Daodejing Translation: Chapter 21 — Chapter 25
Here is my new English translation of Chapter 21 to Chapter 25 of the Daodejing together with links to commentaries and breakdowns of each chapter.
Daodejing Chapter 21
老子道德經第廿一章
The greatest power comes
Only from following the Dao.
The substance of the Dao is
Shadowy and indistinct.
Indistinct and shadowy.
Within it is an image,
Shadowy and indistinct.
Within it is a substance,
Dim and dark.
Within it is an essence.
This essence is real,
True and unwavering.
From ancient times until now,
Its name has never disappeared.
The origin of all things.
How do I know the origin of all things?
Through this,
Through the Dao.
「孔德之容，唯道是從。道之為物，唯恍唯惚，惚兮恍兮，其中有象；恍兮惚兮，其中有物。窈兮冥兮，其中有精，其精甚真，其中有信。自古及今，其名不去，以閱眾甫。吾何以知眾甫之狀哉？以此！」
Daodejing Chapter 21: the greatest power
Daodejing Chapter 21 breakdown: the origin of all things
Daodejing Chapter 22
老子道德經第廿二章
Curved therefore whole.
Bent therefore straight.
Hollow therefore full.
Used therefore new.
Little therefore much.
Too much therefore troubled.
The sage embraces the one,
Is a model for all-under-heaven.
He does not show off,
And therefore shines.
He does not promote himself,
And is therefore revered.
He does not boast,
And therefore accomplishes.
He does not seek glory,
And therefore endures.
Because he does not contend,
All-under-heaven does not contend with him.
The old saying
Curved therefore whole
Is no empty talk!
The curved returns
To the truly whole.
「曲則全，枉則直，窪則盈，弊則新，少則得，多則惑。是以聖人抱一為天下式。不自見，故明；不自是，故彰；不自伐，故有功；不自矜，故長。夫唯不爭，故天下莫能與之爭。古之所謂曲則全者，豈虛言哉！誠全而歸之。」
Daodejing Chapter 22: curved therefore whole
Daodejing Chapter 22 breakdown: embracing the one
Daodejing Chapter 23
老子道德經第廿三章
Nature rarely talks.
A whirlwind
Does not last all morning.
A rainstorm
Does not last all day.
Why is that?
Heaven and earth.
If heaven and earth
Cannot make them last,
How can humanity do so?
To practice the Dao,
Is to be at one with the Dao.
To possess inner power
Is to be at one with the power.
To experience failure,
Is to be at one with failure.
When you are at one with the Dao,
The Dao gladly embraces you.
When you are at one with the power,
The power gladly embraces you.
When you are at one with failure,
Failure gladly embraces you.
Lack of trust
Produces lack of trust.
「希言自然，故飄風不終朝，驟雨不終日。孰為此者？天地。天地尚不能久，而況於人乎？故從事於道者，同於道；德者，同於德；失者，同於失。同於道者，道亦樂得之；同於德者，德亦樂得之；同於失者，失亦樂得之。信不足焉，有不信焉！」
Daodejing Chapter 23: nature rarely talks
Daodejing Chapter 23 breakdown: a whirlwind and a rainstorm
Daodejing Chapter 24
老子道德經第廿四章
You cannot keep
Standing on tiptoe.
You cannot keep
Walking in strides.
Anyone who shows off
Does not stand out.
Anyone who flaunts self
Does not shine.
Anyone who boasts
Achieves nothing.
Anyone who brags
Does not last.
In the view of the Dao,
They are like leftover food
And excess fat.
They are to be abhorred.
Followers of the Dao avoid them.
「企者不立，跨者不行。自見者不明，自是者不彰；自伐者無功，自誇者不長。其於道也，曰：餘食贅行。物或惡之，故有道者不處。」
Daodejing Chapter 24: like leftover food and excess fat
Daodejing Chapter 24 breakdown: modesty and moderation
Daodejing Chapter 25
老子道德經第廿五章
There is something
Nebulous yet whole,
That was born
Before heaven and earth.
Silent and formless,
Alone and unchanging,
All-pervading and inexhaustible,
It may be considered the
Mother of all-under-heaven.
I do not know its name.
I just call it the Dao.
If I must give it a name,
I call it great.
Great means
It is boundless.
Boundless means
It reaches everywhere.
Reaches everywhere means
It returns to itself.
The Dao is great,
Heaven is great,
Earth is great,
Humanity is great.
Within the realm,
There are four great things.
Humanity is one of them.
Humanity models itself on earth.
Earth models itself on heaven.
Heaven models itself on the Dao.
The Dao models itself
On what is naturally so.
「有物混成，先天地生。寂兮寥兮，獨立而不改，周行而不殆，可以為天下母。吾不知其名，字之曰道，強為之名曰大。大曰逝，逝曰遠，遠曰反。故道大、天大、地大、人亦大。域中有四大，而王居其一焉！人法地，地法天，天法道，道法自然。」
Daodejing Chapter 25: I do not know its name
Daodejing Chapter 25 breakdown: nebulous yet whole
