Skip to main content

A verse shared with you

Tao Te Ching · Ch. 28

知其雄,守其雌,為天下谿。為天下谿,常德不離,復歸於嬰兒。知其白,守其黑,為天下式。為天下式,常德不忒,復歸於無極。知其榮,守其辱,為天下谷。為天下谷,常德乃足,復歸於樸。樸散則為器,聖人用之,則為官長,故大制不割。

Zhī qí xióng, shǒu qí cí, wéi tiān xià xī. Wéi tiān xià xī, cháng dé bù lí, fù guī yú yīng ér. Zhī qí bái, shǒu qí hēi, wéi tiān xià shì. Wéi tiān xià shì, cháng dé bù tè, fù guī yú wú jí. Zhī qí róng, shǒu qí rǔ, wéi tiān xià gǔ. Wéi tiān xià gǔ, cháng dé nǎi zú, fù guī yú pǔ. Pǔ sàn zé wéi qì, shèng rén yòng zhī, zé wéi guān zhǎng, gù dà zhì bù gē.

Know the masculine, yet keep to the feminine, and become the valley of the world. Being the valley of the world, eternal virtue will never leave you, and you will return to the state of the infant. Know the white, yet keep to the black, and be the model for the world. Being the model for the world, eternal virtue will not falter, and you will return to the limitless. Know glory, yet keep to humility, and become the valley of the world. When you are the valley of the world, eternal virtue is sufficient, and you return to the uncarved block. The uncarved block, when scattered, becomes vessels; the sage, using them, becomes the chief of all officials. Thus great governance does not divide.

— Tao Te Ching 28

Source: Wang Bi edition (Chinese) + Hanyu Pinyin transliteration

Read this — and the whole library — in SoulVriti

Read wisdom from many traditions in a calm web reader, with translations, transliteration, and reflection. A connection is required on the web.

Read in SoulVriti