#Click on a sentence 1 2 3 4 5 Chapter 26 Chapter 28 Back to index #

Ch. 27 Sentence 1
Beck A good traveler leaves no trace. A good speaker makes no slips. A good accountant uses no devices.
Blackney A good runner leaves no tracks. A good speech has no flaws to censure. A good computer uses no tallies.
Bynner One may move so well that a footprint never shows, Speak so well that the tongue never slips, Reckon so well that no counter is needed,
Byrn A good traveller leaves no tracks, and a skilful speaker is well rehearsed. A good bookkeeper has an excellent memory,
Chan A good traveler leaves no track or trace. A good speech leaves no flaws. A good reckoner uses no counters.
Cleary Good works are trackless, good words are flawless, good planning isn't calculating.
Crowley The experienced traveler conceals his tracks; the clever speaker gives no chance to the critic; the skilled mathematician uses no abacus;
Hansen Worthy travel lacks ruts and footprints. Worthy language lacks flaws and reproach. Worthy tallying doesn't use algorithms..
LaFargue Excellent traveling: no tracks or traces Excellent speaking: no blemish or blame. Excellent counting does not use counting slips.
Legge The skillful traveler leaves no traces of his wheels or footsteps; the skillful speaker says nothing that can be found fault with or blamed; the skillful reckoner uses no tallies;
Lindauer Valuing going is absent of trace Valuing words are absent of flaw or censure With valuing reckoning, counters or policies are not used.
LinYutan A good runner leaves no track. A good speech leaves no flaws for attack. A good reckoner makes use of no counters.
Mabry A skillful walker leaves no tracks. A skillful speaker makes no mistakes. A skillful accountant needs no counting-devices.
McDonald A good traveller leaves no track or trace behind, nor does fit activity. So a good runner leaves no track. Perfect speech is like a jade-worker whose tool leaves no mark. Good speech leaves no flaws. The perfect reckoner needs no counting-slips; the good reckoner uses no counters.
Merel The perfect traveler leaves no trail to be followed; The perfect speaker leaves no question to be answered; The perfect accountant leaves no working to be completed;
Mitchell A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. A good artist lets his intuition lead him wherever it wants. A good scientist has freed himself of concepts and keeps his mind open to what is.
Muller A good traveler leaves no tracks. Good speech lacks faultfinding. A good counter needs no calculator.
Red Pine Good walking leaves no tracks good talking reveals no flaws good counting counts no beads
Ta-Kao A good traveler leaves no track; A good speaker leaves no error; A good reckoner needs no counter;
Walker A good runner leaves no tracks; A good speaker makes no slips; A good planner doesn't have to scheme.
Wieger A good walker leaves no trace, a good speaker offends no one, a good reckoner needs no tally,
World A proficient traveler leaves no evidence of his journey. A proficient speaker is impeccable in hispresentation. A proficient accountant needs no tally sheet.
Wu Good walking leaves no track behind it; Good speech leaves no mark to be picked at; Good calculation makes no use of counting-slips;

Ch. 27 Sentence 2
Beck A good door needs no bolts to remain shut. A good fastener needs no rope to hold its bond.
Blackney A good door is well shut without bolts and cannot be opened. A good knot is tied without rope and cannot be loosed.
Bynner Seal an entrance so tight, though using no lock, That it cannot be opened, Bind a hold so firm, though using no cord, That it cannot be untied.
Byrn and a well made door is easy to open and needs no locks. A good knot needs no rope and it can not come undone.
Chan A well-shut door needs no bolts, and yet it cannot be opened. A well-tied knot needs no rope and yet none can untie it.
Cleary What is well closed has no bolt locking it, but cannot be opened. What is well bound has no rope confining it, but cannot be untied.
Crowley the ingenious safesmith baffles the burglar without the use of bolts and the cunning binder without ropes and knots.
Hansen Worthy closing lacks bars and bolts and still can't be opened. Worthy securing lacks rope or restraint and still can't be loosed.
LaFargue Excellent locking: no bolt or bar, but the door cannot be opened. Excellent tying: no cord or rope, but the knots cannot be undone.
Legge the skillful closer needs no bolts or bars, while to open what he has shut will be impossible; the skillful binder uses no strings or knots, while to unloose what he has bound will be impossible.
Lindauer What is valuably shut Is absent of a barrier yet cannot be opened What is valuably tied Is absent of restraint or restriction yet cannot be untied.
LinYutan A well-shut door makes use of no bolts, And yet cannot be opened. A well-tied knot makes use of no rope, And yet cannot be untied.
Mabry A well-made door needs no lock, yet cannot be opened. A well-made binding uses no rope, yet will not be undone.
McDonald The perfect, shut door is without bolt nor bar and can't be opened. The perfect knot needs neither rope nor twine, yet can't be untied. No one can untie it.
Merel The perfect container leaves no lock to be closed; The perfect knot leaves no end to be traveled.
Mitchell -
Muller A well-shut door will stay closed without a latch. Skillful fastening will stay tied without knots.
Red Pine good closing locks no locks and yet it can't be opened good tying ties no knots and yet it can't be undone
Ta-Kao A good closer needs no bars or bolts, And yet it is impossible to open after him. A good fastener needs no cords or knots, And yet it is impossible to untie after him.
Walker The best lock has no bolt, and no one can open it. The best knot uses no rope, and no one can untie it.
Wieger an expert locksmith can make one that no one can open, an expert on knots can make them so that no one can untie them. (all specialists have their speciality, which makes their fame, from which they take their profit).
World A functional door has no lock but can only opened by the owner. A perfect binding has no knots yet only the binder can loosen it
Wu Good shutting makes no use of bolt and bar, And yet nobody can undo it; Good tying makes no use of rope and knot, And yet nobody can untie it.

Ch. 27 Sentence 3
Beck Therefore the wise are good at helping people, and consequently no one is rejected. They are good at saving things, and consequently nothing is wasted. This is called using the Light.
Blackney The Wise Man is always good at helping people, so that none are cast out; he is always good at saving things, so that none are thrown away. This is called applied intelligence.
Bynner All these are traits not only of a sound man But of many a man thought to be unsound. A sound man is good at salvage, At seeing than nothing is lost. Having what is called insight,
Byrn Thus the Master is willing to help everyone, and doesn't know the meaning of rejection. She is there to help all of creation, and doesn't abandon even the smallest creature. This is called embracing the light.
Chan Therefore the sage is always good in saving men and consequently no man is rejected. He is always good in saving things and consequently nothing is rejected. This is called following the light (of Nature).
Cleary Therefore sages always consider it good to save people, so that there are no wasted humans; they always consider it good to save beings, so that there are no wasted beings.
Crowley So also the sage, skilled in man-emancipation-craft, uses all men; understanding the value of everything, he rejects nothing. This is called the Occult Regimen.
Hansen Using this: Sages take saving humanity as a constant hence don't abandon humans take saving thing-kinds as a constant, therefore don't abandon thing-kinds. Call this 'bushwhacking discernment.'
LaFargue And so the Wise Person: Always Excels at rescuing people and so does not turn anyone away. Always Excels at resolving things and so does not turn away from anything. This is called 'being clothed in Clarity.'
Legge In the same way the sage is always skillful at saving men, and so he does not cast away any man; he is always skillful at saving things, and so he does not cast away anything. This is called 'Hiding the light of his procedure.'
Lindauer Appropriately it happens that sages Entirely valuing help others, so others are not thrown away Entirely valuing help things, so things are not thrown away. Appropriately called following the luminance.
LinYutan Therefore the Sage is good at helping men; For that reason there is no rejected (useless) person. He is good at saving things; For that reason there is nothing rejected. - This is called stealing the Light.
Mabry Therefore, the Sage is always there to help people So that no one is forsaken. She is always there to see to things So that nothing is lost. This is called being clothed in light.
McDonald So the wise man is good at helping men, always good in saving men: the wise man is all the time helping men in the most perfect way - he certainly doesn't turn his back on men; is all the time in the most perfect way helping creatures. He certainly doesn't turn his back on creatures, and consequently no man is rejected. For that reason there's no useless person. And he is always good in saving. So nothing is rejected. This is called following the light (of nature) - is called resorting to the light, nay, stealing some divine light.
Merel So the sage nurtures all men And abandons no one. He accepts everything And rejects nothing. He attends to the smallest details.
Mitchell Thus the Master is available to all people and doesn't reject anyone. He is ready to use all situations and doesn't waste anything. This is called embodying the light.
Muller It is in this manner that the sage is always skillful in elevating people. Therefore she does not discard anybody. She is always skillful in helping things Therefore she does not discard anything. This is called "the actualization of her luminosity."
Red Pine thus the sage is good at saving and yet abandons no one nor anything of use this is called cloaking the light
Ta-Kao Even if men be bad, why should they be rejected? Therefore the Sage is always a good saviour of men, And no man is rejected; He is a good saviour of things, And nothing is rejected: This is called double enlightenment.
Walker Thus the master is always good at saving people, and doesn't abandon anyone; Always good at saving things, and doesn't waste anything. This is known as "Following the light."
Wieger Likewise the Sage (Confucian politician), the professional saviour of men and things, has his own procedures.
World The sage is the light of all human beings and rejects no one. She efficiently uses all things and discards nothing. This is called manifesting Infinity
Wu Hence, the Sage is always good at saving men, And therefore nobody is abandoned; Always good at saving things, And therefore nothing is wasted. This is called "following the guidance of the Inner Light."

Ch. 27 Sentence 4
Beck Therefore the good teach the bad, and the bad are lessons for the good.
Blackney Surely the good man is the bad man's teacher; and the bad man is the good man's business.
Bynner A good man, before he can help a bad man, Finds in himself the matter with the bad man.
Byrn What is a good person but a bad person's teacher? What is a bad person but raw material for his teacher?
Chan Therefore the good man is the teacher of the bad, And the bad is the material from which the good may learn.
Cleary So good people are teachers of people who are not good. People who are not good are students of people who are good.
Crowley
Hansen Hence those who are worthy are the instructors of the unworthy The unworthy are the stuff of the worthy.
LaFargue The Excellent person is the teacher of the person who is not Excellent. The person who is not Excellent is material for the Excellent person.
Legge Therefore the man of skill is a master (to be looked up to) by him who has not the skill; and he who has not the skill is the helper of (the reputation of) him who has the skill.
Lindauer So those who value others teach those who lack valuing others Those who lack valuing others are a resource of those who value others.
LinYutan Therefore the good man is the Teacher of the bad. And the bad man is the lesson of the good.
Mabry What is a good person but a bad person's teacher? What is a bad person but raw material for a good person?
McDonald Truly, the good man is the teacher of the bad, as they say. But the bad man is the lesson of the good, in part some material from which the good can learn. And so the imperfect is the equipment of the perfect man".
Merel For the strong must guide the weak; The weak are raw material to the strong.
Mitchell What is a good man but a bad man's teacher? What is a bad man but a good man's job?
Muller Hence, the good are the teachers of the not-so-good. And the not-so-good are the charges of the good.
Red Pine thus the good instruct the bad the bad learn from the good
Ta-Kao Therefore good men are had men's instructors, And bad men are good men's materials.
Walker What is a good man but a bad man's teacher? What is a bad man but a good man's charge?
Wieger He considers himself as the born master of other men, regarding them as material born for his craft. Now that is to blind oneself, (to shade out the light, the Daoist principles).
World What is a sage but a guide to peace and harmony? What is a materialistic traveler but the sage's focus
Wu Hence, good men are teachers of bad men, While bad men are the charge of good men.

Ch. 27 Sentence 5
Beck Those who neither value the teacher nor care for the lesson are greatly deluded, though they may be learned. Such is the essential mystery.
Blackney If the one does not respect his teacher, or the other doesn't love his business, his error is very great. This is indeed an important secret.
Bynner And whichever teacher Discounts the lesson Is as far off the road as the other, Whatever else he may know. That is the heart of it.
Byrn If you fail to honor your teacher or fail to enjoy your student, you will become deluded no matter how smart you are. It is the secret of prime importance.
Chan He who does not value the teacher, Or greatly care for the material, Is greatly deluded although he may be learned. Such is the essential mystery.
Cleary Those who do not honor teachers or care for students are greatly deluded, even in knowledgeable. This is called an essential subtlety.
Crowley
Hansen 'Don't value their instructor, don't love their stuff' Even the wise are greatly puzzled Call this "the necessary mystery."
LaFargue Not to treasure one's teacher not to love one's material, though 'smart,' is a great mistake. This is an important secret.
Legge If the one did not honour his master, and the other did not rejoice in his helper, an (observer), though intelligent, might greatly err about them. This is called 'The utmost degree of mystery.'
Lindauer Without treasuring a teacher, or without loving a resource Even the wise have great misconception. Appropriately called an important subtlety.
LinYutan He who neither values his teacher Nor loves the lesson Is one gone far astray, Though he be learned. - Such is the subtle secret.
Mabry If you do not respect your Teacher, Or love your "raw material," You are greatly confused, regardless of your intelligence. I call this an essential, yet subtle mystery.
McDonald He who hardly respects or values his teacher, hardly cares for the material or loves his lesson, is gone far astray even if well versed. That's the fine secret.
Merel If the guide is not respected, Or the material is not cared for, Confusion will result, no matter how clever one is. This is the secret of perfection: When raw wood is carved, it becomes a tool; When a man is employed, he becomes a tool; The perfect carpenter leaves no wood to be carved.
Mitchell If you don't understand this, you will get lost, however intelligent you are. It is the great secret.
Muller Not valuing your teacher or not loving your students: Even if you are smart, you are gravely in error. This is called Essential Subtlety.
Red Pine not honouring their teachers not cherishing their students the wise alone are perfectly blind this is called peering into the distance
Ta-Kao Those who do not esteem their instructors, And those who do not love their materials, Though expedient, are in fact greatly confused. This is essential subtlety.
Walker It doesn't matter how smart you are if you don't have the sense to honour your teachers and cherish your responsibilities. This is an essential teaching of Tao.
Wieger Not wishing to rule, nor to appropriate, others; although wise, seeming like a madman (persisting to live in retreat); this is the essential truth.
World For the student not to value the teacher or the teacher not to love the student or for the followers not to acknowledge the leader or the leader not to care for the followers, is the cause of great confusion. This is a key to peace and harmony, teachers and leaders remind others of who they are and their oneness with Infinity
Wu Not to revere one's teacher, Not to cherish one's charge, Is to be on the wrong road, however intelligent one may be. This is an essential tenet of the Tao.