicle
Cross-references
one who is not virtuous : #49, #62, #81
teaching : #2, #42, #43
mystery : #1, #6, #10, #15, #51, #56, #62, #65
anti-Confucian : #3, #18, #19, #33, #38
Chapter Twenty Eight