Chapter 10

载营魄抱一

Chapter Translation

载zài营yíng魄pò抱bào一yī，

能néng无wú离lí乎hū？

专zhuān气qì致zhì柔róu，

能néng婴yīng儿ér乎hū？

涤dí除chú玄xuán览lǎn，

能néng无wú疵cī乎hū？

爱ài国guó治zhì民mín，

能néng无wú为wéi乎hū？

天tiān门mén开kāi阖hé，

能néng为wèi雌cí乎hū？

明míng白bái四sì达dá，

能néng无wú知zhī乎hū？

生shēng之zhī畜chù之zhī，

生shēng而ér不bù有yǒu，

为wéi而ér不bù恃shì，

长zhǎng而ér不bù宰zǎi，

是shì谓wèi玄xuán德dé。

a> As you carry your bodily soul embracing oneness, can you never depart from it?

As you concentrate your qi and extend your suppleness, can you be as a new born babe? As you polish the dust from your mysterious mirror, can you render it free of all blemishes? As you cherish the people and order the state, can you do so without awareness? As heaven’s gate swings open and shut can you keep to the female?

As your brilliant awareness penetrates everywhere can you refrain from employing it in action?

b> You give birth to it, you nurture it – yet in giving birth you do not possess it, in doing it you do not retain it, in leading it you employ no authority: this is called mysterious power (de).

A modern classroom translation, with labeled subsections for study.