Daodejing - Chapter Five

 

道德經  - 第五章

天地不仁，以萬物為芻[1]狗；

聖人不仁，以百姓為芻狗。

天地之間，其猶橐[2]籥[3]乎？

虛而不屈，動而愈出。

多言數窮，不如守中。

Daodejing - Chapter Five

The Dao doesn't take sides, it gives birth to both good and evil.

The master doesn't take sides, she welcomes both saints and sinners.

The Dao is like a bellows, it is empty yet infinitely capable.

The more you use it, the more it produces.

The more you talk of it, the less you understand.

Hold on to the centre.

Note:

1. 芻: [man: chu2] [can: co1] - mow, cut grass; hay, fodder.
2. 橐: [man:tuo2] [can:tok3] - a sack, a bag opening at both ends
3. 籥: [man:yue4] [can:joek6] - key; woodwind instrument

References

1. The above translation is based on the translation by poet, translator, scholar and anthologist, Stephen Mitchell.  His reading of the work can be found on the following YouTube video: Tao Te Ching, The Book Of The Way by Lao Tzu: https://youtu.be/t109UFLSQhk?t=882
2. This chapter on the above video starts at 14:45 and ends at 15:29.
3. You can find the complete 81 chapters of Daodejing in Chinese and English (James Legge version) in the ctext.org website: https://ctext.org/dao-de-jing