← Table of contents Tao Te Ching illustration
曲则全,
Qū zé quán,
Bend and become whole,
枉则直,
Wǎng zé zhí,
Yield and become straight,
洼则盈,
Wā zé yíng,
Empty and be filled,
敝则新,
Bì zé xīn,
Be worn out and become new,
少则多,
Shǎo zé duō,
Have little and gain more,
多则惑。
Duō zé huò.
Have much and get confused.
是以圣人抱一为天下式。
Shì yǐ shèngrén bào yī wéi tiān xià shì.
Thus the wise embrace the Dao as their guide.
不自见,
Bù zì jiàn,
Not showing themselves,
故明;
Gù míng;
They shine brightly;
不自是,
Bù zì shì,
Not self-righteous,
故彰;
Gù zhāng;
They are distinguished;
不自伐,
Bù zì fá,
Not boasting,
故有功;
Gù yǒu gōng;
They achieve success;
不自矜,
Bù zì jīn,
Not proud,
故长。
Gù zhǎng.
They endure.
夫唯不争,
Fū wéi bù zhēng,
Because they do not compete,
故天下莫能与之争。
Gù tiān xià mò néng yǔ zhī zhēng.
No one in the world can compete with them.
古之所谓曲则全者,
Gǔ zhī suǒ wèi qū zé quán zhě,
The ancients said, "Bend and become whole";
岂虚言哉!
Qǐ xū yán zāi!
Were these just empty words?
诚全而归之。
Chéng quán ér guī zhī.
Truly to be whole is to return to the Dao.