Dao De Jing: A Minimalist Translation - Laozi

天下有始以為天下母既得其母以知其子既知其子復守其母沒身不殆 • 塞其兌閉其門終身不勤開其兌濟其事終身不救 • 見小曰明守柔曰強用其光復歸其明無遺身殃是謂習常

The world had a beginning, Which can be considered the mother of the world. Once you have realized its mother, You thus know her children. Once you know her children, Return to and maintain their mother. When the self disappears, there can be no danger. Block your senses, close your gateway – All your life you will not struggle. Open your senses, be successful in your duties – All your life you will not have relief. Seeing the insignificant speaks of insight. Maintaining softness speaks of strength. Use your brightness to return to your insight. Do not lose your self in misfortune. This is called practicing the ever-constant.

♦The world² had a beginning, ♦Which can be considered² the mother of the world². ♦Once you have realized its mother, [now that] [gained,gotten] ♦You thus know her children. ♦Once you know her children, [now that] ♦Return to and maintain their mother. ♦When the self disappears, there can be no danger. Block your senses°, close your gateway – [his] [his] ♦All your life you will not struggle. [lifelong²] [diligent,hard work] Open your senses°, be successful in your duties – [his] [his] All your life you will not have relief. [lifelong²] ♦Seeing the insignificant speaks of insight. [wise,sight] ♦Maintaining softness speaks of strength. ♦Use your brightness to return² to your insight. [his] [his] [wise,sight] Do not lose your self in misfortune. This is called practicing the ever-constant.^A

Notes A : while this could also be translated as This is called the ever-constant practice the symbol for “practice” is instead “follow” in FY and MWD/A; since “the ever-constant following” doesn’t make since, the line is translated this way Cross-references mother : #1, #20, #25, #59 mother of the world : #25 self : #7, #9, #13, #16, #26, #44, #54, #66 no danger : #16, #25, #32, #44 when the self disappears, there can be no danger : #16 gateway : #1, #6, #10, #56 block your senses, close your gateway : #56 returning : #14, #16, #19, #20, #22, #25, #28, #34, #40, #58, #60, #64, #65, #80 soft : #10, #36, #43, #55, #76, #78 strong : #3, #29, #30, #33, #36, #55, #67, #78

Chapter Fifty Three

• 使我介然有知 • 行於大道唯迤是畏大道甚夷 • 而民好徑 • 朝甚除 • 田甚蕪 • 倉甚虛服文綵帶利劍厭飲食 • 財貨有餘是謂盜夸非道也哉 (•)

If I correctly use the tiniest bit of knowledge that I possess While travelling on the great Way, It is only walking off the path that I need to fear. The great Way is extremely even, But the citizens are fond of side paths. Although the royal court is very well-kept, The fields are very overgrown with weeds, The granaries are very empty. While at the court they wear refined multicolored silks, Carry sharp swords, Stuff themselves with drink and food, And have an excess of wealth and goods. This is called robbery and extravagance, Not Dao, indeed!!

If I correctly use the tiniest bit of knowledge that I possess ♦While travelling on the great Way, It is only walking off the path that I need to fear. ♦The great Way is extremely even,^A But the citizens are fond of [side] paths. ♦[Although] the royal court is very well-kept, [remove,wipe outàclean] ♦The fields are very overgrown with weeds, ♦The granaries are very empty. [While at the court] they wear refined{formal} multicolored silks, ♦Carry sharp swords, Stuff themselves with drink and food, [satiate,satisfy] ♦And have an excess of wealth and goods. This is called robbery^B and extravagance, ♦Not Dao, indeed! !

Notes A : compare to #41, where “smooth Dao seems knotted” B: a play on words, since 盜 (robbery) is also pronounced “dao” Cross-references great Dao : #18, #34

Chapter Fifty Four

善建者不拔善抱者不脫子孫以祭祀不輟修之 __ 身其德乃 (眞) 修之 __ 家其德乃餘修之 __ 鄉其德乃長修之 __ 國其德乃豐修之 __ 天下其德乃普 (•)故以身觀身以家觀家以鄉觀鄉以國觀國以天下觀天下吾何以知天下然哉(•) 以此

That which is well established is not uprooted. That which is well embraced is not abandoned. Thus children and grandchildren offer sacrifices, and so sacrifices do not stop. Cultivate it in the self – your De will then be true and real. Cultivate it in the family – its De will then be more than enough. Cultivate it in the village – its De will then last forever. Cultivate it in the nation – its De will then be abundant. Cultivate it in the world – its De will then be everywhere. Therefore : use your self to contemplate the self. Use your family to contemplate the family. Use your village to contemplate the village. Use your nation to contemplate the nation. Use the world to contemplate the world. How do I thus know the world is like this? By means of this.

♦That which is well established is not uprooted. [skillfully] ♦That which is well embraced is not abandoned. [skillfully] Thus children and grandchildren offer sacrifices, [and so] sacrifices do not stop.^A ♦Cultivate it^B in the self – your De will then be true and real. [his] Cultivate it in the family – its De will then be more than enough. [surplus,excess] ♦Cultivate it in the village – its De will then last forever. Cultivate it in the nation – its De will then be abundant. Cultivate it in the world² – its De will then be everywhere. Therefore : use [your] self to contemplate^C the self. [observe] ♦Use [your] family to contemplate the family. [observe] Use [your] village to contemplate the village. [observe] ♦Use [your] nation to contemplate the nation. [observe] ♦Use the world² to contemplate the world². [observe] ♦How do I thus know the world² is like this ? ♦By means of this^D.

Notes A : this line seems to merely be a “for example”; the main point of the first two lines then continues with the “cultivate” lines B : presumably, De; but the original Chinese just says “it”, so you decide! C : while the common meaning of this symbol is “observe” (as used elsewhere), here it is taken to mean to contemplate or meditate upon, with the connotation of examining a concept in order to see things as they really are D : “this” could be referring to contemplating the previous things, or just observing the world in front of you, or to the teachings of the DDJ, or to something else – you decide! Cross-references self : #7, #9, #13, #16, #26, #44, #52, #66 how do I thus know… : #21, #57 by means of this : #21, #57

Chapter Fifty Five

含德之厚 [者] 比於赤子 • 蜂蠆虺蛇不螫猛獸不據攫鳥不摶骨弱筋柔而握固 • 未知牝牡之合而 (脧) 作精之至也(•) • 終日號而不嗄和之至也(•) 知和曰常知常曰明益生曰祥 • 心使氣曰強物壯則老謂之不道 • 不道早已

He who embodies the substance of De Can be compared to a newborn child : Wasps, scorpions, snakes, and serpents do not sting him, Fierce beasts do not seize him, Birds of prey do not claw him. His bones are weak, his muscles are soft, yet his grasp is firm and strong. He has not yet known the union of female and male, yet his penis rises. He has the utmost essence, indeed! He cries the entire day yet does not get hoarse. He has the utmost harmony, indeed! Knowing harmony speaks of the ever-constant. Knowing the ever-constant speaks of insight. Benefitting life speaks of good fortune. Heart/mind making Qi speaks of strength. When creatures are robust but old, We call them “not Dao”. That which is “not Dao” has an early finish.

♦He who embodies the substance of De ♦Can be compared to a newborn child² : Wasps, scorpions, snakes, and serpents do not sting him, Fierce beasts do not seize him, Birds of prey² do not claw him. [seize,catch,take hold bird] [roll around with hand] ♦His bones are weak, his muscles are soft, yet his grasp is firm and strong. He has not yet known the union of female and male, yet his penis rises. [baby’s genitals] ♦He has the utmost [of] essence, indeed! [extreme,most] ♦He cries the entire day yet does not get hoarse. ♦He has the utmost [of] harmony, indeed! [extreme,most] ♦Knowing harmony speaks of the ever-constant. ♦Knowing the ever-constant speaks of insight. [wise,sight] ♦Benefitting life speaks of good fortune. ^A [auspicious,lucky] ♦Heart/mind making Qi speaks of strength. ♦When creatures are robust but old, ♦We call them “not Dao”. [That which is] “not Dao” has an early finish.

Notes The last sentence is in all sources except GUO A : this sentence and the next are sometimes reversed in meaning, as their last symbols have both positive and negative interpretations Cross-references substance : #38, #50, #75 baby/infant/child : #10, #20, #28, #49 newborn infant : #10, #20, #28 weak : #3, #29, #36, #40, #76, #78 soft : #10, #36, #43, #52, #76, #78 strong : #3, #29, #30, #33, #36, #52, #67, #78 essence : #21 knowing the ever-constant speaks of insight : #16 Qi : #10, #42 when creatures are robust but old : #30 “not Dao” has an early finish : #30

Chapter Fifty Six

知者不言 • 言者不知 • 塞其兌閉其門挫其銳解其紛和其光同其塵是謂玄同 • (•)故不可得而親 • 不可得而疏 • 不可得而利不可得而害不可得而貴不可得而賤 (•)故為天下貴 •

He who knows does not speak; He who speaks does not know. Block your senses, close your gateway. Blunt your sharpness, Loosen your tangles, Soften your brightness, Be the same as the dust of the world. This is called a deep and mysterious sameness. Therefore : you can not gain it and be friendly, Can not gain it and be unfriendly, Can not gain it and benefit, Can not gain it and cause harm, Can not gain it and have high rank, Can not gain it and be lowly. Therefore you become valuable to the world.

♦He who knows does not speak; ♦He who speaks does not know. ♦Block your senses°, close your gateway. [his] [his] Blunt your sharpness, [dampens,subdues] [his] ♦Loosen your tangles^A, [his] Soften your brightness,^B [his] ♦Be [you] the same as the dust of the world^C. [his] ♦This is called a deep and mysterious sameness. ♦Therefore : you can not gain it^D and be friendly, [love,in favor of] ♦Can not gain it and be unfriendly, ♦Can not gain it and benefit, ♦Can not gain it and cause harm, ♦Can not gain it and have high rank, ♦Can not gain it and be lowly. [worthless] ♦Therefore you^E become valuable to the world².

Notes A : this line could also be translated as Clarify your confusion B : compare to #58, where the sage is bright but does not dazzle C : according to Waley, “dust” is a metaphor for the “noise and fuss of everyday life” D : there is no noun in the original Chinese, so you decide what “it” is! E : “it” (whatever “it” is in the previous lines) could just as reasonably be used here Cross-references gateway : #1, #6, #10, #52 block your senses, close your gateway : #52 blunt the sharpness : #4 loosen the tangles : #4 soften the brightness : #4 dust of the world : #4 mystery : #1, #6, #10, #15, #27, #51, #62, #65 mysterious sameness : #1 no harm : #35, #58, #60, #66, #81 being valuable : #62, #70 therefore become valuable to the world : #62

Chapter Fifty Seven