Chapter 55

含德之厚

Chapter Translation

含hán德dé之zhī厚hòu，

比bǐ于yú赤chì子zǐ。

毒dú虫chóng不bù螫shì，

猛měng兽shòu不bù据jù，

攫jué鸟niǎo不bù搏bó。

骨gǔ弱ruò筋jīn柔róu而ér握wò固gù。

未wèi知zhī牝pìn牡mǔ之zhī合hé而ér朘zūn作zuò，

精jīng之zhī至zhì也yě。

终zhōng日rì号háo而ér不bù嗄shà，

和hé之zhī至zhì也yě。

知zhī和hé曰yuē常cháng，

知zhī常cháng曰yuē明míng。

益yì生shēng曰yuē祥xiáng。

心xīn使shǐ气qì曰yuē强qiáng。

物wù壮zhuàng则zé老lǎo，

谓wèi之zhī不bù道dào，

不bù道dào早zǎo已yǐ。

a> One who possesses virtue in abundance may be compared to a new born babe. Wasps and scorpions, poisonous snakes: none will bite him. Fierce beasts will not maul him, predatory birds will not swoop down upon him.

His bones are weak, his muscles pliable, and his grasp is firm. He knows nothing of the female and the male, yet his male organ stirs. His essence is at its most pure. He can scream all day and not become hoarse. This is harmony at its height.

b> Knowing harmony is called constant; knowing the constant is called enlightened.

To increase one’s nature is called inauspicious; when the mind directs the qi it is called self-coercion.

c> When things in their prime grow old, they are called ‘contrary to the Dao’. What is contrary to the Dao comes to an early end.

A modern classroom translation, with labeled subsections for study.