| | 老子甲道... : |
道可道也，非恆道也。名可名也，非恆名也。無名萬物之始也；有名萬物之母也。□恆無欲也，以觀其眇；恆有欲也，以觀其所噭。兩者同出，異名同胃，玄之有玄，眾眇之□。 |
| | The Dao that can be spoken of is not the constant Dao. The name that can be named is not the constant name. Nameless, it is the beginning of all things; lø Named, it is the mother of all things. Always without desire, one can observe its subtlety; Always with desire, one can observe the manifestations of things. These two arise from the same source but have different names; this is called the profound mystery, the gate of all subtleties.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
天下皆知美為美，惡已。皆知善，斯不善矣。有無之相生也，難易之相成也，長短之相刑也，高下之相盈也，意聲之相和也，先後之相隋恆也。是以聲人居無為之事，行□□□□□□□□□□也，為而弗志也，成功而弗居也。夫唯居，是以弗去。 |
| | When all under heaven know beauty as beautiful, there arises ugliness. When all know what is good, there arises evil. Existence and non-existence give birth to each other; difficulty and ease complete each other; length and shortness define each other; height and depth complement each other; pitch and tone harmonize with each other; before and after follow each other—this is constant. Therefore, the sage dwells in non-action and carries out his affairs without interference; he acts but does not rely on it, accomplishes success yet does not claim it. It is precisely because he does not claim credit that his achievements remain with him.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
不上賢，□□□□□□□□□□□民不為□；不□□□□民不亂。是以聲人之□□□□□□□□□□□強其骨，恆使民無知無欲也。使□□□□□□□□□□□□□。 |
| | Do not exalt the worthy, and the people will not contend; do not reward those who act rightly, and the people will remain uncorrupted. Therefore, the sage governs by emptying their minds and strengthening their bones, always keeping the people without knowledge or desire. Thus, he makes those who are wise dare not act; he unites what is united and harmonizes what is discordant.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
□□□□□□□盈也。瀟呵始萬物之宗。銼其，解其紛，和其光，同□□□□□或存。吾不知□子也，象帝之先。 |
| | The highest good is like water. Water benefits all things and does not contend with them; thus it is close to the Dao. Blunt their sharpness, untie their knots, soften their light, and harmonize with dust; this is called being like water. Some may say it exists, others may not. I do not know whose child it is—it seems to predate the gods.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
天地不仁，以萬物為芻狗。聲人不仁，以百省□□狗。天地□間，□猶橐籥輿？虛而不淈，動而俞出。多聞數窮，不若守於中。 |
| | Heaven and earth are not benevolent; they regard all things as straw dogs. The sage is not benevolent; he regards the people as straw dogs. Between heaven and earth, is it not like a bellows? Empty yet capable of producing more with each movement. It is empty but never exhausted; the more you move it, the more comes forth. Much knowledge leads to exhaustion; better to preserve what lies within.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
浴神□死，是胃玄牝。玄牝之門，是胃□地之根。縣縣呵若存，用之不堇。 |
| | The gate through which all things are born—this is called the profound female. The gate of the profound female is the root of heaven and earth. It seems faintly present, yet its use never diminishes.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
天長地久。天地之所以能□且久者，以其不自生也，故能長生。是以聲人芮其身而身先；外其身而身存。不以其無□輿？故能成其私。 |
| | Heaven and earth endure forever. The reason why heaven and earth can endure so long is that they do not live for themselves; thus, they are able to live long. Therefore, the sage puts himself last, yet he becomes first; He places his body outside of himself and thus preserves it. Is this not because he does not seek to preserve himself? Thus, he is able to accomplish his own purpose.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
上善治水。水善利萬物而有靜，居眾之所惡，故幾於道矣。居善地，心善瀟，予善信，正善治，事善能，動善時。夫唯不靜，故無尤。 |
| | The highest goodness is like water. Water benefits all things without contention, and dwells in places others despise; thus it comes close to the Dao. To dwell in a good place, to have a tranquil mind, to give with sincerity, to govern with justice, to act with ability, and to move at the right time. Precisely because he does not contend, there is no blame.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
植而盈之，不□□□□□□之□之，□可長葆之。金玉盈室，莫之守也；貴富而驕，自遺咎也。功遂身芮天□□□。 |
| | When a vessel is filled to the brim, it overflows; if you sharpen something too much, it will break. The Dao of the sage does not act in this way, and thus can be preserved for long. Treasure filled with gold and jade, none can guard them; Wealth and nobility leading to arrogance bring self-inflicted misfortune. When success is achieved, one retreats from the world—this is in accordance with heaven's will.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
□□□□□□□□□□□□□能嬰兒乎？脩除玄藍，能毌疵乎？愛□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□□生之、畜之，生而弗□□□□□□□□德。 |
| | Is there anyone who can return to being an infant? Can one purify the mind and remove all blemishes? Love and nourish the people, raise them but do not dominate; cultivate them but do not possess. This is called profound virtue.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
卅□□□□□其無，□□之用。□然埴為器，當其無，有埴器□□□□□□，當其無，有□之用也。故有之以為利，無之以為用。 |
| | The thirty spokes unite in the hub's emptiness—this is where the function of a cart lies. Mold clay into vessels; it is in their emptiness that they become useful. Hollow out space to make a room—only when there is emptiness can the room be used. Therefore, existence provides benefit; non-existence provides function.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
五色使人目明；馳騁田臘，使人□□□；難得之貨，使人之行方；五味使人之口爽；五音使人之耳聾。是以聲人之治也，為腹不□□，故去罷耳此。 |
| | Five colors make the eyes blind; Hunting and feasting make the mind restless; Rare goods lead people to deviate from their proper conduct; Five flavors make the palate dull; Five sounds make the ears deaf. Therefore, the sage's governance is to satisfy the belly but not pursue luxury; thus he removes excess and returns to simplicity.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
龍辱若驚，貴大患若身。苛胃龍辱若驚？龍之為下，得之若驚，失□若驚，是胃龍辱若驚。何胃貴大患若身？吾所以有大患者，為吾有身也，及吾無身，有何患？故貴為身於為天下，若可以託天下矣；愛以身為天下，女何以寄天下。 |
| | Treat honor and disgrace as if both were unexpected; treat great calamities as one would treat one's own body. What does it mean to treat honor and disgrace as unexpected? When one seeks honor, receiving it is a shock; losing it is also a shock. This is what is meant by treating honor and disgrace as unexpected. What does it mean to regard great calamities as one's own body? I have great calamities because I have a self. If I had no self, what calamity could there be? Therefore, to value one's own life more than the world is how one can entrust the world. To love oneself as one loves the world—thus where could the world be entrusted?
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
視之而弗見，名之曰微；聽之而弗聞，名之曰希；昏之而弗得，名之曰夷。三者不可至計，故混□□□一者，其上不收，其下不忽，尋尋呵不可名也，復歸於無物。是胃無狀之狀，無物之□□□□□□□□□□□□而不見其首。執今之道，以御今之有。以知古始，是胃□□。 |
| | Look for it but you cannot see; this is called subtle. Listen for it but you cannot hear; this is called rare. Grasp for it but you cannot obtain; this is called formless. These three cannot be further described; they are merged into one. Its upper part is not bright, its lower part is not obscure. Continuous and indescribable, it returns to nothingness. This is called the form without shape, the image of no substance; it is subtle and unseen, yet there is nothing before it. Hold to the ancient Dao to manage present existence. To know the beginning of antiquity is called understanding the constant way.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
□□□□□□□□□□，深不可志。夫唯不可志，故強為之容，曰：與呵其若冬□□□□□□畏四□，□呵其若客，浼呵其若淩澤，□呵其若幄春□□□□□□□若浴。濁而情之，余清。女以重之，余生。葆此道，不欲盈。夫唯不欲□□以能□□□成。 |
| | The gate to the profound mystery—its depth cannot be measured. Precisely because it cannot be measured, we must describe it forcefully: It is vast and flowing like the river of winter; it is cautious as if fearing all four directions. It is respectful like a guest; pure like melting frost. It is open like an empty valley; subtle like unformed clay. Muddle it and yet clarity remains. You place value on life, yet birth follows. Preserve this Dao and do not seek to be full. Precisely because one does not desire, he is able to complete things.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
至虛極也，守情表也。萬物旁作，吾以觀其復也。天物雲雲，各復歸於其□，□□。情，是胃復命。復命，常也；知常，明也；不知常，㠵。㠵作凶。知常容，容乃公，公乃王，王乃天，天乃道，□□□沕身不怠。 |
| | Arriving at the utmost emptiness, holding stillness as a constant. All things arise together; I observe their return. Heaven and earth move in endless motion, yet all return to their roots—this is the way of nature. Stillness is called returning to life's source. Returning to one's origin is the constant; Knowing this constant brings clarity; Not knowing this constant leads to misfortune. Misfortune becomes calamity. Knowing the constant brings tolerance; tolerance leads to impartiality, impartiality to kingship, kingship to heaven, and heaven to Dao. Aligning with Dao, one's body remains undiminished.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
大上，下知有之；其次，親譽之；其次，畏之；其下，母之。信不足，案有不信。□□其貴言也。成功遂事而百省胃我自然。 |
| | The highest ruler is known only in name by the people; Next, they love and praise him; Next, they fear him; The lowest are despised. When trust is lacking, there will be those who do not believe. Therefore, the sage values few words. He completes his tasks and lets all things say "this is natural."
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
故大道廢，案有仁義；知快出，案有大偽；六親不和，案有畜茲；邦家昏亂，案有貞臣。 |
| | Therefore, when the great Dao is abandoned, benevolence and righteousness arise; When wisdom and knowledge emerge, there arises great hypocrisy; When the six relations are not harmonious, filial piety and parental affection arise; When a state is in chaos, loyal ministers emerge.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
絕聲棄知，民利百負；絕仁棄義，民復畜茲；絕巧棄利，盜賊無有。此三言也，以為文未足。故令之有所屬：見素抱□□□□□。 |
| | Abandon wisdom and knowledge; the people will benefit a hundredfold; Abandon benevolence and righteousness; the people return to filial piety. Abandon cleverness and profit; thieves and bandits will disappear. These three sayings are still insufficient as words. Therefore, I give them something to belong to: be simple and hold purity; return to the uncarved wood of nature.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
□□□□，唯與訶，其相去幾何？美與惡，其相去何若？人之□□，亦不□□□□□□□□□□眾人巸巸，若鄉於大牢，而春登臺。我泊焉未佻，若□□□□；累呵如□□□□□皆有餘，我獨遺。我禺人之心也，蠢蠢呵。□□□□□□𦟲呵鬻人蔡蔡，我獨𨴽𨴽呵。忽呵其若□，望呵其若無所止。□□□□□□□□以悝。吾欲獨異於人，而貴食母。 |
| | Good and evil—how far apart are they? Beauty and ugliness, how different can they be? The people's confusion is not strange. The crowd clamors, as if rushing to a great feast, like springtime ascending the terrace. I remain calm and undisturbed, as though I were still in the womb; Tired and weary, like a newborn child—seemingly incomplete yet full of vitality. I alone remain behind. My heart is like that of an ordinary person, simple and unassuming. While others are eager and active, I alone remain quiet and still. Mysterious as if without form, boundless as if with no end. I alone am different from others, because I value the nourishment of the Dao. I wish to be unique among people and hold dear the sustenance of the Mother (Dao).
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
孔德之容，唯道是從。道之物，唯望唯忽。□□□呵，中有象呵；望呵忽呵，中有物呵。幽呵鳴呵，中有請也；其請甚真，其中□□。自今及古，其名不去，以順眾父。吾何以知眾父之然？以此。 |
| | The manifestation of great virtue follows only the Dao. The thing called Dao is boundless and formless, mysterious and indistinct. Within the boundless, there are forms; Within the formless, there are things. Deep and silent, within it lies clarity; Its clarity is very real, and within it there is truth. From the present to antiquity, its name does not perish; thus it serves as a model for all generations. How do I know that this is so of past generations? By means of this (the Dao).
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
炊者不立；自視不章；□見者不明；自伐者無功；自矜者不長。其在道曰：𥺌食贅行。物或惡之。故有欲者□居。 |
| | Those who cook do not stand still; Those who see themselves are not clear. Those who display themselves are not enlightened. Those who boast of their achievements have no real merit; Those who are conceited do not endure. In the Dao, this is called: excessive eating and superfluous action. All things may abhor it. Therefore, those who are filled with desire do not dwell in harmony (with the Dao).
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
曲則金，枉則定，洼則盈，敝則新，少則得，多則惑。是以聲人執一以為天下牧。不□視，故明；不自見，故章；不自伐，故有功；弗矜，故能長。夫唯不爭，故莫能與之爭。古□□□□□□□語才！誠金歸之。 |
| | Bend and you will be whole; twist and you will straighten. Hollow out and it will fill; decay and it will renew. Have little, and you gain; have much, and you are confused. Therefore, the sage holds to unity (the Dao) as the shepherd of all under heaven. Not looking with desire, therefore clear; Not displaying oneself, therefore prominent; Not boasting of one's achievements, therefore having real merit; Not being conceited, therefore enduring. Precisely because he does not contend, none in the world can contend with him. This is what ancient sages have said! True gold returns to it.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
希言自然，飄風不冬朝，暴雨不冬日。孰為此？天地。□□□□□□於□□？故從事而道者，同於道；德者，同於德；者者同於失；同德□，道亦德之；同於失者，道亦失之。 |
| | Rare words are natural. A gale does not last a morning; a torrential rain does not last a day. Who causes this? Heaven and Earth. If Heaven and Earth cannot endure the violence of their actions, how much less can humans? Therefore, those who act in accordance with the Dao are one with it; those who possess virtue are one with virtue; those who act wrongly are one with failure. Therefore, those of the same virtue receive the Dao's virtue; those who are one with failure, the Dao also abandons.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
有物昆成，先天地生。繡呵繆呵，獨立□□□，可以為天地母。吾未知其名，字之曰道，吾強為之名曰大。□曰筮，筮曰□□□□□□天大，地大，王亦大。國中有四大，而王居一焉。人法地，□法□□法□□法□□。 |
| | There is something formless and complete, born before Heaven and Earth. Mysterious and boundless, it stands alone and unchanging; it can be called the mother of Heaven and Earth. I do not know its name; I call it Dao, and give it the title Da (Great). Therefore, it is said: The great contains the small; the small contains the great. Heaven is great, Earth is great, and the Ruler is also great. Within a state there are four greatnesses, and the ruler occupies one of them. People follow the Earth; the Earth follows Heaven; Heaven follows the Dao; the Dao follows what is natural.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
□為巠根，清為躁君。是以君子眾日行不離其甾重。唯有環官，燕處□□若，若何萬乘之王，而以身巠於天下？巠則失本，躁則失君。 |
| | Stillness is the root of all things, and clarity is the ruler over agitation. Therefore, a cultivated person walks daily without departing from this fundamental principle. How can a sovereign of ten thousand chariots place his person as the root for all under heaven? Stillness lost means losing one's foundation; agitation lost means losing clarity.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
善行者無勶迹，□言者無瑕適；善數者不以檮策；善閉者無關籥而不可啟也，善結者□□約而不可解也。是以聲人恆善救人，而無棄人；物無棄財。是胃申明。故善□□□之師；不善人，善人之齎也。不貴其師，不愛其齎，唯知乎大眯，是胃眇要。 |
| | The good traveler leaves no tracks; the good speaker has no flaws or mistakes; the good counter does not need tally sticks; The good closer needs no lock or key, yet cannot be opened; the good knotter ties nothing, yet it cannot be undone. Therefore, the sage is always good at saving people and leaves no one behind; things are never discarded as waste. This is called following the light (of the Dao). Therefore, the good person is a teacher to those who are not so; the unvirtuous are the resource of the virtuous. Those who do not value their teacher and do not cherish their resources, though they may know much, are lost in great confusion. This is called the subtle essence (of wisdom).
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
知其雄，守其雌，為天下溪。為天下溪，恆德不雞。恆德不雞，復歸嬰兒。知其白，守其辱，為天下浴。為天下浴，恆德乃□德乃□□□□□。知其，守其黑，為天下式。為天下式，恆德不貣。德不貣，復歸於無極。楃散□□□□人用則為官長。夫大制無割。 |
| | Knowing strength but holding to softness, one becomes the valley of all under heaven. Being the valley of all under heaven, constant virtue is not lost. Constant virtue not lost returns one to the state of an infant. Knowing brightness but holding to humility, one becomes the model for all under heaven. Being the model of all under heaven, constant virtue reaches its fullness; thus, it returns to the root (of Dao). Knowing clarity but holding to obscurity, one becomes an example for all under heaven. Being the example of all under heaven, constant virtue does not wane. Virtue that does not wane returns to boundlessness. The people use it as a leader, yet do not know its source. The great order has no divisions.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
將欲取天下而為之，吾見其弗□□□□□□器也，非可為者也，為者敗之，執者失之，物或行或隨；或炅或□；□□□□；或坏或墮。是以聲人去甚，去大，去楮。 |
| | Whoever wishes to take the world and manage it, I see that he will not succeed. The world is a vessel; it cannot be controlled by force. Those who control it bring ruin; those who grasp it lose it. Things may move forward or follow behind; some may grow warm, some may remain cold; some may be strong, some weak; some may rise, some fall. Therefore, the sage avoids extremes, excesses, and indulgence.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
以道佐人主，不以兵強□天下。□□□□□□所居，楚朸生之。善者果而已矣，毌矣取強焉。果而毌驕，果而勿矜，果而□□，果而毌得已居，是胃□而不強。物壯而老，是胃之不道。不道蚤已。 |
| | Using the Dao to assist a ruler, one does not rely on military strength to dominate the world. The place where weapons are kept becomes a nest for sorrow and grief. A good person achieves results only, without seeking to dominate. Achieve and do not grow proud; achieve and do not become conceited; achieve without arrogance, and achieve without claiming credit. This is called strength without force. When things reach their prime, they begin to grow old—this is called going against the Dao. Going against the Dao leads to early demise.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
夫兵者，不祥之器□，物或惡之，故有欲者弗居。君子居則貴左，用兵則貴右。故兵者非君子之器也，□□不祥之器也，不得已而用之，銛襲為上，勿美也。若美之，是樂殺人也。夫樂殺人，不可以得志於天下矣。是以吉事上左，喪事上右。是以便將軍居左，上將軍居右，言以喪禮居之也。殺人眾，以悲依立之，戰勝以喪禮處之。 |
| | Weapons are instruments of ill omen; all things abhor them, so those with desire do not dwell upon them. A cultivated person values the left in peace, but values the right when using weapons. Therefore, weapons are not instruments of a cultivated person; they are tools of ill omen. Use them only when absolutely necessary, and do so with caution and restraint—do not glorify their use. To glorify war is to delight in killing people. One who delights in killing cannot achieve harmony with all under heaven. Therefore, in joyful occasions the left is honored; in funerals the right is honored. Thus, the deputy general stands on the left and the supreme general on the right—this signifies that they conduct themselves according to funeral rites. When many people are killed, mourn for them; when a battle is won, treat it with the solemnity of a funeral rite.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
道恆無名。楃唯□□□□□□□□王若能守之，萬物將自賓。天地相谷，以俞甘洛，民莫之□□□均焉。始制有□，□□□有，夫□□□□□□所以不□。俾道之在天□□□□浴之與江海也。 |
| | The Dao is eternally nameless. Therefore, if a ruler can hold to it, all things will naturally submit. Heaven and Earth are impartial; they nourish all equally, and the people do not know how to measure it fairly. When laws and regulations first arose, there was still simplicity; when desires arose, there were distinctions. Therefore, the wise do not act in this way. The Dao exists in heaven and earth—like small streams flowing into rivers and seas.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
知人者知也，自知□□□□□者有力也，自勝者□□□□□□也。強行者有志也。不失其所者久也，死不忘者壽也。 |
| | He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself has strength; he who conquers himself is truly powerful. One who perseveres with determination possesses willpower. He who does not lose his place endures; he who, even in death, is not forgotten has a long life.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
道汎□□□□□□□□遂事而弗名有也。萬物歸焉而弗為主，則恆無欲也，可名於小；萬物歸焉，□□為主，可名於大。是□聲人之能成大也，以其不為大也，故能成大。 |
| | The Dao is vast and boundless—its workings are complete yet it claims no name or possession. All things return to it, but it does not claim dominion; thus its desire is ever constant—it may be called small. All things return to it and yet it does not dominate—thus it can be called great. Therefore, the sage is able to become great because he does not seek greatness; thus he becomes great.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
執大象，□□往。往而不害，安平大。樂與餌，過格止。故道之出言也，曰淡呵其無味也，□□不足見也，聽之不足聞也，用之不可既也。 |
| | Grasp the Great Image and go wherever you wish. Go without causing harm, and peace will be great. Music and delicacies attract, but their effect fades after a while. Therefore, when the Dao is spoken of, it is said to be tasteless and flavorless; its appearance is not visible, its sound cannot be heard, yet its use is inexhaustible.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
將欲拾之，必古張之；將欲弱之，□□強之；將欲去之，必古與之；將欲奪之，必古予之。是胃微明。柔弱勝強。魚不脫於瀟，邦利器不可以視人。 |
| | If you wish to take something from someone, first you must expand it. If you wish to weaken something, first make it strong; If you wish to remove something, first give it. If you wish to seize something, first bestow it. This is called subtle insight. The soft and yielding overcome the hard and strong. A fish cannot leave the water, nor can a state's sharp instruments be shown to others.
|
| | 老子甲道... : |
道恆無名。侯王若守之，萬物將自𢡺。𢡺而欲□□□□□□□名之楃。□□□名之楃，夫將不辱。不辱以情，天地將自正。 |
| | The Dao is eternally without name. If a ruler holds to it, all things will submit of their own accord. Submit and desire—thus the name is given. Thus, by giving it a name, one will not be disgraced. Without disgrace and with sincerity, Heaven and Earth will naturally harmonize.
|
