CHINESE ORIGINAL
道可道，非常道，名可名，非常名；无名，天地之始，有名，万物之母。
故常无欲，以观其妙，常有欲，以观其徼；此两者，同出而异名，同谓之玄。
玄之又玄，众妙之门。
ENGLISH · JAMES LEGGE, 1891
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.
A CONTEMPORARY READING
Modern English reading
The Way that can be spoken is not the constant Way; the name that can be named is not the constant name. The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth; the named is the mother of all things. Thus, always without desire, observe its subtle wonder; always with desire, observe its boundaries. These two emerge together but have different names. Together they are called mysterious. Mystery upon mystery: the gateway of all wonders.
Modern English readings and commentary translations are AI-assisted study aids, not a published critical translation. Compare the Chinese source when wording matters.
Modern Chinese reading
可以用语言表述的道，不是永恒不变的道；可以用名称界定的名，不是永恒不变的名。无名是天地的开端，有名是万物的根源。所以，常从无中观察奥妙，常从有中观察端倪。无和有同源而名称不同，都可以说是深奥的。这种深奥又深奥，是一切奥妙的门户。
READ ACROSS TRADITIONS
Historical commentaries
Emperor Hongwu of Ming 明太祖
Imperial commentary
Manuscripts and variants
Differences are computed from transcribed Chinese characters, with punctuation excluded. ∅ marks an insertion or omission; highlights do not establish which reading is earlier.
Mawangdui silk manuscript 73% similarity · 19 changed spans
Received text · Wang Bi tradition
道可道∅非常道∅名可名∅非常名∅无名天地之始∅有名万物之母∅故常无欲∅以观其妙常有欲∅以观其徼此两者同出而异名同谓之玄玄之又玄众妙之门
Mawangdui silk manuscript
道可道也非恒道也名可名也非恒名也无名万物之始也有名万物之母也故恒无欲也以观亓眇恒有欲也以观亓所徼∅两者同出∅异名同谓∅玄∅之又玄众眇之门
Jinglong stone inscription 96% similarity · 5 changed spans
Received text · Wang Bi tradition
道可道非常道名可名非常名无名天地之始有名万物之母故常无欲以观其妙常有欲以观其徼此两者同出而异名同谓之玄玄之又玄众妙之门
Jinglong stone inscription
道可道非常道名可名非常名无名天地∅始有名万物∅母∅常无欲∅观其妙常有欲∅观其徼此两者同出而异名同谓之玄玄之又玄众妙之门
Internet transcription; not checked against inscription photographs.
This chapter is not in the attested Guodian A/B/C chapter list. Compare the whole book ↗
Expressions from this chapter
CHAPTER 1 · EXACT WORDING
道可道
The Way can be spoken of, but a spoken way is not the enduring Way.
道可道，非常道Read the source chapter ↗CHAPTER 1 · LATER ADAPTATION
非常之道
An extraordinary way. This later expression should be distinguished from chapter 1's “not the constant Way.”
道可道，非常道，名可名Read the source chapter ↗CHAPTER 1 · EXACT WORDING
天地之始
The beginning of heaven and earth.
无名，天地之始，有名Read the source chapter ↗CHAPTER 1 · EXACT WORDING
万物之母
The mother of the myriad things: the source from which they arise.
有名，万物之母Read the source chapter ↗CHAPTER 1 · EXACT WORDING
玄之又玄
Mystery upon mystery: something profoundly subtle.
玄之又玄，众妙之门Read the source chapter ↗READ IN CONTEXT
The Way
The source that cannot be fully named. Explore the language of emptiness, return, and the patterns through which things arise.
The Way
ENGLISH STUDY TRANSLATION
From the Son of Heaven down to ministers and commoners, anyone resolved to practice the Way should follow a way beyond that followed by ordinary people: this is the extraordinary Way. The Way is like a road. In disciplining themselves and conducting affairs, people should have no other desires in their hearts and follow this resolutely. The heart is the road; the road is the heart. To hold to it without change is the extraordinary Way. 'The Way can be spoken' points to what can be expressed here: the great Way that surpasses ordinary people. Once the Way is accomplished, the name endures forever. This extraordinary name can be put into practice and cultivated.
The Way is profound and subtle: still, it is nameless; moving, it brings benefit. This is the Nonultimate and yet the Supreme Ultimate. For example, I am ruler of the world. The beginnings of good government abide daily in my heart but have not yet issued forth: who knows what to name them? Once implemented, they become rewards and punishments. Nor is this confined to rewards and punishments in the ruler's heart: worthy people and exemplary persons with resolve can all benefit and aid all things. Thus 'the nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth' means the benevolent heart stored within the exemplary person. When it issues forth to aid all things, it has a name. Is this not 'the mother of all things'?
'Without desire, observe its wonder' means that, having practiced the Way, one seeks no praise from others but examines true principle with one's own sincerity. Hence 'always without desire, observe its wonder.' As for 'always with desire, observe its boundary,' this is no extraneous desire: it is the wish that good undertakings be complete. Fearing that they are incomplete, one desires further completion. It is not desire for sensual pleasures, wealth, or profit. 'Boundary' means the outer limit.
Because the preceding words are extraordinarily marvelous, they receive this further special praise.
Chinese commentary
上至天子，下及臣庶，若有志于行道者，当行过常人所行之道，即非常道。道犹路也，凡人律身行事，心无他欲，执此而行之，心即路也，路即心也，能执而不改，非常道也。道可道，指此可道言者，盖谓过人之大道。道既成，名永矣。即非常之名，可行焉，可习焉。
道之幽微，静无名而动有益，即无极而太极是也。且如吾为天下君，善政之机日存于心而未发，孰知何名？才施行则有赏罚焉。不但君心有赏罚，贤人君子有志，则皆能利济万物，所以无名天地之始，即君子仁心畜之于衷，发而济万物，则有名矣，岂不万物之母云？
无欲观其妙，谓道既行，而不求他誉，以己诚察于真理，故云：常无欲，以观其妙。又常有欲以观其徼，非他欲也，乃欲善事之周备耳。虑恐不备，而又欲之，非声色财利之所欲。徼言边际也。
为前文奇甚，故特又赞之。