41
"When a superior person (shan shih) hears Tao, He diligently practices it. When a middling person (chung shih) hears Tao, He hears it, he doesn't hear it. When the inferior person (hsia shih) hears Tao, he roars. If Tao were not laughed at, It would not be Tao. Therefore, established sayings (chien yen) have it this way: "The illuminating (ming) Tao appears (jo) dark, The advancing Tao appears retreating, The level Tao appears knotty (lei). High (shan) te appears like a valley, Great whiteness (po) appears spotted (ju), Expansive te appears insufficient, Well-established te appears weak, The genuine in substance appears hollow. Great (ta) square has no corners, Great vessel (ch'i) is late in completion, Great voice (yin) has hardly (hsi) any sound, Great image is formless, Tao is hidden and without name." Yet it is Tao alone, That is good in lending help and fulfilling all."
Author
Lao TzuAll Translations
"When a superior person (shan shih) hears Tao, He diligently practices it. When a middling person (chung shih) hears Tao, He hears it, he doesn't hear it. When the inferior person (hsia shih) hears Tao, he roars. If Tao were not laughed at, It would not be Tao. Therefore, established sayings (chien yen) have it this way: "The illuminating (ming) Tao appears (jo) dark, The advancing Tao appears retreating, The level Tao appears knotty (lei). High (shan) te appears like a valley, Great whiteness (po) appears spotted (ju), Expansive te appears insufficient, Well-established te appears weak, The genuine in substance appears hollow. Great (ta) square has no corners, Great vessel (ch'i) is late in completion, Great voice (yin) has hardly (hsi) any sound, Great image is formless, Tao is hidden and without name." Yet it is Tao alone, That is good in lending help and fulfilling all."