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道德经

Books › Daodejing › De Jing

De Jing · chapter 55 of 81 · not yet coveredOne who holds virtue in its fullness is like a newborn child

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.

含德之厚,比於赤子。蜂蠆虺蛇不螫,猛獸不據,攫鳥不搏。骨弱筋柔而握固,未知牝牡之合而全作,精之至也。終日號而不嗄,和之至也。知和曰常,知常曰明,益生曰祥,心使氣曰强。物壯則老,謂之不道,不道早已。
Original text from the Siku Quanshu edition of the Laozi Daodejing with Wang Bi’s commentary, page 138, 139, 140, 141 of the base edition.

One who holds virtue in its fullness is like a newborn child. Wasps, scorpions, and snakes do not sting him; wild beasts do not seize him; birds of prey do not strike him. His bones are weak and his sinews soft, yet his grip is firm. He does not yet know the union of male and female, yet he is fully aroused: this is the height of vitality. He cries all day without growing hoarse: this is the height of harmony. Knowing harmony is called the constant; knowing the constant is called clarity. Forcing life is called ill-omened; the mind driving the breath is called forcing. Things in their prime grow old; this is called not following the Way, and what does not follow the Way soon ends.

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

白Plain Chinese

含德深厚的人,好比初生的婴儿。毒虫不刺他,猛兽不抓他,猛禽不扑他。筋骨柔弱,拳头却握得很牢;不知道男女交合,小生殖器却自然勃起,这是精气充足到了极点。整天号哭,嗓子却不沙哑,这是和气淳和到了极点。懂得和叫作常,懂得常叫作明,贪求增益生命叫作妖祥,用心意驱使精气叫作逞强。事物强盛到极点就会衰老,这叫作不合乎道,不合乎道就会很快完结。

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

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