一孔录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.
天下有始，以為天下母。既得其母，以知其子；既知其子，復守其母，沒身不殆。塞其兌，閉其門，終身不勤。開其兌，濟其事，終身不救。見小曰明，守柔曰强。用其光，復歸其明，無遺身殃，是為習常。The world has a beginning, which may be taken as the mother of the world. Having found the mother, one knows the children; knowing the children, one holds again to the mother, and to the end of life one is in no danger. Block the openings, shut the doors, and to the end of your life you will not be worn out. Open the openings, pursue your affairs, and to the end of your life you will not be saved. Seeing the small is called clarity; keeping to the soft is called strength. Use the light, return to clarity, and bring no harm upon yourself. This is called practicing the constant.
白Plain Chinese
天下有个开端，可以作为天下的母亲。已经得到了母亲，就能知道她的孩子；已经知道了孩子，又回头守住母亲，终身没有危险。堵住欲望的孔窍，关上欲望的门户，终身不会劳苦。打开欲望的孔窍，去成就各种事务，终身不可救治。能看见细微的叫作明，能守住柔弱的叫作强。运用智慧之光，又回复到内在的明，不给自己留下祸殃，这叫作承袭恒常。
Draft plain-Chinese rendering following Wang Bi; it will be checked when the chapter is taught.
⇢Reading routes through this chapter
看Watch this chapter
The video for this chapter is in production and will appear here. Follow Yikonglu to see it first:YouTubeBilibili
Found an error in this chapter? Email us; once checked, it goes on the errata page under your username: 
