Dao De Jing: A Minimalist Translation - Laozi

Chapter Eighteen

大道廢 • 有仁義慧智出 • 有大偽六親不和有孝慈國家昏亂 • 有忠臣

When the great Dao is abandoned, There exists kindness and morality. When intelligence and wisdom arise, There exists a great deal of deception. When the six relationships are not in harmony, There exists devoted children and loving parents. When the nation and the families are very confused, There exists loyal officials.

When the great Dao is abandoned, There exists kindness* and morality*. [righteousness] When intelligence and wisdom*^A arise, There exists a great deal of deception^B. [false,fake] When the six relationships*^C are not in harmony, There exists devoted children* and loving parents*. When the nation and the families are very confused², There exists loyal* officials{ministers,subjects}.

Notes By looking at all the sources, it is easy to see that this chapter grew more anti-Confucian over time! A : the MWD texts use “knowledge” (a non-Confucian term) instead of “wisdom”; this whole sentence is absent in GUO B : this symbol could also be interpreted as hypocrisy, pretense, lying, dishonesty, etc. C : the six relationships refer to “all” the possible kinds of relationship in a family (in ancient China) : husband to wife, wife to husband, father to son, son to father, older brother to younger brother, younger brother to older brother Cross-references great Dao : #34, #53 nation and families : #57 anti-Confucian : #3, #19, #27, #33, #38

Chapter Nineteen

絕聖棄智民利百倍 • 絕仁棄義民復孝慈 • 絕巧棄利盜賊無有 • 此三者以為文不足 • (•)故令有所屬 • 見素抱樸少私寡欲 •

Renounce sacredness, abandon wisdom, And the citizens benefit 100-fold. Renounce kindness, abandon morality, And the citizens return to being devoted children and loving parents. Renounce cleverness, abandon profit, And thieves and bandits will not exist. These three things thus make a civilized society, but are not enough. Therefore : to ensure the citizens have a place to belong – See the simplicity, Embrace the concept of the uncarved block, Less selfishness, Fewer desires.

Renounce sacredness, abandon wisdom*, ♦And the citizens benefit 100-fold. Renounce kindness*, abandon morality*, [righteousness] And the citizens return to being devoted children* and loving parents*. Renounce cleverness, abandon profit, And thieves and bandits{traitors} will not exist. These three things thus make a civilized society, but are not enough. [entities] [formal,polite,culture] Therefore : to ensure [the citizens] have a place to belong^A – [make,cause] See the simplicity, Embrace the [concept of the] uncarved block, Less selfishness, Fewer desires.

Notes GUO is significantly different about what to renounce or abandon, and the results, and it uses no Confucian terms; as early as MWD/B and MWD/A some Confucian terms had appeared A : perhaps meaning a place worth belonging to? Cross-references returning : #14, #16, #20, #22, #25, #28, #34, #40, #52, #58, #60, #64, #65, #80 thieves and bandits : #57 uncarved block : #15, #28, #32, #37, #57 anti-Confucian : #3, #18, #27, #33, #38

Chapter Twenty

絕學無憂唯之與阿相去幾何 (美) 之與惡相去若何人之所畏不可不畏 • 荒兮其未央哉(•) 眾人熙熙如享太牢 • 如春登臺我獨泊兮(•) 其未兆如嬰兒之未孩儽儽兮若無所歸眾人皆有餘 __ 我獨若遺我愚人之心也哉 (•) 沌沌兮俗人昭昭我獨 (若) 昏 (•) 俗人察察我獨悶悶 (•) 澹兮其若海 (漂) 兮若無 [所]止眾人皆有以 __ 我獨頑似鄙我獨異於人而貴食母

Renounce learning and be without worry. “Yes” together with “yeah” – What is their mutual distance or nearness? Beautiful together with ugliness – What is their mutual distance or similarity? That which people fear, they are not able to not fear. How ridiculous! They are not yet centered! Everyone is very festive, As if enjoying the Tai Lao sacrifice, As if climbing terraces in the spring. I alone am unmoved! – Like one who has not yet given any sign, Like a newborn infant who does not yet act like a baby. Very tired and worn out!, as if without a place to return to. Everyone all has more than they need; I alone seem to have lost everything. I have the heart/mind of a foolish person, indeed!! I am very mixed up and confused! Common people are very clear and bright; I alone seem confused. Common people are very observant and alert; I alone am very gloomy and depressed. Tranquil!, they are like the ocean; I drift on the wind!, as if without a place to rest. Everyone all has a purpose;
I alone am stupid and stubborn, and appear mean and shallow. I alone am different compared to other people, And value the food of the mother.

Renounce learning and be without worry.^A “Yes” [à] together with “yeah”^B – What is their mutual distance or nearness°? Beautiful{good} [à] together with ugliness°{evil} – What is their mutual distance or similarity? That which people [they] fear, they are not able to not fear. How ridiculous ! They are not yet centered ! ♦Everyone² is [very] festive, [splendid,merry²] As if enjoying the Tai Lao sacrifice^C, As if climbing terraces^D in the spring. I alone am unmoved ! – [anchored] Like one who has not yet given any sign, [his] Like a newborn infant² who does not yet [act like] a baby. [him] [Very] tired and worn out² !, as if without a place to return to. ♦Everyone² all has more than they need; [surplus,excess]
I alone seem to have lost everything. [things lost] I have the heart/mind of a foolish person, indeed! ! I am [very] mixed up and confused ² ! Common people are [very] clear and bright ²; I alone seem^E confused. Common people are [very] observant and alert ²; I alone am [very] gloomy and depressed². Tranquil !, they are like the ocean; [I] drift [on the wind]^F !, as if without a place to rest. ♦Everyone² all has a purpose; [use]
I alone am stupid and stubborn, and appear mean and shallow{rustic}.
I alone am different compared to other people, And value the food of the mother.

Notes This chapter seems to be the sage-like author poking fun at himself, describing how he appears to ordinary people who don’t understand him; the “very’s” scattered throughout the chapter are implied by repeated symbols; only the first 6 lines are present in GUO A : many people over the centuries have suggested that this line should be the last in #19 for many good reasons; however, there is an explicit end-of-chapter marker in GUO at the end of #19 (which is not even followed by #20 in its manuscript), so this line does indeed seem to belong here B : formal versus informal, respectively C : according to Lau, the Tai Lao sacrifice was a major feast where sheep, pigs, and ox were ritually sacrificed and eaten D : in ancient China, terraces were man-made hills with paths cut into in their sides, leading up to a plateau at the top from which to view the surrounding landscape E : only WB changed “seem” to “confused”, thus making “very confused”, keeping with all the other “very’s” F : “drift” comes from HSG and FY (while they use different symbols, they have the same meaning, thus making a majority); the symbol in WB means “wind”, and so is incorporated into the added phrase; the “I” is added at the beginning to maintain the I/they alternation Cross-references beauty and ugly : #2 fear/afraid : #15, #17, #72, #74 baby/infant/child : #10, #28, #49, #55 newborn infant : #10, #28, #55 returning : #14, #16, #19, #22, #25, #28, #34, #40, #52, #58, #60, #64, #65, #80 observant and alert : #58 mother : #1, #25, #52, #59

Chapter Twenty One

孔德之容 (唯) 道是從道之為物 (唯) 恍 (唯) 惚惚兮恍兮其中有象 • 恍兮惚兮其中有物 • 窈兮冥兮其中有精 • 其精甚真其中有信自 (今) 及 (古) 其名不去以閱眾甫 • 吾何以知眾甫之 (然) 哉 (•) 以此 •

The greatest De is possible only when Dao is followed. The action of Dao on creatures is just indistinct, just confusing. Confusing! and indistinct!, within it exists image. Indistinct! and confusing!, within it exists things. Obscure! and dark!, within it exists essence. Its essence is extremely real and true. Within it exists truth. From the present, reaching to antiquity, Its name has not departed – Thus I observe the father of the multitudes. How do I thus know the father of the multitudes is like this? By means of this.

♦The greatest De [it] is possible only when Dao is followed. [allowed,permitted] The action of Dao on creatures is just indistinct, just confusing.^A [only] [only] Confusing ! and indistinct !, within it exists image. Indistinct ! and confusing !, within it exists things. Obscure ! and dark !, within it exists essence. Its essence is extremely real and true. ♦Within it exists truth*. From the present, reaching to antiquity, [since] [ancient,old] Its name has not departed – Thus I observe the father of the multitudes. [examine,inspect] How do I thus know the father of the multitudes [it] is like this ? ♦By means of this^B.

Notes A : compare to #14, where something (presumably Dao) is also indistinct and confusing, and to #40, where Dao specifically “returns” and “weakens” B : “this” could be referring to observing the action of Dao, or just observing the world in front of you, or to the teachings of the DDJ, or something else – you decide! Cross-references confusing and indistinct : #14 essence : #55 how do I thus know : #54, #57 by means of this : #54, #57

Chapter Twenty Two

曲則全 • 枉則直 • 窪則盈敝則新 • 少則得 • 多則惑 • 是以聖人抱一[以] 為天下式不自見故明不自是故彰不自伐故有功 • 不自矜故長 • (•)夫唯不爭 (•)故天下莫能與之爭古之所謂曲則全者豈虛言哉 (•) • 誠全而歸之

What is wrong then becomes whole and perfect. What is bent then becomes straight. What is hollow then becomes filled. What is worn out then becomes new. Have little, then gain. Have too much, then become confused. Thus the sage : Embraces the One, thus serving as an example to the world – He does not display himself, therefore he has insight. Does not consider himself correct, therefore he distinguishes himself. Does not boast about himself, therefore he possesses merit. Does not brag about himself, therefore he endures. Now : only because he does not strive, Therefore no one in the world can strive against him. That which the ancients say : “He who is wrong then becomes whole and perfect” – How can these be empty words? Be truly whole and perfect, and return to it.

♦What is wrong{bent} then becomes whole and perfect. What is bent then becomes straight. ♦What is hollow then becomes filled. ♦What is worn out then becomes new. ♦Have little, then gain. ♦Have too much, then become confused. ♦Thus² the sage² : Embraces the One, thus serving as an example to the world² – He does not display himself, therefore he has insight. [show] [wise,sight] Does not consider himself correct, therefore he distinguishes himself. [manifest,displayàstand out] ♦Does not boast about himself, therefore he possesses merit. Does not brag about himself, therefore he endures{leads}. [boast] [long,forever] ♦Now : only because he does not strive, Therefore no one in the world² can strive against him. [together with] ♦That which the ancients [they] say : “He who is wrong{bent} then becomes whole and perfect” – How can these be empty words ? Be truly whole and perfect, and return to it^A.

Notes A : there is no indication what the “it” is referring to in the original Chinese, so you decide! This symbol also means “them”, perhaps meaning “return to the ancients”? Cross-references embraces the One : #10 serves as an example to the world : #28 not displaying oneself (showing off) : #24, #47, #72, #77 display…insight : #24 correct…distinguishes : #24 boast : #24, #30 boast…merit : #24 brag : #24, #30 brag…endures : #24 no striving : #3, #8, #66, #68, #73, #81 no one in the world can strive against him : #66 the ancients/elders : #14, #15, #38, #39, #62, #65, #68 returning : #14, #16, #19, #20, #25, #28, #34, #40, #52, #58, #60, #64, #65, #80