| Original | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Boldness in daring leads to death, | |
| boldness in not-daring leads to life. | |
| These two— | |
| one brings benefit, one brings harm. | |
| What Heaven detests— | |
| who knows the reason? | |
| Therefore the sage still finds it precarious. | |
| The Way of Heaven: | |
| does not contend, yet excels at prevailing; | |
| does not speak, yet excels at responding; | |
| is not summoned, yet comes of itself; | |
| is subtle, yet excels at planning. | |
| Heaven's net is vast; | |
| wide-meshed, yet nothing escapes. |
brave; courage; bold; warrior
in; at; on; from; to; than; regarding
dare; venture; presume; audacious
rule; law; then; as for; consequently
kill; slay; destroy; reduce; suppress
not; no; un-; non=
live; alive; life; fluid; flexible
this; these; this one; here; thus
two; both; a pair; double; tael (weight)
one who; person; that which; the ...-er
perhaps; or; some; a certain; maybe
sharp; profit; benefit; advantageous; smooth; facilitate
harm; damage; hinder; disaster; harmful
sky; heaven; nature; fate; day
it, him, her, them; of; 's; go to; reach
place; location; that which; (agentive/passive marker)
bad; evil; wicked; hate; dislike
who; which; what
know; recognize; understand; knowledge; wisdom
his; her; its; their; that; the one who; such
cause; reason; former; old; therefore
right; correct; this; to be
by means of; use; because; so as to; in order to
holy; sacred; sage; saintly; divine
person; human; people; others; mankind
still; yet; like; as if; hesitate
difficult; hard; calamity; trouble; distress
road; path; way; method; principle; to speak; to lead
strive; contend; dispute; struggle; compete
and; but; yet; while; moreover
good; virtuous; skilled; to be proficient at; kindness
win; conquer; surpass; superior; victory
word; speech; to speak; to say
respond; answer; correspond; ought; should
summon; call; invite; convene
self; oneself; from; since; spontaneous; automatic
come; arrive; future; by means of; occur
fine silk; weave/twist silk; smooth
burn; thus; so; correct; [suffix] -ly/-like
plan; plot; strategize; consult; scheme
net; web; network; entrap; ensnare
expand; widen; recover; restore; vast; spacious
sparse; distant; thin; neglect; alienate
lose; miss; fail; error; mistake