《道德真经(道藏无注本)》

The True Classic of the Dao and De, Upper Volume

Chapter One: Embodying the Dao

If the Dao (the Way) can be clearly explained, it is not the eternal, unchanging Dao; if a name can be distinctly uttered, it is not the eternal, unchanging name. That which is without name is the beginning of Heaven and Earth; once named, it becomes the source of the myriad things.

By constantly remaining in the state of non-being, one may observe the subtle mysteries of the Dao; by constantly remaining in the state of being, one may observe the boundaries and manifestations of things. Non-being and being both issue from the same Dao, yet they differ in name. Both may be called profound and mysterious. Within mystery there is even deeper mystery; this is the gateway to all wonders.

Chapter Two: Nourishing the Body

Everyone under Heaven knows what makes beauty beautiful, and thus ugliness appears; everyone knows what makes goodness good, and thus that which is not good appears. They may all be called mysterious; within mystery there is even deeper mystery, this is the gateway to all wonders.

Chapter Two: Nourishing the Body

Everyone under Heaven knows why beauty is beautiful, and thus ugliness becomes manifest; everyone knows why goodness is good, and thus that which is not good becomes manifest. Therefore being and non-being generate each other, difficulty and ease complete each other, long and short contrast with each other, high and low depend on each other, tones and sounds respond to each other, front and back follow each other.

Therefore the sage handles affairs with an attitude of Wuwei (non-action) and practices teaching without relying on words. The myriad things grow and develop, yet the sage does not interfere with them; he causes them to grow yet does not claim them as his own; he acts yet does not rely on the results; when the work is accomplished he does not dwell on the achievement. Precisely because he does not dwell on the achievement, the achievement never leaves him.

Chapter Three: Settling the People

Do not exalt the so-called worthy and capable, and the people will not contend for fame and position; do not value rare and hard-to-obtain goods, and the people will not steal; do not display things that can arouse desire, and people's hearts will not become chaotic.

Therefore in governing the world the sage makes the people's minds simple and their lives abundant, weakens their competitive and striving thoughts, and strengthens their bodies. He constantly causes the people to have less cunning knowledge and fewer desires, so that those who consider themselves clever dare not act recklessly. Governing according to the principle of Wuwei, there is nothing that cannot be well governed.

Chapter Four: The Sourceless

The substance of the Dao (the Way) is empty and void, yet it seems inexhaustible no matter how much it is drawn upon. It is profound, distant and obscure, as if it were the root of all things. Blunt the sharp edges, dissolve the tangles, and soften the radiance so that it does not glare; keep the sinews and bones strong. Constantly cause the common people to have fewer clever devices and desires, so that even those of talent and wisdom dare not act of their own accord. Govern according to the principle of Wuwei (non-action), and there will be nothing that cannot be well governed.

Chapter Four: Without Source

The Great Dao is empty and formless, yet however it is used it seems never to overflow. It is profound, distant and obscure, as if it were the ancestral source of all things. It blunts its sharpness, dissolves confusion, softens its radiance, and merges with the dust of the world. It is hidden, deep and still, seeming to exist yet difficult to pin down. I do not know whose descendant it is; its form appears to have existed even before the Lord of Heaven.

Chapter Five: Empty Use

Heaven and Earth do not act out of human-like benevolence; they treat the myriad things as straw dogs used in sacrifice. The sage likewise does not act out of personal benevolence, treating the people as straw dogs used in sacrifice. Is not the space between Heaven and Earth like a bellows? Empty in the middle, yet it never runs dry; once it is set in motion, the breath instead pours forth without end. Words spoken in excess often come to an end; it is better to hold fast to the emptiness, stillness and centered uprightness of the inner heart.

Chapter Six: Completing the Image

The Dao that is deep as a valley, obscure yet endlessly generating life, is called the Mysterious Female (xuanpin)—the profound maternal power capable of giving birth to and nourishing all things. The gateway of the Mysterious Female is the root of Heaven, Earth and the myriad things. It continues without interruption, seeming both to be and not to be; drawn upon, it is never exhausted.

Chapter Seven: Sheathing the Light

Heaven lasts long; Earth endures. The reason Heaven and Earth are able to last long is that they do not live for themselves, and so they can endure. The sage places himself behind the multitude and thereby comes to stand before them; he sets himself outside of consideration and thereby preserves his own person. Is this not because he is without selfishness? Precisely for this reason he instead fulfills himself.

Chapter Eight: Easy Nature

The highest good is like water. Water is excellent at nourishing the myriad things yet does not contend with them for superiority; it remains in the low places that people find distasteful, and therefore comes closest to the Dao. In dwelling, choose a fitting place; let the heart be as still and deep as a pool of water; in treating others, be kind and generous; in speaking, be trustworthy; in government, administer properly; in doing things, give play to one’s strengths; in acting, seize the right moment. So long as one does not contend, one will not incur fault.

Chapter Nine: Using the Even

To hold a vessel and fill it to overflowing is not as good as stopping in good time. To grind an implement too sharp makes it hard to keep that keenness for long. When gold and jade fill the halls, there is no one who can guard them forever. After wealth and honor, to become arrogant and self-important only stores up disaster for oneself. When the work is accomplished and fame is attained, to withdraw in timely fashion accords with the natural Dao.

Note: In the original text, passages such as “Chapter Four: Without Source” and “Chapter Seven: Sheathing the Light” contain repetitions or disordered wording; the foregoing follows the more coherent sense among the repeated paragraphs.

Can the physical form be united with the hun and po souls so that they never separate? Can one concentrate wholly on cultivating the Qi (vital energy), rendering it soft and yielding, like that of an infant? Can the profound inner vision be washed clean until it is without blemish? In caring for the people and governing the state, can one follow what is natural and refrain from forced action? In the opening and closing of the heavenly gate, can one remain yielding and still? In clearly perceiving the four directions, can one do so without relying on cleverness, abiding in natural Wuwei (non-action)? To let the myriad things grow and be nourished without claiming them as one’s own; to act without self-assertion; to guide their development without dominating them—this is called Xuan De, the profound De (Virtue/Power).

Chapter Eleven: On Non-Use

Thirty spokes converge on a single hub; it is the empty space within the hub that allows the cart to function. Clay is shaped into a vessel; it is the empty space inside that allows it to hold things. Doors and windows are cut out to make a house; it is the empty spaces of the openings and the interior that allow people to enter and dwell. Thus what has form provides convenience, while the formless emptiness is what enables it to be of use.

Chapter Twelve: Restraining Desire

The five colors dazzle the eyes; the five tones dull the hearing; the five flavors ruin the palate. Galloping in the hunt throws the mind into frenzy; rare and precious goods obstruct right conduct. Therefore the sage attends to filling what is within rather than pursuing sensory pleasure, discarding outer temptations and choosing inner fullness.

Chapter Thirteen: On Loathing Shame

Receiving favor or suffering humiliation both feel like being startled; great calamity is regarded as equal in importance to one’s own person. What is meant by “favor and disgrace”? Favor already implies a lowly position: one is fearful upon receiving it and equally fearful upon losing it—this is called “favor and disgrace are like being startled.” What is meant by regarding great calamity as equal to one’s own person? The reason I suffer great trouble is that I possess a body; if I had no body, what trouble could there be? Therefore one who values the world as one values one’s own person may be entrusted with the world; one who loves the world as one loves one’s own person may be given the world to govern.

Chapter Fourteen: Praising the Mysterious

Looking at it, one cannot see it, so it is called “Yi” (the Invisible). Listening to it, one cannot hear it, so it is called “Xi” (the Inaudible). Touching it, one cannot grasp it, so it is called “Wei” (the Intangible). These three characteristics cannot be fully pursued to their end, and thus they are mixed together and regarded as one. Above it is not bright, below it is not dark; it continues endlessly yet cannot be named, finally returning to the formless and substanceless. This is called “the form without shape,” also the image without form, the image without any particular thing, termed “Hu Huang,” meaning a state that is difficult to grasp clearly.

Approaching it, one cannot see its beginning; following it, one cannot see its end. Grasp the Dao (the Way) that has existed since ancient times in order to govern the affairs of the present; being able to know the beginning of remote antiquity is called mastering the guiding principle of the Dao.

Chapter Fifteen: Manifest Virtue

In ancient times those skilled in cultivating the Dao possessed insight that was subtle, profound, and penetrating, so deep that others could not see through them. Precisely because they were hard to fathom, we can only reluctantly describe their manner: cautious as if wading across a river in winter, alert as if on guard against neighboring states; dignified as if being a guest, unfolding as if ice about to melt; sincere and simple as uncarved wood, open as a valley, murky as muddy water.

Who can allow the turbid water to settle slowly and gradually become clear? Who can maintain a state of stillness for a long time and then let vitality gradually arise? Those who hold to this Dao do not seek fullness or self-satisfaction. Precisely because they are not self-satisfied, they do not head toward decline and can continually renew themselves.

Chapter Sixteen: Returning to the Root

Let the mind reach the utmost emptiness and stillness, and single-mindedly maintain profound quiet. All things grow and change together; from this I observe how they return. All things flourish in growth, yet each finally returns to its root. Returning to the root is called stillness; stillness is called returning to original nature; returning to original nature is called the Constant Dao. Knowing the Constant Dao is wisdom. Not knowing the Constant Dao leads to rash and reckless action, inviting disaster.

Knowing the Constant Dao, one can embrace all things; being able to embrace, one can be impartial; being impartial, one can become the ruler of all things; becoming the ruler, one can accord with the Way of Heaven; according with the Way of Heaven, one can accord with the Dao; according with the Dao, one can last long. Such a person will never fall into danger throughout life.

Chapter Seventeen: Pure Customs

The best ruler is one of whom the people only know that he exists. Next come those whom the people feel close to and praise; next, those whom the people fear; worst of all are those whom the people despise and insult.

If the ruler’s trustworthiness is insufficient, the people will not trust him. Therefore those who govern should treasure their words and issue few commands. When the work is accomplished and the merit completed, the people say, “We did this naturally of ourselves.”

After the great Dao (the Way) declined, talk of benevolence and righteousness first appeared. Once cleverness and ingenuity came to be prized, hypocrisy grew along with them. Only when family relations became disharmonious did people begin to commend acts of filial piety and parental affection; only when the state fell into chaos did loyal ministers become evident.

If we discard the wisdom that considers itself sagely and clever, the common people will instead obtain more genuine benefit; if we no longer deliberately advertise benevolence and righteousness, the people will naturally recover their innate filial piety and affection; if we do not flaunt skill or chase after profit, thieves will disappear. These three principles, if explained only in words, are still not enough, so people must also be given something to follow: remain simple and authentic, and reduce selfishness and desire.

When one lets go of deliberate study and the pursuit of fame and profit, there is less anxiety in the heart. How great is the difference between a respectful reply and a casual one? How far apart are good and evil? What the people of the world fear, one cannot help but fear as well. The turmoil of the secular world is endless.

The multitude are in high spirits, as if attending a grand banquet or climbing a high terrace on a spring day to enjoy the view; I alone am cautious and still, my inner intention not yet revealed, like an infant who has not yet learned to smile, lost and with nowhere to rest. Everyone else feels they have more than enough; I alone seem to be lacking. This heart of mine is truly like the heart of a fool. The simple nature of the multitude has already shown itself, yet worldly people appear sharp and perceptive while I seem dull and confused; worldly people distinguish and calculate at every turn, while I appear heavy and unresponsive. Vague and obscure, drifting without rest, as if without end. Everyone else considers themselves to have accomplished something; I alone am stubborn and rustic. I am different from others: what I treasure is to live by following the great Dao, like an infant relying on its mother.

The manifestation of great De (Virtue/Power) consists solely in following the Dao. This existence called Dao is vague and elusive, hard to discern. Within the vagueness there is form; within the obscurity there is actual substance. In the profound darkness there is a subtle Jing (essence); this subtle essence is genuine and trustworthy. From ancient times until now, the name and function of the Dao have never vanished; they serve to observe the origin of the myriad things. How do I know what the beginning of all things was like? Precisely by this principle.

Chapter 22: Yielding and Humility

To yield is instead to be preserved; to bend is instead to be straightened; to be low-lying is instead to be filled; to be worn is instead to be renewed; to take little is instead to obtain something; to grasp for much is instead to become confused. Therefore the sage holds to the great Dao (the Way) and takes it as the model for all under heaven.

Not regarding only oneself as important, one therefore sees clearly; not considering oneself always in the right, one can therefore stand out; not boasting of oneself, one can therefore establish merit; not being arrogant, one can therefore last long. Precisely because one does not contend with others, no one under heaven is able to contend with one.

What the ancients said—“to yield is instead to be preserved”—was that empty talk? It is truly so: those who are able to preserve themselves, all under heaven will naturally turn toward them.

Chapter 23: Emptiness and Non-Being

To issue few commands and make few interventions accords with what is natural. A fierce wind does not last a whole morning; a violent rain does not last a whole day. Who produces these winds and rains? Heaven and earth. Even the intense changes of heaven and earth cannot last long, how much less those of human beings?

Therefore, those who act in accordance with the Dao become one with the Dao; those who act in accordance with De (Virtue/Power) become one with De; those whose conduct is improper become one with the consequences of departing from the Dao. Those who are one with the Dao, the Dao also accepts them; those who are one with De, De also accepts them; those who are one with the consequences of departing from the Dao likewise receive the corresponding results. When sincerity is insufficient, trust will not be obtained.

Chapter 24: Superficial Effort

To stand on tiptoe is not to stand firmly; to take long strides is not to walk far. To regard only oneself as important is not to see things clearly; to consider oneself always in the right is not to stand out; to boast of oneself is not to establish merit; to be arrogant is not to last long. Measured by the standard of the Dao, these practices are like leftover food and superfluous excrescences; people commonly detest them, and therefore those who possess the Dao do not act in this way.

Chapter 25: Name and Form

There is an existence that forms an undifferentiated whole, already present before heaven and earth came into being. It is silent and without sound, vast and without form; it exists independently and does not change, it circulates and operates without ever ceasing, and it can serve as the fundamental principle of the operations of the myriad things. Among the myriad things there are those who detest this state, and therefore those who possess the Dao do not do things that go against it.

There is a unified existence that already was before Heaven and Earth took form. Silent and vast, it stands alone and never changes, circulating in its movement without exhaustion; it can be called the root of all things under Heaven. I do not know its original name, so I call it the Dao (the Way); forced to give it a name, I call it “Great.” Being great, it flows and passes on; passing on, it reaches far; reaching far, it returns. Thus the Dao is great, Heaven is great, Earth is great, and the ruler too is great. Between Heaven and Earth there are four “greats,” and the ruler is one of them. Humans take their pattern from Earth, Earth takes its pattern from Heaven, Heaven takes its pattern from the Dao, and the Dao accords with the state of being naturally so.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Valuing De (Virtue/Power)

Steadiness is the root of lightness, stillness the master of restlessness. Therefore the gentleman travels all day long yet never leaves the carriage that carries his belongings. Even when splendid views lie before him, he can remain at ease and keep his detachment. Why would the sovereign of a ten-thousand-chariot state govern the world with a light and hasty manner? Lightness loses the allegiance of ministers; restlessness loses the dignity proper to a ruler.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Skillful Use

One skilled at walking leaves no ruts or footprints. One skilled at speaking commits no faults in words. One skilled at calculating needs no counting rods or instruments. One skilled at shutting doors uses no bolts, yet others cannot open them. One skilled at binding uses no cords, yet others cannot unbind them.

Therefore the sage is always skilled at rescuing people and so abandons no person; always skilled at employing things and so discards no thing. This is called “inheriting the luminous Dao.” The good person can serve as teacher to the not-good; the not-good can serve as a cautionary example for the good. To fail to respect the teacher and to fail to value the example, even while regarding oneself as clever, is to fall into great confusion. This is an essential and subtle principle of the Dao.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Returning to Simplicity

From the beginning of this chapter to the “wei tian” passage, the original text shows repetitions and misplaced connections with what follows. Following the sense of the matching phrases later in the text, it may be understood in this way:

Knowing the firm and strong yet holding to the soft and weak, one becomes the ravine of the world. Becoming the ravine of the world, constant De does not depart, and one returns to the infant’s pure state. Knowing the bright yet holding to the dark, one becomes the model of the world; becoming the model of the world, constant De does not stray, and one returns to the inexhaustible Dao. Knowing glory yet holding to disgrace, one becomes the valley of the world; becoming the valley of the world, constant De is abundant, and one returns to the uncarved original nature.

When the uncarved wood is split apart it becomes various utensils. The sage employs these utensils and thus becomes the head of the hundred officials. Therefore superior government is like working a single piece of timber, without splitting and ruining it.

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Wuwei (non-action)

Here the original text supplies only the chapter title and provides no main body.

Wanting to seize the world as private property and govern it by force will not succeed. The world is a sacred vessel that cannot be forcibly controlled. Forcible action instead brings failure; clutching it tightly instead brings loss. Thus among the myriad things some go forward and some follow; some are mild and some are fierce; some are strong and some are weak; some rest securely and some collapse in destruction. Therefore the sage discards extremes, extravagance, and excess.

Chapter Thirty: Sparing the Use of Arms

Those who assist a ruler by means of the Dao (the Way) do not dominate the world through military force. The use of force easily invites retribution. Where armies have camped, brambles grow thick; after great wars, famine years commonly follow. Therefore those skilled in employing troops seek only to achieve their purpose and dare not use this to display strength. They achieve their purpose without boasting, without showing off, and without arrogance; they resort to arms only out of necessity and still do not dominate by force. When a thing reaches the peak of strength and flourishing, it then proceeds toward decline; this is called not conforming to the Dao. What does not conform to the Dao soon perishes.

Chapter Thirty-One: Laying Down Arms

Weapons are inauspicious implements that people commonly detest, so those who possess the Dao do not regard them as everyday supports. In ordinary times a gentleman honors the left; when employing troops he honors the right. Weapons are inauspicious things, not the vessels a gentleman should use; only when there is no alternative does he employ them, taking a calm and detached attitude as superior. Even a victorious battle should not be considered worth celebrating. To regard victory as a joyful event is to take pleasure in killing. Those who take pleasure in killing cannot realize the aspiration of ordering the world.

Auspicious and celebratory affairs honor the left; inauspicious and funerary affairs honor the right. In the army the deputy general stands on the left and the commanding general on the right; this follows the protocol of mourning rites. When many have been killed one should feel grief and mourning; even a victory should be viewed in the spirit of funeral rites.

The Dao (the Way) has never had a fixed name. It is like an uncarved piece of wood, simple and small, yet no one dares to treat it as a subordinate. If kings and lords can hold fast to it, the ten thousand things will naturally submit. When the Qi (vital energy) of heaven and earth combine, they send down sweet dew; though none among the people commands it, the dew falls evenly of its own accord.

Once the ten thousand things come to have institutions and names, and names have been produced, the boundaries of things gradually become clear. Understanding these boundaries, one can avoid danger. The presence of the Dao in the world is like rivers and valleys flowing into the great rivers and the sea.

Distinguishing De (Virtue/Power), Chapter 33

To understand others is called wisdom; to know oneself is called insight. To defeat others shows strength; to overcome oneself is true power. To know contentment is wealth; to strive to realize one's aspirations is to have will. Not losing one's foothold allows one to endure; remaining unforgotten after death is what constitutes longevity.

Entrusting Completion, Chapter 34

The great Dao flows broadly, present everywhere, able to penetrate in all directions. The ten thousand things rely on it to grow, yet it does not refuse them nor claim credit for itself; when things are accomplished, it does not take the merit as its own. It cherishes and nurtures the ten thousand things yet does not act as their master. Constantly without desire, it can be called small; all things return to it yet it does not act as master, so it can be called great. Therefore the sage never considers himself great, and is thereby able to achieve true greatness.

Humane De, Chapter 35

Hold fast to the image of the great Dao and the people of the world will come to attach themselves. After attaching they will not be harmed, and thus can enjoy stability, harmony, and peace. Music and fine food can make passersby pause; yet when the Dao is spoken it is bland and tasteless. Look at it and you see nothing; listen to it and you hear nothing; use it and it is never exhausted.

Subtle Clarity, Chapter 36

If you wish to contract something, you must first let it expand; if you wish to weaken it, you must first let it grow strong; if you wish to discard it, you must first let it arise; if you wish to seize it, you must first give. This is called the principle of the subtle yet clear. The soft and weak can overcome the hard and strong. Fish cannot leave deep water, and the key instruments of the state cannot be lightly shown to others.

Governing, Chapter 37

The Dao constantly follows what is natural and does not act deliberately, yet there is nothing it cannot accomplish. If lords and kings can hold to the Dao, the ten thousand things will transform of themselves. If in the course of transformation desire and reckless action arise, I will stabilize them with nameless simplicity. Nameless simplicity also reduces people's desires; when desires are reduced, the world can be at peace.

The Dao (the Way) is originally that which follows what is natural and practices Wuwei (non-action), yet there is nothing that cannot be accomplished. If lords and kings can hold fast to this principle, the myriad things will grow and transform of their own accord. After the myriad things have changed and developed, if someone again gives rise to desires for willful action, I use the “nameless uncarved simplicity” to settle them. The “nameless uncarved simplicity” also causes people no longer to seek willfully; when people have no excessive desires, their inner minds can become quiet, and All-under-Heaven will naturally return to the correct Dao.

Daode Zhenjing, Volume One

Originally, beneath the character “sheng” there was a typesetting error that mistakenly inserted two and a half pages, totaling ten woodblock pages from Fu Yi’s Ancient Text of the Daodejing. It has now been corrected according to the Heshang Gong Zhangju, and collation notes are no longer listed in order to avoid tedium.

Daode Zhenjing, Volume Two

Chapter 38: On De

Superior De (Virtue/Power) does not deliberately manifest itself as possessing De, and for this reason truly has De; inferior De never forgets to manifest itself as possessing De, and for this reason in fact has no genuine De. Superior De accords with what is natural, does not act willfully, and has no particular purpose; inferior De takes action and moreover carries a definite purpose.

Superior humaneness takes action yet has no particular purpose; superior righteousness takes action and moreover carries a definite purpose. Superior ritual takes action; if others do not respond, it rolls up its sleeves and forcibly requires the other party to comply.

Therefore, only when the Dao is lost does one speak of De; only when De is lost does one speak of humaneness; only when humaneness is lost does one speak of righteousness; only when righteousness is lost does one speak of ritual. Ritual means that loyalty and trustworthiness have already grown thin, and it is also the starting point of disorder. The so-called cleverness of those who possess prior knowledge is the superficial brilliance of the Dao, and also the beginning of stupidity.

Therefore a great man establishes himself in what is substantial and thick, not taking what is floating and thin; he stands on what is genuine and real, not pursuing what is floating and ornate. Hence one discards the floating, ornate and shallow and chooses the substantial, thick and genuine.

In the original text the passage “inferior De does not lose De … superior ritual acts …” appears repeatedly; the above retains its meaning in accordance with the original.

Chapter 39: On Taking the Root as Model

In former times, those that obtained the “One”—the fundamental and unified state of the Dao (the Way)—were as follows. Heaven obtained the One and thus became clear. Earth obtained the One and thus became peaceful. The Shen (spirits) obtained the One and thus became efficacious. Valleys obtained the One and thus became full. The ten thousand things obtained the One and thus were able to grow. Lords and kings obtained the One and thus became the correct Dao of all under heaven.

If they lose the “One,” Heaven cannot remain clear and risks splitting apart; Earth cannot remain peaceful and risks quaking; the Shen cannot remain efficacious and risk fading away; valleys cannot remain full and risk drying up; the ten thousand things cannot grow and risk extinction; lords and kings cannot preserve their honor and elevation and risk being overthrown. Therefore honor takes the lowly as its root, and elevation takes the humble as its foundation. When lords and kings call themselves “the orphaned,” “the lonely,” and “the unworthy” (humble titles meaning insufficient in virtue), they are taking the lowly as the root—is this not so? Hence those who strive after reputation end up without genuine praise. One does not wish to appear precious and dazzling like fine jade, nor isolated and hard like a stone.

Chapter 40: Receding and Employing

Repeated return is the movement of the Dao; softness and weakness is the manner in which the Dao functions. The ten thousand things under heaven arise from “Being,” and “Being” arises from “Non-being.”

Chapter 41: Sameness and Difference

When people of the highest rank hear of the Dao, they practice it diligently. When people of middling rank hear of the Dao, they seem to remember it yet also seem to forget it. When people of the lowest rank hear of the Dao, they burst out laughing. If it were not laughed at, it would not suffice to be called the Dao.

An ancient saying puts it this way: the bright Dao appears dark; the advancing Dao appears as if receding; the even Dao appears rugged and uneven. The highest De (Virtue/Power) is as low as a valley; the purest white appears as if stained; the vast De appears as if lacking; the vigorous De appears as if indolent; the simple and genuine appears as if it might change.

The greatest square has no corners; the greatest vessel is completed last; the greatest sound is heard only faintly; the greatest form has no fixed shape. The Dao remains hidden and nameless. Only the Dao is skilled at giving to the ten thousand things and helping them fulfill themselves.

The Dao (the Way) gives birth to “One” (the unified state generated by the Dao), “One” gives birth to “Two” (Yin and Yang), “Two” gives birth to “Three” (the harmonious Qi (vital energy) formed by the union of Yin and Yang), and these three together generate the myriad things. The myriad things carry Yin on their backs and face toward Yang; the blending of the Qi of Yin and Yang creates a harmonious state. What people detest are often the titles “orphaned,” “lonely,” and “unworthy,” yet kings and nobles use them to refer to themselves. Therefore things sometimes diminish and thereby gain increase, and sometimes increase and thereby suffer loss. However others teach people, I also teach people by this principle. Those who are overbearing and forceful come to no good end; I take this as the foundation of my teaching.

Pervasive Use Chapter 43

The most yielding and weak thing in the world can pass through the most rigid and hard thing in the world. Formless things (that which cannot be seen or touched) can enter where there are no gaps. Therefore I know that Wuwei (non-action) (following the inherent nature of things without rash interference) is beneficial. Few things in the world can compare with the benefits of teaching without words and of Wuwei.

Establishing Precepts Chapter 44

Fame and life—which is more dear? Life and possessions—which is more important? Gain and loss—which brings more anxiety? Therefore excessive attachment necessarily incurs a great cost; excessive hoarding necessarily leads to heavy loss. Know how to be content and you will not suffer disgrace; know when to stop and you will not encounter danger. In this way you can endure for long.

Vast Virtue Chapter 45

The most complete appears as if deficient, yet its functioning never fails; the most abundant appears as if empty, yet its functioning never runs out. The most upright appears as if bent, the most skillful appears as if clumsy, the most eloquent appears as if inarticulate. Activity can resist the cold, stillness can dispel the heat; purity and stillness constitute the standard of the world.

Moderating Desire Chapter 46

When the world has the Dao, war horses are retired to plow the fields and fertilize the soil; when the world is without the Dao, war horses breed in the suburbs. No error is greater than giving in to desire, no misfortune more severe than not knowing contentment, no calamity deeper than endlessly seeking. Therefore those who know contentment and take contentment as their sufficiency can constantly remain content.

Observing from Afar Chapter 47

Without going out of the door, one can know all under heaven; without looking out of the window, one can see the Dao of Heaven (the laws of natural operation). The farther one goes, the less one knows. Therefore the sage does not travel yet clearly perceives the principles of things, does not look with his own eyes yet distinguishes things, does not act arbitrarily yet accomplishes his affairs.

Chapter Forty-Eight: Forgetting Knowledge

Those who pursue learning increase their knowledge day by day; those who cultivate the Dao decrease their desires and contrived actions day by day. Decreasing and decreasing again, they arrive at the realm of Wuwei (non-action). Acting through Wuwei, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished. In governing the world one must always rely on stillness and non-interference; if decrees are numerous and one meddles in every affair, it is not enough to govern the world well.

Chapter Forty-Nine: Entrusting De (Virtue/Power)

The sage has no fixed, unchanging preconceptions, but takes the minds of the common people as his own mind. Those who are good, I treat well; those who are not good, I also treat well—thus can people be led toward goodness. Those who keep faith, I trust; those who do not keep faith, I also trust—thus can people be led to keep faith.

The sage dwells in the world with cautious concern, causing the minds of all under Heaven to return to simplicity. The common people are all absorbed in what their ears hear and their eyes see, yet the sage treats them as he would children, so that they may preserve their innocence.

Chapter Fifty: Valuing Life

From birth toward death, those who belong to the long-lived kind are three in ten; those who belong to the early-dying kind are three in ten; and there remain three in ten who could have lived, yet through reckless action proceed toward the place of death. Why is this so? Because they overly cling to and pamper their own lives, and thereby invite danger.

It is said that those skilled at preserving life, walking upon land, do not meet harm from rhinoceroses or tigers, and entering the battle array are not wounded by weapons. The rhinoceros has nowhere to plant its horn, the tiger nowhere to sink its claws, and weapons nowhere to apply their blades. Why is this so? Because such a person does not place himself in the realm of death.

Chapter Fifty-One: Nourishing De

The Dao enables the myriad things to come into being; De (the nurturing presence and embodiment of the Dao within the myriad things) enables them to be nourished. Each of the myriad things takes on a concrete form, and environment and conditions cause them to grow and take shape. Therefore none of the myriad things fails to honor the Dao and treasure De.

The reason the Dao is honored and De is treasured is not that anyone has conferred ranks upon them or issued commands, but that they are so of themselves, naturally so. Thus the Dao generates the myriad things and De nourishes them; the myriad things grow, develop, take form, mature, receive care, and are sheltered. The Dao gives life to and rears the myriad things yet does not possess them; it acts yet does not claim the merit as its own; it causes the myriad things to grow yet does not dominate them. This is called “Xuande”—De that is profound and natural.

Chapter Fifty-Two: Returning to the Origin

The original text for this chapter lists only the chapter title and provides no scripture content.

Note: The given original text repeated a passage from “Chapter Forty-Nine: Entrusting De” before “Chapter Fifty: Valuing Life,” and so the above translates it only once as it stands; the opening of “Chapter Fifty: Valuing Life” also repeated the sentence preceding “those who belong to the long-lived kind…,” and the translation above continues according to the actual content.

The myriad things under heaven all share a common origin, which may be regarded as the mother of all things. Once this origin is known, one can understand the myriad things born from it; after understanding the myriad things, one still returns to and abides in this origin, and throughout life one will not fall into danger.

By restraining the cravings of the senses and closing the gates that chase after external things, one will not labor the mind or expend effort throughout life. If one indulges the desires of the senses and busies oneself handling all manner of affairs, it will be hard to recover even for a lifetime. To discern the principle in the minute is called clarity; to hold fast to the soft and weak is called strength. Employing brightness yet returning to an unrevealed and unostentatious state will not invite misfortune upon oneself; this is called continuing the constant Dao (the Way).

Chapter 53: Increasing Evidence

If I have even a slight understanding of the principle and walk upon the great Dao, what I most fear is straying from the proper path. The great Dao is level and easy to travel, yet people prefer to take the side paths.

The court is adorned with extreme magnificence, yet the fields lie waste and the granaries stand empty; they wear splendid clothes, gird sharp swords at the waist, eat their fill of delicacies, and still possess ample wealth. Such a state of affairs is called the ostentation of robbers; it is by no means conduct in accord with the great Dao.

Chapter 54: Cultivating Observation

What is skillfully established cannot be uprooted; what is skillfully held will not slip away. In this way the ancestral sacrifices of descendants can continue without interruption.

When the cultivation of Dao and De (Virtue/Power) is implemented in oneself, De becomes genuine; implemented in the family, De becomes plentiful; implemented in the village, De increases; implemented in the state, De becomes abundant; extended throughout all under heaven, De becomes universally prevalent.

Therefore one may observe the self from the cultivation of the self, observe a family from a family, observe a village from a village, observe a state from a state, and observe all under heaven from the condition of all under heaven. How do I know that the condition of all under heaven is thus? It is by this very method.

Chapter 55: Mysterious Tally

One whose De is profound is like a newborn infant. Venomous insects will not sting him, fierce beasts will not harm him, and birds of prey will not strike him. His bones are weak and his sinews soft, yet his grasp is firm.

He does not yet know of the union of male and female, yet his genital organ becomes erect; this is a manifestation of abundant Jing (essence) and Qi (vital energy). He cries all day yet his voice does not grow hoarse; this is a manifestation that body and breath are in harmony. To know harmony is called the constant; to know the constant is called clarity. Deliberately seeking to increase life and pursuing excessive nourishment invite misfortune; letting the mind drive the Qi is to force strength. When things become overly vigorous they grow old; this is called not in accord with the Dao; what is not in accord with the Dao soon comes to an end.

At the end of the scripture, after “Mysterious De, Chapter 55,” the wording from the close of the preceding chapter is repeated; at the lacuna marked “□作” a character is missing in the original, which according to context has been rendered above as the genital organ becoming erect.

Xuande Chapter Fifty-Six

Those who truly understand the great Dao (the Way) do not speak of it lightly; those who constantly love to talk at great length do not necessarily understand it in truth. One should restrain the desires of the senses and close the gates of desire; grind away the sharp points and dissolve the disturbances; withdraw the radiance and merge with the dusty commonplace. This is called “Xuantong” (mysterious unity, being one with the profound Dao).

Such a person will neither cause others to feel especially close nor especially distant; will neither be felt as beneficial nor as harmful; will neither be regarded as noble nor as base. For this reason, this person is instead held in respect by all under Heaven.

Chunfeng Chapter Fifty-Seven

Govern the state by the correct Dao, conduct warfare by unexpected and changing methods, and rule all under Heaven by not intervening arbitrarily, that is, by Wuwei (non-action). How do I know that the state of the world is like this? I see it from the following principles:

The more taboos there are in the world, the poorer the people become; the more sharp instruments there are among the people, the more chaotic the state becomes; the more people display their skills and techniques, the more strange and bizarre things multiply; the more numerous and strict the laws and decrees, the more thieves and bandits there are.

Therefore the sage says: I do not act arbitrarily, and the people are naturally transformed; I do not multiply affairs, and the people naturally become prosperous; I love stillness and quiet, and the people naturally become upright; I am without greedy desires, and the people naturally become simple and honest.

Shunhua Chapter Fifty-Eight

When government is generous, broad, and reserved, the people are simple and honest; when government is harsh, scrutinizing, and severe, the people become deficient. Within disaster there may be hidden blessing; within blessing there may also lurk disaster. Who can know the end of these changes? Is there truly a fixed and unchanging standard in them?

The correct Dao may transform into the strange and deviant; the good may also transform into the monstrous and uncanny. The people have been sunk in confusion for a long time. Therefore the sage is square and upright yet does not injure people, is sharp yet does not pierce, is straight yet does not indulge, is bright yet does not dazzle.

Shoudao Chapter Fifty-Nine

In governing the people and serving the heavenly Dao, nothing is more important than frugality and restraint. If one can practice frugality and restraint, one can return to the root at an early time; returning to the root early is called the continuous accumulation of De (Virtue/Power). When De is accumulated deeply, there is nothing that cannot be overcome; when there is nothing that cannot be overcome, one’s power cannot be measured. When power is unfathomable, one can govern the state.

Only by grasping the fundamental Dao of the state can the state be made to last long. This is called being deeply rooted and firmly established; it is also the principle of long-lasting survival and the preservation of vital force.

Juwei Chapter Sixty

The original text has only the chapter title and contains no body.

Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish: one must not turn it frequently or disturb it excessively. When the world is governed by the Dao (the Way), ghosts and spirits will not manifest their numinous powers to cause harm. It is not that the ghosts and spirits themselves cease to be numinous, but rather that their supernatural power does not injure the people. Not only do ghosts and spirits refrain from harming the people, but the sage likewise does not harm them. When neither ghosts and spirits nor the sage injure the people, the blessings of De (Virtue/Power) then converge and flow throughout the world.

Chapter 61: Humble Virtue

A large country should occupy the low position, like the lower reaches of a river, becoming the place where all under heaven converge. The world’s place of confluence possesses the quality of yin softness; yin softness constantly overcomes yang hardness through stillness, prevailing by remaining below. Therefore, if a large country is humble toward a small country, it can gain the small country’s trust; if a small country is humble toward a large country, it can obtain the large country’s acceptance. A large country sometimes, through humility, wins the allegiance of small countries; a small country sometimes, through humility, obtains acceptance from a large country. A large country desires nothing more than to annex and nourish the multitude, while a small country desires nothing more than to receive the large country’s protection and to serve it. When both can obtain what they wish, the large country especially ought to remain humble.

Chapter 62: Practicing the Dao

The Dao is the deeply hidden root of the ten thousand things, the treasure of the good person, and also the support of those whose conduct is not good. Fine words can win respect, and noble actions can earn the reverence of the multitude. Even if someone is of poor character, what reason is there to abandon him?

Therefore, when the Son of Heaven is installed and the Three Dukes are appointed, even if someone presents a large jade disc and a four-horse chariot as a gift, it is not as good as remaining seated and offering them the Dao. Why did the ancients value the Dao so highly? Is it not because those who seek it obtain something, and those who have committed offenses can receive pardon through it? For this reason the Dao is treasured by all under heaven.

Chapter 63: Beginning with Kindness

Act with the attitude of Wuwei (non-action), handle affairs without deliberate effort, and experience the realm of the bland and flavorless. Regard the great as small, regard the many as few, and respond to resentment with kindness and De. Begin while difficulties are still easy to handle; start while great matters are still minute. The difficult affairs of the world necessarily arise from the easy; the great affairs of the world necessarily begin from the subtle. Therefore the sage never places himself in the position of doing great things, and thus is able to accomplish great things.

Promises made lightly are often hard to keep; regarding a matter as too easy often leads to still greater difficulties. Therefore the sage always regards affairs as serious and difficult, and in the end there are no difficulties at all.

Chapter 64: Guarding the Minute

The original text ends at the chapter title “Guarding the Minute, Chapter 64,” and the scripture of this chapter is not provided.

When things are stable they are easy to keep so; when problems have not yet appeared they are easy to plan for. Fragile things are easy to break, and minute things are easy to scatter. Therefore one should act before an event has arisen and bring order before a situation has become chaotic.

A great tree so thick that both arms are needed to encircle it grows from a tiny tender sprout; a terrace nine stories high is raised from basket after basket of earth; a journey of a thousand li begins with the first step underfoot. Acting with forced intention often ruins the affair; clinging stubbornly instead causes one to lose it. Therefore the sage does not act willfully (Wuwei, non-action) and thus does not fail; he is not attached and thus does not lose. People often fail in their undertakings just when they are on the verge of success. If one can treat the conclusion with the same caution as the beginning, the matter will not be spoiled.

Therefore the sage pursues what ordinary people do not pursue and does not prize rare treasures; he studies what ordinary people do not study in order to remedy the faults commonly committed by the multitude. He assists the myriad things by according with their own inherent natures and dares not impose willful action upon them.

Chapter 65: Chun De

In ancient times those skilled in practicing the Dao (the Way) did not try to make the people appear clever and cunning, but rather to keep them simple and unadorned. The people are difficult to govern because their minds are too artful and they calculate too much. Therefore governing the state by means of clever schemes and stratagems becomes a calamity for the nation; not relying on clever schemes to govern the state is a blessing for the nation.

Once these two methods of governing are understood they can be taken as a constant standard. Always holding fast to this standard is called “Xuan De” (the profound and subtle De (Virtue/Power)). Xuan De is deep and far-reaching, contrary to ordinary conceptions, and only thereby can one finally reach Great Accordance, the condition in which the myriad things follow their own natures and exist in mutual harmony.

Chapter 66: Hou Ji

The reason the rivers and seas are able to become the gathering place of a hundred streams is that they excel at occupying the lower position and thus can collect all the streams. If the sage wishes to stand above the people he is humble in his speech; if he wishes to walk ahead of the people he places himself behind them. Therefore when he occupies the higher position the people do not feel oppressed; when he walks in front the people do not feel obstructed. The people of the world are happy to promote him and do not grow weary of him. Precisely because he does not contend with anyone, no one in the world is able to contend with him.

Chapter 67: San Bao

Everyone under Heaven says that “my” Dao (the Way) is vast and boundless, seeming unlike anything among the myriad things. Precisely because it is vast and boundless, it appears unlike any particular concrete thing. If it resembled some specific thing, it would long ago have become narrow and limited.

I have three treasures that I constantly guard and hold: the first is compassion, the second is frugality, and the third is not daring to place myself ahead of others in the world. Because of compassion, one can be courageous; because of frugality, one can be ample and generous; because of not daring to contend for first place, one can become the chief of all vessels. Nowadays, if one discards compassion and seeks only to display bravery, discards frugality and seeks only expansion, discards yielding and strives only to be first, one will head toward death. By relying on compassion in battle, one can achieve victory; by relying on compassion in defense, one can remain secure. When Heaven wishes to protect someone, it uses compassion to safeguard him.

According with Heaven, Chapter 68

Those skilled at being generals do not flaunt bravery or fight fiercely; those skilled at warfare do not easily become angry; those skilled at overcoming enemies do not clash with them head-on; those skilled at employing people willingly occupy a lower position. This is called the De (Virtue/Power) of non-contention; it is also called being skilled at drawing upon the strength of others. It can be said to accord with the Dao of Heaven and is the highest standard since ancient times.

Mysterious Application, Chapter 69

Those who employ troops have this saying: “I dare not take the initiative to attack but prefer to remain on the defensive; I dare not advance an inch but prefer to retreat a foot.” This means that in action one does not display an attacking formation, does not raise the arms to show off strength, does not engage the enemy in frontal confrontation, and seems to hold no weapons in the hands. There is no greater disaster than underestimating the enemy; underestimating the enemy nearly causes one to lose the three treasures I cherish. Therefore, when two armies are equally matched and locked in confrontation, the side that harbors compassion and responds with caution will be the one to prevail.

Knowing the Difficulty, Chapter 70

My words are easy to understand and easy to put into practice, yet no one under Heaven can understand them or put them into practice. My statements have a root and basis; my actions have a governing principle. Precisely because people lack awareness of this root and this principle, they do not know me. Those who know me are few, and thus I am all the more precious. Therefore the sage wears coarse cloth on the outside and harbors jade within: the exterior is simple and unadorned, yet inwardly there is precious De (Virtue/Power) and wisdom.

Knowing the Fault, Chapter 71

To know that one has something one does not know is high intelligence; not to know yet to consider oneself knowing is a kind of disease. Precisely because one regards this disease as a disease and remains wary of it, one will not fall into this disease. The sage has no such disease, because he can detect and correct it, and therefore does not have this disease.

Loving Oneself, Chapter 72

When the people no longer fear awesome power, genuine awesome power will then arrive. Do not force the people so that they have nowhere to dwell in peace; do not suppress their livelihood. Only by not oppressing the people will they not grow weary of the ruler. Therefore the sage possesses self-knowledge yet does not display himself; he knows how to cherish himself yet does not exalt himself. Thus he discards the latter and chooses the former.

Chapter 73: On Courageous Action

Those who are brave in flaunting strength and acting recklessly may bring death upon themselves; those who are brave in refraining from action and remaining cautious and restrained may instead preserve their lives. Of these two ways of acting, one is beneficial and the other harmful. What the Dao (the Way) of Heaven detests—who can know the reason for it? Therefore the sage also treats this matter with caution. The Dao of Heaven does not contend with people yet is skilled at prevailing; it does not speak yet is skilled at responding; it is not summoned yet arrives of itself. It is relaxed and unhurried yet skilled at planning and arranging. The Dao of Heaven is like a great net: though its meshes are wide and sparse, nothing can slip through it.

Chapter 74: On Restraining Confusion

The people often do not fear death, so how can one frighten them with death? If the people all feared death, then as for those who commit deviant acts, if I could seize and kill them, who would still dare to do so? Yet there is always a specialized force of execution that carries out the killings and punishments.

Heaven’s net is wide and sparse, yet nothing can slip through.

Chapter 74: On Restraining Confusion

The people often do not fear death, so how can one frighten them with death? If the people all feared death, then as for those who commit deviant acts, if I could seize and kill them, who would still dare to do so? There is always a specialized force of execution that carries out the killings and punishments. To kill in place of the one whose office it is to kill is like hewing wood in place of the master carpenter. Those who take up the knife in place of the master carpenter rarely fail to injure their own hands.

Chapter 75: On Greed and Loss

The people starve because the ruler levies too many taxes, and that is why the people starve. The people are difficult to govern because the ruler issues too many decrees and interferes too much, and that is why the people are difficult to govern. People take death lightly because the ruler excessively pursues a lavish life, and that is why people take death lightly. Only those who do not regard the pursuit of material life as overly important are wiser than those who single-mindedly value the preservation of life.

Chapter 76: Warning Against Strength

When a person is alive the body is soft and fragile; after death it becomes stiff. When plants and trees are alive they are tender and easily broken; after they wither and die they become dry and hard. Therefore the hard and strong belong to the side of death, while the soft, weak and yielding belong to the side of life. Thus when an army displays its strength it is difficult to achieve victory; when a tree grows hard it is easily broken. The hard and strong occupy the lower position, while the soft and yielding occupy the higher position.

Chapter 77: The Dao of Heaven

The workings of Heaven's Dao (the Way) are they not just like drawing a bow? If the string sits too high, it is pressed down; if too low, it is raised up; if the force is more than enough, some is taken away; if insufficient, some is supplied. Heaven’s Dao reduces what has surplus and fills in what is lacking. The ways of the human world, however, are not like this: they often take from those who already have too little in order to support those who have too much. Who can take from their own surplus and give it to those throughout the world who do not have enough? Only those who have attained the Dao can do so. Therefore the sage acts yet does not rely on himself; when the work is accomplished he does not claim it as his own; he does not wish to display his own worth and ability.

Entrusting Trust, Chapter 78

Nothing under Heaven is more yielding and weak than water, yet in overcoming what is hard and strong nothing surpasses water, and nothing else can take its place. Therefore the yielding overcomes the firm, the weak overcomes the strong. Everyone in the world knows this principle, yet no one is able to put it into practice. So the sage says: “Only one who can bear the humiliation of an entire state is fit to be its ruler; only one who can bear the calamities of an entire state is fit to be king of all under Heaven.” Words that accord with the true Dao often sound like their opposite.

Entrusting the Contract, Chapter 79

Even when a deep-seated resentment has been mediated, leftover resentment often remains; how can this be considered a truly satisfactory settlement? Therefore the sage holds the creditor’s half of the contract (in ancient times a contract was split in two, each party keeping one half) yet does not use it to press or demand from others. Those who possess De (Virtue/Power) are like the one who holds the tally, keeping to their own responsibility without forcing others; those without De are like the tax collector, always pursuing what is owed. Heaven’s Dao shows no partiality; it always assists the good.

Standing Alone, Chapter 80

Let the state be small and the people few. Even if there are various implements they are not used; cause the people to value their lives and not readily migrate far away. Although there are boats and carriages there is no occasion to ride them; although there are armor and weapons they are not displayed or used. Let the people return to the simple life of knotted-cord record-keeping. They find their food sweet, their clothing beautiful, their dwellings comfortable, and their customs delightful. Neighboring states can see one another and the sounds of cocks crowing and dogs barking can be heard, yet the people grow old and die without ever visiting one another.

Manifesting Substance, Chapter 81 (the original Jing (scripture) text is not appended to this section)

True and trustworthy words are often unadorned, while ornate and pleasing words are often untrustworthy. Those skilled in action do not prevail by argument, and those who enjoy arguing are not necessarily truly good; those of genuine wisdom do not pursue ostentatious breadth of knowledge, and those who pursue such breadth do not necessarily possess genuine wisdom.

The sage does not hoard wealth or learning. The more they give to others, the more sufficient they themselves become; the more they share with others, the richer they themselves grow. The Heavenly Dao (Tiandao, the Way; the law of natural operation) benefits all things yet does not harm them. The sage’s way of acting is to accomplish things without contending with others.