<< Dao De Jing / 道德經 >>
Chapter 1
道可道，非常道；名可名，非常名。无名天地之始，有名万物之母。故常无欲，以观其妙；常有欲，以观其徼。此两者同出而异名，同谓之玄，玄之又玄，众妙之门。
The Way, once put into words, is no longer the absolute Dao
The Name, once named, is nothing but a name
The Nameless is the original face of Heaven and Earth
The Named is the beginning of ten thousand misconceptions
Ever desireless, one can see the truth
Ever desiring, one sees the manifestations
These two spring from the same source, yet diverge in path
Passing through hidden gates, one discovers the Dao – the Secret of All Life
Chapter 2
天下皆知美之为美，斯恶已；皆知善之为善，斯不善已。故有无相生，难易相成，长短相较，高下相倾，音声相和，前后相随。是以圣人处无为之事，行不言之教，万物作焉而不辞，生而不有，为而不恃，功成而弗居。夫唯弗居，是以不去。
When we conceive the idea of beauty, we conceive the idea of ugliness
When we consider something as good, it gives rise to the concept of evil
Therefore, being and non-being generate each other
Difficult and easy bring about each other
Long and short exist because of each other
High and low are determined by each other
Tones and sounds echoing each other
Before and after following one another
That’s why the wise take action through nonaction, and teach without words
They watch all things arise, without prejudices and opinions
They create something, yet never take possession of it
They do something, expecting no reward
Once the work is done, they let it go
Because they don’t take credit, the credit truly belongs to them
Chapter 3
不尚贤，使民不争；不贵难得之货，使民不为盗；不见可欲，使民心不乱。是以圣人之治，虚其心，实其腹；弱其志，强其骨。常使民无知无欲，使夫智者不敢为也。为无为，则无不治。
No one should be given special treatment; thus, people have nothing to fight over
No thing should be overpriced; thus, people have nothing to steal
No desire should be stirred; thus, the minds are not astir
Therefore, the sage way to govern is to help people realize emptiness and refrain from egotistical ambitions
Meanwhile keeping people well-fed and strong-boned
If everyone is humble and living a simple life, then no one would be too arrogant to presume oneself know better
Practice nonaction with right efforts; thus, all may live in peace
Chapter 4
道冲而用之或不盈，渊兮似万物之宗。挫其锐，解其纷，和其光，同其尘。湛兮似或存，吾不知谁之子，象帝之先。
The Dao is inexhaustible and unfathomable, like the fountainhead of all things
It curbs aggression, resolves conflicts, softens the dazzle and calms the bustle
So deep yet so clear, ever present!
I can’t fathom its origin
But I know it is older than God
Chapter 5
天地不仁，以万物为刍狗；圣人不仁，以百姓为刍狗。天地之间，其犹橐龠乎？虚而不屈，动而愈出。多言数穷，不如守中。
Nature doesn’t have the idea about good and bad
It treats all things impartially
Likewise, the Sages don’t hold prejudices
They treat all people equally
The Universe is like a bellows, empty of meaning, yet filled with infinite possibilities
The more you talk, the further astray you are from the truth
Therefore, we’d better hold fast to the center in silence
Chapter 6
谷神不死，是谓玄牝，玄牝之门，是谓天地根。绵绵若存，用之不勤。
The Spirit of the Space has eternal life
It is also called the Great Creator, who gives rise to infinite worlds
The gateway lies in the root of Heaven and Earth
Everlasting, its energy seems to be
If you draw upon it, life will be effortless
Buddha Mind 