Tao Teh Ching - 60 Interactive Versions

#Click on a sentence 1 2 3 4 5 Chapter 75 Chapter 77 Back to index #

Ch. 76	Sentence 1
Beck	When people are born, they are tender and supple. At death they are stiff and hard.
Blackney	Alive, a man is supple, soft; In death, unbending, rigorous.
Bynner	Man, born tender and yielding, Stiffens and hardens in death.
Byrn	The living are soft and yielding; the dead are rigid and stiff.
Chan	When man is born, he is tender and weak. At death he is stiff and hard.
Cleary	When people are born they are supple, and when they die they are stiff..
Crowley	At the birth of a man he is elastic and weak; at his death rigid and unyielding.
Hansen	The human living state is soft and pliable. The dead state is hard and rigid.
LaFargue	People begin life Soft and Weak when they are dead they are hard and firm.
Legge	Man at his birth is supple and weak; at his death, firm and strong. (So it is with) all things.
Lindauer	The life of man is also yielding, weak His death is also rigid, unyielding.
LinYutan	When man is born, he is tender and weak; At death, he is hard and stiff.
Mabry	When people are alive they are soft and weak. At their deaths they are hard and rigid.
McDonald	When man is born, he is tender and weak. In death he becomes stiff and hard.
Merel	A newborn is soft and tender, A crone, hard and stiff.
Mitchell	Men are born soft and supple; dead, they are stiff and hard.
Muller	When people are born they are gentle and soft. At death they are hard and stiff.
Red Pine	When people are born they are soft and supple when they perish they are hard and stiff
Ta-Kao	Man when living is soft and tender; when dead he is hard and tough.
Walker	At birth a person is soft and yielding, at death stiff and hard.
Wieger	When a man is born he is supple and weak (but full of life); he becomes strong and powerful, and then he dies.
World	The human body is born soft and supple; after death it is hard and stiff.
Wu	When a man is living, he is soft and supple. When he is dead, he becomes hard and rigid.

Ch. 76 Sentence 2

Beck All things, like plants and trees, are tender and pliant while alive. At death they are dried and withered.

Blackney All creatures, grass and trees, alive Are plastic but are pliant too, And dead, are friable and dry.

Bynner All living growth is pliant, Until death transfixes it.

Byrn Living plants are flexible and tender; the dead are brittle and dry.

Chan All things, the grass as well as the trees, are tender and supple while alive. When dead, they are withered and dried.

Cleary When trees are born they are tender, and when they die they are brittle.

Crowley This is the common law; trees also, in their youth, are tender and supple; in their decay, hard and dry.

Hansen The alive state of the ten-thousand natural kinds - grass and wood - is soft and crisp. Their dead state is hard and dry.

LaFargue Among the thousands of things: Grass and trees begin life Soft and tender when they are dead they are withered and brittle.

Legge Trees and plants, in their early growth, are soft and brittle; at their death, dry and withered.

Lindauer The 10000 things, the grass and trees Their living is also yielding, fragile Their dying is also dried up, withered.

LinYutan When the things and plants are alive, they are soft and supple; When they are dead, they are brittle and dry.

Mabry All young things, including grass and trees Are soft and frail. At their death they are withered and dry.

McDonald All things, the grass as well as trees, are supple and soft while alive. When dead they become brittle and dried.

Merel Plants and animals, in life, are supple and succulent; In death, withered and dry.

Mitchell Plats are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry.

Muller When plants are alive they are soft and delicate. When they die, they wither and dry up.

Red Pine when plants shoot forth they are soft and tender when they die they are withered and dry

Ta-Kao All animals and plants when living are tender and fragile; when dead they become withered and dry.

Walker All beings, the grass, the trees: alive, soft, and yielding; dead, stiff, and hard.

Wieger It is the same for plants, delicate (herbaceous) at first, then becoming woody at the time of their death.

World Plants and trees are pliant and limber when they sprout, after death they are inflexible and rigid.

Wu When a plant is living, it is soft and tender. When it is dead, it become withered and dry.

Ch. 76 Sentence 3

Beck Therefore the stiff and hard are companions of death. The tender and supple are companions of life.

Blackney Unbending rigour is the mate of death, And wielding softness, company of life:

Bynner Thus men who have hardened are 'kin of death' And men who stay gentle are 'kin of life.'

Byrn Those who are stiff and rigid are the disciples of death. Those who are soft and yielding are the disciples of life.

Chan Therefore the stiff and the hard are companions of death. The tender and the weak are companions of life.

Cleary Stiffness is thus a companion of death, flexibility a companion of life.

Crowley So then rigidity and hardness are the stigmata of death; elasticity and adaptability, of life.

Hansen So things that are hard and rigid accompany death. Things that are soft and pliable accompany life.

LaFargue Yes, strength and hardness accompany death Softness and Weakness accompany life.

Legge Thus it is that firmness and strength are the concomitants of death; softness and weakness, the concomitants of life.

Lindauer So that which is rigid, unyielding is the pupil of dying That which is yielding, weak is the pupil of living

LinYutan Therefore hardness and stiffness are the companions of death, And softness and gentleness are the companions of life.

Mabry So, all that are hard and rigid take the company of death. Those who are soft and weak take the company of life.

McDonald So hardness and stiffness very often accompany death, the soft and gentle could be companions of life.

Merel So softness and tenderness are attributes of life, And hardness and stiffness, attributes of death.

Mitchell Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death.

Muller Therefore the hard and stiff are followers of death. The gentle and soft are the followers of life.

Red Pine thus it is said the hard and strong are followers of death the soft and weak are followers of life

Ta-Kao Therefore it is said: the hard and tough are parts of death; the soft and tender are parts of life.

Walker Therefore the hard and inflexible are friends of death. The soft and yielding are friends of life.

Wieger He who is strong and powerful is marked for death; he who is weak and flexible is marked for life.

World Therefore, hard and inflexible are characteristics of death. Pliant and flexible are characteristics of life.

Wu Hence, the hard and rigid belongs to the company of the dead: The soft and supple belongs to the company of the living.

Ch. 76 Sentence 4

Beck Thus strong arms do not win. A stiff tree will break.

Blackney Unbending soldiers get no victories; The stiffest tree is readiest for the axe.

Bynner Thus a hard-hearted army is doomed to lose. A tree hard-fleshed is cut down:

Byrn -

Chan Therefore, if the army is strong, it will not win. If a tree is stiff, it will break.

Cleary So when an army is strong it doe not prevail. When a tree is strong, it is cut for use.

Crowley He then who puts forth strength is not victorious; even as a strong tree fills the embrace.

Hansen So if troops are strong they do not triumph. When wood is stiff, it makes weapons.

LaFargue And so: With a battle axe too hardened, you cannot win when a tree becomes hard, then comes the axe.

Legge Hence he who (relies on) the strength of his forces does not conquer; and a tree which is strong will fill the out-stretched arms, (and thereby invites the feller.)

Lindauer Appropriately it happens that With unyielding soldiers, next comes lack of conquering With an unyielding tree, next comes being attacked.

LinYutan Therefore when an army is headstrong, it will lose in a battle. When a tree is hard, it will be cut down.

Mabry Therefore, powerful weapons will not succeed (Remember that strong and tall trees are the ones that are cut down).

McDonald The headstrong army will lose in battle. They say "the weapon that's too hard will be broken, the tree that has the hardest wood will be cut down". Yes, a hard tree will be cut down.

Merel Just as a sapless tree will split and decay So an inflexible force will meet defeat;

Mitchell Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life.

Muller Thus, if you are aggressive and stiff, you won't win. When a tree is hard enough, it is cut.

Red Pine when an army becomes strong it suffers defeat when a plant becomes hard it snaps

Ta-Kao This is the reason why the soldiers when they are too tough cannot carry the day; the tree when it is too tough will break.

Walker An unyielding army is destroyed. An unbending tree breaks.

Wieger The great army will be defeated. The great tree will be cut down.

World Thus, an army that is inflexible will be conquered and a tree that does not yield to the wind will snap.

Wu Therefore, a mighty army tends to fall by its own weight, Just as dry wood is ready for the axe.

Ch. 76 Sentence 5

Beck The hard and strong will fall. The tender and supple will rise.

Blackney The strong and mighty topple from their place; The soft and yielding rise above them all.

Bynner Down goes the tough and big, Up comes the tender sprig.

Byrn The rigid and stiff will be broken. The soft and yielding will overcome.

Chan The strong and the great are inferior, while the tender and the weak are superior.

Cleary So the stiff and strong are below, the supple and yielding on top.

Crowley Thus the hard and rigid have the inferior place, the soft and elastic the superior.

Hansen When strength is great, its place is down. When soft and pliable, its place is up.

LaFargue The strong and the great stand lowest the Soft and Weak stand highest.

Legge Therefore the place of what is firm and strong is below, and that of what is soft and weak is above.

Lindauer Dwelling in the unyielding and great is worse Dwelling in the yielding and supple is better.

LinYutan The big and strong belong underneath. The gentle and weak belong at the top.

Mabry The strong and rigid re broken and laid low. The soft and weak will always overcome.

McDonald So the hard and mighty eventually should be cast down; and the soft and weak may be set on high.

Merel The hard and mighty lie beneath the ground While the tender and weak dance on the breeze above.

Mitchell The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail.

Muller Therefore The hard and big are lesser, The gentle and soft are greater.

Red Pine the hard and strong dwell below the soft and weak dwell above

Ta-Kao The position of the strong and great is low, and the position of the weak and tender is high.

Walker The hard must humble itself or be otherwise humbled. The soft will ultimately ascend.

Wieger Everything that is strong and great is in a poorer condition. The advantage is always with the supple and the weak.

World The hard and inflexible will succumb. The pliant and flexible will endure.

Wu The mighty and the great will be laid low. The humble and the weak will be exalted.

Ch. 76	Sentence 2
Beck	All things, like plants and trees, are tender and pliant while alive. At death they are dried and withered.
Blackney	All creatures, grass and trees, alive Are plastic but are pliant too, And dead, are friable and dry.
Bynner	All living growth is pliant, Until death transfixes it.
Byrn	Living plants are flexible and tender; the dead are brittle and dry.
Chan	All things, the grass as well as the trees, are tender and supple while alive. When dead, they are withered and dried.
Cleary	When trees are born they are tender, and when they die they are brittle.
Crowley	This is the common law; trees also, in their youth, are tender and supple; in their decay, hard and dry.
Hansen	The alive state of the ten-thousand natural kinds - grass and wood - is soft and crisp. Their dead state is hard and dry.
LaFargue	Among the thousands of things: Grass and trees begin life Soft and tender when they are dead they are withered and brittle.
Legge	Trees and plants, in their early growth, are soft and brittle; at their death, dry and withered.
Lindauer	The 10000 things, the grass and trees Their living is also yielding, fragile Their dying is also dried up, withered.
LinYutan	When the things and plants are alive, they are soft and supple; When they are dead, they are brittle and dry.
Mabry	All young things, including grass and trees Are soft and frail. At their death they are withered and dry.
McDonald	All things, the grass as well as trees, are supple and soft while alive. When dead they become brittle and dried.
Merel	Plants and animals, in life, are supple and succulent; In death, withered and dry.
Mitchell	Plats are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry.
Muller	When plants are alive they are soft and delicate. When they die, they wither and dry up.
Red Pine	when plants shoot forth they are soft and tender when they die they are withered and dry
Ta-Kao	All animals and plants when living are tender and fragile; when dead they become withered and dry.
Walker	All beings, the grass, the trees: alive, soft, and yielding; dead, stiff, and hard.
Wieger	It is the same for plants, delicate (herbaceous) at first, then becoming woody at the time of their death.
World	Plants and trees are pliant and limber when they sprout, after death they are inflexible and rigid.
Wu	When a plant is living, it is soft and tender. When it is dead, it become withered and dry.

Ch. 76	Sentence 3
Beck	Therefore the stiff and hard are companions of death. The tender and supple are companions of life.
Blackney	Unbending rigour is the mate of death, And wielding softness, company of life:
Bynner	Thus men who have hardened are 'kin of death' And men who stay gentle are 'kin of life.'
Byrn	Those who are stiff and rigid are the disciples of death. Those who are soft and yielding are the disciples of life.
Chan	Therefore the stiff and the hard are companions of death. The tender and the weak are companions of life.
Cleary	Stiffness is thus a companion of death, flexibility a companion of life.
Crowley	So then rigidity and hardness are the stigmata of death; elasticity and adaptability, of life.
Hansen	So things that are hard and rigid accompany death. Things that are soft and pliable accompany life.
LaFargue	Yes, strength and hardness accompany death Softness and Weakness accompany life.
Legge	Thus it is that firmness and strength are the concomitants of death; softness and weakness, the concomitants of life.
Lindauer	So that which is rigid, unyielding is the pupil of dying That which is yielding, weak is the pupil of living
LinYutan	Therefore hardness and stiffness are the companions of death, And softness and gentleness are the companions of life.
Mabry	So, all that are hard and rigid take the company of death. Those who are soft and weak take the company of life.
McDonald	So hardness and stiffness very often accompany death, the soft and gentle could be companions of life.
Merel	So softness and tenderness are attributes of life, And hardness and stiffness, attributes of death.
Mitchell	Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death.
Muller	Therefore the hard and stiff are followers of death. The gentle and soft are the followers of life.
Red Pine	thus it is said the hard and strong are followers of death the soft and weak are followers of life
Ta-Kao	Therefore it is said: the hard and tough are parts of death; the soft and tender are parts of life.
Walker	Therefore the hard and inflexible are friends of death. The soft and yielding are friends of life.
Wieger	He who is strong and powerful is marked for death; he who is weak and flexible is marked for life.
World	Therefore, hard and inflexible are characteristics of death. Pliant and flexible are characteristics of life.
Wu	Hence, the hard and rigid belongs to the company of the dead: The soft and supple belongs to the company of the living.

Ch. 76	Sentence 4
Beck	Thus strong arms do not win. A stiff tree will break.
Blackney	Unbending soldiers get no victories; The stiffest tree is readiest for the axe.
Bynner	Thus a hard-hearted army is doomed to lose. A tree hard-fleshed is cut down:
Byrn	-
Chan	Therefore, if the army is strong, it will not win. If a tree is stiff, it will break.
Cleary	So when an army is strong it doe not prevail. When a tree is strong, it is cut for use.
Crowley	He then who puts forth strength is not victorious; even as a strong tree fills the embrace.
Hansen	So if troops are strong they do not triumph. When wood is stiff, it makes weapons.
LaFargue	And so: With a battle axe too hardened, you cannot win when a tree becomes hard, then comes the axe.
Legge	Hence he who (relies on) the strength of his forces does not conquer; and a tree which is strong will fill the out-stretched arms, (and thereby invites the feller.)
Lindauer	Appropriately it happens that With unyielding soldiers, next comes lack of conquering With an unyielding tree, next comes being attacked.
LinYutan	Therefore when an army is headstrong, it will lose in a battle. When a tree is hard, it will be cut down.
Mabry	Therefore, powerful weapons will not succeed (Remember that strong and tall trees are the ones that are cut down).
McDonald	The headstrong army will lose in battle. They say "the weapon that's too hard will be broken, the tree that has the hardest wood will be cut down". Yes, a hard tree will be cut down.
Merel	Just as a sapless tree will split and decay So an inflexible force will meet defeat;
Mitchell	Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life.
Muller	Thus, if you are aggressive and stiff, you won't win. When a tree is hard enough, it is cut.
Red Pine	when an army becomes strong it suffers defeat when a plant becomes hard it snaps
Ta-Kao	This is the reason why the soldiers when they are too tough cannot carry the day; the tree when it is too tough will break.
Walker	An unyielding army is destroyed. An unbending tree breaks.
Wieger	The great army will be defeated. The great tree will be cut down.
World	Thus, an army that is inflexible will be conquered and a tree that does not yield to the wind will snap.
Wu	Therefore, a mighty army tends to fall by its own weight, Just as dry wood is ready for the axe.

Ch. 76	Sentence 5
Beck	The hard and strong will fall. The tender and supple will rise.
Blackney	The strong and mighty topple from their place; The soft and yielding rise above them all.
Bynner	Down goes the tough and big, Up comes the tender sprig.
Byrn	The rigid and stiff will be broken. The soft and yielding will overcome.
Chan	The strong and the great are inferior, while the tender and the weak are superior.
Cleary	So the stiff and strong are below, the supple and yielding on top.
Crowley	Thus the hard and rigid have the inferior place, the soft and elastic the superior.
Hansen	When strength is great, its place is down. When soft and pliable, its place is up.
LaFargue	The strong and the great stand lowest the Soft and Weak stand highest.
Legge	Therefore the place of what is firm and strong is below, and that of what is soft and weak is above.
Lindauer	Dwelling in the unyielding and great is worse Dwelling in the yielding and supple is better.
LinYutan	The big and strong belong underneath. The gentle and weak belong at the top.
Mabry	The strong and rigid re broken and laid low. The soft and weak will always overcome.
McDonald	So the hard and mighty eventually should be cast down; and the soft and weak may be set on high.
Merel	The hard and mighty lie beneath the ground While the tender and weak dance on the breeze above.
Mitchell	The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail.
Muller	Therefore The hard and big are lesser, The gentle and soft are greater.
Red Pine	the hard and strong dwell below the soft and weak dwell above
Ta-Kao	The position of the strong and great is low, and the position of the weak and tender is high.
Walker	The hard must humble itself or be otherwise humbled. The soft will ultimately ascend.
Wieger	Everything that is strong and great is in a poorer condition. The advantage is always with the supple and the weak.
World	The hard and inflexible will succumb. The pliant and flexible will endure.
Wu	The mighty and the great will be laid low. The humble and the weak will be exalted.