Verse 1
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 name 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.
Verse 2
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 harmonise 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 labour will last forever.
Verse 3
Not exalting the talented prevents rivalry.
Not valuing goods that are hard to obtain prevents stealing.
Not displaying desirable things prevents confusion of the heart.
Therefore, the True Person governs by emptying the heart of desire
and filling the belly with food, weakening ambitions and strengthening bones.
If the people are simple and free from desire, then the clever ones never dare to interfere.
Practise action without striving and all will be in order.
Verse 4
The Tao is like an empty bowl,
yet it may be used without ever needing to be filled.
It is the deep and unfathomable source of the ten thousand things.
Blunt the sharpness.
Untie the knot.
Soften the glare.
Settle with the dust.
It is hidden deep yet ever present.
I do not know whose child it is.
It existed before the common ancestor.
Verse 5
Heaven and earth are not moved by offerings of straw-dogs.
The True Person is not moved by offerings of straw-dogs.
The space between heaven and earth is like a bellows.
It is empty and yet never exhausted.
The more it works the more comes out.
Many words lead to exhaustion.
Better to hold fast to your centre.
Verse 6
The valley spirit never dies.
It is the unknown first mother, whose gate is the root
from which grew heaven and earth.
It is dimly seen, yet always present.
Draw from it all you wish; it will never run dry.
Verse 7
Heaven and earth last forever.
The reason why heaven and earth last forever
is that they do not live for themselves.
Hence, they last forever.
Therefore, the True Person leaves self behind
and thus is found in front,
is not guarded and thus is preserved,
is self-free and thus is able to find fulfilment.
Verse 8
The highest good is like water.
For water benefits the ten thousand things without striving.
It settles in places that people avoid and so is like the Tao.
In choosing your home look to the land.
In preparing your heart go deep.
In associating with others value gentleness.
In speaking exhibit good faith.
In governing provide good order.
In the conduct of business be competent.
In action be timely.
Then there is no strife, nothing goes amiss.
Verse 9
Better to stop in time than to fill to the brim.
Hone a blade to the sharpest point, and it will soon be blunt.
Fill your house with gold and jade, and no one can protect it.
Be prideful about wealth and position, and you bring disasters upon yourself.
Retire when the work is done.
This is the way of heaven.
Verse 10
While carrying your active life on your head
can you embrace the quiet spirit in your arms, and not let go?
While being fully focused on your vital breath
can you make it soft like that of a newborn babe?
While cleaning your inner mirror
can you leave it without blemish?
While loving the people and ruling the country
can you dispense with cleverness?
While opening and closing the gates of heaven
can you be like a mother bird?
While penetrating the four quarters with your insight
can you remain simple?
Help the people live!
Nourish the people!
Help them live yet lay no claim to them.
Benefit them yet seek no gratitude.
Guide them yet do not control them.
This is called the hidden Virtue.
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 name 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.
Verse 2
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 harmonise 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 labour will last forever.
Verse 3
Not exalting the talented prevents rivalry.
Not valuing goods that are hard to obtain prevents stealing.
Not displaying desirable things prevents confusion of the heart.
Therefore, the True Person governs by emptying the heart of desire
and filling the belly with food, weakening ambitions and strengthening bones.
If the people are simple and free from desire, then the clever ones never dare to interfere.
Practise action without striving and all will be in order.
Verse 4
The Tao is like an empty bowl,
yet it may be used without ever needing to be filled.
It is the deep and unfathomable source of the ten thousand things.
Blunt the sharpness.
Untie the knot.
Soften the glare.
Settle with the dust.
It is hidden deep yet ever present.
I do not know whose child it is.
It existed before the common ancestor.
Verse 5
Heaven and earth are not moved by offerings of straw-dogs.
The True Person is not moved by offerings of straw-dogs.
The space between heaven and earth is like a bellows.
It is empty and yet never exhausted.
The more it works the more comes out.
Many words lead to exhaustion.
Better to hold fast to your centre.
Verse 6
The valley spirit never dies.
It is the unknown first mother, whose gate is the root
from which grew heaven and earth.
It is dimly seen, yet always present.
Draw from it all you wish; it will never run dry.
Verse 7
Heaven and earth last forever.
The reason why heaven and earth last forever
is that they do not live for themselves.
Hence, they last forever.
Therefore, the True Person leaves self behind
and thus is found in front,
is not guarded and thus is preserved,
is self-free and thus is able to find fulfilment.
Verse 8
The highest good is like water.
For water benefits the ten thousand things without striving.
It settles in places that people avoid and so is like the Tao.
In choosing your home look to the land.
In preparing your heart go deep.
In associating with others value gentleness.
In speaking exhibit good faith.
In governing provide good order.
In the conduct of business be competent.
In action be timely.
Then there is no strife, nothing goes amiss.
Verse 9
Better to stop in time than to fill to the brim.
Hone a blade to the sharpest point, and it will soon be blunt.
Fill your house with gold and jade, and no one can protect it.
Be prideful about wealth and position, and you bring disasters upon yourself.
Retire when the work is done.
This is the way of heaven.
Verse 10
While carrying your active life on your head
can you embrace the quiet spirit in your arms, and not let go?
While being fully focused on your vital breath
can you make it soft like that of a newborn babe?
While cleaning your inner mirror
can you leave it without blemish?
While loving the people and ruling the country
can you dispense with cleverness?
While opening and closing the gates of heaven
can you be like a mother bird?
While penetrating the four quarters with your insight
can you remain simple?
Help the people live!
Nourish the people!
Help them live yet lay no claim to them.
Benefit them yet seek no gratitude.
Guide them yet do not control them.
This is called the hidden Virtue.
Neelanjan
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