楚国 老子 Lao-Tzu  楚国   (B.C.600~B.C.470)
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 1
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 2
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 3
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 4
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 5
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 6
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 7
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 8
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 9
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 10
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 11
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 12
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 13
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 14
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 15
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 16
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 17
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 18
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 1
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 20
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 21
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 22
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 23
The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 24
Multiple poems at a time
Taoist Poetry

The Tao And Its Characteristics Chapter 28
二十八

   Lao-Tzu

Who knows his manhood's strength,
Yet still his female feebleness maintains;
As to one channel flow the many drains,
All come to him, yea, all beneath the sky.
Thus he the constant excellence retains;
The simple child again, free from all stains.


Who knows how white attracts,
Yet always keeps himself within black's shade,
The pattern of humility displayed,
Displayed in view of all beneath the sky;
He in the unchanging excellence arrayed,
Endless return to man's first state has made.


Who knows how glory shines,
Yet loves disgrace, nor e'er for it is pale;
Behold his presence in a spacious vale,
To which men come from all beneath the sky.
The unchanging excellence completes its tale;
The simple infant man in him we hail.


The unwrought material, when divided and distributed, forms vessels.
The sage, when employed, becomes the Head of all the Officers (of government);
and in his greatest regulations he employs no violent measures.

    Translator: James Legge
  

Add a comment