有无 / 为 / 成
- 道可道，非常道。名可名，非常名。
- 无，名天地之始。有，名万物之母。
- 无之以为用，有之以为利
- 常无，欲以观其妙。常有，欲以观其徼。
- 反者，道之动。弱者，道之用。
- 生而不有，为而不恃，长而不宰，成功而弗居。
- 无为无不为。无私成其私。
- 为学者日益。为道者日损。
- 自知不自见，自爱不自贵。
- 去甚、去奢、去骄。
- 慈故能勇，勇于不敢则活。
- 俭故能广，知足不辱，知止不殆。
- 不敢为天下先，故能成事长。
- 道中不盈，故能蔽而不成。
- 真者，精诚之至也。用心若镜，不将不迎，应而不藏。
- 致虚守静。虚而不屈，动而愈出。静之徐清。重之徐生。
- 为无为，事无事。为之于未有，治之于未乱。天下难事必作于易，天下大事必作于细。
- 以正治国，以奇（畸）用兵。祸莫大于无适。出生入死无死地。慎终如始无败事。
- 高以下为基。柔弱胜刚强。挫锐，解纷，和光，同尘。
- 厚而不薄，实而不华。
道之道 — The Way of the Dao
〔有无 · 为 · 成 — Being & Non-being · Action · Accomplishment〕
道可道，非常道。名可名，非常名。
The Way that can be spoken is not the constant Way; the name that can be named is not the constant name.
无，名天地之始。有，名万物之母。
Non-being names the origin of heaven and earth; Being names the mother of the myriad
无之以为用，有之以为利。
Non-being makes a thing serviceable; Being makes it beneficial.
常无，欲以观其妙。常有，欲以观其徼。
Through the constant Non-Being, one seeks to perceive its profound subtleties. Through the constant Being one seeks to observe its structural boundaries.
反者，道之动。弱者，道之用。
Reversal is the movement of the Way; weakness is the use of the Way.
生而不有，为而不恃，长而不宰，成功而弗居。
It gives life but does not possess, acts but does not presume, nurtures but does not rule, accomplishes its work but claims no credit.
无为无不为。无私成其私。
Do nothing, and nothing is left undone; through selflessness, the self is fulfilled.
为学者日益。为道者日损。
The pursuit of knowledge is daily accumulation; the pursuit of the Way is daily unlearning.
自知不自见，自爱不自贵。
Know yourself but do not display yourself; love yourself but do not exalt yourself.
去甚、去奢、去骄。
Strip away the extreme, the superfluous, and the ego.
慈故能勇，勇于不敢则活。
From compassion comes courage; the courage that dares not act ensures resilience.
俭故能广，知足不辱，知止不殆。
From frugality comes breadth; know contentment and suffer no disgrace, know where to stop and meet no danger.
不敢为天下先，故能成事长。
Not daring to be first in the world, one can become the head of affairs.
道中不盈，故能蔽而不成。
The Way is never full; therefore it endures the wear, forever unfinished.
真者，精诚之至也。用心若镜，不将不迎，应而不藏。
The true is the utmost of pure sincerity. Use the mind like a mirror: neither seeing off nor welcoming, responding but not storing.
致虚守静。虚而不屈，动而愈出。静之徐清。重之徐生。
Attain utmost emptiness, hold fast to stillness. Empty, yet inexhaustible; the more it moves, the more comes forth. Through settling it slowly clears; through anchoring it slowly comes to life.
为无为，事无事。为之于未有，治之于未乱。
Act without acting, work without working; deal with things before they arise, order them before they fall into disorder.
天下难事必作于易，天下大事必作于细。
The world’s hardest things must be done while they are easy; its greatest, while they are small.
以正治国，以奇（畸）用兵。
Govern the state with rectitude; wage war with the unexpected.
祸莫大于无适。
No calamity is greater than meeting no worthy match.
出生入死无死地。慎终如始无败事。
Being as peacefully through death as through birth, and nowhere will prove fatal. Being as careful at the end as at the beginning, and nothing will fail.
高以下为基。柔弱胜刚强。
The high takes the low as its foundation; the soft and weak overcome the hard and strong.
挫锐，解纷，和光，同尘。
Blunt the sharpness, untangle the knots, soften the glare, become one with the dust.
厚而不薄，实而不华。
Dwell in the thick, not the thin; in the fruit, not the flower.
Simple & Precise Version in English
Being & Not-being
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The Way that can be spoken is not the constant Way; the name that can be named is not the constant name.
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Non-being names the origin of heaven and earth; being names the mother of all things.
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Non-being provides the utility; being provides the material advantage.
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Ever non-being, to perceive its mystery; ever being, to observe its bounds.
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Reversal is the motion of the Way; weakness is its function.
Doing
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Giving life without possessing, acting without claiming, nurturing without ruling, accomplishing without taking credit.
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Do nothing, and nothing is undone; selfless, the self is fulfilled.
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Pursuing knowledge: daily accumulation; pursuing the Way: daily unlearning.
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Knowing oneself, not displaying; loving oneself, not exalting.
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Stripping away the extreme, the extravagant, the arrogant.
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From compassion comes courage; daring not to lead ensures survival.
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From frugality comes breadth; knowing contentment, no disgrace; knowing where to stop, no peril.
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Daring not to be first in the world, one becomes the leader of all.
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The Way is never full; thus it endures, forever unfinished.
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Truth is absolute sincerity. Use the mind like a mirror: greeting nothing, welcoming nothing, responding without storing.
Done
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Attain ultimate emptiness, hold fast to stillness. Empty yet inexhaustible, moving ever more. Settling, it clears; anchoring, it revives.
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Act without acting, work without working; address things before they arise, govern before disorder.
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The hardest things begin easy; the greatest things begin small.
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Govern with rectitude; wage war with the unexpected. No calamity greater than having no match.
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Peaceful while flowing through life and death, no fatal ground. Careful at the end as at the beginning, no failure.
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The high takes the low as base; the soft and weak overcome the hard and strong.
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Blunt the sharp, untangle the knots, soften the glare, blend with the dust.
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Dwell in the substance, not the surface; in the fruit, not the flower.