一孔录

English version: the interface and Yikonglu's notes are translated; quoted commentary stays in Chinese. The Chinese page is authoritative.

道德经

Books › Daodejing › Dao Jing

Dao Jing · chapter 14 of 81 · not yet coveredLooked at but not seen, it is called the invisible

The video for this chapter is still in production. For now this page gives the original text, the facsimile page, a working translation and the commentary; the full reading follows when the video is out.

視之不見名曰夷,聽之不聞名曰希,搏之不得名曰微。此三者不可致詰,故混而為一。其上不皦,其下不昧,繩繩不可名,復歸於無物。是謂無狀之狀,無物之象,是謂惚恍。迎之不見其首,隨之不見其後。執古之道,以御今之有。能知古始,是謂道紀。
Original text from the Siku Quanshu edition of the Laozi Daodejing with Wang Bi’s commentary, page 32, 33, 34 of the base edition.

Looked at but not seen, it is called the invisible; listened to but not heard, it is called the inaudible; grasped at but not caught, it is called the intangible. These three cannot be fathomed, so they blend into one. Its top is not bright, its bottom not dark; unending, it cannot be named, and it returns again to nothing. This is the shape without shape, the image without a thing; it is called the elusive and evasive. Meet it and you do not see its head; follow it and you do not see its back. Hold to the Way of old to manage what exists today. To know the ancient beginning is called the thread of the Way.

Draft translation following Wang Bi’s commentary; it will be revised when the chapter is taught.

What this chapter says

一孔按:道看不见、抓不住,名字记下的只是我们抓不住它;可古往今来的事都靠它做成,从做成的事上,认得出它在。常有人问“看不见摸不着,凭什么说它在”,上面是一孔录的回答。

Yikonglu's reading of this chapter is in Chinese for now; the English version comes with the video.

白Plain Chinese

看它看不见,叫作“夷”;听它听不到,叫作“希”;摸它摸不着,叫作“微”。这三样无法追究到底,所以混而为一。它在上面不显得明亮,在下面不显得昏暗,绵绵不绝,无法命名,又回归到无物。这叫作没有形状的形状,没有物象的物象,叫作恍惚。迎着它看不见它的头,跟着它看不见它的尾。把握古来的道,来驾驭今天的事物。能知道远古的开端,这叫作道的纲纪。

Draft plain-Chinese rendering following Wang Bi; it will be checked when the chapter is taught.

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