| |
Original |
Legge's
Translation |
Susuki's
Translation |
Goddard's
Translation |
| 1 |
大成若缺，其用不弊。大盈若沖，其用不窮。 |
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. |
"Greatest perfection imperfect will be,
But its work ne'er waneth.
Greatest fullness is vacuity,
Its work unexhausted remaineth." |
Extreme perfection seems imperfect, its function is not exhausted. Extreme fullness
appears empty, its function is not exercised. |
| 2 |
大直若屈，大巧若拙，大辯
若訥。 |
Do thou what's straight still crooked deem; Thy greatest art still stupid seem,
And eloquence a stammering scream. |
"Straightest lines resemble curves; Greatest skill like a tyro serves; Greatest
eloquence stammers and swerves."
|
Extreme straightness appears crooked; great skill, clumsy; great eloquence, stammering. |
| 3 |
靜勝躁，寒勝熱。清靜為天下正。 |
Constant action overcomes cold; being still overcomes heat. Purity
and stillness give the correct law to all under heaven. |
Motion conquers cold. Quietude conquers heat. Purity and clearness are the world's
standard. |
Motion conquers cold, quietude conquers heat. Not greatness but purity and clearness
are the world's standard. |
