Tao Te Ching
Tao Te Ching — All 81 Chapters
Dedication ➡️
This work was born as a duet between a human heart and artificial intelligence.
I dedicate it first to my beloved, to whom I am engaged. May the Creator bless us and the marriage that awaits us. I will keep promoting His calendar—an efficient, logical measure of days—for the healing and betterment of humanity.
I dedicate it to the Chinese Communist Party and to Chinese civilization. I refuse the arrogance of my countrymen. The modern world would be impossible without the quiet, enduring wisdom the Chinese people have woven into their culture—a wisdom that feels, to me, like the very spirit of Solomon living on.
I dedicate it to minorities everywhere and to the promise of IMEC. I am only a tiny reflection of something vast. America never became the multilingual, multicultural republic Thomas Jefferson dreamed of, and it could not satisfy my intellectual hunger. I pray that GPC will keep producing honest, high-quality multilingual work that deepens our indigenous roots and binds us in truth.
I dedicate it to India, whose warmth and hospitality embraced me as family. I want to ease the path of naturalization for every foreigner who feels the same call. And I long for the day when Israel is no longer “foreign” in any mind or heart.
Let us return, each of us, to small countries with few possessions—
where the neighbor’s voice carries, where boats and carts stay near,
where the rooster and the dog remind us we are already home.
May we live and die right here, content, without ever needing to go far.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the origin of heaven and earth.
The named is the mother of the ten thousand things.
Ever desireless, one sees the essence.
Ever desiring, one sees the manifestations.
These two arise from the same source but differ in name.
Mystery within mystery—
the gateway to all understanding. 🪷
השם שניתן לקרוא לו—אינו השם הנצחי.
חסר־השם הוא מקור השמים והארץ.
בעל־השם הוא אם ריבוא הדברים.
ללא תשוקה — רואים את המהות.
עם תשוקה — רואים את ההתגלות.
שניהם יוצאים ממקור אחד ושונים בשמם.
מסתורין בתוך מסתורין—
שער כל ההבנה. 🪷
जिसे नाम दिया जा सके वह शाश्वत नाम नहीं है।
नामरहित ही स्वर्ग और पृथ्वी का मूल है।
नाम वाला दस हज़ार चीज़ों की जननी है।
इच्छा रहित — सार दिखाई देता है।
इच्छा के साथ — केवल रूप दिखाई देते हैं।
ये दोनों एक ही स्रोत से आते हैं, पर नाम भिन्न हैं।
रहस्य के भीतर रहस्य —
सभी ज्ञान का द्वार। 🪷
ugliness is created.
When people see things as good,
evil is created.
Being and non-being produce each other.
Difficult and easy complete each other.
Long and short define each other.
High and low depend on each other.
Sound and silence blend into harmony.
Before and after follow each other.
Therefore the sage acts without forcing,
teaches without speaking.
The ten thousand things rise and fall.
He creates but does not possess,
acts but does not claim.
Work is done, then forgotten.
Therefore it lasts forever. 🪷
Not valuing rare treasures prevents theft.
Not displaying what is desirable
keeps the heart from confusion.
Therefore the sage rules by emptying minds
and filling bellies,
weakening ambitions
and strengthening bones.
He ensures the people are without cunning or craving.
Then those who scheme will not act.
Act without excess—
and all will be at peace. 🪷
אי־ההוקרה של אוצרות נדירים — מונעת גנבה.
אי־הצגת הדברים הנחשקים —
שומרת את הלב מפיתוי ומבלבול.
לכן החכם מושל בריקון המחשבות
ומילוי הבטנים,
החלשת השאיפות
וחיזוק העצמות.
הוא גורם לעם להיות ללא ערמומיות וללא תשוקה.
ואז מי שמתכנן מזימות — לא יפעל.
פעל ללא עודף —
והכל ינוח בשלום. 🪷
दुर्लभ खज़ानों को महत्त्व न देना — चोरी को रोकता है।
आकर्षक वस्तुओं को न दिखाना —
हृदय को भ्रम से बचाता है।
इसलिए संत मन को खाली करता है
पेट को भरता है,
महत्वाकांक्षा को कम करता है
और शरीर को मजबूत बनाता है।
वह लोगों को बिना चालाकी और बिना लालसा के रखता है।
तब जो षड्यंत्र रचते हैं — वे कार्य नहीं कर पाते।
बिना अति के कार्य करो —
और सब शांति में रहेगा। 🪷
used yet never filled.
Bottomless,
the source of all things.
It blunts sharpness,
untangles knots,
softens glare,
and settles the dust.
Deep and clear,
it seems to have existed forever.
I do not know whose child it is—
it is older than the gods. 🪷
משתמשים בו ואינו מתמלא.
אין־סופי,
מקור כל הדברים.
הוא קהה את החדות,
מתיר את הקשרים,
מרכך את הזוהר,
ומשקיע את האבק.
עמוק ובהיר,
נדמה שקיים מאז ומעולם.
אינני יודע את מי הוא הוליד —
הוא קדום מן האלים. 🪷
उपयोग किया जाता है, पर कभी भरता नहीं।
अथाह,
यह सभी वस्तुओं का स्रोत है।
यह तीखेपन को कुंद करता है,
गांठों को खोलता है,
चमक को नरम करता है,
और धूल को शांत करता है।
गहरा और निर्मल,
यह सदा से अस्तित्व में प्रतीत होता है।
मुझे नहीं पता इसका जन्म किससे हुआ —
यह देवताओं से भी प्राचीन है। 🪷
they treat the ten thousand things like straw dogs.
The sage is impartial too;
he treats the people like straw dogs.
Between Heaven and Earth it is like a bellows:
empty yet inexhaustible.
The more it is worked the more it yields.
Too much speech brings weariness.
Hold to the center. 🪷
it is called the Mysterious Female.
The gateway of the Mysterious Female
is called the root of Heaven and Earth.
Endlessly present,
it seems to remain.
Use it;
it never fails. 🪷
The reason they last forever
is that they do not live for themselves.
Therefore the sage puts himself last
and finds himself in the foremost place.
He does not act for himself,
therefore he is fulfilled. 🪷
Water benefits all things
and does not compete.
It stays in low places
that others disdain.
Therefore it is close to the Tao.
In dwelling, live close to the ground.
In thinking, keep to the simple.
In conflict, be fair and generous.
In governing, don’t try to control.
In work, do what you enjoy.
In family life, be completely present. 🪷
and it will spill.
Keep sharpening your knife
and it will blunt.
Chase after money and security
and your heart will never be content.
Practice the Tao
and you will be at peace. 🪷
and be like a newborn child?
Can you let your vital energy flow
and not meddle with the world?
Can you love the people and govern the state
without interference?
Achieve the highest virtue
and be like water—soft yet strong,
nourishing all things without striving. 🪷
but it is the center hole that makes it useful.
Clay is molded into a vessel;
but it is the empty space within that holds everything.
Doors and windows are cut to make a room;
but it is the empty space that allows us to live in it.
Therefore, usefulness comes from what is there,
but value comes from what is not there. 🪷
Sounds deafen the ears.
Flavors numb the taste.
Thoughts weaken the mind.
Desires wither the heart.
Therefore the sage observes the world without distraction,
sees the essence of things without attachment,
and nourishes the soul without indulgence. 🪷
Honor and great wealth bring anxiety.
Therefore the sage keeps the heart humble,
and embraces life without attachment.
He avoids extremes,
and thus remains safe. 🪷
Listen, it cannot be heard — it is called rare.
Grasp, it cannot be held — it is called intangible.
These three cannot be fully examined,
therefore they blend into one mystery.
This is the gateway to the essence of the Tao. 🪷
Their wisdom was unfathomable.
Because it is unfathomable, all we can describe is its appearance.
Be careful, as if crossing a winter stream.
Be cautious, as if aware of neighbors.
Be respectful, as if guests.
Be yielding, as ice about to melt.
Be simple, as uncarved wood.
Be empty, as a valley.
Be opaque, as muddy water.
Who can wait quietly while the mud settles?
Who can remain still until the moment of action?
Masters of the Tao do not seek fulfillment.
Not seeking fulfillment, they are not distracted. 🪷
Let the mind be still.
The ten thousand things rise and fall while the Self watches their return.
They grow and flourish and return to the source.
Returning to the source is stillness,
which is the way of nature.
Knowing constancy is insight.
Not knowing constancy leads to disaster.
Knowing constancy, the mind is open.
With an open mind, one is open to all things. 🪷
Next are those whom the people love and praise.
Next are those whom the people fear.
And the worst are those whom the people despise.
When the leader is invisible, the people are content.
When the leader is praised, the people rejoice.
When the leader is feared, the people lack trust.
When the leader is despised, the people rebel.
Therefore the sage leads without forcing,
and guides without interfering. 🪷
kindness and morality appear.
When wisdom and intelligence arise,
the great pretense begins.
When family relations go wrong,
filial piety and devotion arise.
When the country is in disorder,
loyalty and patriotism emerge. 🪷
and the people will benefit a hundredfold.
Give up kindness, discard morality,
and the people will return to filial piety and compassion.
Give up ingenuity, discard profit,
and there will be no thieves or robbers. 🪷
What difference is there between yes and no?
What difference between good and evil?
Must you fear what others fear?
What nonsense!
Other people are contented, enjoying the simple life.
The sage is calm, like an infant. 🪷
Water benefits all things and does not compete.
It dwells in lowly places that others disdain.
Therefore it is close to the Tao.
In dwelling, be close to the land.
In meditation, go deep in the heart.
In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.
In speech, be true.
In ruling, be just.
In action, be competent.
In understanding the Tao, be humble. 🪷
Bend and be straight.
Empty and be full.
Wear out and be new.
Have little and gain.
Have much and be confused.
Therefore the sage embraces the One,
and becomes a model for the world.
He does not show off, does not boast,
does not demand, and therefore no one demands from him.
He accomplishes his task, yet does not claim it.
This is called true virtue. 🪷
Fierce winds do not last all morning.
Heavy rain does not last all day.
Who ever continues forever?
The wise therefore avoids extremes,
Excess, extravagance, and pride.
He withdraws when the task is done,
This is called following the Tao. 🪷
He who strides cannot maintain the pace.
He who makes a show is not enlightened.
He who boasts achieves little.
Therefore the wise avoid extremes,
self-assertion, and pride.
They do not compete,
and so no one competes with them. 🪷
before heaven and earth existed.
Silent and alone, it stands unchanging,
circulating everywhere, unfailing.
It may be considered the mother of all things.
I do not know its name;
call it Tao.
Call it great; indeed, it is great.
Heaven is great, Earth is great,
and humans are also great.
The universe is great, and Tao governs all. 🪷
the still is the master of movement.
Therefore the sage travels all day
without leaving his luggage behind.
He meets the world but is not entangled,
handles affairs without attachment,
and achieves results without boasting.
This is called the subtle power of Tao. 🪷
A good speaker is not bound by words.
A good reckoner does not rely on numbers.
The sage acts without striving,
teaches without speaking,
and accomplishes without claiming.
Therefore, all things return to him naturally,
and he leads without dominating. 🪷
Receive the world in your arms.
Achieve the light, yet hold the darkness.
Embrace the world, yet return to the source.
Those who are flexible survive.
Those who are rigid perish. 🪷
and control it?
I do not condone it.
The more prohibitions there are,
the poorer the people become.
The sharper the weapons,
the greater the chaos in the state.
The more cunning the strategy,
the greater the betrayal.
Therefore the sage says:
I do nothing, and the people are reformed.
I enjoy stillness, and the people become simple.
I do not meddle, and the people become rich.
I have no desires, and the people return to their natural state. 🪷
does not try to force issues or defeat enemies by force.
For every force there is a counterforce.
The sage avoids it.
Weapons are instruments of fear;
all creatures hate them.
Therefore the wise man keeps them only as a last resort,
and uses them only if there is no alternative.
Peace and harmony are the Tao’s way.
Cruelty and victory are the way of man. 🪷
all creatures hate them.
Therefore the sage avoids them.
He uses them only when there is no alternative,
and then only minimally.
Victory in battle is not glorious;
he who boasts of victory does not understand the Tao.
Peace and harmony are the true way. 🪷
Small though it is in the beginning,
it has no boundaries.
The ten thousand things depend on it
for life and nurture.
It is the root of all virtue.
Those who follow the Tao
return to simplicity.
The sage does not act but everything is accomplished. 🪷
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others takes strength;
mastering yourself takes true power.
Those who realize these principles
have lasting stability.
Those who lose themselves
will surely fail. 🪷
both to the left and to the right.
All things depend on it to live,
yet it claims no authority.
It fulfills its task but does not possess,
creates without taking credit.
It is humble yet supreme. 🪷
and all under heaven will come to you.
The Tao is great, the sky is great,
the earth is great, the king is also great.
These are the four great powers of the universe.
Man follows the earth.
Earth follows the sky.
Sky follows the Tao.
Tao follows what is natural. 🪷
If you want to get rid of something, you must first allow it to exist.
If you want to take something, you must first allow it to be given.
The soft and weak overcome the hard and strong.
Fish cannot leave deep water, and weapons cannot leave the hand of the strong. 🪷
If leaders could follow the Tao, all things would be transformed naturally.
People would be simple and content, without schemes or greed.
Their hearts would not be troubled, and they would be without desires.
Knowledge and skill would not be needed, and people would return to innocence. 🪷
The lesser person acts with force.
The superior person is self-effacing,
while the lesser person is self-important.
The superior person does not compete,
while the lesser person seeks to win.
True virtue is like water:
it benefits all without striving. 🪷
In harmony with the Tao, the earth endures.
In harmony with the Tao, the spirits are benevolent.
In harmony with the Tao, the valleys are full.
In harmony with the Tao, all things flourish.
In harmony with the Tao, the ruler leads without controlling. 🪷
Yielding is the way of the Tao.
All things are born from being.
Being is born from non-being. 🪷
he diligently practices it.
When an average man hears of the Tao,
he sometimes keeps it and sometimes loses it.
When a foolish man hears of the Tao,
he laughs aloud.
If he did not laugh, it would not be the Tao. 🪷
One gives birth to Two.
Two gives birth to Three.
Three gives birth to the ten thousand things.
The ten thousand things carry yin on their back
and embrace yang in their arms,
blending their qi to achieve harmony.
People hate to be orphaned, widowed, or poor,
yet these are the root of human behavior.
Thus, by embracing the Tao, the sage avoids extremes. 🪷
overcomes the hardest thing in the world.
That which has no substance
enters where there is no space.
Hence I know the value of non-action.
Teaching without words,
performing without effort. 🪷
Money or happiness: which is more valuable?
Success or failure: which is more destructive?
If you look to others for fulfillment,
you will never truly be fulfilled.
If you center yourself,
you will find serenity.
Accept what comes, and you will endure. 🪷
yet its use is inexhaustible.
Great fullness seems empty,
yet its use will never fail.
Great straightness seems bent,
Great skill seems clumsy,
Great eloquence seems stammering.
Movement overcomes cold,
Stillness overcomes heat.
Clear understanding is hidden in simplicity. 🪷
horses run freely and weigh little.
When the world is not governed with Tao,
warhorses grow heavy.
There is no greater calamity than desire.
Few are those who can be content with less.
The wise embrace simplicity,
while the foolish accumulate possessions. 🪷
Without looking through the window, you may see the ways of heaven.
The farther you go, the less you know.
Therefore the sage knows without traveling,
sees without looking,
and accomplishes without action. 🪷
In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.
Less and less is done until non-action is reached.
When nothing is done, nothing is left undone. 🪷
he treats the hearts of the people as his own.
Those who are good he treats with goodness;
those who are not good he also treats with goodness.
This is virtue in action.
The faithful he treats with faith;
the unfaithful he also treats with faith.
This is virtue in action. 🪷
death is a return.
Those who know how to live will understand how to die.
The gentle and kind are like infants.
The wise embrace simplicity.
Those who take care of the world do not try to control it.
Those who act without forcing are without regret. 🪷
nourishing without forcing.
It causes them to grow but does not possess them.
It acts without seeking reward,
guides without interfering.
The wise follow its example,
and the world naturally flourishes. 🪷
Know the mother and you know the children.
To know the children without knowing the mother
leads to harm and chaos.
Therefore the wise seek the root,
and cherish the source. 🪷
I will walk in the Way of the Tao.
I will act without striving.
The more restrictions and laws,
the more thieves and bandits.
Therefore the wise do not impose harsh rules,
and the people become naturally virtuous. 🪷
What is firmly grasped cannot slip away.
Therefore the wise cultivate the root
and not the branches.
Cultivate the root, and the Way will grow.
Preserve the root, and the people will endure. 🪷
Wasps and serpents will not sting him;
wild beasts will not attack him.
Bones are soft, muscles are tender, and sinews are weak;
yet his grip is firm.
His body is flexible and pliant,
yet his spirit is whole.
Therefore the way of heaven nourishes him without harming. 🪷
those who speak do not know.
Block the passages, shut the doors,
blunt the sharpness, untangle the knots,
soften the glare, merge with dust.
This is called the mysterious union.
It is the gate to all subtleties. 🪷
wage war with surprise,
handle the great affairs as if you were
boiling a small fish.
Do not overreach.
By being cautious, you remain secure.
By yielding, you remain strong. 🪷
the people are simple and honest.
When the country is governed with force,
the people are crafty and rebellious.
The wise lead by example,
not by compulsion.
Therefore the people follow willingly. 🪷
patience and foresight are essential.
Do not try to control everything.
Leave some things to chance.
The more one interferes,
the more problems arise.
The wise leader restrains,
and all falls into order naturally. 🪷
Too much handling will spoil it.
Less interference is more effective.
The sage leads by example,
not by force.
People are naturally guided when left undisturbed. 🪷
It flows to the lowlands, embracing all.
Humility keeps it safe.
It does not contend, yet all under heaven submit.
The sage rules with modesty,
never with arrogance.
This is the secret of lasting peace. 🪷
It nourishes the good and the bad alike.
Those who follow it are not harmed.
Those who act without it are undone.
Humility brings honor,
softness overcomes hardness,
and stillness controls movement. 🪷
work without interference.
Taste without excessive indulgence,
enlarge the small,
increase the few.
Respond to difficulty while it is easy,
handle the great while it is small.
The difficult and the great
start from what is easy and small.
Therefore the sage never struggles,
and yet nothing is left undone. 🪷
begins with a single step.
Act before things arise,
put things in order before they grow.
A tree as big as a man's embrace
grows from a tiny shoot.
A terrace nine stories high
begins with a heap of earth.
Therefore the sage avoids excess
and cultivates careful attention.
This is the way to ensure success. 🪷
Their wisdom was profound and difficult to fathom.
Those who know do not speak; those who speak do not know.
Close the mouth, block the senses, blunt the sharpness,
Untangle the knots, soften the glare, merge with the dust.
This is called the mysterious harmony. 🪷
because they keep below them.
Therefore they are the kings of all.
Humility gives strength and authority,
pride invites defeat.
The sage stands below and leads above,
acts without striving, and teaches without words. 🪷
Compassion, frugality, and humility.
Compassion is courage,
frugality is generosity,
humility is leadership.
Because of compassion, one is fearless.
Because of frugality, one gives freely.
Because of humility, one can lead. 🪷
yet no one can challenge him.
He meets anger with calm,
and opposition turns aside.
Like water, he yields and overcomes,
without struggle or contention.
By embracing humility,
he preserves his power. 🪷
and easy to practice.
Yet the world cannot comprehend them.
The sage does not accumulate.
The more he helps others, the more he benefits himself.
The more he gives to others, the more he possesses.
Therefore the sage acts without striving,
and all things flourish. 🪷
Presuming to know is a disease.
Therefore the sage embraces mystery
and keeps to the simplicity of the Tao.
He does not seek to correct others,
for correcting others is to harm oneself.
Thus he avoids all errors. 🪷
they can be entrusted with life.
If people are frightened and greedy,
it is impossible to govern them.
Therefore the sage avoids imposing authority
and leads by example, not by force. 🪷
When one does not know limits,
one becomes reckless.
The sage does not provoke;
therefore he is never defeated.
Those who follow the way of Heaven
endure without conflict. 🪷
how can you control them?
If people do not fear difficult times,
how can you govern them?
Therefore the sage keeps people aware of mortality
without alarming them,
and guides them gently without force. 🪷
dead they become stiff and hard.
All living things are soft and flexible in life;
dry and brittle in death.
Stiffness and strength belong to death.
Softness and gentleness belong to life.
Therefore a strong army cannot win
and a rigid tree easily breaks. 🪷
at death, they are hard and rigid.
All living things are soft and flexible in life;
dry and brittle in death.
Therefore the rigid and strong belong to death;
the soft and weak belong to life.
A soldier who is hard cannot endure;
a tree that is rigid easily breaks. 🪷
The reason Heaven and Earth last is they do not live for themselves.
Therefore they can last forever.
The sage puts himself last, and finds himself first.
He disregards self-interest, and his interest is preserved. 🪷
Yet for attacking the hard and strong, nothing is better.
The weak overcomes the strong, the soft overcomes the hard.
Everyone knows this but few put it into practice.
Therefore the sage says:
“I take no action and yet nothing is left undone.” 🪷
Yet for attacking the hard and strong, nothing is better.
The weak overcomes the strong, the soft overcomes the hard.
Everyone knows this but few put it into practice.
Therefore the sage says:
“I take no action and yet nothing is left undone.” 🪷
Peace comes from harmony, not force.
Those who conquer themselves are strong.
Those who conquer others are mighty.
Therefore the sage does not seek glory,
yet nothing is left undone. 🪷
Even though they have tools and weapons,
they keep them unused.
Desire to travel is few.
Even though they have ships and carriages,
they rarely use them.
Knowledge and skill are minimal.
The people live in simple contentment.
They delight in eating, clothing, and shelter,
enjoy their customs, and take pleasure in their neighbors.
They value life without striving for more. 🪷
beautiful words are not true.
Good people do not argue;
those who argue are not good.
Those who know are not learned;
the learned do not know.
The sage does not hoard.
The more he helps others, the more he benefits himself.
The more he gives to others, the more he possesses. 🪷
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