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道德经

Books › Daodejing › De Jing

De Jing · chapter 71 of 81 · not yet coveredTo know that one does not know is best

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.

知不知,上;不知知,病。夫唯病病,是以不病。聖人不病,以其病病,是以不病。
Original text from the Siku Quanshu edition of the Laozi Daodejing with Wang Bi’s commentary, page 175, 176 of the base edition.

To know that one does not know is best; not to know but think one knows is a sickness. Only by treating the sickness as sickness can one be free of it. The sage is free of the sickness because he treats the sickness as sickness; so he is free of it.

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

白Plain Chinese

知道自己有所不知,是上等;不知道却自以为知道,是毛病。正因为把毛病当作毛病,所以没有毛病。圣人没有毛病,因为他把毛病当作毛病,所以没有毛病。

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

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