| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| The one who knows does not speak, | |
| the one who speaks does not know. | |
| Block the mouth, | |
| close the gate, | |
| blunt the sharpness, | |
| undo the division, | |
| soften the light, | |
| blend with the dust. | |
| This is called the mysterious sameness. | |
| Therefore it cannot be grasped as close, | |
| cannot be grasped as distant; | |
| cannot be grasped as beneficial, | |
| cannot be grasped as harmful; | |
| cannot be grasped as noble, | |
| cannot be grasped as lowly. | |
| Therefore it is most noble in all under heaven. |
know; recognize; understand; knowledge; wisdom
one who; person; that which; the ...-er
not; no; un-; non=
word; speech; to speak; to say
block; stop up; fill; stuff; border pass; fortress
his; her; its; their; that; the one who; such
exchange; trade; pay; open; joy
close; shut; block; seal; obstruct
gate; door; entrance; school/sect; lineage
break; crush; frustrate; hinder; rub down
sharp; keen; acute; to sharpen; point/edge
untie; loosen; solve; explain; disassemble; release
divide; separate; portion; distinguish; fraction
and; harmony; peaceful; to harmonize; to echo; mild
light; radiance; glory; bare; empty; finished
same; together; identical; agree; shared
dust; dirt; mundane world; worldly affairs
right; correct; this; to be
call; say; mean; refer to
dark; mysterious; profound; deep black
cause; reason; former; old; therefore
can; may; possible; permissible; acceptable; to approve
obtain; get; achieve; be able to; succeed
and; but; yet; while; moreover
parent; kin; close; intimate; dear
sparse; distant; thin; neglect; alienate
sharp; profit; benefit; advantageous; smooth; facilitate
harm; damage; hinder; disaster; harmful
expensive; noble; precious; to value
low; cheap; humble; base; vulgar
do; make; become; be; serve as; for; because of
sky; heaven; nature; fate; day
below; down; descend; next; subordinate