| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Sever sageliness, discard wisdom— | |
| the people benefit a hundredfold; | |
| sever benevolence, discard righteousness— | |
| the people return to filial piety and parental love; | |
| sever artifice, discard profit— | |
| thieves and robbers vanish. | |
| These three, as mere ornament, are insufficient. | |
| Therefore, let there be a place of belonging: | |
| see the plain, embrace the uncarved block; | |
| few selfish concerns, few desires. |
sever; cut off; end; absolute; isolated; unparalleled
holy; sacred; sage; saintly; divine
abandon; discard; renounce; cast aside; waste
wisdom; intelligence; wise; clever; discernment
people; citizens; subjects; commoners; populace
sharp; profit; benefit; advantageous; smooth; facilitate
hundred; many; numerous; manifold
double; twofold; multiply; increase; manifold
benevolence; humanity; kindness; humane; virtuous
righteousness; justice; duty; meaning; significance; loyalty
return; repeat; recover; again; restore
filial; filial piety; to serve one's parents
kind; compassionate; parental love; merciful
skillful; ingenious; clever; coincidence; artifice
steal; thief; rob; plunder
thief; robber; traitor; rebel; harmful; pernicious
not; without; nothing; lacking; void
have; possess; exist; there is/are; present
this; these; this one; here; thus
three; thrice; triple; third
one who; person; that which; the ...-er
by means of; use; because; so as to; in order to
do; make; become; be; serve as; for; because of
writing; pattern; literature; culture; refined
not; no; un-; non=
foot; sufficient; enough; to suffice
cause; reason; former; old; therefore
command; order; decree; cause; make; let
place; location; that which; (agentive/passive marker)
belong to; classify as; clan; subordinate; pertain to
see; meet; perceive; appear; view
white; plain; simple; basic; essence; original
hold; embrace; clasp; harbor (a thought)
uncarved block; simple; plain; natural; rustic
few; little; young; scarce; decrease
private; personal; self; selfish; to take privately
few; scarce; widow; [humble] I
desire; want; intend; be about to; appetite