| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Governance dim, | |
| the people simple; | |
| governance precise, | |
| the people fragmented. | |
| Misfortune—where blessing leans; | |
| blessing—where misfortune lurks. | |
| Who knows the limit? | |
| There is no fixed state. | |
| The regular becomes unconventional, | |
| goodness becomes monstrous. | |
| People's bewilderment— | |
| its days are long indeed. | |
| Therefore the sage is square but does not cut, | |
| edged but does not wound, | |
| straight but not reckless, | |
| luminous but not dazzling. |
his; her; its; their; that; the one who; such
government; administration; politics; to govern; policy
bored; stifled; distressed; stuffy; confused
people; citizens; subjects; commoners; populace
pure; simple; sincere; honest; thick
examine; observe; investigate; scrutinize; discern
lack; missing; gap; deficient; to be short of
misfortune; calamity; disaster; to bring harm
exclamatory particle; pause marker; oh; alas
blessing; good fortune; happiness; auspicious
it, him, her, them; of; 's; go to; reach
place; location; that which; (agentive/passive marker)
lean; rely on; depend; trust
crouch; bend over; submit; hide; ambush
who; which; what
know; recognize; understand; knowledge; wisdom
pole; extremity; utmost; to reach the limit; extreme
not; without; nothing; lacking; void
correct; upright; rectify; straight; precise; legitimate
return; repeat; recover; again; restore
do; make; become; be; serve as; for; because of
strange; unusual; odd; wonderful; rare; unexpected
good; virtuous; skilled; to be proficient at; kindness
demon; bewitching; strange; ominous; supernatural
person; human; people; others; mankind
lost; confuse; bewilder; deluded; stray
sun; day; date; daily
firm; solid; stable; stubborn; to strengthen; fixed
long time; long-lasting; for a long while; enduring
right; correct; this; to be
by means of; use; because; so as to; in order to
holy; sacred; sage; saintly; divine
square; direction; side; method; upright
and; but; yet; while; moreover
not; no; un-; non=
cut; sever; divide; partition; carve
honest; incorruptible; integrity; cheap; an edge or corner
cut; carve into skin; punish by facial mutilation; scar
straight; direct; upright; honest; continuous
four (formal); unrestrained; wanton; to open a shop; to display
light; radiance; glory; bare; empty; finished
shine; glow; brilliant; radiance