Tao Te Ching Classic Sentences and Translations

1. The highest goodness is like water, and water is good to all things without contention.

-Source: Tao Te Ching, Chapter 8

Translation and explanation: The kindest character is like water, which is the ultimate of goodness in heaven and earth, giving nourishment to all things, while living peacefully underneath it without competing with it.

To realize that water is the source of life. Here water is used as a metaphor for the personality of the superior good. Russian writer Lev Tolstoy wrote in his diary, "Being a man should be like water as Laozi said. When there is no obstacle, he flows forward; when he meets a dam, he stops; when there is a gap in the dam, he flows forward again. The vessel is square, it becomes square; the vessel is round, it becomes round. Therefore it is more important than all, and stronger than all."

2. If one does not see oneself, one is clear; if one does not be, one is manifest; if one does not cut oneself down, one is meritorious; if one does not boast, one is long. He only does not contend, so that no one in the world can contend with him.

--Source: Tao Te Ching, Chapter 22

Translation and Explanation: If you do not see yourself, you can understand the world better; if you do not think you are right, you can show yourself better; if you do not boast about yourself, you can make achievements; if you are not proud of yourself, you can grow in the long run; if you do not strive, no one under heaven can contend with you. I'm not going to be able to do anything about it, but I'm going to be able to do it.

The concept of "non-competition" is regarded by the Taoists as a kind of natural rule of heaven, which is in fact a kind of gentleman's art and way of dealing with the world by not competing with each other.

3. Heaven is long, earth is long, heaven and earth can be long and long, because it does not generate itself, so it can be long-lived.

--Source: Tao Te Ching, Chapter 7

Translation and Explanation: Heaven and earth are long, and the reason why heaven and earth can be long and durable is that they do not live for themselves, so they can survive for a long time.

To realize that heaven and earth do not live for themselves, so they are able to live long, Lao Tzu manifests the character of the Great Dao by heaven and earth and shows it to human society.

4. The wind does not end in the morning, and the rain does not end in the day.

-Source: Tao Te Ching, Chapter 23

Translation and Explanation: A violent hurricane does not last a morning, and a torrential downpour does not last a day.

Lao Zi advocated the idea that it is natural to "talk about nature", i.e., it is natural to give fewer instructions. The wind and the rain cannot last, therefore: tyranny will not last.

5, the five colors make the eyes blind, the five sounds make the ears deaf, the five flavors make the mouth feel good, the relaxation of hunting makes the heart crazy, the rare goods make the line of hindrance.

Source: Tao Te Ching, Chapter 12

Translation and explanation: Five colors dazzle the eyes, five tones (clanging) dull the ears, five tastes delight the mouth and corrupt the palate, galloping and hunting drive the heart mad, and precious possessions cause people to steal and rob.

The sense of "five colors," "five sounds," and "five tastes" is itself an integral part of human culture, and Lao Tzu is not advocating abstinence, but opposing indulgence.

6, holding and surplus, not as good as it has been. The first thing I want to say is that I don't know what to do, but I want to know what to do. The gold and jade is full, no one can keep. If you are rich and proud, you will be blamed for it.

-Source: Tao Te Ching, Chapter 9

Translation and explanation: It is better to hold on to what you have than to stop. It is impossible to keep a hammer sharp and thus sharpen it for a long time. A hall full of gold and jade cannot be permanently guarded and hidden. If you are rich and arrogant, you can only bring disaster to yourself.

Lao Zi used the metaphors of fullness and sharpness to illustrate that those who are full of gold and jade, rich and arrogant are prone to disasters, and advocated that "the way of heaven is to withdraw from the world when one has achieved one's goal".

7. "If you bend, then you are whole; if you bend, then you are straight; if you puddle, then you are full; if you are shabby, then you are new; if you are little, then you are gained; if you are much, then you are confused".

Source: Tao Te Ching, Chapter 22

TranslationCompromise makes whole, bend makes straight, puddle makes full, shabby makes new, less makes more, greed makes confusion.

The above six sentences are ancient idioms. Laozi advocated the use of dialectical thinking to recognize and grasp the changes in social life.

8, to the virtual extreme, keep quiet and certainty, all things are made together, I to watch its recovery.

-Source: Tao Te Ching, Chapter 16

Translation and Explanation: By making the mind reach the extreme of emptiness and holding fast to the wonderful state of stillness, one can see the existence of the Great Way in the changes of all things.

The realization that only by conforming to nature can one manifest the Tao that dominates all things, and only by conforming to the Tao can one be long-lasting.

9. Seeing vegetation and embracing simplicity, less selfishness and less desire.

-Source: Tao Te Ching, Chapter 19

Translation and Explanation: Keeping the essence simple and unadorned, and reducing selfishness and greed (you will be able to be free of worry for the Tao).

To realize that Lao Tzu makes the claim of simplicity and lack of desire. Silk is not stained as plain, wood is not carved as plain, see plain and embrace plain means: not to be confused by external objects and lose its true nature. Laozi advocates that people can not be without desire, but not greed, not to mention indulgence.