#Click on a sentence 1 2 3 4 Chapter 4 Chapter 6 Back to index #

Ch. 05	Sentence 2
Beck	The wise are not humane. They regard people like sacrificial objects.
Blackney	The Wise man too, is he unkind? And does he treat the folk Like straw dogs made to throw away?
Bynner	A sound man, immune as to a sacrifice of straw dogs, Faces the passing of human generations.
Byrn	The Master doesn't take sides; she treats everyone like a straw dog.
Chan	The sage is not humane. He regards all people as straw dogs.
Cleary	Sages are not humane; they see all people as straw dogs..
Crowley	So also the sages deal with their people, not exercising benevolence, but allowing the nature of all to move without friction.
Hansen	Sages are not kind. They treat the hundred surname-groups as straw dogs.
LaFargue	The Wise Person is not Good he treats the hundred clans like straw dogs."
Legge	The sages do not act from (any wish to be) benevolent; they deal with the people as the dogs of grass are dealt with.
Lindauer	Sages are without humanizing It happens that one hundred families act as straw dogs.
LinYutan	The Sage is unkind: He treats the people like sacrificial straw-dogs.
Mabry	The Sage is not sentimental, She knows that all beings must pass away.
McDonald	The wise man too is hard as nail; to him the people are but as straw dogs to throw.
Merel	The Sage is not kind, And treats all people impartially.
Mitchell	The Master doesn't take sides; she welcomes both saints and sinners.
Muller	The sage is not jen, And regards all things as straw dogs.
Red Pine	heartless is the sage treating people like straw dogs
Ta-Kao	The Sage does not own his benevolence; To him the people are straw dogs.
Walker	The sage isn't sentimental, either; He views all forms as ephemeral and transitional.
Wieger	Like heaven and earth, the Sage is not good for the people he governs, but treats them like straw dogs.
World	The sage is indifferent. All people are one; not distinguished, not judged.
Wu	The Sage is not sentimental; He treats all his people as straw-dogs.

Ch. 05	Sentence 3
Beck	How the universe is like a bellows! While empty, it is never exhausted. The more it is worked, the more it produces.
Blackney	Between the earth and sky The space is like a bellows, Empty but unspent. When moved its gift is copious.
Bynner	The universe, like a bellows, Is always emptying, always full: The more it yields, the more it holds.
Byrn	The space between Heaven and Earth is like a bellows; it is empty, yet has not lost its power. The more it is used, the more it produces; the more you talk of it, the less you comprehend.
Chan	How Heaven and Earth are like a bellows. While vacuous, it is never exhausted. When active, it produces even more.
Cleary	The space between heaven and earth is like a bellows and pipes, empty yet inexhaustible, producing more with each movement.
Crowley	The space between Heaven and Earth is their breathing apparatus. Exhalation is not exhaustion, but the complement of inhalation, and this equally of that.
Hansen	Is the space between Heaven and earth not like bellows and flutes? Empty and not warped. As long as you move them, they produce.
LaFargue	The space between heaven and earth isn't it like a bellows? Empty, but not shriveled up, set it in motion and always more comes out.
Legge	May not the space between heaven and earth be compared to a bellows? 'Tis emptied, yet it loses not its power; 'Tis moved again, and sends forth air the more.
Lindauer	The space bounding heavens and earth is just like the equal of a bellows Empty yet not subdued Stirring yet more goes out.
LinYutan	How the universe is like a bellows! Empty, yet it gives a supply that never fails; The more it is worked, the more it brings forth.
Mabry	The space between Heaven and Earth is like a bellows empty, yet inexhaustible The more it is used, the more it produces.
McDonald	Yet heaven and earth and all that lies between is like a bellows; empty, yet yielding a supply that hardly fails. Work it, and more comes out. Whereas the force of words is soon spent.
Merel	Nature is like a bellows, Empty, yet never ceasing its supply. The more it moves, the more it yields;
Mitchell	The Tao is like a bellows: it is empty yet infinitely capable. The more you use it, the more it produces;
Muller	The space between Heaven and Earth is just like a bellows: Empty it, it is not exhausted. Squeeze it and more comes out.
Red Pine	between Heaven and Earth how like a bellows empty but inexhaustible each movement produces more
Ta-Kao	The space between heaven and earth is like a (blacksmith's) bellows. Hollow as it seems, nothing is lacking. If it is moved, more will it bring forth.
Walker	Tao is like a bellows: empty but inexhaustible. The more you move it the more it makes.
Wieger	The betwixt of heaven and earth, seat of the Principle, the place from where its virtue acts, is like a bellows, like the bag of a bellows of which heaven and earth would be the two boards, which empties itself without exhausting itself, which moves itself externally without cease.
World	Infinity is like a bellows, empty yet encompassing the potential of all things.
Wu	Between Heaven and Earth, There seems to be a Bellows: It is empty, and yet it is inexhaustible. The more it works the more comes out of it.

Ch. 05	Sentence 4
Beck	Much talk brings exhaustion. It is better to keep to the center.
Blackney	Much talk means much exhaustion; Better far it is to keep your thoughts!
Bynner	Men come to their wit's end arguing about it And had better meet it at the marrow.
Byrn	It is better not to speak of things you do not understand.
Chan	Much talk will of course come to a dead end. It is better to keep to the center.
Cleary	The talkative reach their wits' end again and again; that is not as good as keeping centered.
Crowley	Speech exhausts; guard yourself, therefore, maintaining the perfect freedom of your nature.
Hansen	Many words and numbers unlimited are not as good as holding the center.
LaFargue	Much talking, quickly exhausted. It can't compare to watching over what is inside.
Legge	Much speech to swift exhaustion lead we see; Your inner being guard, and keep it free.
Lindauer	Much talk counts for little It can't compare to obeying the center.
LinYutan	By many words is wit exhausted. Rather, therefore, hold to the core.
Mabry	Trying to explain it will only exhaust you. It is better to hold on to paradox.
McDonald	It seems far better to keep what's in the heart. So hold to the heart core and a regular mean.
Merel	So the sage draws upon experience And cannot be exhausted.
Mitchell	the more you talk of it, the less you understand. Hold on to the center.
Muller	Investigating it with a lot of talk Is not like holding to the center.
Red Pine	taking only wastes it better to keep it inside
Ta-Kao	He who talks more is sooner exhausted: It is better to keep what is within himself.
Walker	Too much talk about it evaporates your understanding, though. Simply stay at the center of the circle.
Wieger	This is all that we can understand of the Principle and of its action as producer. To seek to detail it further using words and numbers would be a waste of time. Let us hold ourselves to this grand idea.
World	Words are straw in the wind. The more one talks, the less one says. Keep focused on Infinity. Remain centered in the oneness of all things. In time all potentials manifest.
Wu	No amount of words can fathom it: Better look for it within you.