81 of 81 chapters onlineDaodejing

Laozi’s Daodejing (Tao Te Ching) in 81 chapters: the original text of the Siku Quanshu edition with Wang Bi’s commentary, a scan of every page, and a draft English translation that follows Wang Bi’s reading.

Dao Jing (chapters 1–37)

1. 1The Way that can be told is not the constant Waynot yet coveredThe Way that can be told is not the constant Way; the name that can be named is not the co…
2. 2When all under heaven know beauty as beauty, there is…not yet coveredWhen all under heaven know beauty as beauty, there is already ugliness; when all know good…
3. 3Do not exalt the worthy, and the people will not contendnot yet coveredDo not exalt the worthy, and the people will not contend. Do not prize goods hard to get, …
4. 4The Way is empty, yet in use it is never fillednot yet coveredThe Way is empty, yet in use it is never filled; deep, it seems the ancestor of the ten th…
5. 5Heaven and earth are not humanenot yet coveredHeaven and earth are not humane; they treat the ten thousand things as straw dogs. The sag…
6. 6The spirit of the valley never diesnot yet coveredThe spirit of the valley never dies; it is called the dark female. The gate of the dark fe…
7. 7Heaven endures and earth lastsnot yet coveredHeaven endures and earth lasts. Heaven and earth can endure and last because they do not l…
8. 8The highest good is like waternot yet coveredThe highest good is like water. Water benefits the ten thousand things and does not conten…
9. 9To hold a thing and fill it to the brim is not as good as…not yet coveredTo hold a thing and fill it to the brim is not as good as stopping in time. Hammer an edge…
10. 10Carrying the soul and embracing the One, can you keep them…not yet coveredCarrying the soul and embracing the One, can you keep them from parting? Concentrating you…
11. 11Thirty spokes share one hubnot yet coveredThirty spokes share one hub; it is the empty space that makes the cart useful. Clay is sha…
12. 12The five colors blind the eye, the five notes deafen the…not yet coveredThe five colors blind the eye, the five notes deafen the ear, the five flavors dull the pa…
13. 13Favor and disgrace alike are alarmingnot yet coveredFavor and disgrace alike are alarming; prize great trouble as you prize your body. What do…
14. 14Looked at but not seen, it is called the invisiblenot yet coveredLooked at but not seen, it is called the invisible; listened to but not heard, it is calle…
15. 15Those of old who were good at being officers were subtle…not yet coveredThose of old who were good at being officers were subtle, mysterious, profound, and penetr…
16. 16Reach the utmost emptinessnot yet coveredReach the utmost emptiness; hold fast to stillness. The ten thousand things rise together,…
17. 17The best rulersnot yet coveredThe best rulers: those below merely know they exist. Next: they are loved and praised. Nex…
18. 18When the great Way is abandoned, there are humaneness and…not yet coveredWhen the great Way is abandoned, there are humaneness and righteousness. When cleverness a…
19. 19Cut off sageliness, discard knowledge, and the people will…not yet coveredCut off sageliness, discard knowledge, and the people will benefit a hundredfold. Cut off …
20. 20Cut off learning and there will be no worriesnot yet coveredCut off learning and there will be no worries. Between a yes and a yeah, how much differen…
21. 21The bearing of great virtue follows the Way alonenot yet coveredThe bearing of great virtue follows the Way alone. The Way as a thing is elusive and evasi…
22. 22Bent, then wholenot yet coveredBent, then whole; crooked, then straight; hollow, then full; worn, then new; little, then …
23. 23To speak little is naturalnot yet coveredTo speak little is natural. So a whirlwind does not last the morning, a downpour does not …
24. 24On tiptoe, one cannot standnot yet coveredOn tiptoe, one cannot stand; with straddling strides, one cannot walk. One who shows himse…
25. 25There was a thing formed in chaos, born before heaven and…not yet coveredThere was a thing formed in chaos, born before heaven and earth. Silent and empty, standin…
26. 26The heavy is the root of the lightnot yet coveredThe heavy is the root of the light; stillness is the lord of restlessness. Therefore the s…
27. 27A good traveler leaves no tracksnot yet coveredA good traveler leaves no tracks; a good speaker makes no slips; a good counter needs no t…
28. 28Know the male, keep to the female, and be the ravine of the…not yet coveredKnow the male, keep to the female, and be the ravine of the world. Being the ravine of the…
29. 29One who wants to take the world and work on it, I see that…not yet coveredOne who wants to take the world and work on it, I see that he will not succeed. The world …
30. 30One who assists a ruler with the Way does not use arms to…not yet coveredOne who assists a ruler with the Way does not use arms to force his will on the world; suc…
31. 31Fine weapons are instruments of ill omennot yet coveredFine weapons are instruments of ill omen; things may detest them, so one who has the Way d…
32. 32The Way is constant and namelessnot yet coveredThe Way is constant and nameless. The uncarved block, though small, no one in the world ca…
33. 33One who knows others is clevernot yet coveredOne who knows others is clever; one who knows himself is clear-sighted. One who conquers o…
34. 34The great Way flows everywherenot yet coveredThe great Way flows everywhere; it can go left or right. The ten thousand things depend on…
35. 35Hold to the great image and the world will comenot yet coveredHold to the great image and the world will come. It comes and meets no harm, but peace, ca…
36. 36What is to be shrunk must first be stretchednot yet coveredWhat is to be shrunk must first be stretched; what is to be weakened must first be strengt…
37. 37The Way is constantly without contrivance, yet nothing is…not yet coveredThe Way is constantly without contrivance, yet nothing is left undone. If lords and kings …

De Jing (chapters 38–81)

1. 38Superior virtue is not virtuous, and so it has virtuenot yet coveredSuperior virtue is not virtuous, and so it has virtue; inferior virtue never lets go of vi…
2. 39Of old, these attained the Onenot yet coveredOf old, these attained the One: heaven attained the One and became clear; earth attained t…
3. 40Turning back is the movement of the Waynot yet coveredTurning back is the movement of the Way; weakness is the use of the Way. The things of the…
4. 41When the best scholars hear of the Way, they practice it…not yet coveredWhen the best scholars hear of the Way, they practice it diligently. When middling scholar…
5. 42The Way gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two…not yet coveredThe Way gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gi…
6. 43The softest thing in the world gallops through the hardestnot yet coveredThe softest thing in the world gallops through the hardest. What has no substance enters w…
7. 44Your name or your lifenot yet coveredYour name or your life: which is dearer? Your life or your goods: which is worth more? Gai…
8. 45Great perfection seems lacking, yet its use never wears outnot yet coveredGreat perfection seems lacking, yet its use never wears out. Great fullness seems empty, y…
9. 46When the world has the Way, galloping horses are turned…not yet coveredWhen the world has the Way, galloping horses are turned back to haul manure. When the worl…
10. 47Without going out the door, one knows the worldnot yet coveredWithout going out the door, one knows the world; without looking out the window, one sees …
11. 48In pursuing learning, one adds every daynot yet coveredIn pursuing learning, one adds every day; in pursuing the Way, one sheds every day. Shed a…
12. 49The sage has no fixed mind of his ownnot yet coveredThe sage has no fixed mind of his own; he takes the people's minds as his mind. Those who …
13. 50Coming out into life, going in to deathnot yet coveredComing out into life, going in to death. Followers of life are three in ten; followers of …
14. 51The Way gives them life, virtue rears them, things give…not yet coveredThe Way gives them life, virtue rears them, things give them shape, circumstances complete…
15. 52The world has a beginning, which may be taken as the mother…not yet coveredThe world has a beginning, which may be taken as the mother of the world. Having found the…
16. 53If I had even a little knowledge, walking on the great Way…not yet coveredIf I had even a little knowledge, walking on the great Way, I would fear only going astray…
17. 54What is well planted cannot be uprootednot yet coveredWhat is well planted cannot be uprooted; what is well held cannot slip away; and descendan…
18. 55One who holds virtue in its fullness is like a newborn childnot yet coveredOne who holds virtue in its fullness is like a newborn child. Wasps, scorpions, and snakes…
19. 56One who knows does not speaknot yet coveredOne who knows does not speak; one who speaks does not know. Block the openings, shut the d…
20. 57Govern the state with rectitude, use troops with surprise…not yet coveredGovern the state with rectitude, use troops with surprise, win the world by not meddling. …
21. 58When government is dull and muddled, the people are honest…not yet coveredWhen government is dull and muddled, the people are honest and simple; when government is …
22. 59In governing people and serving heaven, nothing is better…not yet coveredIn governing people and serving heaven, nothing is better than frugality. Only frugality m…
23. 60Governing a great state is like cooking a small fishnot yet coveredGoverning a great state is like cooking a small fish. When the Way is used to oversee the …
24. 61A great state is the lower reaches of a river, where the…not yet coveredA great state is the lower reaches of a river, where the world meets, the female of the wo…
25. 62The Way is the hidden refuge of the ten thousand things…not yet coveredThe Way is the hidden refuge of the ten thousand things, the treasure of the good, and wha…
26. 63Act without contrivance, work without meddling, taste the…not yet coveredAct without contrivance, work without meddling, taste the flavorless. Treat the small as g…
27. 64What is at rest is easy to holdnot yet coveredWhat is at rest is easy to hold; what has not yet shown signs is easy to plan for; what is…
28. 65Those of old who were good at practicing the Way did not…not yet coveredThose of old who were good at practicing the Way did not use it to make the people clever,…
29. 66The rivers and the sea can be kings of the hundred valleys…not yet coveredThe rivers and the sea can be kings of the hundred valleys because they are good at stayin…
30. 67All the world says my Way is great but seems unlike anythingnot yet coveredAll the world says my Way is great but seems unlike anything. It is precisely because it i…
31. 68One good at being an officer is not warlikenot yet coveredOne good at being an officer is not warlike; one good at fighting does not get angry; one …
32. 69Those who use troops have a sayingnot yet coveredThose who use troops have a saying: I dare not play the host but play the guest; I dare no…
33. 70My words are very easy to understand and very easy to…not yet coveredMy words are very easy to understand and very easy to practice, yet no one in the world ca…
34. 71To know that one does not know is bestnot yet coveredTo know that one does not know is best; not to know but think one knows is a sickness. Onl…
35. 72When the people do not fear authority, a great terror will…not yet coveredWhen the people do not fear authority, a great terror will come. Do not crowd their dwelli…
36. 73Courage in daring leads to deathnot yet coveredCourage in daring leads to death; courage in not daring leads to life. Of these two, one b…
37. 74If the people do not fear death, how can you frighten them…not yet coveredIf the people do not fear death, how can you frighten them with death? If the people alway…
38. 75The people starve because those above them eat too much in…not yet coveredThe people starve because those above them eat too much in taxes; that is why they starve.…
39. 76When people are alive they are soft and weaknot yet coveredWhen people are alive they are soft and weak; when they die they are hard and stiff. Plant…
40. 77The Way of heaven, is it not like stretching a bow?not yet coveredThe Way of heaven, is it not like stretching a bow? The high end is pressed down, the low …
41. 78Nothing in the world is softer and weaker than water, yet…not yet coveredNothing in the world is softer and weaker than water, yet for attacking the hard and stron…
42. 79When a great resentment is reconciled, some resentment…not yet coveredWhen a great resentment is reconciled, some resentment surely remains; how can that be cou…
43. 80A small state with few peoplenot yet coveredA small state with few people. Let there be tools for tens and hundreds of men, yet not us…
44. 81Trustworthy words are not beautifulnot yet coveredTrustworthy words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not trustworthy. The good do not …