← Table of contents Tao Te Ching illustration
善行,
Shàn xíng,
The good traveler leaves no trace,
无辙迹,
Wú zhé jì,
The good speaker makes no errors,
善言,
Shàn yán,
The good calculator needs no counting tools,
无瑕谪;
Wú xiá zhé;
The good door remains unlocked, impenetrable,
善数,
Shàn shù,
The good binding holds firm, without cord or knot.
不用筹策;
Bù yòng chóu cè;
Therefore, the sage who wisely aids people,
善闭,
Shàn bì,
Abandons no one;
无关楗而不可开,
Wú guān jiàn ér bù kě kāi,
He wisely tends to all things,
善结,
Shàn jié,
Abandoning nothing.
无绳约而不可解。
Wú shéng yuē ér bù kě jiě.
This is called embodying the light.
是以圣人常善救人,
Shì yǐ shèng rén cháng shàn jiù rén,
The good person is the teacher of the bad,
故无弃人;
Gù wú qì rén;
The bad person is the lesson for the good.
常善救物,
Cháng shàn jiù wù,
Failure to respect the teacher,
故无弃物。
Gù wú qì wù.
Or care for the student,
是谓袭明。
Shì wèi xí míng.
Leads to great confusion,
故善人者,
Gù shàn rén zhě,
This is the essence of the mystery.