Chapter 2

天下皆知美之为美

Chapter Translation

天tiān下xià皆jiē知zhī美měi之zhī为wéi美měi，

斯sī恶è矣yǐ；

皆jiē知zhī善shàn之zhī为wéi善shàn，

斯sī不bù善shàn矣yǐ。

故gù有yǒu无wú相xiāng生shēng，

难nán易yì相xiāng成chéng，

长cháng短duǎn相xiāng形xíng，

高gāo下xià相xiāng倾qīng，

音yīn声shēng相xiāng和hé，

前qián后hòu相xiāng随suí。

是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén处chǔ无wú为wéi之zhī事shì，

行xíng「不bù言yán」之zhī教jiào。

万wàn物wù作zuò焉yān而ér不bù辞cí，

生shēng而ér不bù有yǒu，

为wéi而ér不bù恃shì，

功gōng成chéng而ér弗fú居jū。

夫fū唯wéi弗fú居jū，

是shì以yǐ不bù去qù。

a> All in the world deem the beautiful to be beautiful; it is ugly. All deem the good to be good; it is bad.

b> What is and what is not give birth to one another,

What is difficult and what is easy complete one another,

Long and short complement one another,

High and low incline towards one another,

Note and noise harmonize with one another,

Before and after follow one another.

c> Therefore the sage dwells in the midst of non-action (wuwei) and practices the wordless teaching.

d> Herein arise the things of the world, it does not turn from them; what it gives birth to it does not possess; what it does it does not retain. The achievements complete, it makes no claim to them. Because it makes no claim to them, they never leave it.

A modern classroom translation, with labeled subsections for study.