Cary Chan

第二十一章孔德之容，惟道是从。道之为物，惟恍惟惚。 惚兮恍兮，其中有象；恍兮惚兮，其中有物。窈兮冥兮，其中有精；其精甚真，其中有信。自今及古，其名不去，以阅众甫。吾何以知众甫之状哉？以此。Chapter 21The Master keeps her mindalways at one with the Tao;that is what gives her the radiance.The Tao is ungraspable.How can her mind be at one with it?Because she doesn't cling to ideas.The Tao is dark and unfathomable.How can it make her radiant?Because she lets it.Since before time and space were,the Tao is.It is beyond is and is not.How do I know this is true?I look inside myself and see.

第二十章绝学无忧， 唯之与阿，相去几何？善之与恶，相去若何？人之所畏，不可不畏。荒兮其未央哉！众人熙熙，如享太牢，如春登台。我独泊兮其未兆，如婴儿之未孩；累累兮，若无所归。众人皆有余，而我独若遗。我愚人之心也哉！ 沌沌兮，俗人昭昭，我独昏昏。俗人察察，我独闷闷。澹兮其若海，恍兮若无止。众人皆有以，而我独顽似鄙。我独异于人，而贵食母。Chapter 20Stop thinking, and end your problems.What difference between yes and no?What difference between success and failure?Must you value what others value,avoid what others avoid?How ridiculous!Other people are excited,as though they were at a parade.I alone don't care,I alone am expressionless,like an infant before it can smile.Other people have what they need;I alone possess nothing.I alone drift about,like someone without a home.I am like an idiot, my mind is so empty.Other people are bright;I alone am dark.Other people are sharper;I alone am dull.Other people have a purpose;I alone don't know.I drift like a wave on the ocean,I blow as aimless as the wind.I am different from ordinary people.I drink from the Great Mother's breasts.

第十九章绝圣弃智，民利百倍；绝仁弃义，民复孝慈；绝巧弃利，盗贼无有。此三者以为文不足，故令有所属。见素抱朴，少私寡欲。Chapter 19Throw away holiness and wisdom,and people will be a hundred times happier.Throw away morality and justice,and people will do the right thing.Throw away industry and profit,and there won't be any thieves.If these three aren't enough,just stay at the center of the circleand let all things take their course.

第十八章大道废，有仁义；慧智出，有大伪；六亲不和，有孝慈；国家昏乱，有忠臣。Chapter 18When the great Tao is forgotten,goodness and piety appear.When the body's intelligence declines,cleverness and knowledge step forth.When there is no peace in the family,filial piety begins.When the country falls into chaos,patriotism is born.

第十七章太上，不知有之，其次亲而誉之，其次畏之，其次侮之。信不足焉，有不信焉。悠兮其贵言，功成事遂，百姓皆谓我自然。Chapter 17When the Master governs, the people are hardly aware that he exists.Next best is a leader who is loved.Next, one who is feared.The worst is one who is despised.If you don't trust the people,you make them untrustworthy.The Master doesn't talk, he acts.When his work is done,the people say, "Amazing:we did it, all by ourselves!"

第十六章致虚极，守静笃。万物并作，吾以观复。夫物芸芸，各复归其根。归根曰静，是谓复命。复命曰常，知常曰明。不知常，妄作凶。知常容，容乃公，公乃王，王乃天，天乃道，道乃久，没身不殆。Chapter 16Empty your mind of all thoughts.Let your heart be at peace.Watch the turmoil of beings,but contemplate their return.Each separate being in the universereturns to the common source.Returning to the source is serenity.If you don't realize the source,you stumble in confusion and sorrow.When you realize where you come from,you naturally become tolerant,disinterested, amused,kindhearted as a grandmother,dignified as a king.Immersed in the wonder of the Tao,you can deal with whatever life brings you,and when the death comes, you are ready.

第十五章古之善为士者，微妙玄通，深不可识。夫唯不可识，故强为之容：豫兮若冬涉川，犹兮若畏四邻，俨兮其若容，涣兮若冰之将释，敦兮其若朴，旷兮其若谷，浑兮其若浊。澹兮其若海；泊兮若无止。孰能浊以静之徐清？孰能安以久动之徐生？保此道者不欲盈，夫唯不盈，故能蔽而新成。Chapter 15The ancient Masters were profound and subtle.Their wisdom was unfathomable.There is no way to describe it;all we can describe is their appearance.They were careful as someone crossing an iced-over stream.Alert as a warrior in enemy territory.Courteous as a guest.Fluid as melting ice.Shapable as a block of wood.Receptive as a valley.Clear as a glass of water.Do you have the patience to waittill your mud settles and the water is clear?Can you remain unmovingtill the right action arises by itself?The Master doesn't seek fulfillment.Not seeking, not expecting,she is present, and can welcome all things.

第十四章视之不见名曰夷，听之不闻名曰希，搏之不得名曰微。此三者，不可致诘，故混而为一。其上不皦，其下不昧。绳绳不可名，复归于无物。是谓无状之状，无物之象，是谓惚恍。迎之不见其首，随之不见其后。执古之道，以御今之有。能知古始，是谓道纪。Chapter 14Look, and it can't be seen.Listen, and it can't be heard.Reach, and it can't be grasped.Above, it isn't bright.Below, it isn't dark.Seamless, unnamable,it returns to the realm of nothing.Form that includes all forms,image without an image,subtle, beyond all conception.Approach it and there is no beginning;follow it and there is no end.You can't know it, but you can be it,at ease in your own life.Just realize where you come from:this is the essence of wisdom.

Do you remember the invisible cloak that Harry Potter inherited from his father? It comes to my mind the first time when I read this chapter, it sounds scary, but sometimes the compliment can blanket yourself up, and you are going to be invisible forever to everyone including yourself if you don't take it off. 第十三章宠辱若惊，贵大患若身。何谓宠辱若惊？宠为上，辱为下，得之若惊，失之若惊，是谓宠辱若惊。 何谓贵大患若身？ 吾所以有大患者，为吾有身，及吾无身，吾有何患？故贵以身为天下，若可寄天下；爱以身为天下，若可托天下。Chapter 13Success is as dangerous as failure.Hope is as hollow as fear.What does it mean that success is as dangerous as failure?Whether you go up the ladder or down it,your position is shaky.When you stand with your two feet on the ground,you will always keep your balance.What does it mean that hope is as hollow as fear?Hope and fear are both phantomsthat arise from thinking of the self.When we don't see the self as self,what do we have to fear?See the world as your self.Have faith in the way things are.Love the world as your self;then you can care for all things.

第十一章三十辐共一毂，当其无，有车之用。 埏埴以为器，当其无，有器之用。凿户牖以为室，当其无，有室之用。故有之以为利，无之以为用。Chapter 11We join spokes together in a wheel,but it is the center holethat makes the wagon move.We shape clay into a pot,but it is the emptiness insidethat holds whatever we want.We hammer wood for a house,but it is the inner spacethat makes it livable.We work with being,but non-being is what we use.

第十章载营魄抱一，能无离乎？抟气致柔，能婴儿乎？涤除玄览，能无疵乎？爱民治国，能无为乎？天门开阖，能为雌乎？ 明白四达，能无知乎？ 生之畜之，生而不有，为而不恃，长而不宰，是谓玄德。Chapter 10Can you coax your mind from its wandering and keep to the original oneness?Can you let your body becomesupple as a newborn child's?Can you cleanse your inner visionuntil you see nothing but the light?Can you love people and lead themwithout imposing your will?Can you deal with the most vital matters by letting events take their course?Can you step back from your own mind and thus understand all things?Giving birth and nourishing,having without possessing,acting with no expectations,leading and not trying to control:this is the supreme virtue.

Freedom is another prison,for people who chase after freedom. ---阿船有感第九章持而盈之，不如其已；揣而锐之，不可长保。金玉满堂，莫之能守； 富贵而骄，自遗其咎。功遂身退，天之道也。Chapter 9Fill your bowl to the brimand it will spill.Keep sharpening your knifeand it will blunt.Chase after money and securityand your heart will never unclench.Care about people's approvaland you will be their prisoner.Do your work, then step back.The only path to serenity.

第八章上善若水。水善利万物而不争，处众人之所恶， 故几于道。居善地，心善渊，与善仁，言善信，政善治，事善能，动善时。夫唯不争，故无尤。Chapter 8The supreme good is like water,which nourishes all things without trying to.It is content with the low places that people disdain.Thus it is like the Tao.In dwelling, live close to the ground.In thinking, keep to the simple.In conflict, be fair and generous.In governing, don&`&t try to control.In work, do what you enjoy.In family life, be completely present.When you are content to be simply yourself and don&`&t compare or compete,everybody will respect you.

第七章天长地久。天地所以能长且久者，以其不自生，故能长生。是以圣人后其身而身先；外其身而身存。非以其无私邪，故能成其私。Chapter 7The Tao is infinite, eternal.Why is it eternal?It was never born;thus it can never die.Why is it infinite?It has no desires for itself;thus it is present for all beings.The Master stays behind;that is why she is ahead.She is detached from all things;that is why she is one with them.Because she has let go of herself,she is perfectly fulfilled.

第六章谷神不死，是谓玄牝。玄牝之门，是谓天地根。绵绵若存，用之不勤。Chapter 6The Tao is called the Great Mother:empty yet inexhaustible,it gives birth to infinite worlds.It is always present within you.You can use it any way you want.

第五章天地不仁，以万物为刍狗； 圣人不仁，以百姓为刍狗。天地之间，其犹橐龠乎﹖虚而不屈，动而愈出。 多言数穷，不如守中。Chapter 5The Tao doesn't take sides;it gives birth to both good and evil.The Master doesn't take sides;she welcomes both saints and sinners.The Tao is like a bellow:The more you use it, the more it produces;The more you talk of it, the less you understand.Hold on to the center.

第四章道冲而用之或不盈，渊兮似万物之宗；湛兮似或存。吾不知谁之子，象帝之先。Chapter 4The Tao is like a well:used but never used up.It is like the eternal void:filled with infinite possibilities.It is hidden but always present.I don't know who gave birth to it.It is older than God.更多英文学习内容请关注公众微信：苦瓜美语

第三章不尚贤，使民不争；不贵难得之货，使民不为盗；不见可欲，使民心不乱。是以圣人之治，虚其心，实其腹， 弱其志，强其骨。常使民无知无欲。使夫智者不敢为也。为无为，则无不治。Chapter 3If you over-esteem great men,people become powerless.If you overvalue possessions,people begin to steal.The Master leadsby emptying people's mindsand filling their cores,by weakening their ambitionand toughening their resolve.He helps people lose everythingthey know, everything they desire,and creates confusionin those who think that they know.Practice not-doing,and everything will fall into place.

第二章天下皆知美之为美，斯恶已。皆知善之为善，斯不善已。故有无相生，难易相成，长短相形，高下相倾，音声相和，前后相随。是以圣人处无为之事，行不言之教；万物作焉而不辞，生而不有，为而不恃， 功成而弗居。夫唯弗居，是以不去。Chapter 2When people see some things as beautiful,other things become ugly.When people see some some things as good,other things become bad.Being and non-being create each other.Difficult and easy support each other.Long and short define each oter.High and low depend on each other.Before and after follow each other.Therefore the Master acts without doing anything and teaches without saying anyting.Things arise and she lets them come;Things disappear and she lets them go.She has but doesn't possess,acts but doesn't expect.That is why it lasts forever.

第一章道可道，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。Chapter 1The tao that can be toldis not the eternal Tao.The name that can be namedis not the eternal Name.The unnamable is the eternally real.Naming is the originof all particular things.Free from desire, you realize the mystery.Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations.Yet mystery and manifestationsarise from the same source.This source is called darkness.Darkness within darkness.The gateway to all understanding.更多英文学习内容请关注公众微信：苦瓜美语