□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□
PSEUDO-CHAPTER One
□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□
———
[01c01t] Robert G.
Henricks
As for the Way, the Way that can be spoken of is not the
constant Way;
As for names, the name that can be named is not the
constant name.
The nameless is the beginning of the ten thousand things;
The named is the mother of the ten thousand things.
Therefore, those constantly without desires, by this
means will perceive its subtlety.
Those constantly with desires, by this means will see
only that which they yearn for and seek.
These two together emerge;
They have different names yet they're called the same;
That which is even more profound than the profound -
The gateway of all subtleties.
———
[01c02t] John C. H.
Wu
TAO can be talked about, but not the Eternal Tao.
Names can be named, but not the Eternal Name.
As the origin of heaven-and-earth, it is nameless:
As "the Mother" of all things, it is nameable.
So, as ever hidden, we should look at its inner essence:
As always manifest, we should look at its outer aspects.
These two flow from the same source, though differently
named;
And both are called mysteries.
The Mystery of mysteries is the Door of all essence.
———
[01c03t] D. C. Lau
The way that can be spoken of
Is not the constant way;
The name that can be named
Is not the constant name.
The nameless was the beginning of heaven and earth;
The named was the mother of the myriad creatures.
Hence always rid yourself of desires in order to observe
its secrets;
But always allow yourself to have desires in order to
observe its manifestations.
These two are the same
But diverge in name as they issue forth.
Being the same they are called mysteries,
Mystery upon mystery -
The gateway of the manifold secrets.
———
[01c04t] R. L. Wing
The Tao that can be expressed
Is not the Tao of the Absolute.
The name that can be named
Is not the name of the Absolute.
The nameless originated Heaven and Earth.
The named is the Mother of All Things.
Thus, without expectation,
One will always perceive the subtlety;
And, with expectation,
One will always perceive the boundary.
The source of these two is identical, Yet their names are
different.
Together they are called profound,
Profound and mysterious,
The gateway to the Collective Subtlety.
———
[01c05t] Ren Jiyu
The Tao that can be spoken of is not the eternal Tao;
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth;
The named is the root of all things.
Therefore, the subtleties of Tao are always apprehended
through their formlessness,
The limits of things are always seen through their form.
These two (the form and the formless) have the same
source but different names.
Both of them can be called deep and profound,
The deepest and the most profound, the door of all
mysteries.
———
[01c06t] Gia-fu 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.
———
[01c07t] Lok Sang Ho
Ways that can be spelled out
cannot be the eternal way.
Names that can be named
must change with time and place.
Emptiness is the origin of heaven and earth;
Existence is the mother of everything that had a birth.
Appreciate Emptiness, that we may see the nature of the
Dao's versatility;
Appreciate Existence, that we may see the extent of the
Dao's possibilities.
These two, Emptiness and Existence, came from the same
source.
Though they bear different names, they serve the same
mystical cause.
A mystery within a mystery,
such is the gateway to all versatility.
———
[01c08t] Xiaolin Yang
The DAO can be talked about, but that is not the
ever-lasting DAO.
The NAME can be called, but that is not the ever-lasting
NAME.
Nothingness is called the origin of the world.
Existence is called the root of everything.
Therefore,
you should stay in nothingness if you want to see the
real essence of the world;
you should stay in existence if you want to see the
different entities of the world.
They are from the same source but named differently: both
are called XUAN.
Understanding the XUANs is the key to the kingdom of
truth.
———
[01c09t] Walter Gorn
Old, MARKING OUT THE PATH
The Tao that is the subject of discussion is not the true
Tao.
The quality which can be named is not its true attribute.
That which was before Heaven and Earth is called the
Non-Existent.
The Existent is the mother of all things.
Therefore doth the wise man seek after the first mystery
of the Non-Existent, while seeing in that which exists the Ultimates thereof.
The Non-Existent and Existent are identical in all but
name.
This identity of apparent opposites I call the profound,
the great deep, the open door of bewilderment.
———
[01c10t] James Legge
The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and
unchanging Tao.
The name that can be named is not the enduring and
unchanging name.
(Conceived of as) having no name, it is the Originator of
heaven and earth;
(conceived of as) having a name, it is the Mother of all
things.
Always without desire we must be found,
If its deep mystery we would sound;
But if desire always within us be,
Its outer fringe is all that we shall see.
Under these two aspects, it is really the same;
but as development takes place, it receives the different
names.
Together we call them the Mystery.
Where the Mystery is the deepest is the gate of all that
is subtle and wonderful.
———
[01c11t] David Hinton
A Way become Way isn't the perennial Way.
A name become name isn't the perennial name:
the named is mother to the ten thousand things,
but the unnamed is origin to all heaven and earth.
In perennial nonbeing you see mystery, and in perennial
being you see appearance.
Though the two are one and the same, once they arise,
they differ in name.
One and the same they're called dark-enigma,
dark-enigma deep within dark-enigma,
gateway of all mystery.
———
[01c12t] Chichung
Huang
A tao that can be spoken about
Is not the constant Tao;
A name that can be named
Is not the constant name.
Nonbeing names
The ten thousand things' beginning;
Being names
The ten thousand things' mother.
Therefore, constantly be desireless,
Whereby to observe its minutiae;
Constantly be desirous,
Whereby to observe where it ends.
The two issued from the same origin,
And, though different in name,
Refer to the same thing.
Deep and remote, doubly deep and remote,
Gate of multitudinous minutiae.
———
[01c13t] Ellen M.
Chen
Tao that can be spoken of,
Is not the Everlasting (ch'ang) Tao.
Name that can be named,
Is not the Everlasting (ch'ang) name.
Nameless (wu-ming), the origin (shih) of heaven and
earth;
Named (yu-ming), the mother (mu) of ten thousand things.
Alternate,
Non-being (wu), to name (ming) the origin (shih) of
heaven and earth;
Being (yu), to name (ming) the mother of ten thousand
things.
Therefore, always (ch'ang) without desire (wu-yü),
In order to observe (kuan) the hidden mystery (miao);
Always (ch'ang) with desire (yu-yü),
In order to observe the manifestations (chiao).
Alternate,
Therefore, by the Everlasting (ch'ang) Non-Being (wu),
We desire (yü) to observe (kuan) its hidden mystery
(miao);
By the Everlasting (ch'ang) Being (yu),
We desire (yü) to observe the manifestations (chiao).
These two issue from the same origin,
Though named differently.
Both are called the dark (hsüan).
Dark and even darker,
The door to all hidden mysteries (miao).
———
[01c14t] Lee Sun Chen
Org
Tao (Truth) can be talked about (theorized in any manner
each person considers viable), though hardly of these theories will be
eternally valid;
Names (Descriptions) can be ascribed [to Tao in any
fashion each person deems workable], yet hardly of these names (descriptions)
will last forever.
The beginning of the Universe (Heaven and Earth) [is
beyond us, so in all honesty it] is indescribable;
[Nevertheless,] whatever is namable (describable) by us
served as the mother (origin) of [our knowledge of] myriad (all and every)
things and creatures.
Accordingly,
I constantly refrain from my selfish (subjective) desires
for the purpose of exploring its (Nature's) manifested (apparent) wonder;
I also constantly maintain my will [to seek objective
knowledge] in order to pursue its (Nature's) deep-seated enigma.
These two (Tao and Te) were originated from the same
source, but they were described with different names by us.
They are both depicted as profound [as each is intricate
in its own right];
The profundity (complexity) intensifies as we fathom its
mystery further and deeper;
Eventually, it will [lead us] to the gateway of all
mysteries.
———
[01c15t] Tien Cong
Tran
The way that can be talked about is not the eternal Way.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
"Nothing" is the name of the origin of Heaven
and Earth.
"Being" is the name of "the mother"
of all things.
So, in eternal Nothing, we should look at the
wonderfulness of the Way.
In eternal Being, we should look at its outer aspects.
These two flow from the same source, though differently
named; and both are called mysteries.
Mysterious and more mysterious.
That is the door of all wonders.
———
[01c16t] Thomas Z.
Zhang
If Tao can be described, then it is not general Tao.
If a name can be denned, then it is not a general name.
The invisible is the origin of the universe.
The visible is the mother of all things.
By constantly thinking the invisible, we understand the
universe;
By constantly observing the visible, we can see how the
natural laws work.
Thinking and observing are two different things.
Yet they serve the same goal: to theorize.
Theorizing and evolving these theories is the gate to
marvels.
———
[01c17t] Arthur Waley
The Way that can be told of is not an Unvarying Way;
The names that can be named are not unvarying names.
It was from the Nameless that Heaven and Earth sprang;
The named is but the mother that rears the ten thousand
creatures, each after its kind.
Truly, 'Only he that rids himself forever of desire can
see the Secret Essences';
He that has never rid himself of desire can see only the
Outcomes.
These two things issued from the same mould, but
nevertheless are different in name.
This 'same mould' we can but call the Mystery,
Or rather the 'Darker than any Mystery',
The Doorway whence issued all Secret Essences.
———
[01c18t] Richard John
Lynn
The Dao that can be described in language is not the
constant Dao;
the name that can be given it is not its constant name.
Nameless, it is the origin of the myriad things;
named, it is the mother of the myriad things.
Therefore, always be without desire so as to see their
subtlety.
And always have desire so as to see their ends.
These two emerge together but have different names.
Together, we refer to them as mystery: the mystery upon
mystery and gateway of all subtleties.
———
[01c19t] Lin Yutang
ON THE ABSOLUTE TAO
The Tao that can be told of
Is not the Absolute Tao;
The Names that can be given
Are not Absolute Names.
The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth;
The Named is the Mother of All Things.
Therefore:
Oftentimes, one strips oneself of passion
In order to see the Secret of Life;
Oftentimes, one regards life with passion
In order to see its manifest forms.
These two (the Secret and its manifestations)
Are (in their nature) the same;
They are given different names
When they become manifest.
They may both be called the Cosmic Mystery:
Reaching from the Mystery into the Deeper Mystery
Is the Gate to the Secret of All Life.
———
[01c20t] Victor H.
Mair
The ways that can be walked are not the eternal Way;
The names that can be named are not the eternal name.
The nameless is the origin of the myriad creatures;
The named is the mother of the myriad creatures.
Therefore,
Always be without desire in order to observe its wondrous
subtleties;
Always have desire so that you may observe its
manifestations.
Both of these derive from the same source;
They have different names but the same designation.
Mystery of mysteries,
The gate of all wonders!
———
[01c21t] Tolbert McCarroll
The Tao that can be spoken of 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 the ten thousand things.
Send your desires away and you will see the mystery.
Be filled with desire and you will see only the
manifestation.
As these two come forth they differ in name.
Yet at their source they are the same.
This source is called a mystery.
Darkness within darkness,
the gateway to all mystery.
———
[01c22t] David H. Li
Direction, as expressed, is no ordinary direction;
as named, no ordinary name.
Null identifies the universe at the beginning.
Ull identifies the mother of myriad matters.
Thus, visit Null to observe its intricateness.
Visit Ull to observe its limitlessness.
These two spring from the same source;
only their identifications differ.
Both are profound.
Profound upon profound, it is the portal to all
intricacies.
———
[01c23t] Yasuhiko
Genku Kimura
The Tao Eternal is beyond definition.
No name given can capture its eternality.
Nameless, it is the origin of the Kosmos.
Named, it is the beginning of all things.
Nothingness, it is the inner being of the Kosmos.
Thingness, it is the outer distinctions of the Kosmos.
These two, though different in names, arise from the same
source:
The source called the Invisible.
Invisible beyond the invisible,
It is the entry into the myriad wonders of the Eternal
Kosmos.
———
[01c24t] Chou-Wing
Chohan
The Tao that can be expressed in words is not the eternal
Tao.
The name that can be defined in words is not the name
that never changes.
Non-existence is what we will call the source of heaven
and earth.
Existence is the mother of all things.
From eternal non-existence, therefore, we observe the
beginning of the existence of the many hidden qualities of the universe.
From eternal existence, therefore, we clearly observe the
overt qualities of the universe.
These two, the hidden and the overt, are originally the
same at source, and become different when they manifest themselves.
This same origin is "the smallest of the
small."
The absolute "smallest of the small" is the
gate from which the beginning of all the parts of the universe emerges.
———
[01c25t] Man-Ho Kwok
The Tao that can be talked about is not the true Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal Name.
Everything in the universe comes out of Nothing.
Nothing - the nameless is the beginning;
While Heaven, the mother is the creatrix of all things.
Follow the nothingness of the Tao,
and you can be like it, not needing anything,
seeing the wonder and the root of everything.
And even if you cannot grasp this nothingness,
you can still see something of the Tao in everything.
These two are the same only called by different names
- and both are mysterious and wonderful.
All mysteries are Tao, and Heaven is their mother:
She is the gateway and the womb-door.
———
[01c26t] Gu Zhengkun
The Tao that is utterable
Is not the eternal Tao;
The name that is namable
Is not the eternal Name.
The Nothingness is the name of the beginning of heaven
and earth;
The Being (substance) is the name of the mother of all
things.
Hence one should gain an insight into the beginning of
the Tao by constantly observing the Nothingness,
And should perceive the end of the Tao by constantly
observing the Being.
These two things, the Nothingness and the Being, are of
the same origin but different in name.
They are both so profound as to be a key to the door of myriad
secrets.
———
[01c27t] Chao-Hsiu
Chen
The Tao that can be named is not the eternal Tao.
The Name that can be spoken is not the eternal name.
The Nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth.
The Named is the mother of all creatures.
Observe the mysteries of the Tao without longing.
Survey its appearance with desire.
Both mysteries and appearance come from the same origin
but wear a different name;
they are enigmatic.
The greatest mystery is the gate to all mysteries.
———
[01c28t] Liu Qixuan
There are ways to follow,
But what is followed is not the true Way.
There are names to give,
But what is given is not the true Name.
Let us call non-being the beginning of the universe
And let us call being the development of all things.
When we follow non-being
We approach the wonder of the Way.
When we follow being
We approach the farther-end manifestation of the Way.
Each has the same origin,
And here exists a metaphysical door to true wisdom.
———
[01c29t] Shi Fu Hwang
Understanding The Tao
Lao Tze says,
The Tao is that on which one can always tread.
That on which one cannot always tread is not the Tao.
And fame is that of which one can always remember.
That of which one cannot always remember is not fame.
All things are without names prior to the formation of
Heaven and Earth.
And names are brought out to classify various things.
Since there is no name in the very beginning, why should
one care about fame!
Hence, those who are constantly free of desire of fame
shall see the Tao's subtle secret.
Those who bear desire shall see the end lying in front of
them.
Both two types of men ferment their thinking in the same
place, yet they will experience different fates.
Both their fates shall be up to Heaven.
Beyond our heaven, there are other heavens: whoever knows
this shall find the gate of the Tao.
———
[01c30t] Ch’u Ta-Kao
The Tao that can be expressed is not the eternal Tao;
The name that can be defined is not the unchanging name.
Non-existence is called the antecedent of heaven and
earth;
Existence is the mother of all things.
From eternal non-existence, therefore, we serenely
observe the mysterious beginning of the Universe;
From eternal existence we clearly see the apparent
distinctions.
These two are the same in source and become different
when manifested.
This sameness is called profundity.
Infinite profundity is the gate whence comes the
beginning of all parts of the Universe.
———
[01c31t] Paul J. Lin
The Tao that can be spoken of is not the eternal Tao;
The Name that can be named is not the eternal Name.
The Nameless [non-being] is the origin of heaven and
earth;
The Namable [being] is the mother of all things.
Therefore constantly without desire,
There is the recognition of subtlety;
But constantly with desire,
Only the realization of potentiality.
The two come from the same source,
Having different names.
Both are called mysteries,
More mystical than the most mystical,
The gate of all subtleties.
———
[01c32t] Michael
LaFargue
The Tao that can be told is not the invariant Tao,
the names that can be named are not the invariant Names.
Nameless, it is the source of the thousands of things
(named, it is 'Mother' of the thousands of things).
Yes:
Always:
being desireless,
one sees the hidden essentials.
Always:
having desires,
one sees only what is sought.
These two lines are about The Merging -
it is when things develop and emerge from this that the
different names appear.
The Merging is something mysterious -
mysterious, and more mysterious,
the abode of all the hidden essences.
———
[01c33t] Cheng Lin
The truth that may be told is not the everlasting Truth.
The name given to a thing is not the everlasting Name.
Nothingness is used to denote the state that existed before
the birth of heaven and earth.
Reality is used to denote the state where the multitude
of things begins to have a separate existence.
Therefore,
when the mind rests in the state of Nothingness, the
enigma can be understood;
when the mind rests in the state of Reality, the bounds
can be reached.
These two states, though bearing different names, have a
common origin.
Both are mysterious and metaphysical.
They are the most mysterious, and form the gateway to all
mysteries.
———
[01c34t] Yi Wu
The way that can be talked about is not the constant Way.
The name that can be named is not the constant Name.
Non-being is the name of the origin of Heaven and Earth;
Being is the name of the mother of all things.
Therefore:
Constantly in Non-being, one wishes to contemplate its
(the Way's) subtlety.
Constantly in Being, one wishes to contemplate its path.
These two come from the same source, but are different in
name.
The same source is called Mystery.
Mystery and more mystery.
It is the gateway to myriad subtleties.
———
[01c35t] Han Hiong
Tan
Dao that can be expressed in words is not the absolute
Dao.
The names that can be given are not the absolute names.
Non-being is before the dawn of time,
Being is when everything begins to emerge.
Therefore, maintaining a passive and receptive mode,
You can watch the secret of life;
Maintaining an active and attentive mode,
You can perceive the rhythm of life.
These two cognitive processes, though differing in names,
Are in the same continuum.
Both are known as the inscrutable Mystery,
Which is the greatest of all mysteries.
And it is through these perspectives that we can observe
the marvellous phenomena of Nature.
———
[01c36t] Hua-Ching Ni
Tao, the subtle reality of the universe cannot be
described.
That which can be described in words is merely a
conception of the mind.
Although names and descriptions have been applied to it,
the subtle reality is beyond the description.
One may use the word "Nothingness" to describe
the Origin of the universe, and "Beingness" to describe the Mother of
the myriad things,
but Nothingness and Beingness are merely conceptions.
From the perspective of Nothingness,
one may perceive the expansion of the universe.
From the perspective of Beingness,
one may distinguish individual things.
Both are for the conceptual convenience of the mind.
Although different concepts can be applied,
Nothingness and Beingness and other conceptual activity
of the mind all come from the same indescribable subtle Originalness.
The Way is the unfoldment of such subtle reality.
Having reached the subtlety of the universe,
one may see the ultimate subtlety,
the Gate of All Wonders.
———
[01c37t] Chang
Chung-yuan
The Tao that can be spoken of is not the Tao itself.
The name that can be given is not the name itself.
The unnameable is the source of the universe.
The nameable is the originator of all things.
Therefore, oftentimes without intention I see the wonder
of Tao.
Oftentimes with intention I see its manifestations.
Its wonder and its manifestations are one and the same.
Since their emergence, they have been called by different
names.
Their identity is called the mystery.
From mystery to further mystery:
The entry of all wonders!
———
[01c38t] Henry Wei
Realization of Tao
T'i Tao
The Tao that can be stated is not the Eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the Eternal Name.
The Unnameable is originator of Heaven and Earth.
The Nameable is mother of the ten thousand things.
Therefore,
Always be desireless, so as to discern Tao's wonderful
essence;
Always have some desire, so as to discern its
manifestations.
These two come out from the same source,
But are different in name.
Their identical nature is a mystery.
Mystery of mysteries -
That is the gate of all wonderful essence.
———
[01c39t] Ha Poong Kim
No Tao that may be Tao is the constant Tao;
No name that may be a name is the constant name.
By non-being you name the beginning of Heaven and Earth;
By being you name the mother of the ten thousand things.
Therefore, always free of desire you see the secret;
Always with desire you see its appearance.
These two
Are the same in origin yet different in name.
Their sameness may be called a mystery.
It is the mystery beyond mysteries,
The gate to myriad secrets.
———
[01c40t] Tao Huang
The Tao that is voiced is no longer that of eternal Tao.
The name that has been written is no longer that of
eternal name.
The nameless is the beginning of the cosmic universe.
The named is the mother of the myriad creatures.
Being at peace, one can see into the subtle.
Engaging with passion, one can see into the manifest.
They both arise from a common source but have different
names.
Both are called the mystery within the mystery.
They are the door to all wonders.
———
[01c41t] Tang
Zi-chang
Dao that can be talked about is not the eternal Dao
itself;
A name that can be given is not the eternal thing itself.
The nameless existed
Before the birth of birth of Heaven and Earth - Universe;
The names which were given were after
The birth of All Things.
By the eternity of unknown existence
Comprehend the common essence of things;
By the eternity of Existence
Observe the apparent differences.
These two came from the same origin - the unknown,
But with different names.
They all are called the "profoundness",
Profoundly and profoundly it is the entrance
From which come all wonders.
———
[01c42t] Wing-tsit
Chan
The Tao that can be told of is not the eternal Tao;
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth;
The Named is the mother of all things.
Therefore let there always be non-being, so we may see
their subtlety,
And let there always be being, so we may see their
outcome.
The two are the same,
But after they are produced, they have different names.
They both may be called deep and profound.
Deeper and more profound,
The door of all subtleties!
———
[01c91t] И.
И. Семененко
Если Дао
могут
высказать,
Дао не является
незыблемым;
если
могут
назвать имя,
имя не
является незыблемым.
Безымянность
- вот начало
Неба и Земли,
в наличии
же имени
таится мать
десяти тысяч
вещей.
Незыблемое
неналичие -
желаю
поглядеть на скрытые
в нем чудеса;
наличие в
незыблемости
- желаю осмотреть
его окраину.
Выходит
эта пара
вместе, но
именами
различается.
Даю одно
им имя
сокровенного.
За
сокровенным -
сокровенное,
врата множества
чудес.
———
[01c92t] А.
А. Маслов
Дао,
которое
может быть
выражено
словами, не
есть
постоянное
Дао.
Имя,
которое
может быть
поименовано,
не есть
постоянное
имя.
Небытие
зовётся
началом Неба
и Земли.
Бытие
зовётся
Матерью
мириад
созданий.
Поэтому,
желая узреть
его
утончённо-неуловимую
сущность,
обрети
постоянство
небытия.
Желая
наблюдать
его
проявления,
пребывай в постоянстве
бытия.
Оба они
произрастают
вместе и
различаются
лишь именем.
Будучи
тождественными,
они зовутся
сокровенным.
Сокровенное
и ещё раз
сокровенное -
врата ко
множеству
потаённого.
———
[01c93t] Е.
А. Торчинов
Путь, что
может быть
пройден, не
есть постоянный
Путь-Дао.
Имя, что
может быть
поименовано,
не есть постоянное
имя.
Безымянное
- Неба, Земли
начало.
Именуемое
- Матерью
сущего стало.
В
отсутствии
тайну вещей
созерцать
стремись.
В наличии
предел бытия
созерцать
стремись.
Те двое
родятся
вместе, но их
имена
различны.
Их вместе
назову я
Сокровенным.
И
Сокровенное
вновь
Сокровенным
стало.
Таковы
врата всех
тайн.
———
[01c94t] А.
Е. Лукьянов
Дао,
которое
может быть
высказано, не
есть постоянное
Дао.
Имя,
которое
может быть
названо, не
есть постоянное
имя.
Небытием
именуется
начало Неба и
Земли,
Бытием
именуется
Мать мириад
вещей.
Поэтому:
обращаясь
к
постоянному
небытию,
стремлюсь к
тому, чтобы
увидеть его
тайну;
обращаясь
к
постоянному
бытию,
стремлюсь к
тому, чтобы
увидеть его
предел
(спиральный
путь).
Оба они
(небытие и
бытие) из
тождества
происходят,
но различно
именуются.
В
тождестве
они
называются
первоначалом.
Первоначало
и еще
первоначало -
вот дверь ко
всем тайнам.
———
[01c95t] Ян
Хин-шун
Дао,
которое
может быть
выражено
словами, не
есть постоянное
дао.
Имя,
которое
может быть
названо, не
есть постоянное
имя.
Безымянное
есть начало
неба и земли,
обладающее
именем - мать
всех вещей.
Поэтому
тот, кто
свободен от
страстей,
видит
чудесную
тайну [дао],
а кто
имеет
страсти,
видит его
только в конечной
форме.
Оба они
одного и того
же
происхождения,
но с разными
названиями.
Вместе
они
называются
глубочайшими.
[Переход]
от одного
глубочайшего
к другому -
дверь ко
всему
чудесному.
———
[01c96t] Д.
П. Конисси
Тао,
которое
должно быть
действительным,
не есть обыкновенное
Тао.
Имя,
которое
должно быть
действительным,
не есть
обыкновенное
имя.
То, что не
имеет имени, -
есть начало
неба и земли;
то, что
имеет имя, -
есть мать
всех вещей.
Вот
почему
свободный от
всех
страстей видит
величественное
проявление
Тао,
а
находящийся
под влиянием
какой-нибудь
страсти
видит только
незначительное
его проявление.
Эти оба
происходят
из одного и
того же начала,
но только
носят разное
название.
Они
называются
непостижимыми.
Непостижимое
из
непостижимых
и есть ворота
всего таинственного.
———
[01c97t] В.
В. Малявин
Путь, о
котором
можно
поведать, - не
постоянный
Путь.
Имя,
которое
можно
назвать, - не
постоянное Имя.
Где имени
нет - там
начало всех
вещей,
Где имя
есть - там
мать всех
вещей.
Посему,
постоянно не
имея желания,
видишь его
исток,
А
постоянно
имея желание,
видишь его
исход.
То и
другое
является
совместно,
Они имеют
разные имена,
но одинаково
сказываются.
В
сокровенном
есть еще
сокровенность:
Вот
откуда
исходит все
утонченное.
———
[01c98t] Б.
Б.
Виногродский
Постоянный
Путь
составляется
из
возможности
выбора Пути и
невозможности
выбора Пути.
Постоянное
имя
составляется
из возможности
выбора имени
и
невозможности
выбора имени.
Отсутствием
именуется
начальное
действие
Неба-Земли.
Наличием
именуется
рождение-материнство
мириад
сущностей.
Причинность:
Стремление
к
постоянному
отсутствию
осуществляет
созерцание
тончайшей
тайны.
Стремление
к
постоянному
наличию
осуществляет
созерцание
его внешнего
проявления.
Эта пара
представляет
собой
общность исхода
при различии
наименования.
Если
определить
вместе, то
это будет
непостижимая
тайна.
Пытаясь
проникнуть в
эту тайну,
придешь только
к тайне.
Это врата
для
появления
множества
тончайших
начал.
□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□
PSEUDO-CHAPTER Two
□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□—■—□
———
[02c01t] Robert G.
Henricks
When everyone in the world knows the beautiful as
beautiful, ugliness comes into being;
When everyone knows the good, then the not good comes to
be.
The mutual production of being and nonbeing,
The mutual completion of difficult and easy,
The mutual formation of long and short,
The mutual filling of high and low,
The mutual harmony of tone and voice,
The mutual following of front and back -
These are all constants.
Therefore the Sage dwells in nonactive affairs and
practices the wordless teaching.
The ten thousand things arise, but he doesn't begin them;
He acts on their behalf, but he doesn't make them
dependent;
He accomplishes his tasks, but he doesn't dwell on them;
It is only because he doesn't dwell on them, that they
therefore do not leave him.
———
[02c02t] John C. H.
Wu
WHEN all the world recognizes beauty as beauty, this in
itself is ugliness.
When all the world recognizes good as good, this in
itself is evil.
Indeed, the hidden and the manifest give birth to each
other.
Difficult and easy complement each other.
Long and short exhibit each other.
High and low set measure to each other.
Voice and sound harmonize each other.
Back and front follow each other.
Therefore, the Sage manages his affairs without ado,
And spreads his teaching without talking.
He denies nothing to the teeming things.
He rears them, but lays no claim to them.
He does his work, but sets no store by it.
He accomplishes his task, but does not dwell upon it.
And yet it is just because he does not dwell on it
That nobody can ever take it away from him.
———
[02c03t] D. C. Lau
The whole world recognizes the beautiful as the
beautiful, yet this is only the ugly;
the whole world recognizes the good as the good, yet this
is only the bad.
Thus Something and Nothing produce each other;
The difficult and the easy complement each other;
The long and the short offset each other;
The high and the low incline towards each other;
Note and sound harmonize with each other;
Before and after follow each other.
Therefore the sage keeps to the deed that consists in
taking no action and practises the teaching that uses no words.
The myriad creatures rise from it yet it claims no
authority;
It gives them life yet claims no possession;
It benefits them yet exacts no gratitude;
It accomplishes its task yet lays claim to no merit.
It is because it lays claim to no merit
That its merit never deserts it.
———
[02c04t] R. L. Wing
When all the world knows beauty as beauty, There is
ugliness.
When they know good as good, There there is evil.
In this way
Existence and nonexistence produce each other.
Difficult and easy complete each other.
Long and short contrast each other.
High and low attract each other.
Pitch and tone harmonize each other.
Future and past follow each other.
Therefore, Evolved Individuals
Hold their position without effort,
Practice their philosophy without words,
Are a part of All Things and overlook nothing.
They produce but do not possess, Act without expectation,
Succeed without taking credit.
Since, indeed, they take no credit, it remains with them.
———
[02c05t] Ren Jiyu
When all people in the world know the beautiful as
beauty,
There appears ugliness;
When they know goodness as good,
There appears evil.
Therefore, by opposing each other,
Existence and nonexistence come into being,
Difficult and easy form themselves,
Long and short are distinct,
High and low contrast,
Sound and voice harmonize,
Front and back emerge.
Thus, the sage manages affairs by "nonaction,"
And teaches by "saying nothing."
He leaves all things to grow and change without
initiation;
Raises all things without making claim for his ownership;
Promotes all things without attributing them to his
contribution;
And takes no credit for himself when the work is done.
It is because no claim is made that his credit cannot be
forfeited.
———
[02c06t] Gia-fu Feng
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 taking credit.
Work is done, then forgotten.
Therefore it lasts forever.
———
[02c07t] Lok Sang Ho
People under heaven see beauty in what they call
"beauty,"
that way they know of the "ugly."
Similarly people see good in what they call
"good,"
that way they know of the "bad."
Existence and Emptiness are concepts that make sense by
comparison.
Similarly, long lends meaning to short, and high to low.
Harmony is produced when sounds combine in unison.
Because the fore goes, so the back follows.
Thus the Sage would not act as if he could act on his
will.
He teaches the unspoken teaching.
No word is ever spoken, yet living things thrive.
No ownership is claimed, though Nature begets all
creation.
Humility is maintained even as achievement is made.
No credit is claimed even as work is done.
Because no credit is claimed, so no credit is ever lost.
———
[02c08t] Xiaolin Yang
Everyone knows that beauty is good, but ugliness exists
as well.
Everyone knows that kindness is good, but unkindness
exists as well.
Therefore, nothingness and existence always coexist;
As do difficulty and easiness, long and short, high and
low, and sound and hearing.
For this reason, the great men practiced WUWEI.
They wordlessly taught people and let the world develop
by itself.
Create but do not control, nurture but do not own, accomplish
but do not claim.
Only when you do not claim the accomplishment, will it
never leave.
———
[02c09t] Walter Gorn
Old, SELF-PERFECTION
When the world speaks of beauty as being beautiful,
ugliness is at once defined.
When goodness is seen to be good, evil is at once
apparent.
So do existence and non-existence mutually give rise to
one another, as that which is difficult and that which is easy, distant and
near, high and low, shrill and bass, preceding and following.
The Sage therefore is occupied only with that which is
without prejudice.
He teaches without verbosity, he acts without effort; he
produces without possessing, he acts without regard to the fruit of action; he
brings his work to perfection without assuming credit; and claiming nothing as
his own, he cannot at any time be said to lose.
———
[02c10t] James Legge
All in the world know the beauty of the beautiful,
and in doing this they have (the idea of) what ugliness
is;
they all know the skill of the skilful,
and in doing this they have (the idea of) what the want
of skill is.
So it is that existence and non-existence give birth the
one to (the idea of) the other;
that difficulty and ease produce the one (the idea of)
the other;
that length and shortness fashion out the one the figure
of the other;
that (the ideas of) height and lowness arise from the
contrast of the one with the other;
that the musical notes and tones become harmonious
through the relation of one with another;
and that being before and behind give the idea of one
following another.
Therefore the sage manages affairs without doing
anything,
and conveys his instructions without the use of speech.
All things spring up, and there is not one which declines
to show itself;
they grow, and there is no claim made for their
ownership;
they go through their processes, and there is no
expectation (of a reward for the results).
The work is accomplished, and there is no resting in it
(as an achievement).
The work is done, but how no one can see;
'Tis this that makes the power not cease to be.
———
[02c11t] David Hinton
All beneath heaven knows beauty is beauty only because
there's ugliness, and knows good is good only because there's evil.
Being and nonbeing give birth to one another,
difficult and easy complete one another,
long and short measure one another,
high and low fill one another,
music and noise harmonize one another,
before and after follow one another:
that's why a sage abides in the realm of nothing's own
doing,
living out that wordless teaching.
The ten thousand things arise without beginnings there,
abide without waiting there,
come to perfection without dwelling there.
Without dwelling there: that's the one way you'll never
lose it.
———
[02c12t] Chichung
Huang
When all under heaven know beauty as beauty,
There is ugliness;
When all know goodness,
There is evil.
That being and nonbeing mutually generate,
Difficult and easy mutually complement,
Long and short mutually formulate,
High and low mutually fulfill,
Music and voice mutually harmonize,
Front and back mutually follow
Is constant.
Hence, the sage man
Assumed the office of nonaction,
Conducted speechless instruction.
When the ten thousand things rose,
He did not initiate.
He assisted without taking credit;
Scored merits without claiming.
Precisely because he claimed not,
They never vanished.
———
[02c13t] Ellen M.
Chen
When all under heaven know beauty (mei) as beauty,
There is then ugliness (o);
When all know the good (shan) good,
There is then the not good (pu shan).
Therefore being and non-being give rise to each other,
The difficult and easy complement each other,
The long and short shape each other,
The high and low lean on each other,
Voices and instruments harmonize with one another,
The front and rear follow upon each other.
Therefore the sage manages affairs without action,
Carries out (hsing) teaching without speech (yen).
Ten thousand things arise and he does not initiate them,
They come to be and he claims no possession (yu) of them,
He works (wei) without holding on,
Accomplishes (ch'eng) without claiming merit.
Because he does not claim merit,
His merit does not go away.
———
[02c14t] Lee Sun Chen
Org
In our world:
When there was a consensus on what should be judged as
beautiful, a convention on what should be disliked [as ugly] was reciprocally
brought in [inadvertently].
When there was an agreement on what should be deemed
good, an agreement on what was evil (not good) was correspondingly decided
upon.
Accordingly, [the following contrasting concepts were
formulated because of their relative relations]:
Existence (being) and non-existence (nothing) are
inter-dependent [concepts];
Difficulty and easiness are determined by comparison;
Long and short are conjointly formulated;
High and low owe their existences to their relative
positions [to the observer];
Tune and sound are distinguished by [the rule whether a
stream of sounds has internal harmonization];
Front and back are joined together by perspective
positions [of objects to the observer].
Accordingly, a Sage (leader) [adopts the following
measure to lead]:
When comes to managing the government, he would practice
the policy of non-interference;
When comes to educating the population, he would avoid
making speeches (through using tantalizing rhetoric);
Even after having had activated and motivated all and
every things and creatures to embark their potentialities on the best possible
course, he will never withdraw from his continuous and painstaking support.
[A Sage] would help [all creatures] to relish their lives
without being possessive;
[He] would carry out good deeds without asserting his
authority;
[He] would not claim his merit after each success;
It is just because of his avoiding appropriating his
contributions, nothing whatsoever can take away from him his achievements [of
Te].
———
[02c15t] Tien Cong
Tran
When the entire world recognizes beauty as beauty, there
is ugliness.
When the entire world recognizes good as good, there is
evil.
Indeed, "nothing" and "being" give
birth to each other.
Difficult and easy complement each other.
Long and short exhibit each other.
High and low set measure to each other.
Voice and sound harmonize each other.
Back and front follow each other.
Therefore, the sage manages his affairs by
"non-doing", and spreads his teaching by "non-talking".
The Way makes all things and denies nothing; it gives
birth to them, but lays no claim to them; it does its work, but does not say by
its work; it accomplishes his work, but does not dwell on things.
And yet it is just because he does not dwell on things
that nobody can ever take them away from it.
———
[02c16t] Thomas Z.
Zhang
People know what beauty is, because there is ugliness;
people know what good is, because there is bad.
Likewise, empty and full, difficulty and ease, long and short,
high and low, sound and tone, front and rear, all go side by side.
Thus,
the sage handles affairs without the intention for fame,
and teaches without preaching,
lets things develop without initialize them,
lets things grow without interfering them,
lets things move ahead without forcing them,
lets things succeed without boast about them.
Because the sage does not brag his success, he would
continue to be successful.
———
[02c17t] Arthur Waley
It is because every one under Heaven recognizes beauty as
beauty, that the idea of ugliness exists.
And equally if every one recognized virtue as virtue,
this would merely create fresh conceptions of wickedness.
For truly 'Being and Not-being grow out of one another;
Difficult and easy complete one another.
Long and short test one another;
High and low determine one another.
Pitch and mode give harmony to one another.
Front and back give sequence to one another'.
Therefore the Sage relies on actionless activity,
Carries on wordless teaching,
But the myriad creatures are worked upon by him; he does
not disown them.
He rears them, but does not lay claim to them,
Controls them, but does not lean upon them,
Achieves his aim, but does not call attention to what he
does;
And for the very reason that he does not call attention
to what he does
He is not ejected from fruition of what he has done.
———
[02c18t] Richard John
Lynn
Once all under Heaven knew beauty as "beauty";
at that moment "ugliness" was already there.
Once all knew goodness as "goodness"; at that
moment "not good" was already there.
Thus it is that presence and absence generate each other;
difficulty and ease determine the sense of the other;
long and short give proportion to the other;
highs and lows are a matter of relative inclination;
instrumental sounds and voice tones depend on one other
for harmony;
and before and after result from their relative places in
a sequence.
Therefore, the sage [sheng] tends to matters without
conscious effort
And practices the teaching that is not expressed in
words.
The myriad folk model their behavior on him, yet he does
not tell them to do so.
He gives them life, yet he possesses them not.
He acts, yet they do not depend on him.
And he achieves success yet takes no pride in it.
It is just because he is not proprietary that he does not
lose it.
———
[02c19t] Lin Yutang
THE RISE OF RELATIVE OPPOSITES
When the people of the Earth all know beauty as beauty,
There arises (the recognition of) ugliness.
When the people of the Earth all know the good as good,
There arises (the recognition of) evil.
Therefore:
Being and non-being interdepend in growth;
Difficult and easy interdepend in completion;
Long and short interdepend in contrast;
High and low interdepend in position;
Tones and voice interdepend in harmony;
Front and behind interdepend in company.
Therefore the Sage:
Manages affairs without action;
Preaches the doctrine without words;
All things take their rise, but he does not turn away
from them;
He gives them life, but does not take possession of them;
He acts, but does not appropriate;
Accomplishes, but claims no credit.
It is because he lays claim to no credit
That the credit cannot be taken away from him.
———
[02c20t] Victor H.
Mair
When all under heaven know beauty as beauty, already
there is ugliness;
When everyone knows goodness, this accounts for badness.
Being and nonbeing give birth to each other,
Difficult and easy complete each other,
Long and short form each other,
High and low fulfill each other,
Tone and voice harmonize with each other,
Front and back follow each other - it is ever thus.
For these reasons,
The sage dwells in affairs of nonaction, carries out a
doctrine without words.
He lets the myriad creatures rise up but does not
instigate them;
He acts but does not presume;
He completes his work but does not dwell on it.
Now,
Simply because he does not dwell on them, his
accomplishments never leave him.
———
[02c21t] Tolbert
McCarroll
All under heaven see beauty as beauty only because they
also see ugliness.
All announce that good is good only because they also
denounce what is bad.
Therefore,
something and nothing give birth to one another.
Difficult and easy complete one another.
Long and short fashion one another.
High and low arise from one another.
Notes and tones harmonize with one another.
Front and back follow one another.
Thus,
the True Person acts without striving and teaches without
words.
Deny nothing to the ten thousand things.
Nourish them without claiming authority,
Benefit them without demanding gratitude,
Do the work, then move on.
And, the fruits of your labor will last forever.
———
[02c22t] David H. Li
For [people in] the world to know [only] beauty and what
is beautiful is ugly;
to know [only] goodness and what is good is not good.
Ull and Null complement in generation,
difficult and easy complement in completion;
long and short complement in form,
high and low complement in norm;
voice and sound complement in harmony,
front and rear complement in company;
- they are ever so.
Thus,
a sage practices laissez-faire governance and provides
wordless instructions.
[A sage] neither interferes with myriad matters'
generation,
nor takes possession of [their] cultivation,
nor expects approbation of [his/her] provision,
nor seeks acclamation for [their] accomplishments.
It is because [the sage] does not seek acclamation for
[his/her] accomplishments that they do not disappear.
———
[02c23t] Yasuhiko
Genku Kimura
When the world recognizes beauty as beauty, ugliness
arises.
When the world recognizes good as good, evil arises.
Being and non-being create each other.
Difficult and easy define each other.
Long and short form each other.
High and low support each other.
Tone and voice accompany each other.
Before and after follow each other.
Hence,
the sage lives in the state of non-action - of eternal
balance,
And teaches by the precept of silence - and through his
silent deed.
He accepts things as they arise,
Creates without possessing,
Performs without depending,
Accomplishes without claiming credit.
Because he does not claim credit for himself,
His virtues endure forever more.
———
[02c24t] Chou-Wing
Chohan
When the world understands that beauty is beautiful,
ugliness will exist.
When the world understands that goodness is good, evil
will exist.
From that we learn that:
Existence affirms non-existence,
Ease affirms difficulty,
Short derives from long, because that is what it is
compared to,
Low derives from high, because according to that it is
measured,
Echo affirms sound,
After follows before.
Accordingly,
The sage operates without action,
And teaches his pupils without words.
Everything in the universe, when defined, is relative to
everything else.
The sage does not try to differentiate things, he does
not try to show his preference for things either in deed or in speech.
This does not mean that the sage does nothing or says
nothing;
rather, it means that he "accepts things as they
are," easily and naturally, without making any demands.
———
[02c25t] Man-Ho Kwok
Beauty and mercy are only recognized by people
Because they know the opposite, which is ugly and mean.
If the people think they know goodness
Then all they really know is what evil is like!
Nothing, and Heaven share the same root -
Difficulty and ease are a part of all work.
The long and the short are in your hands,
Above and below exist because they each do,
What you want and what you say should be the same ...
Neither future nor past can exist alone.
The sage has no attachment to anything,
and he therefore does what is right without speaking by
simply being in the Tao.
Life, all life began without words.
Life is made - and no one owns it.
The Tao is neither selfish nor proud.
The Tao is generous and graceful in what it does
Without ever claiming any merit
And the sage's greatness lies in taking no credit.
———
[02c26t] Gu Zhengkun
The whole world knows the beautiful as beautiful
Only because of the existence of the ugly;
The whole world knows the good as good
Only because of the existence of the bad.
Hence the Being and the Nothingness exist in opposition;
The difficult and the easy complement each other;
The long and the short manifest themselves by comparison;
The high and the low are inclined as well as opposed to
each other;
The consonants and vowels harmonize with each other;
The front and the back follow each other.
Thus the sage behaves
Without taking active action,
Teaches without using words,
Lets all things rip without interference,
Gives them life without claiming to be their owner,
Benefits them without claiming to be their benefactor,
succeeds without claiming credit.
Because he does not claim credit,
His credit is never lost.
———
[02c27t] Chao-Hsiu
Chen
The whole world can see the beautiful as the beautiful
only because of the ugly.
The whole world can recognize the good as the good only
because of the bad.
Something and nothing create each other.
The difficult and the easy complement each other.
The long and the short define each other.
The high and the low counterbalance each other.
Before and after follow each other.
Therefore the sage acts without action, teaches without
words.
The myriad creatures keep on going without an end,
creating life without possessing it,
performing deeds without expectations,
fulfilling the mission without claiming a victory,
because the sage does not ask for praise,
therefore the praise remains with him for ever.
———
[02c28t] Liu Qixuan
We know beauty because there is ugliness.
We know goodness because there are evils.
Therefore, being and non-being are relative to each other
As are what is difficult and what is easy;
What is long and what is short;
What is high and what is low;
What sounds and what resonates;
And what precedes and what follows.
The wise do good by doing nothing
And teach well by teaching nothing.
Things work without intruding on the natural process,
Develop and produce without desiring willfully,
And are successful without feeling success.
Only those who possess nothing
Will lose nothing.
———
[02c29t] Shi Fu Hwang
The Rise Of Relative Opposites
Lao Tze says,
When the people in the world gain a knowledge of that
which is beautiful,
they will also gain a knowledge of that which is ugly.
When they gain a knowledge of that which belongs to the
realm of the good,
they will also gain a knowledge of that which belongs to
the realm of the bad.
Existence and non-existence shall rotate to take place;
difficulty and ease impress people by the prepossession;
length long and short are acknowledged in comparison;
tallness and lowness confront to make contrast;
harmonious musical pieces, the notes and tones
interdepend;
that which is before or behind leads or follows the
other.
Therefore, there is a sage who likes to do business
without the intent to control fate and conveys his instruction without speech.
All things make an effort to prosper, and there is no one
who comes to interfere with them.
Moreover, the one who gives life to all things does not
claim ownership of them;
works laboriously for them, and does not expect a reward
in return;
establishes the feat for them, and does not confess the
achievement.
Because it does not confess the achievement, no one can
forget the achievement.
———
[02c30t] Ch’u Ta-Kao
When all in the world understand beauty to be beautiful, then
ugliness exists.
When all understand goodness to be good, then evil
exists.
Thus existence suggests non-existence;
Easy gives rise to difficult;
Short is derived from long by comparison;
Low is distinguished from high by position;
Resonance harmonizes sound;
After follows before.
Therefore, the Sage carries on his business without
action, and gives his teaching without words.
———
[02c31t] Paul J. Lin
When all in the world recognize beauty as beauty, it is
ugliness.
When they recognize good as good, it is not good.
Therefore,
being and non-being beget each other,
hard and easy complement each other,
long and short shape each other,
high and low rely on each other,
sound and voice harmonize with each other,
front and back follow each other.
Therefore, the Sage administers without action and
instructs without words.
He lets all things rise without dominating them,
produces without attempting to possess,
acts without asserting,
achieves without taking credit.
And because he does not take credit, it will never leave
him.
———
[02c32t] Michael
LaFargue
When everyone in the world recognizes the elegant as
elegant ...
then ugliness has just appeared.
When all recognize goodness as good ...
then the not-good has just appeared.
Yes:
'Being' and 'nothing' give birth one to the other;
'the difficult' and 'the easy' give full shape to one
another;
'what excels' and 'what falls short' form one another;
'the noble' and 'the lowly' give content to one another;
the music and the voice harmonize with one another;
the back and the front follow one another.
Always.
And so the Wise Person:
Settles into his job of Not Doing,
carries on his teaching done without talking.
The thousands of things arise and are active -
and he rejects none of them.
He is a doer but does not rely on this,
he achieves successes but does not dwell in them.
He just does not dwell in them, and so they cannot be
taken away.
———
[02c33t] Cheng Lin
As soon as the world regards some thing as beautiful,
forthwith also appears ugliness.
As soon as the world regards some deed as good, forthwith
also appears evil.
Thus we have the alternation of existence and
non-existence;
the succession of the difficult and the easy;
the comparison of the long and the short;
the contrast between the high and the low;
the variation of pitch notes;
the order of precedence and sequence.
The Sage is ever free from artifice, and practises the
precept of silence.
He dose things without the desire for control.
He lives without the thought of private ownership.
He gives without the wish for return.
He achieves without claiming credit for himself.
Because he does not claim credit for himself, he is
always given credit.
———
[02c34t] Yi Wu
When all in the world know beauty as beauty,
then ugliness already has arisen.
When all know good as good,
then bad already has arisen.
Therefore:
existence and non-existence give birth to each other,
difficult and easy complement each other,
long and short contrast with each other,
high and low rely on each other,
sound and voice harmonize with each other,
front and back follow each other.
Therefore:
the sage manages his affairs by non-action and spreads
his teachings without words.
All things arise, he does not reject them.
He produces, but does not possess;
acts, but does not take credit;
achieves merit, but does not dwell [on it].
Because he does not dwell on it, it does not leave him.
———
[02c35t] Han Hiong
Tan
When everyone knows what beauty is,
There must also be ugliness.
When everybody knows what goodness is,
Then evil must also exist.
Therefore, the haves and the have-nots coexist.
Easy and hard become complementary.
Long and short differ in length.
High and low contrast in height.
Tone and pitch harmonise with each other.
The past is followed by the present.
Hence, the sage manages his affairs with non-action,
Teaches without utterance,
And lets everything develop without any interference.
Dao procreates but does not possess.
It facilitates development but does not gloat.
When it accomplishes his task, it does not claim credit.
As the sage does not claim credit for his success,
The credit cannot be taken away from him.
———
[02c36t] Hua-Ching Ni
As soon as the world regards something as beautiful,
ugliness simultaneously becomes apparent.
As soon as the world regards something as good,
evil simultaneously becomes apparent.
In exactly the same manner,
existence and nonexistence give birth to each other.
Difficult and easy define each other.
Long and short form each other.
High and low make each other distinguishable.
Silence and sound make each other conspicuous.
Front and back connect each other.
Realizing this, one does not separate one's being from
the subtle essence of the universe.
One holds no preconceptions, and does things without
insisting on personal conditions.
One guides people by living in accord with the essence of
life.
One brings good things about, but has no intention of
possessing them.
One performs work, but has no intention to acquire
personal power.
When one's task is accomplished,
one lets go of it and seeks no reward or recognition.
Because one does not claim credit for oneself,
one does not do any damage to oneself.
———
[02c37t] Chang
Chung-yuan
When beauty is universally affirmed as beauty, therein is
ugliness.
When goodness is universally affirmed as goodness,
therein is evil.
Therefore: being and non-being are mutually posited in
their emergence.
Difficult and easy are mutually posited in their
complementariness.
Long and short are mutually posited in their positions.
High and low are mutually posited in their contradiction.
Voice and tone are mutually posited in their unity.
Front and back are mutually posited in their succession.
Thus, the wise deals with things through non-interference
and teaches through no-words.
All things flourish without interruption.
They grow by themselves, and no one possesses them.
Work is done, and no one depends on it.
Achievements are made, but no one claims credit.
Because no one claims credit, achievements are always there.
———
[02c38t] Henry Wei
Self-Culture
Yang Shen
When all the world knows beauty as beauty,
Then ugliness comes into being;
When all the world knows goodness as goodness,
Then evil comes into being.
Therefore,
Being and Non-Being condition each other;
Difficult and Easy give rise to each other;
Long and Short set off each other;
High and Low contrast each other;
Tone and Voice harmonize each other;
Front and Rear succeed each other.
Thus the Sage handles affairs non-assertively,
And imparts his teaching without words.
The ten thousand things grow apace,
But he does not let them down.
He produces but does not claim ownership;
He acts but does not presume on the result;
He achieves success but does not take the credit.
For the very reason that he takes no credit,
Credit does not separate from him.
———
[02c39t] Ha Poong Kim
All under Heaven recognize beautiful as beautiful,
But this is none other than ugly.
Everyone recognizes good as good,
But this is none other than bad.
Therefore being and non-being rise together;
Difficult and easy complete each other;
Long and short shape each other;
High and low lean on each other;
Sound and voice come in harmony;
Front and back accompany each other.
Therefore the sage
Relies on no-action,
Practices wordless teaching.
There rise the ten thousand things, but he disowns
nothing,
He gives them life, yet does not possess them;
Rules them, yet does not depend on them;
His work is done, but he never dwells in it.
Truly, since he never dwells,
He never departs.
———
[02c40t] Tao Huang
In the world,
Everyone recognizes beauty as beauty,
Since the ugly is also there.
Everyone recognizes goodness as goodness,
Since evil is also there.
Since being and nonbeing give birth to each other,
Difficulty and ease complete each other,
Long and short measure each other,
High and low overflow into each other,
Voice and sound harmonize with each other,
And before and after follow each other,