← Table of contents Tao Te Ching illustration
含德之厚,
Hán dé zhī hòu,
One who embodies great virtue,
比于赤子。
Bǐ yú chì zǐ.
Is like a newborn child.
毒虫不螫,
Dú chóng bù shì,
Poisonous creatures do not sting,
猛兽不据,
Měng shòu bù jù,
Fierce beasts do not attack,
攫鸟不搏。
Jué niǎo bù bó.
Predatory birds do not strike.
骨弱筋柔而握固。
Gǔ ruò jīn róu ér wò gù.
Soft bones and weak muscles, yet a firm grip.
未知牝牡之合而朘作,
Wèi zhī pìn mǔ zhī hé ér zūn zuò,
Unaware of the union of male and female,
精之至也。
Jīng zhī zhì yě.
Yet full of vital energy.
终日号而不嗄,
Zhōng rì háo ér bù shà,
Cries all day without becoming hoarse,
和之至也。
Hé zhī zhì yě.
So perfect is its harmony.
知和曰常,
Zhī hé yuē cháng,
Knowing harmony means constancy,
知常曰明。
Zhī cháng yuē míng.
Knowing constancy means enlightenment.
益生曰祥。
Yì shēng yuē xiáng.
Long life brings auspiciousness.
心使气曰强。
Xīn shǐ qì yuē qiáng.
Forcing the breath causes strain.
物壮则老,
Wù zhuàng zé lǎo,
Anything that grows strong ages quickly,
谓之不道,
Wèi zhī bù dào,
This is against the Dao,
不道早已。
Bù dào zǎo yǐ.
And what is against the Dao soon ends.