jesterswilde
DAO DE JINGHome

Chapter 70

吾言甚易知

吾wú言yán甚shèn易yì知zhī，
甚shèn易yì行xíng。
天tiān下xià莫mò能néng知zhī，
莫mò能néng行xíng。
言yán有yǒu宗zōng，
事shì有yǒu君jūn。
夫fū唯wéi无wú知zhī，
是shì以yǐ不bù我wǒ知zhī。
知zhī我wǒ者zhě希xī，
则zé我wǒ者zhě贵guì。
是shì以yǐ圣shèng人rén被bèi褐hè而ér怀huái玉yù。

a> My words are so easy to understand and so easy to put in practice; none in the world can understand or practice them.

b> Words have a governing meaning, affairs have a ruling actor.

c> It is because they are have no knowledge that they do not understand me. Those who understand me are few; those who emulate me are esteemed.

d> Therefore, the sage wears coarse clothes and conceals in them a precious jade.

A modern classroom translation, with labeled subsections for study.

© 2010, 2016, 2019 Robert Eno. Freely available for personal use and not-for-profit educational settings. For other purposes, apart from fair use, copyright is not waived.