← Table of contents Tao Te Ching illustration
天下有始,
Tiānxià yǒu shǐ,
The beginning of the universe,
以为天下母。
Yǐ wéi tiānxià mǔ.
Is the mother of all things.
既得其母,
Jì dé qí mǔ,
Recognize the mother,
以知其子,
Yǐ zhī qí zǐ,
And know her children.
复守其母,
Fù shǒu qí mǔ,
Return to the mother,
没身不殆。
Méi shēn bù dài.
And you will be free of danger.
塞其兑,
Sāi qí duì,
Close your senses,
闭其门,
Bì qí mén,
Shut the doors,
终身不勤。
Zhōngshēn bù qín.
And you will never be exhausted.
开其兑,
Kāi qí duì,
Open your senses,
济其事,
Jì qí shì,
Be overwhelmed with tasks,
终身不救。
Zhōngshēn bù jiù.
And you will never be saved.
见小曰明,
Jiàn xiǎo yuē míng,
Insight is seeing the insignificant.
守柔曰强。
Shǒu róu yuē qiáng.
Strength is knowing how to yield.
用其光,
Yòng qí guāng,
Use your inner light,
复归其明,
Fù guī qí míng,
Return to the source of light,
无遗身殃;
Wú yí shēn yāng;
And avoid all harm;
是为习常。
Shì wéi xí cháng.
This is the practice of constancy.