| |
Original |
Legge's
Translation |
Susuki's
Translation |
Goddard's
Translation |
| 1 |
知其雄，守其雌，為天下谿。為天下谿，常德不離，復歸于嬰兒。知其白
，守其黑，為天下式，常德不忒，復歸于無極。 |
Who knows his manhood's strength,
Yet still his female feebleness maintains;
As to one channel flow the many drains,
All come to him, yea, all beneath the sky.
Thus he the constant excellence retains;
The simple child again, free from all stains.
|
"Who his manhood shows
And his womanhood knows
Becomes the empire's river.
Is he the empire's river,
He will from virtue never deviate,
And home he turneth to a child's estate.
|
He who knows his manhood and understands his womanhood becomes useful like the
valleys of earth (which bring water). Being like the
valleys of earth, eternal vitality (de [teh]) will not depart
from him, he will come again to the nature of a little
child. |
| 2 |
知其榮，守其辱，為天下
谷。 |
Who knows how white attracts,
Yet always keeps himself within black's shade,
The pattern of humility displayed,
Displayed in view of all beneath the sky;
He in the unchanging excellence arrayed,
Endless return to man's first state has made.
|
"Who his brightness shows
And his blackness knows
Becomes the empire's model.
Is he the empire's model,
Of virtue ne'er shall he be destitute,
And home he turneth to the absolute.
|
He who knows his innocence and recognizes his sin becomes the world's model.
Being a world's model, infinite de [teh] will not fail,
he will return to the Absolute.
|
| 3 |
為天下谷，常德乃足，復歸于朴。 |
Who knows how glory shines,
Yet loves disgrace, nor e'er for it is pale;
Behold his presence in a spacious vale,
To which men come from all beneath the sky.
The unchanging excellence completes its tale;
The simple infant man in him we hail.
|
"Who knows his fame
And guards his shame
Becomes the empire's valley.
Is he the empire's valley,
For e'er his virtue will sufficient be,
And home he turneth to simplicity."
|
He who knows the glory of his nature and recognizes also his limitations becomes
useful like the world's valleys. Being like the world'svalleys,
eternal de [teh] will not fail him, he will revert to simplicity. |
| 4 |
為天下式。朴散則為器，聖人用之
，則為官長，故大制不割。 |
The unwrought material, when divided and distributed, forms
vessels. The sage, when employed, becomes the Head of all the
Officers (of government); and in his greatest regulations he employs
no violent measures. |
Simplicity, when scattered, becomes a vessel of usefulness. The holy man,
by using it, becomes the chief leader; and truly, a
great principle will never do harm. |
Radiating simplicity
he will make of men vessels of usefulness. The wise
man then will employ them as officials and chiefs.
A great administration of such will harm no one.
|
