Tao Te Ching, my version

79. 和大怨必有餘怨 After a bitter quarrel, some resentment must remain.

2005-04-15T22:57:00.000-07:00

Chapter 79 (七十九)

SEVENTY-NINE (Feng)

After a bitter quarrel, some resentment must remain.
What can one do about it?
Therefore the sage keeps his half of the bargain
But does not exact his due.
A man of Virtue performs his part,
But a man without Virtue requires others to fulfill their obligations.
The Tao of heaven is impartial.
It stays with good men all the time.

======
79 (fst)

Sometimes,
when an argument is settled,
feelings of resentment still remain
on either side.
What's the point of carrying a grudge?

The Masters care
about what they owe other people,
not what other people owe them.

People who are in touch with Tao
do their duty.
People who aren't
try to force others into submission.

Tao doesn't play favorites.
But if you do right by Tao,
Tao will do right by you.

======
79 (ah-san)

When conflict is reconciled,
surely some hatred remain;
This doesn't seem right.

Therefore the sage keeps his half of the tally,
But demands no payment from others.
The man of virtue take charge of the tally;,
The man of no virtue takes charge of exaction.

Nature is impartial.
It always helps kind people.

======
79 (ah-san)
again, on how to deal with people

Even after a bitter quarrel is dissolved, people are still unhappy.
There must be a better way!

The wise one keeps his words and keeps his mouth shut.
He doesn't go after other people and demand their reason.
Remember, there's no rule in this world.
Be good and have your peace.

80. 小國寡民 A small country has fewer people.

2005-04-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

Chapter 80 (八十)

EIGHTY (Feng)

A small country has fewer people.
Though there are machines that can work ten to a hundred times faster
than man, they are not needed.
The people take death seriously and do not travel far.
Though they have boats and carriages, no one uses them.
Though they have armor and weapons, no one displays them.
Men return to the knotting of rope in place of writing.
Their food is plain and good, their clothes fine but simple,
their homes secure.
They are happy in their ways.
Though they live within sight of their neighbors,
And crowing cooks and barking dogs are heard across the way,
Yet they leave each other in peace while they grow old and die.

======
80 (fst)

Lao Tzu had a dream
about a small country
with very few people.

They didn't need machines
to get their work done faster.
They took their lives seriously,
and stayed close to home.

They may have owned
boats and carriages,
but they never went anywhere.
They may have owned weapons,
but they kept those weapons
locked up, securely hidden.
They had so few responsibilities,
they never had to make a To-Do list
to remember what had to be done.

They enjoyed simple foods,
dressed plainly,
lived comfortably,
and kept their traditions alive.

And even though
their neighbors were so close
they could hear
the dogs barking at night,
they had no interest
in leaving their homes,
where they grew old peacefully
and died.

======
80 (ah-san)

Simplify your life.
There's no need for high-tech gadgets,
No need for excessive outward excitements,
No need for fancy philosophies.
Enjoy your food,
Delight in your cloth,
Live comfortably in your home,
Be happy and content with it all.
Stay in peace with your friends and neighbors,
But don't meddle with their business.

81. 信言不美 Truthful words are not beautiful.

2005-04-08T23:05:00.000-07:00

Chapter 81 (八十一)

EIGHTY-ONE (Feng)

Truthful words are not beautiful.
Beautiful words are not truthful.
Good men do not argue.
Those who argue are not good.
Those who know are not learned.
The learned do not know.

The sage never tries to store things up.
The more he does for others, the more he has.
The more he gives to others, the greater his abundance.
The Tao of heaven is pointed but does not harm.
The Tao of the sage is work without effort.

======
81 (fst)

The truth isn't flashy.
Flashy words aren't true.

Educated people
aren't always smart.
Smart people
don't always have an education.

Good people don't argue.
People who argue aren't good.

The Masters don't hang on to things.
They're always doing something
for other people,
so they always have more to give.
They give away
whatever they have,
so what they have is worth more.

If you want to get right with Tao,
help other people, don't hurt them.
The Masters always work with people,
never against them.

======
81 (Douglas Adams)

When the editors of the Guide were sued by the families of those who had died as a result of taking the entry on the planet Traal literally (it said "Ravenous Bugblatter Beasts often make a very good meal for visiting tourists" instead of "Ravenous Bugblatter Beasts often make a very good meal of visiting tourists"), they claimed that the first version of the sentence was the more aesthetically pleasing, summoned a qualified poet to testify under oath that beauty was truth, truth beauty and hoped thereby to prove that the guilty party in this case was Life itself for failing to be either beautiful or true. The judges concurred, and in a moving speech held that Life itself was in contempt of court, and duly confiscated it from all those there present before going off to enjoy a pleasant evening's ultragolf.

-- The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

======
Note: Feng is the standard translation by Gia-Fu Feng; fst is my friend Frank; my own interpolation is indicated by ah-san unless otherwise marked.

Updates News

2005-03-23T21:31:00.000-08:00

Frank (st) sent me his entire translation of Tao Te Ching on 1/11/2005. I will start putting his version alongside mine and the standard translation in this blog. Also I hope to gradually organize these chapters.

Check out my Enlightnment Blog that tracks my daily (or weekly, or monthly, or seasonly, or yearly, or lifetime) musings.

Love and Peace!
Ah-San (Jorielle)

75 民之飢

2004-12-18T22:58:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第七十五章

民之飢
以其上食稅之多
是以飢
民之難治
以其上之有為
是以難治
民之輕死
以其上求生之厚
是以輕死

夫唯無以生為者
是賢於貴生

======
SEVENTY-FIVE

Why are the people starving?
Because the rulers eats up the money in taxes.
Therefore the people are starving.

Why are the people rebellious?
Because the rulers interfere too much.
Therefore they are rebellious.

Why do the people think so little of death?
Because the rulers demand too much of life.
Therefore the people take death lightly.

Having little to live on, one knows better than to value life too much.

======
75.

(Note: This is the last of the 81 chapters of Tao Te Ching I am reading and adapting. The Feng and English translation is rather dull. I want to write it in words of love, peace and life.)

Why am I often unsatisfied?
Because I tend to waste energy doing passionless things.
Why am I often difficult to concentrate?
Because I try to do many things at the same time.
Why do I often forget to treasure life?
Because I too eagerly divert my attention outwardly.

Only when I seek inwardly,
Shall I find the meaning of all--peace, and love.

72 民不畏威　則大威至

2004-12-18T16:43:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第七十二章

民不畏威　則大威至
無狎其所居　無厭其所生
夫唯不厭　是以不厭
是以聖人自知不自見
自愛不自貴
故去彼取此

======
SEVENTY-TWO

When men lack a sense of awe, there will be disaster.

Do not intrude in their homes.
Do not harass them at work.
If you do not interfere, they will not weary of you.

Therefore the sage knows himself but makes no show,
Has self-respect but is not arrogant.
He lets go of that and chooses this.

======
72.

If he is not afraid of your pressure,
Then something terrible will happen.

Do not bother him in daily life
Do not harass him at work;
If you let him loose, he will not abandon you.

The wise woman knows herself but not shows off;
She has self-respect but not arrogant.
Therefore, be humble, know and love the self.

69 用兵有言

2004-12-08T23:51:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第六十九章

用兵有言
吾不敢為主　而為客
不敢進寸　而退尺
是謂行無行　攘無臂　扔無敵　執無兵
禍莫大於輕敵　輕敵幾喪吾寶
故抗兵相若　哀者勝矣

======
SIXTY-NINE

There is a saying among soldiers:
I dare not make the first move but would rather play the guest;
I dare not advance an inch but would rather withdraw a foot.

This is called marching without appearing to move,
Rolling up your sleeves without showing your arm,
Capturing the enemy without attacking,
Being armed without weapons.

There is no greater catastrophe than underestimating the enemy.
By underestimating the enemy, I almost lost what I value.

Therefore when the battle is joined,
The underdog will win.

======
69.

There's a saying in commanding the army:
I'd rather play defense than offence;
I'd rather retreat a lot than advance a little.
This strategy is more like fighting without appearing to fight:
no formation, no movement, no soldier, no weapon,
Nothing is more dangerous than underestimating your enemy,
Because if you do, you might lose your life.
Therefore, in a battle, don't laugh until you win.

(I'm too tired to think about an analogy for this military related chapter.)

68 善為士者不武

2004-12-07T23:08:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第六十八章

善為士者不武
善戰者不怒
善勝敵者不與
善用人者為之下
是謂不爭之德
是謂用人之力
是謂配天古之極

======
SIXTY-EIGHT

A good soldier is not violent.
A good fighter is not angry.
A good winner is not vengeful.
A good employer is humble.
This is known as the Virtue of not striving.
This is known as ability to deal with people.
This since ancient times has been known
as the ultimate unity with heaven.

======
68.

A good leader does not depend on military power.
A good commander does not depend on courage.
A good victor does not fight against enemy.
A good boss acts humble.
This is the virtue of non-competition,
And the ability to manage people (as well as things).
This is the natural way.

65 古之善為道者

2004-12-07T08:31:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第六十五章

古之善為道者
非以明民　將以愚之
民之難治　以其智多
故以智治國　國之賊
不以智治國　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
然後乃至大順

======
SIXTY-FIVE

In the beginning those who knew the Tao did not try to enlighten others,
But kept them in the dark.
Why is it so hard to rule?
Because people are so clever.
Rulers who try to use cleverness
Cheat the country.
Those who rule without cleverness
Are a blessing to the land.
These are the two alternatives.
Understanding these is Primal Virtue.
Primal Virtue is deep and far.
It leads all things back
Toward the great oneness.

======
65.

I have seen the Ultimate and I want to reach It.
Knowing the Ultimate is not a matter of the mind:
--it is a matter of the heart.
Sometimes I find it difficult to return to the Ultimate,
Because I tend to think too much.

Therefore, when reason obstructs our way,
Abandon it, and let passion burn open a new path.

Understand the nature of reason and passion,
And use them wisely,
We shall find our way back to Ourselves.
In Ourselves and in Nature,
we ultimately reach the ultimate Ultimate.

(I feel ashamed that I almost abandoned Tao. It contains so much Truth, but I won't see it unless I keep quiet and open--when I am in Tao.)

62 道者　萬物之奧

2004-12-06T20:31:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第六十二章

道者　萬物之奧
善人之寶　不善人之所保

美言可以示尊　美行可以加人
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
不曰求以得　有罪以免邪
故為天下貴

======
SIXTY-TWO

Tao is the source of the ten thousand things.
It is the treasure of the good man, and the refuge of the bad.
Sweet words can buy honor;
Good deeds can gain respect.
If a man is bad, do not abandon him.
Therefore on the day the emperor is crowned.
Or the three officers of state installed,
Do not send a gift of jade and a team of four horses,
But remain still and offer the Tao.
Why does everyone like the Tao so much at first?
Isn't it because you find what you seek and are forgiven when you sin?
Therefore this is the greatest treasure of the universe.

======
62. (Tao in the name of Love)

Love dominates everything in life.
Those who are in love want to keep it.
Those who are out of love want to find it.

Good words can gain recognition;
Good deeds can gain appreciation.
There's no reason to abandon a lost soul.
If someone is successful,
Rather than presenting good words and deeds as gifts,
It's better to send in Love.

Why is Love so valuable ever since the beginning of time?
Isn't it because with Love,
all you yearnings are answered,
and all your wrongs are forgiven?
Therefore Love is the best thing in Life.

60 治大國　若烹小鮮

2004-12-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第六十章

治大國　若烹小鮮
以道蒞天下　其鬼不神
非其鬼不神　其神不傷人
非其神不傷人　聖人亦不傷人
夫兩不相傷　故德交歸焉

======
SIXTY

Ruling the country is like cooking a small fish.
Approach the universe with Tao,
And evil will have no power.
Not that evil is not powerful,
But its power will not be used to harm others.
Not only will it do no harm to others,
But the sage himself will also be protected.
They do not hurt each other,
And the Virtue in each refreshes both.

======
60.

When you cook a small fish, don't stir too much.
It's the same as ruling a country or living a life.
If you use the natural way to conduct in the world,
Devils and Adversities will not act.
It is not that devils and adversities do not occur,
Rather they will not harm you.
Not only devils and adversities don't harm you,
Saint and prosperities won't harm you either.
It's because devils and saint, adversities and prosperities
live and grow in each other.

(hmm, I sort of get this but I am not sure if I can make it make sense to others.)

56 知者不言　言者不知

2004-12-01T06:56:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第五十六章

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

======
FIFTY-SIX (Feng)

Those who know do not talk.
Those who talk do not know.

Keep your mouth closed.
Guard your senses.
Temper your sharpness.
Simplify your problems.
Mask your brightness.
Be at one with the dust of the earth.
This is primal union.

He who has achieved this state
Is unconcerned with friends and enemies,
With good and harm, with honor and disgrace.
This therefore is the highest state of man.

======
56. (ah san)

He who knows does not speak.
He who speaks does not know.

Close off his senses,
Slow down his mind,
Temper his sharpness,
Untangle from his problems,
Mask his brilliance,
Mix himself with the dust:
He has reached the state of being one with nature.

We can't get close to him.
We can't get away from him.
We can't gain anything from him.
We can't harm him.
We can't honor him.
We can't disgrace him.
This way he is respected by all.
(But seriously, I think he is done with this world.)

49 聖人無常心　以百姓心為心

2004-11-18T22:28:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第四十九章

聖人無常心　以百姓心為心
善者　吾善之
不善者　吾亦善之
德善
信者　吾信之
不信者　吾亦信之　德信

聖人在天下　歙歙焉
為天下　渾其心
百姓皆注其耳目
聖人皆孩之

======
FORTY-NINE

The sage has no mind of his own.
He is aware of the needs of others.

I am good to people who are good.
I am also good to people who are not good.
Because Virtue is goodness.
I have faith in people who are faithful.
I also have faith in people who are not faithful.
Because Virtue is faithfulness.

The sage is shy and humble--to the world he seems confusing.
Men look to him and listen.
He behaves like a little child.

======
49.

I have no constant mind.
I take other people's concerns as my own.
I think good the good people.
I think also good the not-so-good people.
This way I gain goodness.
I trust those trustworthy people.
I trust also those not-so-trustworthy people.
This way I gain trust.

I hope everyone is more humble and simple.
Man tends to focus his senses on external things.
But I close all my senses and look only inwardly.

孩，通“阂”，闭隔的意思，指断绝自己的感官欲念。

42 道生一　一生二

2004-11-18T10:28:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第四十二章

道生一　一生二
二生三　三生萬物
萬物負陰而抱陽　沖氣以為和

人之所惡　唯孤　寡　不穀
而王公以為稱
故物或損之而益　或益之而損

人之所教　我亦教之
強梁者不得其死　吾將以為教父

======
FORTY-TWO

The Tao begot one.
One begot two.
Two begot three.
And three begot the ten thousand things.

The ten thousand things carry yin and embrace yang.
They achieve harmony by combining there forces.

Men hate to be "orphaned,", "widowed," or "worthless,"
But this is how kings and lords describe themselves.

For one gains by losing
And loses by gaining.

What others teach, I also teach; that is:
"A violent man will die a violent death!"
This will be the essence of my teaching.

======
42

In the beginning there is Universe.
Universe divides itself into yin and yang.
From there comes heaven, earth, and man.
Then all things come to being.
Immersed in yin and ying, all things are in harmony.

People hate humble words,
But they use them on themselves.
This is because one gains by losing,
And loses by gaining.

What everyone teaches, I also teach:
"A violent man will die a violent death."
And this is the first of my teaching.

37 道常無為　而無不為

2004-11-17T20:13:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第三十七章

道常無為　而無不為
侯王若能守之　萬物將自化
化而欲作　吾將鎮之以無名之樸
鎮之以無名之樸　夫亦將無欲
不欲以靜　天下將自正

======
THIRTY-SEVEN

Tao abides in non-action,
Yet nothing is left undone.
If kings and lords observed this,
The ten thousand things would develop naturally.
If they still desired to act,
They would return to the simplicity of formless substance.
Without form there is no desire.
Without desire there is tranquility.
And in this way all things would be at peace.

======
37.

God is eternal, and does nothing,
But there's nothing He cannot do.
If one can keep with God,
Everything in life would develop naturally.

When all things are natural, desires might arise.
Try to use the simplicity of nature to pacify,
So that no more desire will remain.

When there is no desire, there is tranquility,
And in it one becomes at peace with God.

36 將欲歙之　必固張之

2004-11-16T19:59:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第三十六章

將欲歙之　必固張之
將欲弱之　必固強之
將欲廢之　必固舉之
將欲取之　必固與之

是謂微明　柔弱勝剛強
魚不可脫於淵
國之利器　不可以示人

======
THIRTY-SIX

That which shrinks
Must first expand.
That which fails
Must first be strong.
That which is cast down
Must first be raised.
Before receiving
There must be giving.

This is called perception of the nature of things.
Soft and weak overcome hard and strong.

Fish cannot leave deep waters,
And a country's weapons should not be displayed.

======
36.
(this one seems quite pointless to me. it might has something to do with military strategies. the recent few tao verses i am reading are about war and weapons, but these days i am learning about st. augustine and love. maybe it's time to quit tao for a while. or, to gain insight of tao, quit it first....)

To close something, open it first.
To weaken something, strengthen it first.
To abandon something, proclaim it first.
To claim something, give it away first.

This is the highest wisdom:
Weak and soft overcome strong and hard.
Fish cannot leave water.
Don't show your weapon to others.

33 知人者智　自知者明

2004-11-15T20:49:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第三十三章

知人者智　自知者明
勝人者有力　自勝者強
知足者富　強行者有志
不失其所者久　死而不亡者壽

======
THIRTY-THREE

Knowing others is wisdom;
Knowing the self is enlightenment.
Mastering others requires force;
Mastering the self needs strength.

He who knows he has enough is rich.
Perseverance is a sign of will power.
He who stays where he is endures.
To die but not to perish is to be eternally present.

======
33 (one of my favorites)

He who knows others is smart;
He who knows the self is wise.
He who conquers others is strong;
He who conquers the self is mighty.

He who understands contentment is rich;
He who works with diligence is willful.
He who preserve his nature is long lasting;
He who dies without perishing is immortal.

32 道常無名

2004-11-14T20:56:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第三十二章

道常無名
樸雖小　天下莫能臣
侯王若能守之　萬物將自賓
天地相合　以降甘露
民莫之令而自均

始制有名
名亦既有　夫亦將知止
知止　可以不殆
譬道之在天下　猶川谷之於江海

======
THIRTY-TWO

The Tao is forever undefined.
Small though it is in the unformed state, it cannot be grasped.
If kings and lords could harness it,
The ten thousand things would naturally obey.
Heaven and earth would come together
And gentle rain fall.
Men would need no more instruction
and all things would take their course.

Once the whole is divided, the parts need names.
There are already enough names.
One must know when to stop.
Knowing when to stop averts trouble.
Tao in the world is like a river flowing home to the sea.

======
32.

He is eternal, and has no name.
He is simple, but invincible.
Follow Him, everything flows;
Nature comes around to nurture all lives;
The universe is in harmony.

When He creates everything,
Each is separated and given a name.
Know that names are only names,
Do not let them take over the essence.
He is the source of everything,
Like all water on earth returns to the sea.

31 夫兵者　不祥之器

2004-11-13T20:21:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第三十一章

夫兵者　不祥之器
物或惡之　故有道者不處
君子居則貴左　用兵則貴右
兵者　不得已而用之
殺人之眾　以悲哀泣之
戰勝　以喪禮處之

======
THIRTY-ONE

Good weapons are instruments of fear; all creatures hate them.
Therefore followers of Tao never use them.
The wise man prefers the left.
The man of war prefers the right.

Weapons are instruments of fear; they are not a wise man's tools.
He uses them only when he has no choice.
Peace and quiet are dear to his heart,
And victory no cause for rejoicing.
If you rejoice in victory, then you delight in killing;
If you delight in killing, you cannot fulfill yourself.

On happy occasions precedence is given to the left,
On sad occasions to the right.
In the army the general stands on the left,
The commander-in-chief on the right.
This means that war is conducted like a funeral.
When many people are being killed,
They should be mourned in heartfelt sorrow.
That is why a victory must be observed like a funeral.

======
31.

Weapons are no good. Most people hate them. The taoists never possess any. Weapons should only be used when absolutely necessary.

So many people are killed. War should be treated with sorrow, and victory should be observed like a funeral.

30 以道佐人主者　不以兵強天下

2004-11-06T20:15:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第三十章

以道佐人主者　不以兵強天下
其事好遠　師之所處　荊棘生焉
　　　　　大軍之後　必有凶年
善者果而已　不以取強
果而勿矜　果而勿伐　果而勿驕
果而不得已　果而勿強
物壯則老　是謂不道　不道早已

======
THIRTY

Whenever you advise a ruler in the way of Tao,
Counsel him not to use force to conquer the universe.
For this would only cause resistance.
Thorn bushes spring up wherever the army has passed.
Lean years follow in the wake of a great war.
Just do what needs to be done.
Never take advantage of power.

Achieve results,
But never glory in them.
Achieve results,
But never boast.
Achieve results,
But never be proud.
Achieve results,
Because this is the natural way.
Achieve results,
But not through violence.

Force is followed by loss of strength.
This is not the way of Tao.
That which goes against the Tao comes to an early end.

======
30. (11/6/2004)

A Taoist does not use force to win other nations in the world.
If one uses force, one has to deal with the consequences:
After the army has passed, the land becomes barren;
When the war is finished, there will be years of famine.

The one who knows how to use force knows not to abuse power.
The goal of war should not be pride, arrogance, demonstration,
War should be the last resort.

He who is too strong will only weaken and decline;
He who uses force to win the world is against Tao;
He who is against Tao will only come to an early end.

28 知其雄　守其雌　為天下谿

2004-11-05T20:15:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第二十八章

知其雄　守其雌　為天下谿
為天下谿　常德不離　復歸於嬰兒
知其白　守其黑　為天下式
為天下式　常德不忒　復歸於無極
知其榮　守其辱　為天下谷
為天下谷　常德乃足　復歸於樸
樸散則為器　聖人用之則為官長
故大制不割

======
TWENTY-EIGHT (Feng)

Know the strength of man,
But keep a woman's care!
Be the stream of the universe!
Being the stream of the universe,
Ever true and unswerving,
Become as a little child once more.

Know the white,
But keep the black!
Be an example to the world!
Being an example to the world,
Ever true and unwavering,
Return to the infinite.

Know honor,
Yet keep humility.
Be the valley of the universe!
Being the valley of the universe,
Ever true and resourceful,
Return to the state of the uncarved block.

When the block is carved, it becomes useful.
When the sage uses it, he becomes the ruler.
Thus, "A great tailor cuts little."

======
28. (ah san)

Know how to be strong, but keep the softness;
Be the canyon of the world.
Don't lose your human nature.
Return to the state of a newborn.

Know how to be sharp, but keep the vagueness;
Be the crystal ball of the world.
Don't mistake your human nature.
Return to the state of vastness.

Know how to reach high, but keep the openness;
Be the valley of the world.
Fulfill your human nature.
Return to the state of purity.

A piece of wood can be cut into pieces,
and made into different tools.
Just as the Wisdom that can be interpreted,
and made into different ideologies.
Using the pieces, a smart man can become a king.
Think of it:
How complete will one accomplish using the whole.

26 重為輕根　靜為躁君

2004-11-04T20:01:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第二十六章

重為輕根　靜為躁君
是以君子終日行不離輜重
雖有榮觀　燕處超然
奈何萬乘之主　而以身輕天下
輕則失根　躁則失君

======
TWENTY-SIX

The heavy is the root of the light;
The still is the master of unrest.

Therefore the sage, traveling all day,
Does not lose sight of his baggage.
Though there are beautiful things to be seen,
He remains unattached and calm.

Why should the lord of ten thousand chariots act lightly in public?
To be light is to lose one's root.
To be restless is to lose one's control.

======
26. (ah san)

heaviness can master lightness,
calmness can tame restlessness.
to travel far, take all the necessities,
but even with lots of money, live simply.

how come some people think it's easy to govern a nation?

lightness leads to loss of direction.
restlessness leads to lost of control.

24 企者不立　跨者不行

2004-11-03T17:37:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第二十四章

企者不立　跨者不行
見者不明　自是者不彰
自伐者無功　自矜者不長
其在道也　曰餘食贅行
物或惡之　故有道者不處

======
TWENTY-FOUR

He who stands on tiptoe is not steady.
He who strides cannot maintain the pace.
He who makes a show is not enlightened.
He who is self-righteous is not respected.
He who boasts achieves nothing.
He who brags will not endure.
According to followers of the Tao,
"There are extra food and unnecessary luggage."
They do not bring happiness.
Therefore followers of the Tao avoid them.

======
24. (ah san)

He who tiptoes cannot stand for long.
He who strides cannot travel far.
He who sees only the self cannot discern.
He who agrees only with the self cannot remark.
He who praises only the self cannot improve.
He who loves only the self cannot last.
These are leftover stuff from Tao,
That nobody likes, and the Taoists avoid.

22 曲則全　枉則直

2004-11-01T20:18:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第二十二章

曲則全　枉則直
窪則盈　敝則新
少則多　多則惑
是以聖人抱一為天下式

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

======
TWENTY-TWO

Yield and overcome;
Bend and be straight;
Empty and be full;
Wear out and be new;
Have little and gain;
Have much and be confused.

Therefore wise men embrace the one
And set an example to all.
Not putting on a display,
They shine forth.
Not justifying themselves,
They are distinguished.
Not boasting,
They receive recognition.
Not bragging,
They never falter.
They do not quarrel,
So no one quarrels with them.
Therefore the ancients say, "Yield and overcome."
Is that an empty saying?
Be really whole,
And all things will come to you.

======
22.

Bend and preserve,
Adapt and attain,
Empty and fill,
Exhaust and renew,
Minify and gain,
Amplify and lose.

See more than the self and discriminate;
Know more than the self and understand;
Recognize more than the self and achieve;
Love more than the self and eternalize.

Compete with no one and there's no competition.
It's the perfect and only way.

18 大道廢　有仁義

2004-10-31T19:07:00.000-08:00

老子道德經第十八章

大道廢　有仁義
智慧出　有大偽
六親不和　有孝慈
國家昏亂　有忠臣

======
EIGHTEEN

When the great Tao is forgotten,
Kindness and morality arise.
When wisdom and intelligence are born,
The great pretense begins.

When there is no peace within the family,
Filial piety and devotion arise.
When the country is confused and in chaos,
Loyal ministers appear.

======
18.

When I lost touch with my self,
I come up with reasons for my being.
When I realize how smart I am,
I fool myself with my intelligence.
When I don't feel love for others,
I know how to be polite and courteous.
When my life is in confusion and chaos,
Any step I take is a step forward.

17 太上　不知有之

2004-10-25T20:55:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第十七章

太上　不知有之
其次　親而譽之
其次　畏之
其次　侮之
信不足焉　有不信焉　
悠兮其貴言　功成事遂
百姓皆謂　「我自然」

======
SEVENTEEN

The very highest is barely known by men.
Then comes that which they know and love.
Then that which is feared.
Then that which is despised.

He who does not trust enough will not be trusted.

When actions are performed
Without unnecessary speech.
People say, "We did it!"

======
17.

Of anything, that includes anyone, any idea, any place, any thing,
The best can be merely sensed;
The good are admired and wanted;
The bad are feared and avoided.
The worst are simply despised.

The natural deeds are done without suspicion,
Without effort,
Without words.

03 不尚賢　使民不爭

2004-10-24T19:40:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第三章

不尚賢　使民不爭
不貴難得之貨　使民不為盜
不見可欲　使民心不亂
是以聖人之治
　虛其心　實其腹　弱其志　強其骨
　常使民無知無欲
　使夫智者不敢為也
　為無為　則無不治

======
THREE

Not exalting the gifted prevents quarreling.
Not collecting treasures prevents stealing.
Not seeing desirable things prevents confusion of the heart.

The wise therefore rule by emptying hearts and stuffing bellies.
by weakening ambitions and strengthening bones.
If people lack knowledge and desire,
then intellectuals will not try to interfere.
If nothing is lost, then all will be well.

======
3.

When wealth is prized, competition arises.
When perfection is valued, deceit begins.
When desires are encouraged, confusion sets in.

Think less, eat well, give up ambition, strengthen the body.
But if you must think, then think only for fun,
And do not pride yourself on your intelligence.

======
3.(st)

If you toss compliments around freely,
people will waste your time
trying to impress you.
If you give things too much value,
you're going to get ripped off.
If you try to please people,
you'll just make them pissed.

The Master leads
by clearing the crap
out of people's heads
and opening their hearts.
He lowers their aspirations
and makes them suck in their guts.

He shows you how to forget
what you know and what you want,
so nobody can push you around.
If you think you've got the answers,
he'll mess with your head.

Stop doing stuff all the time,
and watch what happens.

12 五色令人盲目

2004-10-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第十二章

五色令人盲目
五音令人耳聾
五味令人口爽
馳騁田獵令人心發狂
難得之貨令人行妨

是以聖人爲腹不為目
故去彼取此

======
TWELVE

The five colors blind the eye.
The five tones deafen the ear.
The five flavors dull the taste.
Racing and hunting madden the mind.
Precious things lead one astray.

Therefore the sage is guided by what he feels and not by what he sees.
He lets go of that and chooses this.

======
12.

Bright colors blind the eye.
Pleasant music deafens the ear.
Delicious food sickens the stomach.
Adventurous hobbies shatter the mind.
Rare curiosities destroy the moral.

Abandon the attachment to pleasures.
Live healthy and be free.

63 為無為　事無事　味無味

2004-10-21T20:41:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第六十三章

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
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

======
SIXTY-THREE

Practice non-action.
Work without doing.
Taste the tasteless.
Magnify the small, increase the few.
Reward bitterness with care.

See simplicity in the complicated.
Achieve greatness in little things.

In the universe the difficult things are done as if they are easy.
In the universe great acts are made up of small deeds.
The sage does not attempt anything very big,
And thus achieves greatness.

Easy promises make for little trust.
Taking things lightly results in great difficulty.
Because the sage always confronts difficulties,
He never experiences them.

======
63.

Do the non-doing;
Work on the non-work;
Enjoy the non-enjoyable.
See small as big, see less as more;
Return hatred with kindness.
To tackle the difficult, start from the easy;
To accomplish the great, start from the trivial.
See, the master never attempts the great,
And therefore he achieves the great.

One who promises easily often has little sincerity.
One who oversimplifies often encounters the complicated.
Therefore, handle everything as if it is complex,
And then you will never face true difficulties.

54 善建者不拔　善抱者不脫

2004-10-20T19:03:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第五十四章

善建者不拔　善抱者不脫
子孫以祭祀不輟
修之於身　其德乃真
修之於家　其德乃餘
修之於鄉　其德乃長
修之於邦　其德乃豐
修之於天下　其德乃普
故以身觀身　以家觀家
以鄉觀鄉　以邦觀邦
以天下觀天下
吾何以知天下然哉　以此

======
FIFTY-FOUR

What is firmly established cannot be uprooted.
What is firmly grasped cannot slip away.
It will be honored from generation to generation.

Cultivate Virtue in your self,
And Virtue will be real.
Cultivate it in the family,
And Virtue will abound.
Cultivate it in the village,
And Virtue will grow.
Cultivate it in the nation,
And Virtue will be abundant.
Cultivate it in the universe,
And Virtue will be everywhere.

Therefore look at the body as body;
Look at the family as family;
Look at the village as village;
Look at the nation as nation;
Look at the universe as universe.

How do I know the universe is like this?
By looking!

======
54

The good builder does not let shake,
The good holder does not let drop.
Remember this, and teach your children.

Practice this in relationship with your self,
your gain shall be genuine.
Practice this in relationship with your family,
your gain shall be ample.
Practice this in relationship with your neighbors,
your gain shall be lasting.
Practice this in relationship with your nation,
your gain shall be abundant.
Practice this in relationship with the world,
your gain shall be immense.

Therefore,
Observe one's self using his practice with the self;
Observe one's family using his practice with the family.
Observe one's neighbors using his practice with the neighbors.
Observe one's nation using his practice with the nation.
Observe one's world using his practice with the world.

How does LaoZi know this is true?
Because this is exactly his own practice.

43 天下之至柔

2004-10-19T20:11:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第四十三章

天下之至柔
馳騁天下之至堅
無有入無間
吾是以知無為之有益
不言之教　無為之益
天下希及之

======
FORTY-THREE (Feng)

The softest thing in the universe
Overcomes the hardest thing in the universe.
That without substance can enter where there is no room.
Hence I know the value of non-action.

Teaching without words and work without doing
Are understood by very few.

======
43.

The softest can move freely through the hardest.
The formless can effortlessly enter the seamless.
Then Lao Zi realizes the value of non-action:
Nothing beats deed without work,
And teaching without words.

35 執大象　天下往

2004-10-18T20:36:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第三十五章

執大象　天下往
往而不害　安、平、泰

樂與餌　過客止
道之出口　淡乎其無味
視之不足見
聽之不足聞
用之不足既

======
THIRTY-FIVE (Feng)

All men will come to him who keeps to the one.
For there lie rest and happiness and peace.

Passersby may stop for music and good food,
But a description of the Tao
Seems without substance or flavor.
It cannot be seen, it cannot be heard.
And yet it cannot be exhausted.

======
35. (ah san)

Be One with Being, and All shall be with One.
The world will become harmonious, peaceful, flowing.

Compare to good music and great food,
The spoken Tao is rather plain and bland.
True, it cannot be seen, cannot be heard,
Yet it cannot be used up.

10 載營魄抱一　能無離乎

2004-10-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第十章

載營魄抱一　能無離乎
專氣致柔　能嬰兒乎
滌除玄覽　能無疵乎
愛國治民　能無為乎
天門開闔　能為雌乎
明白四達　能無知乎

生之畜之
生而不有　為而不恃　長而不宰
是謂玄德

======
TEN (Feng)

Carrying body and soul and embracing the one,
Can you avoid separation?
Attending fully and becoming supple,
Can you be as a newborn babe?
Washing and cleansing the primal vision,
Can you be without stain?
Loving all men and ruling the country,
Can you be without cleverness?
Opening and closing the gates of heaven,
Can you play the role of woman?
Understanding and being open to all things,
Are you able to do nothing?
Giving birth and nourishing,
Bearing yet not possessing,
Working yet not taking credit,
Leading yet not dominating,
This is the Primal Virtue.

======
10.

Can you let body and soul be one,
and never separate?
Can you focus the primal energy and relax,
and be like a baby again?
Can you cleanse the mirror of the heart,
and let it free of dust and stain?
Can you love people, promote peace,
and in reality do nothing?
Can you watch the universe transform,
and keep calm and still?
Can you be sharp, bright, knowing,
and still retain no knowledge, no wisdom?

Let all things go through their own life cycles.
Nourish them, but never interfere;
Guide them, but never claim to be the master.
This, is the highest and farthest Way of Virtue.

06 谷神不死　是謂玄牝

2004-10-16T20:34:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第六章

谷神不死　是謂玄牝
玄牝之門　是謂天地根
綿綿若存　用之不勤

======
SIX (Feng)

The valley spirit never dies;
It is the woman, primal mother.
Her gateway is the root of heaven and earth.
It is like a veil barely seen.
Use it; it will never fail.

======
6.

The Goddess of void is eternal.
She is the mother of all.
From her birth canal,
The universe is born.
With her mysterious power,
She preserves us all, forever.

78 天下莫柔弱於水

2004-10-15T20:30:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第七十八章

天下莫柔弱於水
而攻堅強者莫之能勝　
以其無以易之

弱之勝強　柔之勝剛
天下莫不知　莫能行

是以聖人云
受國之垢　是謂社稷主
受國不祥　是為天下王
（正言若反）

======
SEVENTY-EIGHT (Feng)

Under heaven nothing is more soft and yielding than water.
Yet for attacking the solid and strong, nothing is better;
It has no equal.
The weak can overcome the strong;
The supple can overcome the stiff.
Under heaven everyone knows this,
Yet no one puts it into practice.
Therefore the sage says:
He who takes upon himself the humiliation of the people
is fit to rule them.
He who takes upon himself the country's disasters deserves
to be king of the universe.
The truth often sounds paradoxical.

======
78.

Nothing is as soft and weak as water.
Yet nothing is better in destroying the firm and strong.
Because there's nothing like water.

The weak overcomes the strong;
The soft overcomes the firm;
This is just common sense,
Yet no one knows how to apply it to life.

Therefore, the Master says,
Be willing to take in shame and humiliation,
And be ready to act upon adversity and calamity,
Then you will become a master of the universe.

39 昔之得一者

2004-10-14T20:24:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第三十九章

昔之得一者
天得一以清　地得一以寧
神得一以靈　谷得一以盈
萬物得一以生　侯王得一以為天下貞

其致之也
謂天無以清將恐裂　地無以寧將恐廢
神無以靈將恐歇　谷無以盈將恐竭
萬物無以生將恐滅　侯王無以正將恐蹶

故貴以賤為本　高以下為基
是以侯王自稱孤　寡　不穀
此非以賤為本邪　非乎
故致譽無譽
不欲琭琭如玉　珞珞如石

======
THIRTY-NINE (Feng)

These things from ancient times arise from one:
The sky is whole and clear.
The earth is whole and firm.
The spirit is whole and strong.
The valley is whole and full.
The ten thousand things are whole and alive.
Kings and lords are whole, and the country is upright.
All these are in virtue of wholeness.

The clarity of the sky prevents its falling.
The firmness of the earth prevents its splitting.
The strength of the spirit prevents its being used up.
The fullness of the valley prevents its running dry.
The growth of the ten thousand things prevents their dying out.
The leadership of kings and lords prevents the downfall of the country.

Therefore the humble is the root of the noble.
The low is the foundation of the high.
Princes and lords consider themselves "orphaned," "windowed," and "worthless.:
Do they not depend on being humble?

Too much success is not an advantage.
Do not tinkle like jade
Or clatter like stone chimes.

======
39. (ah san)

With Tao:
The Sky is clear, the Earth steady;
The Gods are alive, the Valleys lush;
Everything grows, Everyone prevails.

Without Tao:
The sky will split, the earth crack;
The gods go idle, the valleys arid;
All perish, all lost forever.

The noble roots in the base;
The high founds on the low;
The illustrious speak humble names.

Seeking honor brings nothing in the end.
Rather than try sparkling like the jade,
Be happy like a piece of natural rock.

44 名與身孰親

2004-10-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第四十四章

名與身孰親
身與貨孰多
得與亡孰病
是故甚愛必大費
多藏必厚亡
故知足不辱
知止不殆
可以長久

======
FORTY-FOUR

Fame or self: Which matters more?
Self or wealth: Which is more precious?
Gain or loss: Which is more painful?

He who is attached to things will suffer much.
He who saves will suffer heavy loss.
A contented man is never disappointed.
He who knows when to stop does not find himself in trouble.
He will stay forever safe.

======
44 (ah san)

Fame and life, which is more precious?
Life and wealth, which is more important?
Gain and loss, which is more harmful?

Therefore,
Too much attachment will end in great loss;
Too much saving will result in great expense.
Knowing contentment leads to peace,
Knowing satisfaction brings harmony,
And longevity.

11 三十輻　共一轂

2004-10-12T08:59:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第十一章

三十輻　共一轂
當其無　有車之用
埏埴以為器
當其無　有器之用
鑿戶牖以為室
當其無　有室之用
故有之以為利　無之以為用

======
ELEVEN (Feng)

Thirty spokes share the wheel's hub;
It is the center hole that makes it useful.
Shape clay into a vessel;
It is the space within that makes it useful.
Cut doors and windows for a room;
It is the holes which make it useful.
Therefore profit comes from what is there;
Usefulness from what is not there.

======
11

The spokes centers around the wheel's hub;
It's the hole in the hub that makes a vehicle useful.

The clays are shaped into a vessel;
It's the space inside that makes the container useful.

The doors and windows are cut to build a house;
It's the openings that makes a room useful.

Therefore, the body only serves as the evidence of existence;
It's the empty nothingness that makes it useful.

66 江海所以能為百谷王者

2004-10-11T20:23:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第六十六章

江海所以能為百谷王者
以其善下之　故能為百谷王
是以欲上民　必以言下之
欲先民　　必以身後之
是以聖人處上而民不重
處前而民不害
是以天下樂推而不厭
以其不爭　故天下莫能與之爭

======
SIXTY-SIX (Feng)

Why is the sea king of a hundred streams?
Because it lies below them.
Therefore it is the king of a hundred streams.

If the sage would guide the people, he must serve with humility.
If he would lead them, he must follow behind.
In this way when the sage rules, the people will not feel oppressed;
When he stands before them, they will not be harmed.
The whole world will support him and will not tire of him.

Because he does not compete,
He does not meet competition.

======
66

The sea is the king of all streams,
It's because it lies below.
He who manages others must speak humbly;
He who guides others must put himself behind.

Therefore the wise one stays above others,
Yet no one sees his shadow;
He stands in front of them,
Yet no one feels any hindrance.

He is friends with everyone, and admired by all.
He never competes,
So he has no competition in the world.

45 大成若缺　其用不弊

2004-10-10T20:32:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第四十五章

大成若缺　其用不弊
大盈若沖　其用不窮
大直若屈　大巧若拙　大辯若訥
躁勝寒　靜勝熱　清靜為天下正

======
FORTY-FIVE (Feng)

Great accomplishment seems imperfect,
Yet it does not outlive its usefulness.
Great fullness seems empty,
Yet it cannot be exhausted.

Great straightness seems twisted.
Great intelligence seems stupid.
Great eloquence seem awkward.

Movement overcomes cold.
Stillness overcomes heat.
Stillness and tranquility set things in order in the universe.

======
45 (ah san)

The perfect seems imperfect,
Yet it has no flaws.
The fullest seems empty,
Yet it has no bound.

The straightest line seems bent;
The cleverest act seems clumsy;
The wisest words seem senseless.

"Nothing is as what it seems."

Warmth overcomes coldness;
Stillness overcomes chaos;
Warmth and stillness bring harmony to the world.

53 使我介然有知　行於大道

2004-10-08T19:18:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第五十三章

使我介然有知　行於大道
唯施是畏
大道甚夷　而人好徑
朝甚除　田甚蕪　倉甚虛　服文采
帶利劍　厭飲食　財貨有餘
是為盜夸　非道也哉

======
FIFTY-THREE (Feng)

If I have even just a little sense,
I will walk on the main road and my only fear will be of straying from it.
Keeping to the main road is easy,
But people love to be sidetracked.

When the court is arrayed in splendor,
The fields are full of weeds,
And the granaries are bare,
Some wear gorgeous clothes,
Carry sharp swords,
And indulge themselves with food and drink;
They have more possessions than they can use.
They are robber barons.
This is certainly not the way of Tao.

======
53 (ah san)

Common sense says, keep on the main road.
But how come everyone likes the small roads?

They have fancy houses,
Although behind and inside they are quite empty;
They wear fashionable cloth,
They are equipped with the newest gadgets,
They grow tired of good food and wine;
They have amassed innumerable treasures.
I think they are rather robbers
who walk on those small roads.

09 持而盈之　不如其已

2004-10-07T11:36:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第九章

持而盈之　不如其已
揣而銳之　不可長保
金玉滿堂　莫之能守
富貴而驕　自遺其咎
功成身退　天之道也

======
NINE

Better stop short than fill to the brim.
Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.
Amass a store of gold and jade, and no one can protect it.
Claim wealth and titles, and disaster will follow.
Retire when the work is done.
This is the way of heaven.

======
9

Too full a cup is likely to spill;
Too sharp a knife will soon blunt;
Too much treasure cannot be guarded;
Too rich and famous leads to trouble.

When the work is done, quit.
Anything that's too much is too much.

58 其政悶悶　其民醇醇

2004-10-05T20:31:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第五十八章

其政悶悶　其民醇醇
其政察察　其民缺缺
禍兮福之所倚
福兮禍之所伏
孰知其極　其無正
正復為奇　善復為妖
人之迷　其日固久
是以聖人　方而不割
　　　　　廉而不劌
　　　　　直而不肆
　　　　　光而不耀

======
FIFTY-EIGHT (Feng)

When the country is ruled with a light hand
The people are simple.
When the country is ruled with severity,
The people are cunning.

Happiness is rooted in misery.
Misery lurks beneath happiness.
Who knows what the future holds?
There is no honesty.
Honesty becomes dishonest.
Goodness becomes witchcraft.
Man's bewitchment lasts for a long time.

Therefore the sage is sharp but not cutting,
Pointed but not piercing,
Straightforward but not unrestrained,
Brilliant but not blinding.

======
58 (ah-san)

If you are easygoing, then your life will be simple.
If you are serious, then you will always encounter trickery.

I remember Gibran's words on Joy and Sorrow:

"When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

"When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

"Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed."

Nobody knows how things can change.
Something normal can become crazy;
Someone good can become evil;
No one can ever tell.

Again, Lao Tsu's advice:
Be strict but not interfering;
Be square but not hurting;
Be bold but not reckless.
Be brilliant but not blinding;

34 大道泛兮　其可左右

2004-10-04T20:26:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第三十四章

大道泛兮　其可左右
萬物恃之而生而不辭
　功成而不有
衣養萬物而不為主　常無慾　可名於小
萬物歸焉而不為主　可名為大
以其終不自為大　故能成其大

======
THIRTY-FOUR

The great Tao flows everywhere, both to the left and to the right.
The ten thousand things depend upon it; it holds nothing back.
It fulfills its purpose silently and makes no claim.

It nourishes the ten thousand things,
And yet is not their lord.
It has no aim; it is very small.

The ten thousand things return to it,
Yet it is not their lord.
It is very great.

It does not show greatness,
And is therefore truly great.

======
34

How profound is the flow of Nature!
No one can set its course.

Nourishing all things,
yet desiring none, and never acting like the boss,
Nature is the smallest of the small.

Governing all things,
yet never claiming to be the master,
Nature is the greatest of the great.

20 唯之與阿　相去幾何

2004-10-03T20:29:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第二十章

（絕學無憂）
唯之與阿　相去幾何　善之與惡　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　如春登台
我獨泊兮其未兆　如嬰兒之未孩　儡儡兮　若無所歸

眾人皆有餘　而我獨若遺　我愚人之心也哉　沌沌兮
俗人昭昭　我獨昏昏　俗人察察　我獨悶悶

澹兮其若海　飂兮若無止

眾人皆有以　而我獨頑且鄙
我獨異於人　而貴食母

======
TWENTY (Feng)

Give up learning, and put an end to your troubles.

Is there a difference between yes and no?
Is there a difference between good and evil?
Must I fear what others fear? What nonsense!
Other people are contented, enjoying the sacrificial feast of the ox.
In spring some go to the park, and climb the terrace,
But I alone am drifting, not knowing where I am.
Like a newborn babe before it learns to smile,
I am alone, without a place to go.

Others have more than they need, but I alone have nothing.
I am a fool. Oh, yes! I am confused.
Other men are clear and bright,
But I alone am dim and weak.
Other men are sharp and clever,
But I alone am dull and stupid.
Oh, I drift like the waves of the sea,
Without direction, like the restless wind.

Everyone else is busy,
But I alone am aimless and depressed.
I am different.
I am nourished by the great mother.

======
20

what's the difference between yes and no,
good and bad, or right and wrong?
nothing!
and what's so frightening about what other people fear?
nothing!
if i follow people as they follow one other,
and there will be no end to it.

the whole world seems so joyous
as if there's a spring party on the hilltop;
but i alone am unconcerned and unmoved,
like a newborn who hasn't learned to smile.
i am idle as if i have no home to return.

everyone has so much and is content,
but i alone have lost all.
i am just a simpleton, dumb and slow.
everyone is so smart and knowing,
while i alone am confused.
everyone is so clean and civilized,
but i am dull and ignorant.

i am as calm as the deep sea,
and i wander about the universe aimlessly.

everyone is meaningful and accomplished,
but i alone am useless and immature.
i guess i am just somewhat different.
i am one with mother nature.

======
20. (fst)

All the world is merry as a holiday
or as if climbing to a vista in spring.
I alone seem listless and still,
as one without desire -
like an infant which has not yet smiled;
dejected and forlorn, like one with no home.
All the world has enough - and more.
I alone seem to have lost everything.

My mind is that of a fool,
lost in a cloud of indiscerning.

People on the street are bright and knowing.
I alone seem in the dark.
The people are sharp and discriminate.
I alone make no distinctions.
I drift about, at sea, with nowhere to rest.
All the world has a goal.
I alone seem aimless and unable,
like a rustic new to the city.

I alone seem different from the world,
because I value the food of the Dao.

47 不出戶　知天下

2004-10-02T20:39:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第四十七章

不出戶　知天下
不窺牖　見天道
其出彌遠　其知彌少
是以聖人不行而知
　　　　不見而明
　　　　無為而成

======
FORTY-SEVEN (Feng)

Without going outside, you may know the whole world.
Without looking through the window, you may see the ways of heaven.
The farther you go, the less you know.

Thus the sage knows without traveling;
He sees without looking;
He works without doing.

======
47　

Awakened, need I neither go outside to comprehend the world;
nor look outward to see who, where, when, and why I am.
For I know, the more knowledge I seek, the less wisdom I find.
Like a master, I arrive without going,
see without looking;
and accomplish without doing.

16 致虛極守靜篤

2004-10-01T20:59:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第十六章

致虛極　守靜篤
萬物並作　吾以觀復

夫物芸芸　各復歸其根
歸根曰靜　靜曰復命
復命曰常　知常曰明

不知常　妄作凶
知常容　容乃公
公乃全　全乃天　天乃道　道乃久
沒身不殆

======
SIXTEEN

Empty yourself of everything,
Let the mind rest at peace.
The ten thousand things rise and fall while the Self watches their return.
They grow and flourish and then return to the source.
Returning to the source is stillness, which is the way of nature.
The way of nature is unchanging.
Knowing constancy is insight.
Not knowing constancy leads to disaster.
Knowing constancy, the mind is open.
With an open mind, you will be openhearted.
Being openhearted, you will act royally.
Being royal, you will attain the divine.
Being divine, you will be at one with the Tao.
Being at one with the Tao is eternal.
And though the body dies, the Tao will never pass away.

======
16

In the highest state of void,
I am still like the mountain.
That everything grows and flourishes,
I silently watch their cycles.

Oh, there are so many things in the universe,
They come and go and eventually return to what they are.
To return to self is to reach void,
or fate, or eternity, or infinite, or absolute, or nature.
Knowing nature is true wisdom.

He who knows the ultimate nature of the world
is accepting, is just, is preserved, is natural,
and he lives on with nature, in all eternity.

52 天下有始　以為天下母

2004-09-30T20:57:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第五十二章

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　是為襲常

======
FIFTY-TWO (Feng)

The beginning of the universe
Is the mother of all things.
Knowing the mother, one also knows the sons.
Knowing the sons, yet remaining in touch with the mother,
Brings freedom from the fear of death.

Keep your mouth shut,
Guard the senses,
And life is ever full.
Open your mouth,
Always be busy,
And life is beyond hope.

Seeing the small is insight;
Yielding to force is strength.
Using the outer light, return to insight.
And in this way be saved from harm.
This is learning constancy.

======
52 ( ah san )

There is a beginning to everything--we call it Reality.
If we understand reality,
then we can understand all its manifestations.
When we can see through the manifestations,
we shall seek reality,
and live in peace and harmony.

Keep away from desires and senses,
life will be relaxed and liberated.
Seek the satisfaction of desires and senses,
life can never be truly fulfilled.

One who can see the tiny is bright;
One who knows how to surrender is strong.
Use the light from the outside "reality"
to see the light from within, and return,
This is the way,
the way to the everlasting.

41 上士聞道　勤而行之

2004-09-29T20:18:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第四十一章

上士聞道　勤而行之
中士聞道　若存若亡
下士聞道　大笑之
不笑不足以為道
故建言有之　明道若昧　進道若退
夷道若纇　上德若谷　大白若辱
廣德若不足　建德若偷　質德若渝
大方無隅　大器晚成
大音希聲　大象無形
道隱無名　夫唯道　善貸且成

======
FORTY-ONE (Feng)

The wise student hears of the Tao and practices it diligently.
The average student hears of the Tao and gives it thought now and again.
The foolish student hears of the Tao and laughs aloud.
If there were no laughter, the Tao would not be what it is.

Hence it is said:
The bright path seems dim;
Going forward seems like retreat;
The easy way seems hard;
The highest Virtue seems empty;
Great purity seems sullied;
A wealth of Virtue seems inadequate;
The strength of Virtue seems frail;
Real Virtue seems unreal;
The perfect square has no corners;
Great talents ripen late;
The highest notes are hard to hear;
The greatest form has no shape.
The Tao is hidden and without name.
The Tao alone nourishes and brings everything to fulfillment.

======
41 (ah san's version)

Upon hearing about Tao,
The talented one follows it "diligently";
The average one thinks it suspicious;
The slow one laughs at it--
If he doesn't laugh at its absurdity, then it is not Tao.

You must have heard:
Bright path seems dim;
Forward path seems backward;
Smooth path seems rugged;
High seems low, pure seems dirty;
Broad seems insufficient, strong seems weak;
Reality seems illusory;
A perfect square has no corners;
The best article is made last;
The loudest sound is in stillness;
The largest shape has no form.

So I say,
Tao is hidden and can't be described,
But from Tao, everything forms and grows.

08 上善若水

2004-08-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第八章

上善若水
水善利萬物而不爭
處眾人之所惡　故幾於道
居善地　心善淵　與善仁
言善信　政善治
事善能　動善時
夫唯不爭　故無尤

======
EIGHT

The highest good is like water.
Water gives life to the then thousand things and does not strive.
It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.

In dwelling, be close to the land.
In meditation, go deep in the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true.
In ruling, be just.
In business, be competent.
In action, watch the timing.

No fight: No blame.

======
8.

Sometimes I think about water.
Silently, it is the source for all lives,
Humbly, it flows to the lowland.
It reminds me of Tao.

So I must learn from water:
Live close to the land.
Search inwardly, deeply.
Be gentle with others.
Be trustworthy in speech.
Judge with common sense.
Work with competence.
Act effectively and efficiently.

Stay low,
And no harm shall come.

01 道可道　非常道

2004-08-18T20:39:00.001-07:00

老子道德經第一章

道可道　非常道
名可名　非常名
無名天地之始　有名萬物之母
故常無　欲以觀其妙
　常有　欲以觀其徼
此兩者　同出而異名　同謂之玄
玄之又玄　眾妙之門

======
ONE (Feng)

The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth.
The named is the mother of ten thousand things.
Ever desireless, one can see the mystery.
Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations.
These two spring from the same source but differ in name;
this appears as darkness.
Darkness within darkness.
The gate to all mystery.

======
1.

Tao.
I want to tell you about it, but what I can say is not it.
I want to give it a name, but any name says something else.
The universe begins with this cannot-name,
From it come all things that can be named.
Therefore, use the no-name concept (religion, art, music)
to wonder about the whole,
And use the named ideas (science, philosophy)
to study and communicate the details.
See, these are just the two different angles of the same thing,
Call it nature, force, field, god, or simply,
Tao.

======
1. (st)

If you can talk about it,
it ain't Tao.
If it has a name,
it's just another thing.

Tao doesn't have a name.
Names are for ordinary things.

Stop wanting stuff;
it keeps you from seeing what's real.
When you want stuff,
all you see are things.

Those two sentences
mean the same thing.
Figure them out,
and you've got it made

80 小國寡民

2004-08-17T20:48:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第八十章

小國寡民
使有什伯之器而不用
使民重死而不遠徙
雖有舟輿　無所乘之
雖有甲兵　無所陳之
使民復結繩而用之
甘其食　美其服
安其居　樂其俗
鄰國相望　雞犬之聲相聞　
民至老死　不相往來

======
EIGHTY (Feng)

A small country has fewer people.
Though there are machines that can work ten to a hundred times faster
than man, they are not needed.
The people take death seriously and do not travel far.
Though they have boats and carriages, no one uses them.
Though they have armor and weapons, no one displays them.
Men return to the knotting of rope in place of writing.
Their food is plain and good, their clothes fine but simple,
their homes secure.
They are happy in their ways.
Though they live within sight of their neighbors,
And crowing cooks and barking dogs are heard across the way,
Yet they leave each other in peace while they grow old and die.

======
80

Simplify your life.
There's no need for high-tech gadgets,
No need for excessive outward excitements,
No need for fancy philosophies.
Enjoy your food,
Delight in your cloth,
Live comfortably in your home,
Be happy and content with it all.
Stay in peace with your friends and neighbors,
But don't meddle with their business.

73 勇於敢則殺　勇於不敢則活

2004-08-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第七十三章

勇於敢則殺　勇於不敢則活
此兩者　或利或害
天之所惡　孰知其故
是以聖人猶難之
天之道　不爭而善勝　不言而善應
不召而自來　禪然而善謀
天網恢恢　疏而不失

======
SEVENTY-THREE (Feng)

A brave and passionate man will kill or be killed.
A brave and calm man will always preserve life.
Of these two which is good and which is harmful?
Some things are not favored by heaven. Who knows why?
Even the sage is unsure of this.

The Tao of heaven does not strive, and yet it overcomes.
It does not speak, and yet is answered.
It does not ask, yet is supplied with all its needs.
It seems at ease, and yet it follows a plan.

Heaven's net casts wide.
Though its meshes are coarse, nothing slips through.

======
73

Fearless in being bold will get one killed.
Fearless in being timid will keep one alive.
But who knows why Nature keep its preference?

However, we know the Way of Nature:
it achieves without striving,
fulfills without declaring,
accumulates without soliciting,
determines without planning.

And how vast Nature's Net is!
Coarse are the meshes, yet nothing slips through.

74 民不畏死　奈何以死懼之

2004-08-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第七十四章

民不畏死　奈何以死懼之
若使民常畏死
而為奇者　吾得執而殺之　孰敢
常有司殺者殺
夫代司殺者殺　是謂代大匠斲
夫代大匠斲者　希有不傷其手矣

======
SEVENTY-FOUR

If men are not afraid to die,
It is of no avail to threaten them with death.

If men live in constant fear of dying,
And if breaking the law means that a man will be killed,
Who will dare to break the law?

There is always an official executioner.
If you try to take his place,
It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood.
If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter,
you will only hurt your hand.

======
74

If people are not afraid of death,
then one can't threaten them with death.
But if they are always scared of death,
and for the criminals we catch and kill them,
then who dares to break the laws?

In nature, someone is in charge of execution.
If you try to do his job to kill,
then it's like trying to do a carpenter's job to chop wood--
sooner or later you will hurt your own hand.

55 含德之厚　比於赤子

2004-08-13T20:28:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第五十五章

含德之厚　比於赤子
毒蟲不螫　猛獸不據　攫鳥不搏
骨弱筋柔而握固
未知牝牡之合而朘作　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

======
FIFTY-FIVE

He who is filled with Virtue is like a newborn child.
Wasps and serpents will not sing him;
Wild beasts will not pounce upon him;
He will not be attacked by birds of prey.
His bones are soft, his muscles weak,
But his grip is firm.
He has not experienced the union of man and woman, but is whole.
His manhood is strong.
He screams all day without becoming hoarse.
This is perfect harmony.

Knowing harmony is constancy.
Knowing constancy is enlightenment.

It is not wise to rush about.
Controlling the breath causes strain.
If too much energy is used, exhaustion follows.
This is not the way of Tao.
Whatever is contrary to Tao will not last long.

======
55

A genius is like a baby,
so innocent that scorpions, beasts, vultures won't harm him.
His body is flexible but his grip is strong;
his doesn't know sex but he feels it;
he can cry all day and still not exhausted;
it's because he is full of the energy of life,
and the harmony of the nature.

To know harmony is to know eternity;
To know eternity is to know nature.

Seeking comfort and extravagance leads to disaster;
Following desire is like suicide.
Anything if grows too strong will become weak and old--
Not the way of Tao--and soon will die.

======
55. (st)

A person filled with the power of Tao
is like a baby boy:
bees can't sting him,
wild beasts can't attack him.

A baby has soft bones
and weak muscles,
but a firm grip.
He hasn't had sex,
but he can get an erection.
That's because he's got lots of energy.
He can cry all day
and never lose his voice.
That's because he's at one with his world.

If you're at one with the world,
you know constancy.
And if you know constancy,
you've been enlightened.

It's not healthy
to try to prolong your life.
It's unnatural to impose the mind's will
upon the body.
People waste time and energy
trying to be strong or beautiful,
and their strength and beauty fade.
They've lost touch with Tao,
and when you lose touch with Tao,
you might as well be dead.

81 信言不美　美言不信

2004-08-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第八十一章

信言不美　美言不信
善者不辯　辯者不善
知者不博　博者不知
聖人不積
既以為人己愈有
既以與人己愈多
天之道　利而不害
聖人之道　為而不爭

======
EIGHTY-ONE (Feng)

Truthful words are not beautiful.
Beautiful words are not truthful.
Good men do not argue.
Those who argue are not good.
Those who know are not learned.
The learned do not know.

The sage never tries to store things up.
The more he does for others, the more he has.
The more he gives to others, the greater his abundance.
The Tao of heaven is pointed but does not harm.
The Tao of the sage is work without effort.

======
81 (Douglas Adams)

When the editors of the Guide were sued by the families of those who had died as a result of taking the entry on the planet Traal literally (it said "Ravenous Bugblatter Beasts often make a very good meal for visiting tourists" instead of "Ravenous Bugblatter Beasts often make a very good meal of visiting tourists"), they claimed that the first version of the sentence was the more aesthetically pleasing, summoned a qualified poet to testify under oath that beauty was truth, truth beauty and hoped thereby to prove that the guilty party in this case was Life itself for failing to be either beautiful or true. The judges concurred, and in a moving speech held that Life itself was in contempt of court, and duly confiscated it from all those there present before going off to enjoy a pleasant evening's ultragolf.

-- The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

======
81. (st)

The truth isn't flashy.
Flashy words aren't true.

Educated people
aren't always smart.
Smart people
don't always have an education.

Good people don't argue.
People who argue aren't good.

The Masters don't hang on to things.
They're always doing something
for other people,
so they always have more to give.
They give away
whatever they have,
so what they have is worth more.

If you want to get right with Tao,
help other people, don't hurt them.
The Masters always work with people,
never against them.

77 天之道　其猶張弓歟

2004-08-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第七十七章

天之道　其猶張弓歟
高者抑之　下者舉之
有餘者損之　不足者補之
天之道　損有餘而補不足
人之道　則不然
損不足以奉有餘
孰能有餘以奉天下
唯有道者
是以聖人為而不恃
功成而不處
其不欲見賢

======
SEVENTY-SEVEN

The Tao of heaven is like the bending of a bow.
The high is lowered, and the low is raised.
If the string is too long, it is shortened;
If there is not enough, it is made longer.

The Tao of heaven is to take from those who have too much
and give to those who do not have enough.
Man's way is different.
He takes from those who do not have enough
to give to those who already have too much.
What man has more than enough and gives it to the world?
Only the man of Tao.

Therefore the sage works without recognition.
He achieves what has to be done without dwelling on it.
He does not try to show his knowledge.

======
77

The way of nature is as simple as the operation of a bow:
When the aim is too high, lower it; when low, raise it.
When the string is too tight, loosen it; when loose, tighten it.

The way of nature is to smooth and even things out, i.e. negative feedback;
The way of man is to elaborate and exaggerate, i.e. positive feedback.
However, no one can create things from nothing continually.

Therefore the wise man follows the way of nature.
He acts and succeeds, but dwells not on his acts and success.

======
77. (st)

Lao Tzu said using Tao
was like pulling on a bowstring:
The top bends down,
the bottom bends up,
and all the energy
is focused in the middle.

Tao takes energy from where it is,
and sends it where it needs to be.
But most people take from those
who don't have enough,
so those who have too much already
can have more.

So who in this world
is truly generous to others?
People who are in touch with Tao.
They do their work
without taking credit.
They get the job done and move on.
They aren't interested in showing off.

71 知不知　上

2004-08-10T20:26:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第七十一章

知不知　上
不知知　病
夫唯病病　是以不病
聖人不病　以其病病　是以不病

======
SEVENTY-ONE (Feng)

Knowing ignorance is strength.
Ignoring knowledge is sickness.

If one is sick of sickness, then one is not sick.
The sage is not sick because he is sick of sickness.
Therefore he is not sick.

======
71

He who knows he does not know everything is wise.
He who does not know what he knows is in trouble.
Since I want to be wise, I try to avoid trouble,
i.e. I know what I know and what I don't know.

======
71. (st)

If you know
what you don't know,
you're doing great.
If you don't know
what you don't know,
you're sick.

The only way
to get rid of that sickness
is to be sick of it.

The Masters aren't sick,
because they got sick of being sick.

05 天地不仁　以萬物為芻狗

2004-08-09T20:46:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第五章

天地不仁　以萬物為芻狗
聖人不仁　以百姓為芻狗
天地之間　其猶橐龠乎
虛而不屈　動而愈出
多言數窮　不如守中

======
FIVE (Feng)

Heaven and earth are ruthless;
They see the ten thousand things as dummies.
The wise are ruthless;
They see the people as dummies.

The space between heaven and earth is like a bellows.
The shape changes but not the form;
The more it moves, the more it yields.
More words count less.
Hold fast to the center.

=======
5

The nature has nothing to do with love;
Everything is just an abstraction.
The wise men don't talk about love either;
They see everyone as equals, detachedly.

Sometimes I think of the bellows--
when it holds still it is full of air,
the more it moves the more it exhausts itself,

To keep my life smooth, long and full,
I shall talk less, and be still.

======

5. (st)

Tao's neutral:
it doesn't worry about good or evil.
The Masters are neutral:
they treat everyone the same.

Lao Tzu said Tao is like a bellows:
It's empty,
but it could help set the world on fire.
If you keep using Tao, it works better.
If you keep talking about it,
it won't make any sense.

Be cool.

61 大邦者下流

2004-08-06T13:48:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第六十一章

大邦者下流
天下之交天下之牝
牝常以靜勝牡以靜為下
故大邦以下小邦則取小邦
小邦以下大邦則取大邦
故或下以取或下而取
大邦不過欲兼畜人
小邦不過欲入事人
夫兩者各得所欲
大者宜為下

======
SIXTY-ONE (Feng)

A great country is like low land.
It is the meeting ground of the universe,
The mother of the universe.

The female overcomes the male with stillness,
Lying low in stillness.

Therefore if a great country gives way to a smaller country,
It will conquer the smaller country.
And if a small country submits to a great country,
It can conquer the great country.
Therefore those that would conquer must yield,
And those that conquer do so because they yield.

A great nation needs more people;
A small country needs to serve.
Each gets what it wants.
It is fitting for a great nation to yield.

======
61

Being great is like being in the low land
where all ideas are received;
Or like being feminine
whose compassion quietly encompasses all.

Be humble, so that
others will follow you when you are strong,
and help you when you are weak.

Some people tend to be dominant
while others submissive.
Humility serves everyone well.

======
61. (st)

Power flows down
to every level of existence
like a river to the ocean.

Victory comes
from lying perfectly still
and waiting for power
to come your way.

If you yield to someone
less powerful than yourself,
you will be in a position
to influence them.

If you submit to someone
more powerful than yourself,
you create an opportunity
to get your own way.

So if you want to get ahead,
lay low and bide your time.
That way, everybody's happy.

23 希言自然

2004-08-05T20:50:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第二十三章

希言自然
故飄風不終朝驟雨不終日
孰為此者天地
天地尚不能久而況於人乎
故從事於道者同於道
德者同於德
失者同於失
同於道者道亦樂得之
同於德者德亦樂得之
同於失者失亦樂得之
信不足焉有不信焉

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TWENTY-THREE (Feng)

To talk little is natural.
High winds do not last all morning.
Heavy rain does not last all day.
Why is this? Heaven and earth!
If heaven and earth cannot make things eternal,
How is it possible for man?

He who follows the Tao
Is at one with the Tao.
He who is virtuous
Experiences Virtue.
He who loses the way,
Feels lost.
When you are at one with the Tao,
The Tao welcomes you.
When you are at one with Virtue,
The Virtue is always there.
When you are at one with loss,
The loss is experienced willingly.

He who does not trust enough
Will not be trusted.

======
23

It's natural to be silent at times.
Even God cannot make rain and wind last forever.

If you follow truth, you are one with truth;
If you seek perfection, you will find beauty;
If you believe in failure, you shall fail.

I once read:
"If you work by the Way, you will be of the Way;
If you work through its virtue, you will be given the virtue;
Abandon either one, and both abandon you.

"Gladly then the Way receives those who choose to walk in it;
Gladly too its power upholds those who choose to use it well;
Gladly will abandon greet those who to abandon drift."

And some says:
"Little faith is put into them whose faith are small."

======
23. (st)

When you have nothing to say,
you may as well keep your mouth shut.
The wind and the rain
don't go on forever.
If nature knows enough
to give it a rest sometimes,
so should you.

If you're ready for Tao,
you can live with Tao.
If you're ready to succeed,
you can live with success.
If you're ready to fail,
you can live with failure.

Trust your instincts,
and others will trust you.

51 道生之

2004-08-04T15:55:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第五十一章

道生之
德畜之
物形之
勢成之
是以萬物莫不尊道而貴德
道之尊
德之貴
夫莫之命而常自然

故道生之
德畜之
長之育之
成之熟之
養之覆之
生而不有
為而不恃
長而不宰
是謂玄德

======
FIFTY-ONE (Feng)

All things arise from Tao.
They are nourished by Virtue.
They are formed by matter.
They are shaped by environment.
Thus the ten thousand things all respect Tao and honour Virtue.
Respect of Tao and honour of Virtue are not demanded,
But they are in the nature of things.

Therefore all things arise from Tao.
By Virtue they are nourished,
Developed, cared for,
Sheltered, comforted,
Grown, and protected.
Creating without claiming,
Doing without taking credit,
Guiding without interfering,
This is Primal Virtue.

======
51

I am born out of Tao.
I am blessed with human nature.
I take the shape of my body.
I grow into my temperament.

Everyone is like me--
No exception.

In harmony, I live
And life goes on.

======
51. (st)

Tao is the source of all living things,
and they are nourished
by Tao's power.
They are influenced
by the other living things around them,
and they are shaped
by their circumstances.

Everything respects Tao
and honors its power.
That's just the way it is.

Tao gives life to all things,
and its power watches out for them,
cares for them, helps them grow,
protects them, and comforts them.

Create something
without holding on to it.
Do the work
without expecting credit for it.
Lead people
without giving them orders.
That's the secret of the power of Tao.

15 古之善為道者　微妙玄通　深不可識

2004-08-01T22:19:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第十五章

古之善為道者　微妙玄通　深不可識
夫唯不可識　故強為之容
豫兮若冬涉川　猶兮若畏四鄰
儼兮其若客　渙兮若冰之將釋
敦兮其若樸　曠兮其若谷
渾兮其若濁
孰能濁以靜之徐清
孰能安以動之徐生
保此道者　不欲盈
夫唯不盈　故能蔽而新成

======
FIFTEEN (Feng)

The ancient masters were subtle, mysterious, profound, responsive.
The depth of their knowledge is unfathomable.
Because it is unfathomable,
All we can do is describe their appearance.
Watchful, like men crossing a winter stream.
Alert, like men aware of danger.
Courteous, like visiting guests.
Yielding, like ice about to melt.
Simple, like uncarved blocks of wood.
Hollow, like caves.
Opaque, like muddy pools.

Who can wait quietly while the mud settles?
Who can remain still until the moment of action?
Observers of the Tao do not seek fulfillment.
Not seeking fulfillment, they are not swayed by desire for change.

======
15 (such a pretty verse)

The wise one, elusive, mysterious, and profound.
Am I even able to describe him to you?
Cautious, as crossing a winter stream,
Watchful, as aware of danger,
Courteous, like a visiting guest,
Unbound, like the melting ice,
Genuine, like the uncarved wood,
Broad, like the open valley,
Dark, like the muddy water.

He stills the water and let the mud settle.
He stirs the nature and let lives awake.
He desires not his own fulfillment,
and he is constantly reborn, renewed, relived.

======
15. (st)

The ancient Masters
were damn impressive.
They were deep. Real deep.
Words can't even begin to describe
how deep they were.
You can only talk
about how they acted.

They were careful,
like a man walking on thin ice.
They were cautious,
like a soldier behind enemy lines.
They were polite,
like a guest at a party.
They moved quickly, like melting ice.
They were as plain as a block of wood.
Their minds were as wide as a valley,
and their hearts as clear
as spring water.

Can you wait
for that kind of openness and clarity
before you try to understand the world?

Can you hold still
until events have unfolded
before you do the right thing?

When you act without expectations,
you can accomplish great things.

76 人之生也柔弱　其死也堅強

2004-07-30T15:48:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第七十六章

人之生也柔弱　其死也堅強
草木之生也柔脆　其死也枯槁
故堅強者死之徒　柔弱者生之徒
是以兵強則滅　木強則折
強大處下　柔弱處上

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SEVENTY-SIX (Feng)

A man is born gentle and weak.
At his death he is hard and stiff.
Green plants are tender and filled with sap.
At their death they are withered and dry.

Therefore the stiff and unbending is the disciple of death.
The gentle and yielding is the disciple of life.

Thus an army without flexibility never wins a battle.
A tree that is unbending is easily broken.

The hard and strong will fall.
The soft and weak will overcome.

======
76 (one of my favorites)

Life is gentle, flexible, and tender;
Death is rigid, stiff, brittle, and hard;
Just look at the grass and the woods.

The mighty and forceful will be broken;
The mild and yielding shall last forever.
Look at the trees again:

The trunk is strong but stay at the bottom,
The flowers are gentle and bloom atop.

======
76. (st)

A baby's body is soft and gentle.
A corpse is hard and stiff.
Plants and trees are tender
and full of sap.
Dead leaves are brittle and dry.

If you are rigid and unyielding,
you might as well be dead.
If you are soft and flexible,
you are truly alive.

Soldiers trained to fight to the death will die.
A tree that cannot bend with the wind
will snap.

Here's a useful saying:
The harder they come,
the harder they fall.

Here's another:
The meek shall inherit the earth.

79 和大怨　必有餘怨

2004-07-29T09:48:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第七十九章

和大怨　必有餘怨
安可以為善
是以聖人執左契
而不責於人
有德司契　無德司徹
天道無親　常與善人

======
SEVENTY-NINE (Feng)

After a bitter quarrel, some resentment must remain.
What can one do about it?
Therefore the sage keeps his half of the bargain
But does not exact his due.
A man of Virtue performs his part,
But a man without Virtue requires others to fulfill their obligations.
The Tao of heaven is impartial.
It stays with good men all the time.

======
79

When conflict is reconciled,
surely some hatred remain;
This doesn't seem right.

Therefore the sage keeps his half of the tally,
But demands no payment from others.
The man of virtue take charge of the tally;,
The man of no virtue takes charge of exaction.

Nature is impartial.
It always helps kind people.

======
79, again, on how to deal with people

Even after a bitter quarrel is dissolved, people are still unhappy.
There must be a better way!

The wise one keeps his words and keeps his mouth shut.
He doesn't go after other people and demand their reason.
Remember, there's no rule in this world.
Be good and have your peace.

======
79. (st)

Sometimes,
when an argument is settled,
feelings of resentment still remain
on either side.
What's the point of carrying a grudge?

The Masters care
about what they owe other people,
not what other people owe them.

People who are in touch with Tao
do their duty.
People who aren't
try to force others into submission.

Tao doesn't play favorites.
But if you do right by Tao,
Tao will do right by you.

19 絕聖棄智民利百倍

2004-07-28T07:31:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第十九章

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

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NINETEEN (Feng)

Give up sainthood, renounce wisdom,
And it will be a hundred times better for everyone.

Give up kindness, renounce morality,
And men will rediscover filial piety and love.

Give up ingenuity, renounce profit,
And bandits and thieves will disappear.

These three are outward forms alone; they are not sufficient in themselves.
It is more important
To see the simplicity,
To realize one's true nature,
To cast off selfishness
And temper desire.

======
19

Renounce wisdom, and people will benefit greatly.
Discard morality, and people will rediscover love.
Abandon ingenuity and profit, and crimes will disappear.
These three adornments are what Confucius teaches.
Not worthy.

Lao Tsu says,
Let people find their own paths:
Simplicity in action, purity in heart,
Moderation in self-interest and desire.

57 以正治國以奇用兵

2004-07-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第五十七章

以正治國以奇用兵
以無事取天下
吾何以知其然哉以此
天下多忌諱　而民彌貧
人多利器國家滋昏
人多伎巧奇物滋起
法令滋彰盜賊多有
故聖人云
我無為而民自化
我好靜而民自正
我無事而民自富
我無欲而民自樸

======
FIFTY-SEVEN (Feng)

Rule a nation with justice.
Wage war with surprise moves.
Become master of the universe without striving.
How do I know that this is so?
Because of this!

The more laws and restrictions there are,
The poorer people become.
The sharper men's weapons,
The more trouble in the land.
The more ingenious and clever men are,
The more strange things happen.
The more rules and regulations,
The more thieves and robbers.

Therefore the sage says:
I take no action and people are reformed.
I enjoy peace and people become honest.
I do nothing and people become rich.
I have no desires and people return to the good and simple life.

======
57

"States are governed by justice,
Wars are waged by violations,
Yet the world is attained by not striving."

How does Lao Tsu know the things are?
Listen:
"Restrictions lead to more poverty;
Weapons, destruction;
Technologies, anomaly;
Laws, crime."

"Therefore," he continues,
"With my no action, people are self-honest;
With my no stir, they are self-stable;
With my no intervention, they are self-prosperous;
With my no desire, they are self-genuine."

46 天下有道卻走馬以糞

2004-07-26T08:10:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第四十六章

天下有道卻走馬以糞
天下無道戎馬生於郊
罪莫大於可欲
禍莫大於不知足
咎莫大於欲得
故知足之足常足矣

======
FORTY-SIX (Feng)

When the Tao is present in the universe,
The horses haul manure.
When the Tao is absent from the universe,
War horses are bred outside the city.

There is no greater sin than desire,
No greater curse than discontent,
No greater misfortune than wanting something for oneself.
Therefore he who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.

======
46

When nations follow Tao,
Coach horses are returned to the rice field.
When nations violate Tao,
War horses are bred on the battle fields.

There is no sin greater than desire,
no transgression greater than discontent,
no calamity greater than ambition.

Therefore, knowing enough is enough
is enough.

======
46. (ST)

"When the world is right with Tao,"
Lao Tzu said,
"horses haul fertilizer to the fields.
When the world loses touch with Tao,
horses are trained for cavalry."

Nothing is more insidious than possession.
Nothing is more dangerous than desire.
Nothing is more disastrous than greed.

If you know when enough is enough,
you will always have enough.

40 反者道之動弱者道之用

2004-07-25T19:33:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第四十章

反者道之動弱者道之用
天下萬物生於有有生於無

======
FORTY (Feng)

Returning is the motion of the Tao.
Yielding is the way of the Tao.
The ten thousand things are born of being.
Being is born of not being.

======
40

Cycles the movement of Tao;
Gentleness the manner of Tao.
Everything comes from something.
And something comes from Tao.

07 天長地久

2004-07-23T07:32:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第七章

天長地久
天地所以能長且久者
以其不自生故能長生
是以聖人後其身而身先
外其身而身存
非以其無私邪
故能成其私

======
SEVEN

Heaven and earth last forever.
Why do heaven and earth last forever?
They are unborn,
So ever living.
The sage stays behind, thus he is ahead.
He is detached, thus at one with all.
Through selfless action, he attains fulfillment.

======
7

How immortal the Nature is!
For it fosters not its own life.
The sage puts behind his body,
Thus gains his true self.
He dwells elsewhere his mind,
Thus immortalizes his spirit.
For does he not fulfillment find
In not being one,
But one with the Nature?

======
7. (st)

Tao never stops. Why?
Because it isn't trying to accomplish anything.

The Masters hang back.
That's why they're ahead of the game.

They don't hang on to things.
That's how they manage to keep them.

They don't worry
about what they can't control.
That's why they're always satisfied.

48 為學日益為道日損

2004-07-22T06:35:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第四十八章

為學日益為道日損
損之又損以至於無為
無為而無不為
取天下常以無事
及其有事不足以取天下

======
FORTY-EIGHT

In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired.
In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.

Less and less is done
Until non-action is achieved.
When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.

The world is ruled by letting things take their course.
It cannot be ruled by interfering.

======
48

To reach Tao, study and gain more knowledge everyday, and then unlearn a little everyday until one has achieved quiescence. This is the state of enlightenment. When one is in harmony with the universe, all things are possible. But when one fights against nature, one is bound to lose. The Master stays calm and his wisdom has illuminated the whole world.

70 吾言甚易知甚易行

2004-07-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第七十章

吾言甚易知甚易行
天下莫能知莫能行
言有宗事有君
夫唯無知是以不我知
知我者希則我者貴
是以聖人被褐而懷玉

======
SEVENTY (Feng)

My words are easy to understand and easy to perform,
Yet no one under heaven knows them or practices them.

My words have ancient beginnings.
My actions are disciplined.
Because men do not understand, they have no knowledge of me.

Those that know me are few;
Those that abuse me are honoured.
(Not "abuse" but "follow")
Therefore the sage wears rough clothing and holds the jewel in his heart.

======
70

I say simple things but nobody gets it.
I show easy ways but nobody does it.
I can tell you, what I know is really neat,
But you guys are so dumb you can't learn.
Few people understand me, and even fewer follow me.
Oh well, I am gonna pretend to be dumb too.

======
70. (ST)

Lao Tzu's advice
was easy to understand
and easy to follow.
But nobody understood him
or did what he suggested.

His words
stemmed from ancient wisdom,
and his actions were highly disciplined.
People didn't get that,
which is why
they didn't understand him.
And the less they understood him,
the more meaningful his advice became.

That's why the Masters live simply,
hiding their wisdom deep within themselves.

14 視之不見名曰夷

2004-07-20T07:05:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第十四章

視之不見名曰夷
聽之不聞名曰希
搏之不得名曰微
此三者不可致詰故混而為一

其上不皦　其下不昧
繩繩兮不可名復歸於無物
是謂無狀之狀無物之象是謂恍惚

迎之不見其首隨之不見其後
執古之道以御今之有
能知古始是謂道紀

======
FOURTEEN

Look, it cannot be seen--it is beyond form.
Listen, it cannot be heard--it is beyond sound.
Grasp, it cannot be held--it is intangible.
These three are indefinable;
Therefore they are joined in one.

From above it is not bright;
From below it is not dark;
An unbroken thread beyond description.
It returns to nothingness.
The form of the formless,
The image of the imageless,
It is called indefinable and beyond imagination.

Stand before it and there is no beginning.
Follow it and there is no end.
Stay with the ancient Tao,
Move with the present.

Knowing the ancient beginning is the essence of Tao.

======
14 (Time)

Can't see it, can't hear it, can't hold it;
Can't even describe it.
Not bright, not dark,
No form, no image.
No nothing.
A beginning? An end? No!
Time, and its passing, is all we know of it.

======
14. (ST)

You can't see Tao,
no matter how hard you look.
You can't hear Tao,
no matter how hard you listen.
You can't hold on to Tao,
no matter how hard you grab.

But it's there.

It's in you, and it's all around you.

Remember that.

27 善行無轍跡　善言無瑕謫

2004-07-19T08:51:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第二十七章

善行無轍跡　善言無瑕謫
善數不用籌策　善閉無關楗而不可開
善結無繩約而不可解
是以聖人常善救人　故無棄人
常善救物　故無棄物
是謂襲明
故善人者　不善人之師
不善人者　善人之資
不貴其師　不愛其資
雖智大迷　是謂要妙

======
Gia-Fu Feng's translation is not very good. Actually it is wrong (debatable) and misleading in places. For example, in the "good man", "good" should not be the adjective of the noun "man", but rather, "good" is the adverb to the verb "man", meaning, "good in being a man". You can see how in Chinese, a noun can be cleverly used as a verb, especially by a poet like Lao Tsu. I will work on my version later, but I have added my comments to Feng's version below.

TWENTY-SEVEN

A good walker leaves no tracks;
A good speaker makes no slips;
A good beckoner needs no tally.
A good door needs no lock,
Yet no one can open it.
(Not about a door, but about the locker of the door.)
Good binding requires no knots,
Yet no one can loosen it.
(Not about the binding, but about the maker of the bind.)

Therefore the sage takes care of all men And abandons no one.
He takes care of all things
And abandon nothing.
(In the same grammatical structure, if any, the sage is "a good savoir" of men, and stuff.)

This is called "following the light."
(Not light, but wisdom. Wisdom not exposed, i.e. no trace, no lock, no rope; OR wisdom/Tao attained.)

What is a good man?
(Not morally good, but "a good *actor* of man", someone who knows how to live, a Taoist.) A teacher of a bad man.
(Similarly, someone who knows not how to live.) What is a bad man?
A good man's charge.
(Not charge, but "learning material", i.e. he serves as a lesson for others.)
If the teacher is not respected,
And the student not cared for,
(The lessons not learned.)
Confusion will arise, however clever one is.
This is the crux of mystery.
(Tao!)

======
27. (ST)

With enough practice,
you could come and go without a trace,
speak without stumbling over words,
do complicated math problems
in your head.

You could build a door with no lock
that nobody could open.
You could tie something down
with no knots,
without even a rope,
and nobody could pry it loose.

Masters have time to help everybody,
and ignore nobody.
They use their resources wisely,
wasting nothing.
Some people call this
"following the light."

Good people teach others
because they have the potential
to be good too.
Brains count for nothing
if you fail to respect your teachers
or to honor the potential in others.
That's one of the most important lessons of Tao.

======

27 (whatever)

He walks on water,
speaks in tongues,
and is all knowing.
He knocks on your doors,
and binds your mind.
He is the savior,
of people and the world.
Who is he? The light?
He teaches people,
and cures diseases.
Everyone has to love him,
or they might get very confused,
and end up learning about Tao, instead.

04 道盅而用之或不盈

2004-07-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第四章

道盅而用之或不盈
淵兮似萬物之宗
挫其銳解其紛
和其光同其塵
湛兮似或存吾不知誰之子
象帝之先

======
FOUR

The Tao is an empty vessel; it is used, but never filled.
Oh, unfathomable source of ten thousand things!
Blunt the sharpness,
Untangle the knot,
Soften the glare,
Merge with dust.
Oh, hidden deep but ever present!
I do not know from whence it comes.
It is the forefather of the emperors.

======
4

Tao is indescribable, but can never be used up.
Unfathomably deep, it's a source of all things!
It's sharpness blunt, knots untangled, glare hidden,
And with dust it commingles.
It is so void, formless, indiscriminating.
Whence was it born and whence comes it?
I only know that the Gods come afterward.

=======
4. (ST)

How much Tao is there?
More than you'll ever need.
Use all you want,
there's plenty more
where that came from.

You can't see Tao, but it's there.
Damned if I know where it came from.
It's just always been around.

02 天下皆知美之為美　斯惡已

2004-07-17T10:58:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第二章

天下皆知美之為美　斯惡已
　　皆知善之為善　斯不善已
故有無相生　難易相成
　長短相形　高下相傾
　音聲相和　前後相隨
是以聖人處無為之事　行不言之教
萬物作而弗始　生而弗有
　　為而弗恃　功成而不居
夫唯弗居　是以不去

======
TWO

Under heaven all can see beauty as beauty only because there is ugliness.
All can know good as good only because there is evil.

Therefore having and not having arise together;
Difficult and easy complement each other;
Long and short contrast each other;
High and low rest upon each other;
Voice and sound harmonize each other;
Front and back follow one another.

Therefore the sage goes about doing nothing, teaching no-talking.
The ten thousand things rise and fall without cease,
Creating, yet not possessing,
Working, yet not talking credit.
Work is done, then forgotten.
Therefore it lasts forever.

=======
2

When you see beauty, you also label ugliness.
When you know good, you also define evil.

Lao Tzu says,
Have have-not come together
Difficult and easy arise together;
Long and short reflect each other;
High and low contrast each other
Sound and silence harmonize each other;
Front and back follow one another.

Therefore,
The wise man follows the nature,
He does without action, teaches without preaching,
Of the creation and process of things,
He does not push forward;
Of the working and success of deeds,
He does not take credit.
Because he does not possess,
He shall forever has.

And,
The true lover follows the heart--
Desires but not pursues,
Admires but not possesses.
Enjoys the all moments with gratitude,
And lets love fulfill itself.

Perhaps because I cannot hold you,
My love for you shall never dies.

======
2.(st)

If something looks beautiful to you,
something else must be ugly.
If something seems good,
something else must seem bad.

You can't have
something without nothing.
If no job is difficult,
then no job is easy.
Some things are up high
because other things are down low.
You know you're listening to music
because it doesn't sound like noise.
All that came first,
so this must be next.

The Masters get the job done
without moving a muscle
and get their point across
without saying a word.

When things around them fall apart,
they stay cool.
They don't own much,
but they use whatever's at hand.
They do the work
without expecting any favors.
When they're done,
they move on to the next job.
That's why their work is so damn good.

13 寵辱若驚貴大患若身

2004-07-16T15:03:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第十三章

寵辱若驚貴大患若身
何謂寵辱若驚
寵為上辱為下
得之若驚　失之若驚是謂寵辱若驚
何謂貴大患若身
吾所以有大患者為吾有身
及吾無身吾有何患
故貴以身為天下若可寄天下
愛以身為天下若可托天下

======
THIRTEEN

Accept disgrace willingly,
Accept misfortune as the human condition.

What do you mean by "Accept disgrace willingly"?
Accept being unimportant.
Do not be concerned with loss or gain.
This is called "accepting disgrace willingly."

What do you mean by "Accept misfortune as the human condition"?
Misfortune comes from having a body.
Without a body, how could there be misfortune?

Surrender yourself humbly; then you can be trusted to care for all things.
Love the world as your own self; then you can truly care for all things.

======
ah san's version:

Lao Tsu says,
"Good fortune or bad fortune,
People are always scared;
And so important is their bodies,
They are always afraid."

But what does he mean?

Fortunes are man-made concepts,
So of course they are scary good or bad.
Body is not the real Self,
And therefore it can be worrisome.

Therefore Lao Tsu says,
Let the world be your body,
Love people as you love yourself,
And then you can rule the world.

======
(ST)

Winning can be just as bad as losing.
Confidence can mess you up
just as much as fear.

What does
"winning can be just as bad as losing" mean?

If you're down,
you might be able to get up.
But if you're up,
you can get knocked down real fast.
Don't worry about the score,
just do what you have to do.

What does
"confidence can mess you up
just as much as fear" mean?

Fear can keep you
from getting the job done,
but confidence
can get you in over your head.
Walk tall, but don't get cocky.

Know your limits,
and nothing can ever hold you back.
Deal with what you can.
The rest will follow.

67 天下皆謂我道大似不肖

2004-07-15T07:48:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第六十七章

天下皆謂我道大似不肖
夫唯大故似不肖
若肖久矣其細也夫
我有三寶持而保之
一曰慈二曰儉
三曰不敢為天下先
慈故能勇儉故能廣　
不敢為天下先故能成器長
今舍慈且勇舍儉且廣
舍後且先死矣
夫慈以戰則勝以守則固　
天將救之以慈衛之

======
SIXTY-SEVEN

Everyone under heaven says that my Tao is great and beyond compare.
Because it is great, it seems different.
It if were not different, it would have vanished long ago.

I have three treasures which I hold and keep.
The first is mercy; the second is economy;
The third is daring not to be ahead of others.
From mercy comes courage; from economy comes generosity;
From humility comes leadership.

Nowadays men shun mercy, but try to be brave;
They abandon economy, but try to be generous;
They do not believe in humility, but always try to be first.
This is certain death.

Mercy brings victory in battle and strength in defense.
It is the means by which heaven saves and guards.

======
67 (asw)

everyone says my Tao is great,
and it's not like anything.
it's because it's great;
otherwise, it would be small.

i have three secret "weapons":
compassion, prudence, and humility.
compassion brings courage,
prudence brings generosity,
humility brings stability.

courage without compassion,
generosity without prudence,
prominent without humility,
it's the end.

for compassion leads to victory and strength,
because it's the way of nature.

======
67. (ST)

Everywhere I go, people tell me,
"Tao is so powerful, so immense,
it's inconceivable!"

But it's only powerful
because it's inconceivable.
If we could wrap our minds around it,
Tao would be just another thing.

The three most important qualities in life
are compassion,
or showing kindness and mercy to others,
moderation,
or knowing what a thing is worth,
and modesty,
or knowing your place in the world.

Courage stems from showing
kindness and mercy to others.
Generosity starts with knowing
what a thing is worth.
True leadership begins with knowing
your place in the world.

But these days,
I see everyone trying to act courageous
without any trace of compassion.
They try to be generous
but they don't practice moderation
in their own lives.
They act like leaders,
but they have no sense of modesty.
No good can come of this.

If you want to get ahead,
show people compassion.
When other people attack you,
defend yourself with compassion.
It's the most powerful force in the universe.

64 其安易持其未兆易謀

2004-07-14T07:47:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第六十四章

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
九層之台起於累土
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

======
SIXTY-FOUR (Feng)

Peace is easily maintained;
Trouble is easily overcome before it starts.
The brittle is easily shattered;
The small is easily scattered.

Deal with it before it happens.
Set things in order before there is confusion.

A tree as great as a man's embrace springs from a small shoot;
A terrace nine stories high begins with a pile of earth;
A journey of a thousand miles starts under one's feet.

He who acts defeats his own purpose;
He who grasps loses.
The sage does not act, and so is not defeated.
He does not grasp and therefore does not lose.

People usually fail when they are on the verge of success.
So give as much care to the end as to the beginning;
Then there will be no failure.

Therefore the sage seeks freedom from desire.
He does not collect precious things.
HE learns not to hold on to ideas.
He brings men back to what they have lost.
He helps the ten thousand things find their own nature.
But refrains from action.

======
(not mine, but i like this translation/version)

“What stays still is easy to hold;
Before there has been an omen it is easy to lay plans.
What is tender is easily torn,
What is minute is easy to scatter.”

Deal with things in their state of not-yet-being,
Put them in order before they have got into confusion.
For “the tree big as a man's embrace began as a tiny sprout,
The tower nine storeys high began with a heap of earth,
The journey of a thousand leagues began with what was under the feet”.

He who acts, harms; he who grabs, lets slip.
Therefore the Sage does not act, and so does not harm;
Does not grab, and so does not let slip.
Whereas the people of the world, at their tasks,
Constantly spoil things when within an ace of completing them.
“Heed the end no less than the beginning,”
And your work will not be spoiled.

Therefore the Sage wants only things that are unwanted,
Sets no store by products difficult to get,
And so teaches things untaught,
Turning all men back to the things they have left behind,
That the ten thousand creatures may be restored to their Self-so.
This he does; but dare not act.

======
64. (ST)

It's easy to maintain balance.
Trouble can be nipped in the bud.
Fragile things break easily,
and small things are easy to lose.

Deal with the situation
before it becomes a problem.
Keep everything straight
so it can't get messed up.

Every tree was once a seed.
Every skyscraper started out
with a shovelful of dirt.
And--stop me if you've heard this one before--
a journey of a thousand miles
begins with a single step.

When you try too hard,
you defeat your own purpose.
Cling to stuff,
and you will suffer loss.
The Masters make no effort,
so they never fail.
They aren't attached to things,
so they never feel loss.

People often screw up
when the job's nearly done.
Pay as much attention
to the finishing touches
as you do to the initial steps,
and you won't screw up like that.

The Masters try to be free from desire.
They don't collect precious things.
They don't cling to any beliefs.
They pay attention
to what everybody else ignores.
They help the world get right with Tao,
but don't try to change a thing.

21 孔德之容惟道是從

2004-07-13T16:49:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第二十一章

孔德之容惟道是從
道之為物惟恍惟惚
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
吾何以知眾甫之狀哉
以此

======
TWENTY-ONE

The greatest virtue is to follow Tao and Tao alone.
The Tao is elusive and intangible
Oh, it is intangible and elusive, and yet within is image.
Oh, it is elusive and intangible, and yet within is form.
Oh, it is dim and dark, and yet within is essence.
This essense is very real, and therein lies faith.
From the very beginning until now its name has never been forgotten.
Thus I perceive the creation.
How do I know the ways of creation?
Because of this.

======
21. (with beer on the porch)

Everything comes from Tao.
But what's Tao? It's hard to say.
In the nothingness,
perhaps there're shadows,
and things, and force.
The force is the reality,
because it has been proven.

Tao is it,
it is the ultimate answer.
How do I know?
'cause....

======
ST
21.

A Master stays focused on Tao.
Nothing else, just Tao.

But you can't pin Tao down--
you can't even see it!
How are you supposed to focus on something like that?

Just remember what Lao Tzu said:
The universe began as a void.
The void fills with images.
Images lead to the creation of objects.
And every object has Tao at its core.

That's the way it's been,
ever since the world began.
How can I be so sure?
I just know.

38 上德不德是以有德

2004-07-12T07:01:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第三十八章

上德不德是以有德
下德不失德是以無德
上德無為而無以為
下德無為而有以為
上仁為之而無以為
上義為之而有以為
上禮為之而莫之應則攘臂而扔之
故失道而後德失德而後仁
失仁而後義失義而後禮
夫禮者忠信之薄而亂之首
前識者道之華而愚之始
是以大丈夫處其厚不居其薄
處其實不居其華故去彼取此

======
THIRTY-EIGHT

A truly good man is not aware of his goodness,
And is therefore good.
A foolish man tries to be good,
And is therefore not good.

A truly good man does nothing,
Yet leaves nothing undone.
A foolish man is always doing,
Yet much remains to be done.

When a truly kind man does something, he leaves nothing undone.
When a just man does something, he leaves a great deal to be done.
When a disciplinarian does something and no one responds,
He rolls up his sleeves in an attempt to enforce order.

Therefore when Tao is lost, there is goodness.
When goodness is lost, there is kindness.
When kindness is lost, there is justice.
When justice is lost, there is ritual.
Now ritual is the husk of faith and loyalty, the beginning of confusion.
Knowledge of the future is only a flowery trapping of Tao.
It is the beginning of folly.

Therefore the truly great man dwells on what is real
and not what is on the surface,
On the fruit and not the flower.
Therefore accept the one and reject the other.

======
WOW! This one is truly Something. Lao Tsu is indeed the MASTER of Masters. This above English translation is not accurate and far from insightful. The original Chinese text is so precise and perfect, that any attempt to translate or interpretation will destroy it. I want to compose my own version, but I will have to think about it more. It's only a draft.

A moralist's version (a draft) - tao 38

The genuine moral one sets his own moral values, so he is moral;
The false moral one holds onto set moral values, so he is immoral.

The moral one does not try to act moral, and therefore his goodness is natural;
The immoral one tries to act natural, but his goodness is pretentious.

The Master is moral, because goodness is his nature;
The moral one is moral, because he wants to;
The moralist wants to be moral, but nobody listens to him,
so he sets laws to make others follow.

Therefore, when Tao is lost, there left goodness;
if goodness is lost, there left kindness;
if kindness is lost, there left morality;
if morality is lost, there left law.

I say, the laws are there because the trust in human nature is weak;
so laws mark the beginning of social disorder.

Those who understand social orders
only see the surface of things through moral judgment,
they are actually very wrong (hmm, this a moral judgment)

The Masters always live in the true Reality,
but not dwell on knowledge.
Therefore we should accept human nature,
and get rid of any presumed moral values.

======
ST.
38.

People with integrity
don't even think about it.
That's how you can tell
they have integrity.
Other people talk about
how much integrity they have,
when they really don't have much.
If any.

Truly powerful people
don't do anything,
but they get the job done.
Other people are always busy
doing something,
but nothing ever gets done.

When kind people act,
they do so without thinking about it.
When the just act,
they're always sure
they're doing the right thing.
But when the righteous act,
and nobody reacts,
they try to force everyone
to do things their way.

If you're not in touch with Tao,
at least you can still have integrity.
If you don't have integrity,
there's always kindness.
If you don't have kindness,
there's always justice.
If you don't have justice,
all you have left is righteousness.

Righteousness is an pale imitation
of true faith and loyalty,
and always leads to trouble.
If you've already made up your mind,
you don't know the first thing about Tao,
and you never will.

The Masters pay attention
to what's beneath the surface.
They'll look at a tree's leaves,
but eat the fruit.
They turn all that down,
so they can accept this.

29 將欲取天下而為之

2004-07-11T09:10:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第二十九章

將欲取天下而為之
吾見其不得已
天下神器
不可為也不可執也
為者敗之執者失之
故物或行或隨或噓或吹
或強或羸或載或隳
是以聖人去甚去奢去泰

======
TWENTY-NINE

Do you think you can take over the universe and improve it?
I do not believe it can be done.

The universe is sacred.
You cannot improve it.
If you try to change it, you will ruin it.
If you try to hold it, you will lose it.

So sometimes things are ahead and sometimes they are behind;
Sometimes breathing is hard, sometimes it comes easily;
Sometimes there is strength and sometimes weakness;
Sometimes one is up and sometimes one is down.

Therefore the sage avoids extremes, excesses, and complacency.

======
twenty-nine (dr. physics)

if you want to find a grand unified theory of the universe,
i don't think it's possible.
the universe is beyond science.
you can never fully formulate it with math,
no matter how complex your theory is.
if you try to observe it, quantum mechanics says you will alter the observed;
if you try to measure it, you get a completely different state.

so, sometimes a theory seems complete and sometimes it's inadequate;
sometimes you get data and sometimes you get noise;
sometimes you see waves and sometimes you see particles;
sometimes physics is sound and sometimes it is invalid.

therefore, the real smart ones do not build their belief on science solely,
they don't hope to understand the universe with logic,
and they don't fool themselves with a ph.d. in physics.

======
ST (not physics maybe philosophy)
29.

Want to take over the world?
Think again.
The world's a holy place.
You can't just fuck around with it.
Those who try to change it destroy it.
Those who try to possess it lose it.

With Tao, you push forward,
or maybe you stay behind.
Sometimes you push yourself,
other times you rest.
Sometimes you're strong,
sometimes you're weak.
Sometimes you're up,
and sometimes you're down.

A Master lives simply,
avoiding extravagance and excess.

50 出生入死

2004-07-10T19:16:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第五十章

出生入死
生之徒十有三
死之徒十有三
人之生動之於死地亦十有三
夫何故　以其生生之厚
蓋聞善攝生者
路行不遇兕虎
入軍不被甲兵
兕無所投其角
虎無所用其爪
兵無所容其刃
夫何故以其無死地

======
FIFTY

Between birth and death
Three in ten are followers of life,
Three in ten are followers of death,
And men just passing from birth to death also number three in ten.
Why is this so?
Because they live their lives on the gross level.

He who knows how to live can walk abroad
Without fear of rhinoceros or tiger.
He will not be wounded in battle.
For in him rhinoceroses can find no place to thrust their horn.
Tigers no place to use their claws,
And weapons no place to pierce.
Why is this so?
Because he has no place for death to enter.

======
fifty (ah san's translation)

from birth to death
30% of the people naturally live long
30% die young
another 30% die before reaching their natural age
why do they die early?
because they try too hard to live their lives.

I've heard, the one who knows how to live
when he walks he doesn't hide from danger,
in battles he doesn't wear protection.
nothing can harm him.
why?
because he is beyond life and death.

======
ST's version

People who look
for the secret of long life
wind up dead.

Their bodies are the focus of their lives
and the source of their death,
because they think a healthy body
is all there is to life.

Lao Tzu used to say
a man who truly understood life
could walk through the jungle
without fear
or across a battlefield
without armor, totally unarmed.
Wild animals and weapons couldn't kill him.

I know, I know:
what the hell does that mean?
"Well, he couldn't be killed,"
Lao Tzu said,
"because his body
wasn't where he kept his death."

25 有物混成先天地生

2004-07-09T09:56:00.000-07:00

老子道德經第二十五章

有物混成先天地生
寂兮寥兮獨立而不改
周行而不殆可以為天地母
吾不知其名字之曰道
強為之名曰大
大曰逝逝曰遠遠曰反
故道大天大地大人亦大
域中有四大而人居其一焉
人法地地法天天法道
道法自然

======
TWENTY-FIVE

Something mysteriously formed,
Born before heaven and earth.
In the silence and the void,
Standing alone and unchanging,
Ever present and in motion.
Perhaps it is the mother of ten thousand things.
I do not know its name.
Call it Tao.
For lack of a better world, I call it great.

Being great, it flows.
It flows far away.
Having gone far, it returns.

Therefore, "Tao is great;
Heaven is great;
Earth is great;
The king is also great." (Note)
These are the four great powers of the universe,
And the king is one of them. (Note)

Man follows the earth.
Earth follows heaven.
Heaven follows the Tao.
Tao follows what is natural.

Note: should be translated into "Man" not "king".

======
ST
25.

Something perfect
has existed forever,
even longer than the universe.
It's a vast, unchanging void.
There's nothing else like it.
It goes on forever and never stops,
and everything else came from it.

I don't know what else to call it
so I'll call it Tao.
What's it like?
I can tell you this much: it's great.

So great that it endures.
Something that endures
goes a long way.
And something that goes a long way
always comes back to the beginning.

Tao's great.
Heaven's great.
Earth's great.
And someone in touch with Tao
is great, too.
Those are the four greatest things
in the universe.

Someone who's in touch with Tao
is in touch with the earth.
The earth is in touch with heaven.
Heaven's in touch with Tao.
Tao's in touch with the way things are.

======
My scientist's version

5^2

Something exists without a reason
before the space and the matter
It's quiet and empty
And never changes
It proceeds but never ends
And can be the beginning of the cosmos..

I don't know its name
so I call it Tao
or better yet, Infinity
Infinity can also multiply
and grows into infinitesimal
and back to Infinity
(Thus the expanding and shrinking universe)

So I say, Tao is infinite
Universe is boundless
Matter is vast
and Man is free

Of the four great things,
Man is one of them.
Man experiences Matter;
Matter defines Universe;
Universe is part of Tao;
and Tao is all it is.

Tao Te Ching, my version

79. 和大怨 必有餘怨 After a bitter quarrel, some resentment must remain.

80. 小國寡民 A small country has fewer people.

81. 信言不美 Truthful words are not beautiful.

Updates News

75 民之飢

72 民不畏威 則大威至

69 用兵有言

68 善為士者不武

65 古之善為道者

62 道者 萬物之奧

60 治大國 若烹小鮮

56 知者不言 言者不知

49 聖人無常心 以百姓心為心

42 道生一 一生二

37 道常無為 而無不為

36 將欲歙之 必固張之

33 知人者智 自知者明

32 道常無名

31 夫兵者 不祥之器

30 以道佐人主者 不以兵強天下

28 知其雄 守其雌 為天下谿

26 重為輕根 靜為躁君

24 企者不立 跨者不行

22 曲則全 枉則直

18 大道廢 有仁義

17 太上 不知有之

03 不尚賢 使民不爭

12 五色令人盲目

63 為無為 事無事 味無味

54 善建者不拔 善抱者不脫

43 天下之至柔

35 執大象 天下往

10 載營魄抱一 能無離乎

06 谷神不死 是謂玄牝

78 天下莫柔弱於水

39 昔之得一者

44 名與身孰親

11 三十輻 共一轂

66 江海所以能為百谷王者

45 大成若缺 其用不弊

53 使我介然有知 行於大道

09 持而盈之 不如其已

58 其政悶悶 其民醇醇

34 大道泛兮 其可左右

20 唯之與阿 相去幾何

47 不出戶 知天下

16 致虛極 守靜篤

52 天下有始 以為天下母

41 上士聞道 勤而行之