Dao De Jing: A Minimalist Translation - Laozi

Chapter Sixty One

大國者下流 • 天下之交 • 天下之牝 • 牝常以靜勝牡以靜為下 • (•)故大國以下小國則取小國小國以下大國則取 [於] 大國 (•)故或下以取 • 或下而取大國不過欲兼畜人小國不過欲入事人 • 夫兩者各得 [其] 所欲 • 大者宜為下

A great nation is like the lowest places water can flow – The merging place of the world, The female of the world. The female always uses stillness to conquer the male. By using stillness, she becomes lower-than. Therefore : if a great nation is lower-than a small nation, Then it takes hold of the small nation. If a small nation is lower-than a great nation, Then it is taken hold of by the great nation. Therefore : sometimes one nation is lower-than in order to take hold of, Sometimes one nation is lower-than and then it is taken hold of. A great nation merely desires to combine livestock and people, A small nation merely desires to get work for its people. Now : for both nations to each get that which is their desire, It is proper for the great nation to be lower-than.

A great nation [it] is like the lowest places [water]^A can flow – The merging place of the world², [intersection,exchange,mixing] The female of the world². The female always uses stillness to conquer the male. [victory,beat] By using stillness, she becomes lower-than^B. ♦Therefore : if a great nation is [thus] lower-than a small nation, ♦Then it takes hold of the small nation. ♦If a small nation is [thus] lower-than a great nation, Then it is taken hold of by the great nation. ♦Therefore : sometimes one [nation] is lower-than in order to take hold of, [maybe,perhaps] ♦Sometimes one [nation] is lower-than and then it is taken hold of. [maybe,perhaps] A great nation merely² desires to combine livestock and people, ♦A small nation merely² desires to get work for its people.^C Now : for both nations to each get that which is their desire, [entities] It is proper for the great nation to be lower-than. [entity]

Notes A : 流 (flow) has associations with water B : literally “below”, “under”, or “inferior”, here “lower-than” is used to indicate taking the lower or inferior position in a relationship (which in ancient Chinese culture was the better thing to do); Lau translates it as “taking the lower position” C : the end of this line can also be translated as “desires to join and serve people” Cross-references feminine : #6, #10, #28 stillness : #15, #16, #26, #37, #45, #57 lower-than : #66, #68 possess or take hold of the world or nation : #29, #48, #57, #59

Chapter Sixty Two

道者萬物之奧 • 善人之寶 • 不善人之所保 • 美言可以市 • 尊行可以加人人之不善 • 何棄之有 • (•)故立天子置三公 • 雖有拱璧以先駟馬不如坐進此道 • 古之所以貴此道者何 • 不曰以求得有罪以免邪(•) (•)故為天下貴

That which Daos is the obscure mystery of the ten thousand creatures. This is the treasure of a virtuous person, And that which is the protection of a person who is not virtuous. Beautiful speech can be used in the market, Respectful behavior can benefit people. People who are not virtuous, Why abandon them? Therefore : when inaugurating the son of heaven, Or installing the three nobles – Even if you possessed jade disks drawn by a team of four horses, That is not as good as sitting and offering this Way. What was the ancients’ reason that they valued this Way? Did they not say : Seek in order to obtain, Have faults in order to be forgiven? Therefore Dao becomes valuable to the world.

That which Daos is the obscure mystery^A of the ten thousand creatures. [This is] the treasure of a virtuous person, ♦And that which is the protection of a person who is not virtuous. ♦Beautiful speech can be used in the market,^B Respectful behavior^C can² benefit people. [add,increase,augment] ♦People who are not virtuous, [they] ♦Why abandon them²? [their existence] ♦Therefore : when inaugurating the son of heaven^D, [establishing] Or installing the three nobles^E – [dukes] Even if you possessed jade disks² drawn by² a team of four horses,^F [using,by means of before] That is not as good as sitting and offering this Way. ♦What was the ancient ’s reason that² they valued this Way? Did they not say : Seek in order to obtain, Have faults in order to be forgiven ? [exempt,spare,excuse] ♦Therefore [Dao]^G becomes valuable to the world².

Notes A : although they are in the minority, I rather like what the MWD’s say : That which Daos is the flowing together of the ten thousand creatures B : presumably, for bartering C : these two symbols could just as likely be translated as “honorable deeds” D: the “son of heaven” is a standard phrase referring to the emperor E : specifically Dukes (see #32), but in keeping with other chapters, this is interpreted more generally as “nobles”; the phrase “three Dukes” specifically refers to the highest state officials, advisors, or ministers F : a very expensive and impressive offering, indeed! G : there is no subject in the original Chinese; Dao is assumed based on the 4^th line previous Cross-references mystery : #1, #6, #10, #15, #27, #51, #56, #65 treasure : #67, #69 one who is not virtuous : #27, #49, #81 nobles (in general) : #32, #37, #39, #42, #80 the ancients/elders : #14, #15, #22, #38, #39, #65, #68 being valuable : #56, #70 therefore becomes valuable to the world : #56

Chapter Sixty Three

• 為無為 • 事無事 • 味無味大小多少報怨以德 • 圖難於其易為大於其細 • 天下難事必作於易天下大事必作於細 • 是以聖人終不為大 (•)故能成其大夫輕諾必寡信多易必多難 • 是以聖人猶難之 • (•)故終無難矣(•) •

Act with non-action. Handle duties with non-interference. Taste that which is without-flavor. Greatness is insignificant, too much is less. Repay animosity with De. Plan for the difficult while it is easy. Act on the great while it is tiny. In the world, difficult duties certainly start while easy. In the world, great duties certainly start while tiny. Thus the sage in the end does not act great, Therefore he can achieve his greatness. Men who make promises lightly, certainly few will trust. Men who expect most duties to be easy will certainly have many difficulties. Thus the sage plans for things to be difficult, Therefore in the end he is without difficulty!

♦Act with non-action. ♦Handle duties with non-interference². ♦Taste [that which] is without-flavor.^A Greatness is insignificant, too much is less. ♦Repay animosity with De. [complaints/resentment/hatred] [by means of] Plan for the difficult while it is easy. [<preposition>] Act on the great while it is tiny. [<preposition>] In the world², difficult duties certainly start while easy. [arise] [<preposition>] In the world², great duties certainly start while tiny. [arise] [<preposition>] ♦Thus² the sage² in the end does not act great, ♦Therefore he can achieve his greatness. ♦Men who make promises lightly, certainly few will trust*. ♦[Men who expect] most [duties to be] easy will certainly have many difficulties.^B [too many] Thus² the sage² plans for things to be difficult, [schemes] [them] Therefore in the end he is without difficulty !

Notes Only the first four sentences and the last three are in GUO. A : this line could also be translated as Taste without tasting or Taste by non-tasting but it is phrased this way because of the reference in #35 about how Dao’s words are “without flavor” (using the same two symbols in both chapters) B : this line literally reads “too many easy certainly too many difficult” but is worded in this way due to the lines that precede and follow it Cross-references non-action : #2, #3, #37, #38, #43, #48, #57, #64 non-interference : #48, #57 sage can achieve greatness : #34 sage plans for difficulties : #73

Chapter Sixty Four

• 其安易持 • 其未兆易謀 • 其脆易泮 • 其微易散 • 為之於未有 • 治之於未亂合抱之木生於毫末九層之臺起於累土千里之行始於足下 • 為者敗之執者失之是以聖人無為故無敗 • 無執故無失 • 民之從事常於幾成而敗之 • 慎終如始則無敗事 • 是以聖人欲不欲不貴難得之貨學不學 • 復眾人之所過 • 以輔萬物之自然而不敢為 •

What is peaceful is easy to hold. What has not yet been revealed is easy to plan for. What is brittle is easy to shatter. What is minute is easy to scatter. Act on it while it does not yet exist. Govern them while they are not yet confused. A tree too big to embrace is created from the tiniest shoot. A terrace of nine stories rises from a pile of dirt. A journey of a thousand miles begins from under the feet. He who acts, ruins it. He who grasps, loses it. Thus the sage : Does not act, therefore he does not ruin. Does not grasp, therefore he does not lose. Citizens are always on the verge of achieving their undertakings, yet they ruin them. Be as careful in the end as if it was the beginning, Then you will not ruin your affairs. Thus the sage : Desires to not desire, Does not value rare goods, Learns to not learn. He returns to that which everyone else has passed over, Thus helping the ten thousand creatures to be naturally so, Yet not daring to act.

♦What is peaceful is easy to hold. [it] ♦What has not yet been revealed is easy to plan for. [it] [omen,sign,portent] ♦What is brittle is easy to shatter. [it] [fall apart] What is minute is easy to scatter. [it] ♦Act on it while it does not yet exist. [<preposition>] ♦Govern them while they are not yet confused. [<preposition>] ♦A tree [ß] too big to embrace² is created from the tiniest shoot. [least] [tip,end] A terrace^A of nine stories rises from a pile of dirt. [soil,land,ground] A journey of a thousand miles^B begins from under the feet. [travel] ♦He who acts, ruins it. ♦He who grasps, loses it. ♦Thus² the sage² : ♦Does not act, therefore he does not ruin. ♦Does not grasp, therefore he does not lose. Citizens are always on the verge of achieving their undertakings², yet they ruin them. [almost] Be as careful in the end as if it was the beginning, Then you will not ruin your affairs. ♦Thus² the sage² : ♦Desires to not desire, ♦Does not value rare² [à] goods, ♦Learns to not learn. He returns to that which everyone² else [they] has passed over, Thus helping the ten thousand creatures [them] to be naturally so², Yet not daring to act.^C

Notes A : 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 B : around the time the DDJ was written, a 里 was probably equal to about 1/3 of a mile C : this line is intentionally left ambiguous as to whether it is the sage or the creatures that do not dare to act, as it is also ambiguous in the original Chinese Cross-references he who acts, ruins it : #29 he who grasps, loses it : #29 non-action : #2, #3, #37, #38, #43, #48, #57, #63 rare goods : #3, #12 returning : #14, #16, #19, #20, #22, #25, #28, #34, #40, #52, #58, #60, #65, #80 naturally so : #17, #23, #25, #51 not daring to act : #3, #67, #69

Chapter Sixty Five

古之善為道者非以明民 • 將以愚之 • 民之難治 • 以其 (知) 多 • (•)故以 (知) 治國國之賊 • 不以 (知) 治國國之福 • 知此兩者亦稽式 • 常知稽式是謂玄德玄德深矣遠矣(•) 與物反矣(•) __ __ 乃至大順

The virtue of the ancients (they who acted in Dao), Did not use it to enlighten the citizens, But would have used it to keep them ignorant – The citizens are hard to govern Because they have too much knowledge. Therefore : using knowledge to govern the nation Is the bane of the nation. Not using knowledge to govern the nation Is the good fortune of the nation. He who has knowledge of these two also has them as examples. To always understand these examples – This is called deep and mysterious De. Deep and mysterious De is so profound! and remote! That when creatures return, it returns with them! Then they reach the greatest harmony.

♦The virtue of the ancients (they who acted in Dao), ♦Did not use it to enlighten the citizens, [wise,sightàinsight] ♦But would have used it to keep them ignorant^A – [stupid,foolish] ♦The citizens [they] are hard to govern Because they have too much knowledge^B. Therefore : using knowledge^B to govern the nation Is the bane of the nation. [evil] Not using knowledge^B to govern the nation Is the good fortune of the nation. ♦He who has knowledge of these two also has [them as] examples². To always understand these examples² – This is called deep and mysterious De. ♦Deep and mysterious De is so profound ! and remote ! ♦That when creatures return^C, it returns [together]with them ! Then they reach the greatest harmony. [go along with,same direction,agreeable]

Notes A : ignorance here is a good thing, as in #20 where the sage is foolish (using the same symbol) B : only WB and HSG have the Confucian term “wisdom” here, making these sentences anti-Confucian C : as in #25, where “being remote speaks of returning”; this sentence could also be translated as That it helps [all] creatures to return ! Cross-references the ancients/elders : #14, #15, #22, #38, #39, #62, #68 virtue of the ancients : #15 he who “possesses Dao” : #15, #23, #24, #31, #77 citizens are hard to govern : #75 mystery : #1, #6, #10, #15, #27, #51, #56, #62 deep and mysterious De : #10, #51 returning : #14, #16, #19, #20, #22, #25, #28, #34, #40, #52, #58, #60, #64, #80 De and returning : #28, #60 remote : #25 remote and returning : #25