← Back to quotes

The law of the beginning

"These things have possessed the Tao from the beginning: Heaven, clear and shining; Earth, steady and easy; Spirits, mighty in Magick; Vehicles, overflowing with Joy; all that hath life; and the rulers of men. All these derive their essence from the Tao. Without the Tao, Heaven would dissolve Earth disrupt, Spirits become impotent; Vehicles empty; living things would perish and rulers lose their power. The root of grandeur is humility, and the strength of exaltation in its base. Thus rulers speak of themselves as -Fatherless,- -Virtueless,- -Unworthy,- proclaiming by this that their Glory is in their shame. So also the virtue of a Chariot is not any of the parts of a Chariot, if they be numbered. They do not seek to appear fine like jade, but inconspicuous like common stone."

Author

Lao Tzu

All Translations

English

"These things have possessed the Tao from the beginning: Heaven, clear and shining; Earth, steady and easy; Spirits, mighty in Magick; Vehicles, overflowing with Joy; all that hath life; and the rulers of men. All these derive their essence from the Tao. Without the Tao, Heaven would dissolve Earth disrupt, Spirits become impotent; Vehicles empty; living things would perish and rulers lose their power. The root of grandeur is humility, and the strength of exaltation in its base. Thus rulers speak of themselves as -Fatherless,- -Virtueless,- -Unworthy,- proclaiming by this that their Glory is in their shame. So also the virtue of a Chariot is not any of the parts of a Chariot, if they be numbered. They do not seek to appear fine like jade, but inconspicuous like common stone."

Loading…
Loading the web debug toolbar…
Attempt #