Chapter Nine
持 而 盈 之
不 如 其 已
揣 而 (銳) 之
不 可 長 保 •
金 玉 滿 堂
莫 之 能 守 •
富 貴 而 驕
自 遺 其 咎 •
功 遂 身 退
天 之 道 •
Holding and filling it
Are not as good as your stopping short.
Hammering and sharpening it
Can not be forever maintained.
When gold and jade fill a room,
There is no one who can protect it.
To have wealth and high rank, but with arrogance –
Then naturally their loss is your own fault.
When the task is successful, the self should let go of it.
This is the Way of heaven.
Holding and filling itA
Are not as good as your stopping [short]. [his]
Hammering° and sharpening itB
Can not be forever maintained.
When gold and jade fill a room,
There is no one who can protect it. [they]
To have wealth and high rank, but with arrogance{pride} –
Then naturally their loss is your own fault. [his]
When the task is successful, the self should let go of it. [result,achievement] [withdraw,step away]
♦This is the Way of heaven.
Notes
A : presumably, a cup; Lau says that this refers to a vessel in a temple that stood upright when empty but overturned when nearly full (thus you had to hold it to fill it up)
B : presumably, a sword or knife; you can only re-shape and re-sharpen it so many times
Cross-references
accomplishing tasks : #2, #17, #34, #77
and not dwelling on them : #2, #77
self : #7, #13, #16, #26, #44, #52, #54, #66
Way of heaven : #47, #73, #77, #79, #81
Chapter Ten
載 營 魄 抱 一
能 無 離 乎(•)
專 氣 致 柔
能 嬰 兒 乎(•) •
滌 除 玄 覽
能 無 疵 乎(•)
愛 民 治 國
能 無 為 乎(•)
天 門 開 闔
能 為 雌 乎(•)
明 白 四 達
能 無 [以] 知 乎(•)
生 之 畜 之
生 而 不 有
為 而 不 恃
長 而 不 宰
是 謂 玄 德
Carrying and managing a body while embracing the One,
Are you able to not separate them?
Concentrating your Qi to become soft,
Are you able to be like a newborn infant?
Cleansing and clearing your deep and mysterious
perception,
Are you able to be without blemish?
Loving the citizens and governing the nation,
Are you able to use non-action?
Opening and closing the gateway of heaven,
Are you able to serve as the feminine?
Attaining clear insight in all directions,
Are you able to not use your knowledge?
Creating them and raising them,
Creating but not possessing,
Acting but not concerned with the results,
Leading yet not governing –
This is called deep and mysterious De.
♦Carrying and managing a body{soul} while embracing the
One,
♦Are you able to not separateA them ?
♦Concentrating your Qi to become soft, [attain,bring about]
♦Are you able to [be like] a newborn infant2 ?
Cleansing and clearing your deep and mysterious
perception, [remove,eliminate,wipe out]
Are you able to be without blemish ?
Loving the citizens and governing the nation,
Are you able to [use] non-action ?
Opening and closing the gateway of heaven,
♦Are you able to serve as the feminine ?
♦Attaining clear insight in all directions, [wise,sight] [four directions,all around]
Are you able to not use your knowledge ?
♦Creating them and raising them,
♦Creating but not possessing,
Acting but not concerned with [the results],B [depend upon,rely upon]
♦Leading yet not governing –
♦This is called deep and mysterious De.
Notes
A : that is,“keep from separating”
B : this line is not in the earlier sources
Cross-references
embracing the One : #22
Qi : #42, #55
soft : #36, #43, #52, #55, #76, #78
gateway : #1, #6, #52, #56
baby/infant/child : #20, #28, #49, #55
newborn infant : #20, #28, #55
feminine : #6, #28, #61
creating but not possessing : #2, #51
acting but not concerned : #2, #51, #77
leading yet not governing : #51
mystery : #1, #6, #15, #27, #51, #56, #62, #65
deep and mysterious De : #51, #65
Chapter Eleven
三 十 輻 共 一 轂
當 其 無 有 車 之 用 •
埏 埴 以 為 器
當 其 無 有 器 之 用 •
鑿 戶 牖 以 為 室
當 其 無 有 室 之 用 •
(•)故 有 之 以 為 利
無 之 以 為 用 •
Thirty spokes of a wheel share one hub;
In its emptiness exists the usefulness of the cart.
Mix water with clay thus making a vessel;
In its emptiness exists the usefulness of the vessel.
Cut out doors and windows thus making a room;
In their emptiness exists the usefulness of the room.
Therefore : what exists thus makes a thing profitable;
Emptiness thus makes it useful.
Thirty2 spokes of a wheel share one hub;
♦In its emptiness exists the usefulness of the cart. [just at]
Mix water with clay2 thus making a vessel;
In its emptiness exists the usefulness of the vessel. [just at]
Cut out doors and windows thus making a room{house}; [chisel,bore,pierce]
♦In their emptiness exists the usefulness of the
room{house}. [just at]
♦Therefore : what exists thus makes a thing profitable; [it]
♦Emptiness thus makes it useful.
Notes
Cross-references
Chapter Twelve
五 色 令 人 目 盲 •
五 音 令 人 耳 聾 •
五 味 令 人 口 爽
馳 騁 畋 獵 令 人 心 發 狂
難 得 之 貨 令 人 行 妨
是 以 聖 人 •
為 腹 不 為 目
(•)故 去 彼 取 此
The five colors can make people’s eyes blind.
The five tones can make people’s ears deaf.
The five flavors can make people’s mouths dull.
Excessive hunting and horse racing can make people’s
heart/minds become wild.
Rare goods can make people’s behavior corrupt.
Thus the sage :
Acts on what is inside, he does not act on what he sees.
Therefore he leaves that and chooses this.
♦The five colors [can] make people’s eyes blind.
The five tones [can] make people’s ears deaf.
The five flavors [can] make people’s mouths dull °.
Excessive hunting and horse racing [can] make people’s
heart/minds become wild. [hunt hunt] [gallop2]
Rare2 [à] goods [can] make people’s behavior corrupt. [undermine,harm,impede]
Thus2 the sage2 :
Acts on what is inside, he does not act on what he sees.A
Therefore he leaves thatB and chooses thisC.
Notes
Everything in the first five lines would have been enjoyed to excess only by the wealthy and the ruling class!
A : compare to #49, where the 100 families “follow their eyes”
B : presumably, acting on what he sees
C : presumably, acting on what is inside
Cross-references
rare goods : #3, #64
leaves that and chooses this : #38, #72