Sunday, August 4, 2013

inspired by Tao Te Ching - chapter 25

道德經第25章

有物混成,先天地生。寂兮寥兮,獨立不改,周行而不殆,可以為天下母。吾不知其名,字之曰道,強為之名曰大。大曰逝,逝曰遠,遠曰反。故道大,天大,地 大,王亦大。域中有四大,而王居其一焉。人法地,地法天,天法道,道法自然。

My translation of Chapter 25 of Tao Te Ching:

Something inherent in Nothingness
exist before there was anything
before the birth of sky and earth

Solitary and imperceptible
remaining the same
despite its different manifestations - 
Mother of everything on earth

I cannot name it
I call it Tao
half reluctantly I also call it Great

This immense greatness
will shrink and diminish
will vanish far away
and will come back again
always


(Therefore
Tao is the greatest
The sky is the greatest
The earth is the greatest
The emperor is the greatest
There are four greatness
and the emperor being one

Therefore
people are inspired by earth
earth by sky
sky by Tao
Tao by nature)
 
Paul's comment: A poetic interpretation of Tao. A better understanding of this chapter can be had if we take away the two therefore parts.




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