视之不见,
|
Look, it cannot be seen. |
名曰夷;
|
It is called the Invisible; |
听之不闻,
|
Listen, it cannot be heard. |
名曰希;
|
It is called the Inaudible; |
搏之不得,
|
Grasp, it cannot be held. |
名曰微。
|
It is called the Intangible. |
此三者不可致诘,
|
These three evade all inquiry, |
故混而为一。
|
Therefore they are unified. |
其上不皦,
|
Above, it is not bright; |
其下不昧。
|
Below, it is not dark. |
绳绳不可名,
|
An unbroken thread, nameless, |
复归於无物。
|
Returning to nothingness. |
是谓无状之状,
|
The shape of shapelessness, |
无物之象,
|
The image of imagelessness, |
是谓惚恍。
|
This is called the Indefinable. |
迎之不见其首,
|
Face it, no beginning; |
随之不见其後。
|
Follow it, no end. |
执古之道,
|
Hold to the ancient Dao, |
以御今之有。
|
To manage the present. |
能知古始,
|
Knowing the origin of the ancient, |
是谓道纪。
|
Is the essence of Dao. |