A THREAD THROUGH THE TEXT
Self-cultivation
Begin with the way you attend to your own life: quietness, humility, honesty, and the patient work of knowing yourself.
Last becomes first
天长地久。
Heaven is long-enduring and earth continues long. The reason why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is because they do not live…
Read chapterHolding to the one
载营魄抱一，能无离乎？专气致柔，能婴儿乎？涤除玄览，能无疵乎？爱国治民，能无知乎？天门开阖，能为雌乎？明白四达，能无为乎？生之，畜之。
When the intelligent and animal souls are held together in one embrace, they can be kept from separating. When one gives undivided attention to the…
Read chapterThe five colours
五色令人目盲，五音令人耳聋，五味令人口爽，驰骋畋猎令人心发狂，难得之货令人行妨。
Colour's five hues from th' eyes their sight will take; Music's five notes the ears as deaf can make; The flavours five deprive the mouth of taste; The…
Read chapterHonour and trouble
宠辱若惊，贵大患若身。
Favour and disgrace would seem equally to be feared; honour and great calamity, to be regarded as personal conditions (of the same kind). What is meant by…
Read chapterThe ancient masters
古之善为士者，微妙玄通，深不可识。
The skilful masters (of the Tao) in old times, with a subtle and exquisite penetration, comprehended its mysteries, and were deep (also) so as to elude…
Read chapterReturning to the root
致虚极，守静笃。
The (state of) vacancy should be brought to the utmost degree, and that of stillness guarded with unwearying vigour. All things alike go through their…
Read chapterApart from the crowd
绝学无忧，唯之与阿，相去几何？善之与恶，相去若何？人之所畏，不可不畏。
20. When we renounce learning we have no troubles. The (ready) 'yes,' and (flattering) 'yea;'-- Small is the difference they display. But mark their…
Read chapterYield and remain whole
曲则全，枉则直，洼则盈，敝则新，少则得，多则惑。
The partial becomes complete; the crooked, straight; the empty, full; the worn out, new. He whose (desires) are few gets them; he whose (desires) are many…
Read chapterStanding on tiptoe
企者不立，跨者不行，自见者不明，自是者不彰，自伐者无功，自矜者不长。
He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm; he who stretches his legs does not walk (easily). (So), he who displays himself does not shine; he who…
Read chapterThe heavy and the light
重为轻根，静为躁君。
Gravity is the root of lightness; stillness, the ruler of movement. Therefore a wise prince, marching the whole day, does not go far from his baggage…
Read chapterLeaving no trace
善行无辙迹，善言无瑕讁。
The skilful traveller leaves no traces of his wheels or footsteps; the skilful speaker says nothing that can be found fault with or blamed; the skilful…
Read chapterReturning to simplicity
知其雄，守其雌，为天下溪。
28. Who knows his manhood's strength, Yet still his female feebleness maintains; As to one channel flow the many drains, All come to him, yea, all beneath…
Read chapterKnowing yourself
知人者智，自知者明。
He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent. He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty. He who…
Read chapterKnowing without travelling
不出户，知天下。
Without going outside his door, one understands (all that takes place) under the sky; without looking out from his window, one sees the Tao of Heaven. The…
Read chapterLess and less
为学日益，为道日损。
He who devotes himself to learning (seeks) from day to day to increase (his knowledge); he who devotes himself to the Tao (seeks) from day to day to…
Read chapterCultivating virtue
善建者不拔，善抱者不脱，子孙以祭祀不辍。
54. What (Tao's) skilful planter plants Can never be uptorn; What his skilful arms enfold, From him can ne'er be borne. Sons shall bring in lengthening…
Read chapterThose who know
知者不言，言者不知。
He who knows (the Tao) does not (care to) speak (about it); he who is (ever ready to) speak about it does not know it. He (who knows it) will keep his…
Read chapterEasy to know, hard to practise
吾言甚易知，甚易行。
My words are very easy to know, and very easy to practise; but there is no one in the world who is able to know and able to practise them. There is an…
Read chapterKnowing that you do not know
知不知上，不知知病。
To know and yet (think) we do not know is the highest (attainment); not to know (and yet think) we do know is a disease. It is simply by being pained at…
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