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 5 of 81 · not yet coveredHeaven and earth are not humane

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.

天地不仁,以萬物為芻狗;聖人不仁,以百姓為芻狗。天地之間,其猶橐籥乎?虛而不屈,動而愈出。多言數窮,不如守中。
Original text from the Siku Quanshu edition of the Laozi Daodejing with Wang Bi’s commentary, page 16, 17, 18, 19 of the base edition.

Heaven and earth are not humane; they treat the ten thousand things as straw dogs. The sage is not humane; he treats the people as straw dogs. The space between heaven and earth, is it not like a bellows? Empty, yet never exhausted; the more it moves, the more comes out. Many words soon run out; better to keep to the center.

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

What this chapter says

一孔按:天地不特意对谁好,也不特意对谁坏,万物自己各取所用;管得越多、说得越多,越快用尽。常有人问:“天地不仁”,是说天地心狠吗?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

天地没有偏爱,任万物自生自灭,就像对待草扎的狗;圣人没有偏爱,任百姓自然生息,也像对待草扎的狗。天地之间,不就像个风箱吗?空着却用不尽,越动风越多。话说多了,很快就到头,不如守住虚静。

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

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