Selections from the Daodejing

1

The Way that can be spoken of is not the constant Way;                 道可道，非常道；

The Name that can be named is not the constant name;                 名可名，非常名。

The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth;                        无，名天地之始；

The named is the mother of all things;                                               有，名万物之母。

Thus be constantly without desire,                                                      故常无，

so as to observe its subtlety,                                                                 欲以观其妙；

And constantly have desire,                                                                 常有，

so as to observe its outcome.                                                                欲以观其徼。

There two have the same origin,                                                          此两者同出

But are named differently.                                                                    而异名，

Both may be called mysterious.                                                           同谓之玄，

Mysterious and still more mysterious,                                                玄之又玄，

The gateway of all subtleties!                                                              众妙之门。

48

Devotion to learning means increasing day by day;    为学日益，为道日损。

devotion to the Way means decreasing day by day.    损之又损，以至于无为。

57

The more prohibitions there are in the world,                  天下多忌讳，

The poorer are the people.                                                     而民弥贫；

The more sharp weapons the people have,                          人多利器，

The more disorder is ffomented in the family and state.    国家滋昏；

The more adroit and clever men are,                                   人多伎巧，

the more deceptive things are frought forth.                       奇物滋起；

The more laws and ordinances are promulgated,               法令滋彰，

The more thieves and robbers there are.                              盗贼多有。

Therefore the sage says: I do nothing (wuwei),                   故圣人云：我无为，

And the people are transformed by themselves.                   而民自化.