← Table of contents Tao Te Ching illustration
孔德之容,
Kǒng dé zhīróng,
The greatest virtue,
惟道是从。
wéi dào shì cóng.
follows the Dao alone.
道之为物,
Dào zhī wèi wù,
The Dao is a force,
惟恍惟惚。
wéi huǎng wéi hū.
elusive and intangible.
惚兮恍兮,
Hū xī huǎng xī,
Intangible and elusive,
其中有象;
qí zhōng yǒu xiàng;
within it lies image;
恍兮惚兮,
Huǎng xī hū xī,
Elusive and intangible,
其中有物。
qí zhōng yǒu wù.
within it lies form.
窈兮冥兮,
Yǎo xī míng xī,
Dim and obscure,
其中有精;
qí zhōng yǒu jīng;
within it lies essence;
其精甚真,
Qí jīng shèn zhēn,
This essence is real,
其中有信。
qí zhōng yǒu xìn.
within it lies truth.
自今及古,
Zì jīn jí gǔ,
From ancient times to now,
其名不去,
qí míng bù qù,
its name remains.
以阅众甫。
yǐ yuè zhòng fǔ.
It witnessed the origins.
吾何以知众甫之状哉?以此。
Wú hé yǐ zhī zhòng fǔ zhī zhuàng zāi? Yǐ cǐ.
How do I know this? Through the Dao.