Tao Teh Ching - 60 Interactive Versions

#Click on a sentence 1 2 3 4 5 Chapter 31 Chapter 33 Back to index #

Ch. 32	Sentence 1
Beck	The Way is absolute and undefined. Like natural uncarved wood in simplicity, yet none in the world can overcome it.
Blackney	The Way eternal has no name. A block of wood untooled, though small, May still excel the world.
Bynner	Existence is infinite, not to be defined; And, though it seems a bit of wood in your hand, to carve as you please, It is not to be lightly played with and laid down.
Byrn	The Tao is nameless and unchanging. Although it appears insignificant, nothing in the world can contain it.
Chan	Tao is eternal and has no name. Though its simplicity seems insignificant, none in the world can master it.
Cleary	The Way is eternally nameless, Though simplicity is small, the world cannot subordinate it.
Crowley	The All-Dao has no name. It is That Minute Point; yet the whole world dare not contend against him that has it.
Hansen	Guide by treating nameless uncarved wood as constant. Although small, none in the social world can treat it as vassal.
LaFargue	Tao will always be nameless, an Uncarved Block although it is a thing of no account, no one in the world can make it his subject.
Legge	The Tao, considered as unchanging, has no name. Though in its primordial simplicity it may be small, the whole world dares not deal with (one embodying) it as a minister.
Lindauer	The tao entirely lacks a name Although its true nature is tiny Noone in the world is able to methodize it either.
LinYutan	Tao is absolute and has no name. Though the uncarved wood is small, It cannot be employed (used as vessel) by anyone.
Mabry	The Tao will always be beyond comprehension. Although it seems trivial No one in all the world can control it.
McDonald	Best dao is absolute and eternal. As such it has neither name nor fame. Its uncunning, cute naiveté, the fabled raw block of wood, and it cant be used by anybody. None in the whole world can master and make use of such basic simplicity. Yet, though seemingly of small value, it could be greater than anything in the universe.
Merel	The Way has no true shape, And therefore none can control it.
Mitchell	The Tao can't be perceived. Smaller than an electron, it contains uncountable galaxies.
Muller	The Tao is always nameless. And even though a sapling might be small No one can make it be his subject.
Red Pine	The Tao has never had a name simple and though small no one can command it
Ta-Kao	Tao was always nameless.
Walker	The primal eternal Tao is an unnameable simplicity. Though small, there is nothing under all of heaven that can subjugate it.
Wieger	The Principle has no name of its own. It is nature. This nature so unmanifest is stronger than anything.
World	Infinity can never be defined in words. Smaller than an atom, greater than forever, it can never be comprehended.
Wu	Tao is always nameless. Small as it is in its Primal Simplicity, It is inferior to nothing in the world.

Ch. 32 Sentence 2

Beck If leaders would hold to it, the whole world would serve them spontaneously.

Blackney And if the king and nobles could Retain its potency for good, Then everything would freely give Allegiance to their rule.

Bynner When rulers adhered to the way of life, They were upheld by natural loyalty:

Byrn If a ruler abides by its principles, then her people will willingly follow.

Chan If kings and barons would hold on to it, all things would submit to the spontaneously.

Cleary If lords and monarchs can keep to it, all beings will naturally resort to them.

Crowley Did a lord or king gain it and guard it, all men would obey him of their own accord.

Hansen If fief-holding kings could embrace it, all the natural kinds would come to self conformity.

LaFargue If the princes and kings could watch over It, the thousands of things would on their own be as deferential as guests.

Legge If a feudal prince or the king could guard and hold it, all would spontaneously submit themselves to him.

Lindauer If nobles and kings are able to keep to it The 10000 things attain self-spontaneity

LinYutan If kings and barons can keep (this unspoiled nature), The whole world shall yield them lordship of their own accord.

Mabry If governments and leaders can abide in it All beings shall gratefully behave likewise.

McDonald Good kings and barons can keep such unspoiled, inborn nature. If kings and barons would but hold on to it, all beings and things would submit to them well of their own accord.

Merel If a ruler could control the Way All things would follow In harmony with his desire,

Mitchell If powerful men and women could remain centered in the Tao, all things would be in harmony.

Muller If rulers could embody this principle The myriad things would follow on their own.

Red Pine if a lord upheld it the world would be his guest

Ta-Kao

Walker If a leader abides by it, all beings are naturally drawn to him.

Wieger If princes and emperors were to conform themselves to it, all beings would collaborate with them spontaneously;

World If kings would stay centered in the Infinite,they would not try to control the uncontrollable;

Wu If only a ruler could cling to it, Everything will render homage to him.

Ch. 32 Sentence 3

Beck Heaven and earth join, and gentle rain falls, beyond the command of anyone, evenly upon all.

Blackney The earth and sky would then conspire To bring the sweet dew down; And evenly it would be given To folk without constraining power.

Bynner Heaven and earth were joined and made fertile, Life was a freshness of rain, Subject to none, Free to all.

Byrn Heaven would then reign on earth, like sweet rain falling on paradise. People would have no need for laws, because the law would be written on their hearts.

Chan Heaven and earth unite to drip sweet dew. Without the command of men, its drips evenly over all.

Cleary Heaven and earth combine, thus showering sweet dew. No humans command it; it is even by nature.

Crowley Heaven and Earth, combining under its spell, shed forth dew, extending throughout all things of its own accord, without man's interference.

Hansen Heaven and earth mutually coalesce to rain down sweet dew. The people, no one ordering them, self balance.

LaFargue Heaven and Earth would join together to send sweet dew. The people on their own would share equally without anyone giving orders.

Legge Heaven and Earth (under its guidance) unite together and send down the sweet dew, which, without the directions of men, reaches equally everywhere as of its own accord.

Lindauer The heavens and earth join with each other and it rains sweet dew It is the command of noone but people cooperate.

LinYutan The Heaven and Earth join, And the sweet rain falls, Beyond the command of men, Yet evenly upon all.

Mabry We would have a Heaven on Earth and sweet rains would fall. The people would not need to be told, They would just naturally do what is right.

McDonald Yes, the best let heaven and earth join, so that the mystic sweet rain falls, all the time beyond the command of men, yet evenly upon all. Let heaven and earth unite to drip sweet dew. And the ten thousand creatures would flock to honour you; for the world would conspire much for sweet dew: Without law or compulsion, men would take up regulations and institutions, sort out names and [try to] live in harmony. A human civilisation can rise once there are names [principles].

Merel And sweet rain would fall, Effortlessly slaking every thirst.

Mitchell The world would become a paradise. All people would be at peace, and the law would be written in their hearts.

Muller Heaven and Earth would be in perfect accord And rain sweet dew.

Red Pine when Heaven joins with Earth they bestow sweet dew no one gives the order it comes down to all

Ta-Kao

Walker Heaven and earth come together in harmony and sweet rain falls everywhere. People cooperate voluntarily, without any instruction.

Wieger heaven and earth would act in perfect harmony, sprinkling a sweet dew (the best possible omen); the people would be governable without the need for constraint.

World Heaven and earth would be seen as a manifestation of the oneness of Infinity, as harmonious as dew accumulating on the ground. The people would recognize Infinity manifesting in their king and all things would be in harmony

Wu Heaven and Earth will be harmonized And send down sweet dew. Peace and order will reign among the people without any command from above.

Ch. 32 Sentence 4

Beck When civilization arose, names began. With names, one should know when to stop. Knowing when to stop, frees one from danger.

Blackney Creatures came to be with order's birth, And once they had appeared, Came also knowledge of repose, And with that was security.

Bynner But men of culture came, with their grades and their distinctions; And as soon as such differences had been devised No one knew where to end them, Though the one who does know the end of all such differences Is the sound man:

Byrn Naming is a necessity for order, but naming can not order all things. Naming often makes things impersonal, so we should know when naming should end. Knowing when to stop naming, you can avoid the pitfall it brings.

Chan As soon as there were regulations and institutions, there were names. As soon as there were names, know that it is time to stop. It is by knowing when to stop that one can be free from danger.

Cleary Start fashioning, and there are names; once names also exist, you should know when to stop. By knowing when to stop, you are not endangered.

Crowley Dao, in its phase of action, has a name. Then men can comprehend it; when they do this, there is no more risk of wrong or ill-success.

Hansen To begin to restrain you have names. As soon as you have names then, in general, you must also come to know to stop. If you know to stop, you can avoid danger.

LaFargue When you begin making decisions and cutting it up, rules and names appear. And once names appear; you should know to stop. Knowing to stop, you can be without fear.

Legge As soon as it proceeds to action, it has a name. When it once has that name, (men) can know to rest in it. When they know to rest in it, they can be free from all risk of failure and error.

Lindauer Once measuring begins names are present Names are also grasped and possessed In the end the knowledge of stopping also follows With knowledge of stopping lack of danger can happen.

LinYutan Then human civilization arose and there were names. Since there were names, It were well one knew where to stop. He who knows where to stop May be exempt from danger.

Mabry When you organize, you must of necessity use names and order. But given that, you must also know where to leave off naming and structuring. Knowing when to stop, you can avoid danger.

McDonald Once the block is carved, there will be such names; they're wide differentiations of things. But as soon as there are [principles and neatly differentiated] names, know that it's time to stop. Its well to know where to stop for calm and poise. As soon as there are names [and study] it's time to stop. By knowing when it's time to stop, much danger could be avoided.

Merel The Way is shaped by use, But then the shape is lost. Do not hold fast to shapes

Mitchell When you have names and forms, know that they are provisional. When you have institutions, know where their functions should end. Knowing when to stop, you can avoid any danger.

Muller People, unable to deal with It on its own terms Make adjustments; And so you have the beginning of division into names. Since there are already plenty of names You should know where to stop. Knowing where to stop, you can avoid danger.

Red Pine the first distinction gives us names after we have names we should know restraint who knows restraint knows no trouble

Ta-Kao When for the first time applied to function, it was named. Inasmuch as names are given, one should also know where to stop. Knowing where to stop one can become imperishable.

Walker When this simplicity is divided, every thing and not-thing needs a name. Once there are names, the process of distinction should stop. To know when to stop is to be free from danger.

Wieger When, in the beginning, in this visible world, the Principle imparted itself in the production of (sentient) beings with names, it did not produce them in a way that exhausted itself (but only as tenuous prolongations, its mass remaining intact).

World When the whole is distinguished into parts, and parts into more parts and more parts into even more parts a myriad names are required. There are already too many distinctions and names. The naming of things focuses on the manifestations of Infinity and too much distinguishing can result in one becoming confused in the manifestations and oblivious to the oneness of all things.

Wu When once the Primal Simplicity diversified, Different names appeared. Are there not enough names now? Is this not the time to stop? To know when to stop is to preserve ourselves from danger.

Ch. 32 Sentence 5

Beck The Way in the world is like rivers and streams flowing into the sea.

Blackney In this world, Compare those of the Way To torrents that flow Into river and sea.

Bynner Existence Might be likened to the course Of many rivers reaching the one sea.

Byrn All things end in the Tao just as the small streams and the largest rivers flow through valleys to the sea.

Chan Analogically, Tao in the world may be compared to rivers and streams running into the sea.

Cleary The Way is to the world as rivers and oceans to valley streams.

Crowley As the great rivers and the oceans are to the valley streams, so is the Dao to the whole universe.

Hansen Compare this guide's being in the social world to the relation of brook valleys to rivers and oceans.

LaFargue A comparison: Tao's presence in the world is like the relation of small river valleys to the Yang-tze and the ocean.

Legge The relation of the Tao to all the world is like that of the great rivers and seas to the streams from the valleys.

Lindauer Analogically, tao being in the world Is just like how the streams and valleys relate to rivers and seas.

LinYutan Tao in the world May be compared to rivers that run into the sea.

Mabry All the World is to the Tao As rivers flowing home to the sea.

McDonald In the world dao can be likened to rivers that turn into wider rivers and eventually course into some sea. All will come to and be clasped by one and more such dao rivers -and to [some] dao all under heaven will come, as streams and torrents flow into a great river or sea [of universal dao].

Merel But let sensation flow into the world As a river courses down to the sea.

Mitchell All things end in the Tao as rivers flow into the sea.

Muller The Tao's existence in the world Is like valley streams running into the rivers and seas.

Red Pine to picture the Tao in the world imagine rivers and the sea

Ta-Kao

Walker Tao in the world is like streams flowing into the sea.

Wieger The Principle is, with reference to the diversity of beings in the world, like the mass of great rivers and oceans with reference to trickles and rivulets of water.

World Refuse to distinguish the components of the whole. See the oneness of Infinity, and see the earth as a manifestation disintegrating back into Infinity.

Wu The Tao is to the world what a great river or an ocean is to the streams and brooks.

Ch. 32	Sentence 2
Beck	If leaders would hold to it, the whole world would serve them spontaneously.
Blackney	And if the king and nobles could Retain its potency for good, Then everything would freely give Allegiance to their rule.
Bynner	When rulers adhered to the way of life, They were upheld by natural loyalty:
Byrn	If a ruler abides by its principles, then her people will willingly follow.
Chan	If kings and barons would hold on to it, all things would submit to the spontaneously.
Cleary	If lords and monarchs can keep to it, all beings will naturally resort to them.
Crowley	Did a lord or king gain it and guard it, all men would obey him of their own accord.
Hansen	If fief-holding kings could embrace it, all the natural kinds would come to self conformity.
LaFargue	If the princes and kings could watch over It, the thousands of things would on their own be as deferential as guests.
Legge	If a feudal prince or the king could guard and hold it, all would spontaneously submit themselves to him.
Lindauer	If nobles and kings are able to keep to it The 10000 things attain self-spontaneity
LinYutan	If kings and barons can keep (this unspoiled nature), The whole world shall yield them lordship of their own accord.
Mabry	If governments and leaders can abide in it All beings shall gratefully behave likewise.
McDonald	Good kings and barons can keep such unspoiled, inborn nature. If kings and barons would but hold on to it, all beings and things would submit to them well of their own accord.
Merel	If a ruler could control the Way All things would follow In harmony with his desire,
Mitchell	If powerful men and women could remain centered in the Tao, all things would be in harmony.
Muller	If rulers could embody this principle The myriad things would follow on their own.
Red Pine	if a lord upheld it the world would be his guest
Ta-Kao
Walker	If a leader abides by it, all beings are naturally drawn to him.
Wieger	If princes and emperors were to conform themselves to it, all beings would collaborate with them spontaneously;
World	If kings would stay centered in the Infinite,they would not try to control the uncontrollable;
Wu	If only a ruler could cling to it, Everything will render homage to him.

Ch. 32	Sentence 3
Beck	Heaven and earth join, and gentle rain falls, beyond the command of anyone, evenly upon all.
Blackney	The earth and sky would then conspire To bring the sweet dew down; And evenly it would be given To folk without constraining power.
Bynner	Heaven and earth were joined and made fertile, Life was a freshness of rain, Subject to none, Free to all.
Byrn	Heaven would then reign on earth, like sweet rain falling on paradise. People would have no need for laws, because the law would be written on their hearts.
Chan	Heaven and earth unite to drip sweet dew. Without the command of men, its drips evenly over all.
Cleary	Heaven and earth combine, thus showering sweet dew. No humans command it; it is even by nature.
Crowley	Heaven and Earth, combining under its spell, shed forth dew, extending throughout all things of its own accord, without man's interference.
Hansen	Heaven and earth mutually coalesce to rain down sweet dew. The people, no one ordering them, self balance.
LaFargue	Heaven and Earth would join together to send sweet dew. The people on their own would share equally without anyone giving orders.
Legge	Heaven and Earth (under its guidance) unite together and send down the sweet dew, which, without the directions of men, reaches equally everywhere as of its own accord.
Lindauer	The heavens and earth join with each other and it rains sweet dew It is the command of noone but people cooperate.
LinYutan	The Heaven and Earth join, And the sweet rain falls, Beyond the command of men, Yet evenly upon all.
Mabry	We would have a Heaven on Earth and sweet rains would fall. The people would not need to be told, They would just naturally do what is right.
McDonald	Yes, the best let heaven and earth join, so that the mystic sweet rain falls, all the time beyond the command of men, yet evenly upon all. Let heaven and earth unite to drip sweet dew. And the ten thousand creatures would flock to honour you; for the world would conspire much for sweet dew: Without law or compulsion, men would take up regulations and institutions, sort out names and [try to] live in harmony. A human civilisation can rise once there are names [principles].
Merel	And sweet rain would fall, Effortlessly slaking every thirst.
Mitchell	The world would become a paradise. All people would be at peace, and the law would be written in their hearts.
Muller	Heaven and Earth would be in perfect accord And rain sweet dew.
Red Pine	when Heaven joins with Earth they bestow sweet dew no one gives the order it comes down to all
Ta-Kao
Walker	Heaven and earth come together in harmony and sweet rain falls everywhere. People cooperate voluntarily, without any instruction.
Wieger	heaven and earth would act in perfect harmony, sprinkling a sweet dew (the best possible omen); the people would be governable without the need for constraint.
World	Heaven and earth would be seen as a manifestation of the oneness of Infinity, as harmonious as dew accumulating on the ground. The people would recognize Infinity manifesting in their king and all things would be in harmony
Wu	Heaven and Earth will be harmonized And send down sweet dew. Peace and order will reign among the people without any command from above.

Ch. 32	Sentence 4
Beck	When civilization arose, names began. With names, one should know when to stop. Knowing when to stop, frees one from danger.
Blackney	Creatures came to be with order's birth, And once they had appeared, Came also knowledge of repose, And with that was security.
Bynner	But men of culture came, with their grades and their distinctions; And as soon as such differences had been devised No one knew where to end them, Though the one who does know the end of all such differences Is the sound man:
Byrn	Naming is a necessity for order, but naming can not order all things. Naming often makes things impersonal, so we should know when naming should end. Knowing when to stop naming, you can avoid the pitfall it brings.
Chan	As soon as there were regulations and institutions, there were names. As soon as there were names, know that it is time to stop. It is by knowing when to stop that one can be free from danger.
Cleary	Start fashioning, and there are names; once names also exist, you should know when to stop. By knowing when to stop, you are not endangered.
Crowley	Dao, in its phase of action, has a name. Then men can comprehend it; when they do this, there is no more risk of wrong or ill-success.
Hansen	To begin to restrain you have names. As soon as you have names then, in general, you must also come to know to stop. If you know to stop, you can avoid danger.
LaFargue	When you begin making decisions and cutting it up, rules and names appear. And once names appear; you should know to stop. Knowing to stop, you can be without fear.
Legge	As soon as it proceeds to action, it has a name. When it once has that name, (men) can know to rest in it. When they know to rest in it, they can be free from all risk of failure and error.
Lindauer	Once measuring begins names are present Names are also grasped and possessed In the end the knowledge of stopping also follows With knowledge of stopping lack of danger can happen.
LinYutan	Then human civilization arose and there were names. Since there were names, It were well one knew where to stop. He who knows where to stop May be exempt from danger.
Mabry	When you organize, you must of necessity use names and order. But given that, you must also know where to leave off naming and structuring. Knowing when to stop, you can avoid danger.
McDonald	Once the block is carved, there will be such names; they're wide differentiations of things. But as soon as there are [principles and neatly differentiated] names, know that it's time to stop. Its well to know where to stop for calm and poise. As soon as there are names [and study] it's time to stop. By knowing when it's time to stop, much danger could be avoided.
Merel	The Way is shaped by use, But then the shape is lost. Do not hold fast to shapes
Mitchell	When you have names and forms, know that they are provisional. When you have institutions, know where their functions should end. Knowing when to stop, you can avoid any danger.
Muller	People, unable to deal with It on its own terms Make adjustments; And so you have the beginning of division into names. Since there are already plenty of names You should know where to stop. Knowing where to stop, you can avoid danger.
Red Pine	the first distinction gives us names after we have names we should know restraint who knows restraint knows no trouble
Ta-Kao	When for the first time applied to function, it was named. Inasmuch as names are given, one should also know where to stop. Knowing where to stop one can become imperishable.
Walker	When this simplicity is divided, every thing and not-thing needs a name. Once there are names, the process of distinction should stop. To know when to stop is to be free from danger.
Wieger	When, in the beginning, in this visible world, the Principle imparted itself in the production of (sentient) beings with names, it did not produce them in a way that exhausted itself (but only as tenuous prolongations, its mass remaining intact).
World	When the whole is distinguished into parts, and parts into more parts and more parts into even more parts a myriad names are required. There are already too many distinctions and names. The naming of things focuses on the manifestations of Infinity and too much distinguishing can result in one becoming confused in the manifestations and oblivious to the oneness of all things.
Wu	When once the Primal Simplicity diversified, Different names appeared. Are there not enough names now? Is this not the time to stop? To know when to stop is to preserve ourselves from danger.

Ch. 32	Sentence 5
Beck	The Way in the world is like rivers and streams flowing into the sea.
Blackney	In this world, Compare those of the Way To torrents that flow Into river and sea.
Bynner	Existence Might be likened to the course Of many rivers reaching the one sea.
Byrn	All things end in the Tao just as the small streams and the largest rivers flow through valleys to the sea.
Chan	Analogically, Tao in the world may be compared to rivers and streams running into the sea.
Cleary	The Way is to the world as rivers and oceans to valley streams.
Crowley	As the great rivers and the oceans are to the valley streams, so is the Dao to the whole universe.
Hansen	Compare this guide's being in the social world to the relation of brook valleys to rivers and oceans.
LaFargue	A comparison: Tao's presence in the world is like the relation of small river valleys to the Yang-tze and the ocean.
Legge	The relation of the Tao to all the world is like that of the great rivers and seas to the streams from the valleys.
Lindauer	Analogically, tao being in the world Is just like how the streams and valleys relate to rivers and seas.
LinYutan	Tao in the world May be compared to rivers that run into the sea.
Mabry	All the World is to the Tao As rivers flowing home to the sea.
McDonald	In the world dao can be likened to rivers that turn into wider rivers and eventually course into some sea. All will come to and be clasped by one and more such dao rivers -and to [some] dao all under heaven will come, as streams and torrents flow into a great river or sea [of universal dao].
Merel	But let sensation flow into the world As a river courses down to the sea.
Mitchell	All things end in the Tao as rivers flow into the sea.
Muller	The Tao's existence in the world Is like valley streams running into the rivers and seas.
Red Pine	to picture the Tao in the world imagine rivers and the sea
Ta-Kao
Walker	Tao in the world is like streams flowing into the sea.
Wieger	The Principle is, with reference to the diversity of beings in the world, like the mass of great rivers and oceans with reference to trickles and rivulets of water.
World	Refuse to distinguish the components of the whole. See the oneness of Infinity, and see the earth as a manifestation disintegrating back into Infinity.
Wu	The Tao is to the world what a great river or an ocean is to the streams and brooks.