2025-04-20

Dao De Jing 5

Archie J. Bahm (1958)
Opposites are not sympathetic to each other. Each one of the many kinds of opposites acts as if it could get along without its other. But Nature treats opposites impartially, dealing with each of every pair of opposites with the same indifference. And the intelligent man will regard opposites in the same manner. No matter how deeply natures are torn by opposition, Nature itself remains unchanged. In conflicts between opposites, the more one attacks his seeming opponent (upon which he really depends for his completion), the more he defeats himself (and thereby demonstrates that only Nature, and not any opposite abstracted from existence, is self-sufficient). So, likewise, no matter how much debaters argue, their argument proves nothing. Things are what they are, regardless of how much we disagree about them.

Frank J. MacHovec (1962)
Nature is indifferent to life. It realizes everything is as a straw dog. The truly wise are also indifferent to life. They realize humanity is as a straw dog. The universe is like a bellows: empty, yet quite full. As it proceeds, it produces. Much talk, much exhaustion. Keep your thoughts within!

D. C. Lau (1963)
Heaven and earth are ruthless, and treat the myriad creatures as straw dogs; the sage is ruthless, and treats the people as straw dogs. Is not the space between heaven and earth like a bellows? It is empty without being exhausted: The more it works the more comes out. Much speech leads inevitably to silence. Better to hold fast to the void.

Gia-fu Feng and Jane English (1972)
Heaven and Earth are impartial; They see the ten thousand things as straw dogs. The wise are impartial; They see the people as straw dogs. The space between heaven and Earth is like a bellows. The shape changes but not the form; The more it moves, the more it yields. More words count less. Hold fast to the center.

Hua-Ching Ni (1979)
The subtle virtue of the universe is wholeness. It regards all things as equal. The virtue of the sage is wholeness. He too regards all things as equal. The universe may be compared to a bellows. It is empty, yet it never fails to generate its products. The more it moves, the more it brings forth. Many words lead one nowhere. Many pursuits in different directions bring only exhaustion. Rather, embrace the subtle essence within.

Stan Rosenthal (1984)
WITHOUT INTENTION. Nature acts without intent, so cannot be described as acting with benevolence, nor malevolence to any thing. In this respect, the Tao is just the same, though in reality it should be said that nature follows the rule of Tao. Therefore, even when he seems to act in manner kind or benevolent, the sage is not acting with such intent, for in conscious matters such as these, he is amoral and indifferent. The sage retains tranquility, and is not by speech or thought disturbed, and even less by action which is contrived. His actions are spontaneous, as are his deeds towards his fellow men. By this means he is empty of desire, and his energy is not drained from him.

Jacob Trapp (1985)
NATURE SEEMS UNKIND. Nature seems unkind, As indifferent to its own offspring As if they were but sacrificial straw dogs. The Sage, too, seems unkind, As impartial as Nature; Yet, like Nature, he benefits all. The universe, like empty bellows, Is ever giving forth; The more it yields the greater the supply. Who knows the meaning of all this? To argue, to be overly concerned, Is to exhaust one's wits to no purpose. Things are what they are regardless. Better to let things be, To be still at the core of one's being.

Stephen Mitchell (1988)
The Tao doesn't take sides; /it gives birth to both good and evil. /The Master doesn't take sides; /she welcomes both saints and sinners. //The Tao is like a bellows: /it is empty yet infinitely capable. /The more you use it, the more it produces; /the more you talk of it, the less you understand. //Hold on to the center.

Victor H. Mair (1990)
Heaven and earth are inhumane; they view the myriad creatures as straw dogs. The sage is inhumane; he views the common people as straw dogs. The space between heaven and earth, how like a bellows it is! Empty but never exhausted, The more it pumps, the more comes out. Hearing too much leads to utter exhaustion; Better to remain in the center.

Michael LaFargue (1992)
"Heaven and Earth are not Good they treat the thousands of things like straw dogs. The Wise Person is not Good he treats the hundred clans like straw dogs." The space between heaven and earth isn't it like a bellows? Empty, but not shriveled up, set it in motion and always more comes out. Much talking, quickly exhausted. It can't compare to watching over what is inside. Stephen Addiss and Stanley Lombardo (1993)
Heaven and Earth are not kind: The ten thousand things are straw dogs to them. The Sage is not kind: People are straw dogs to him. Yet Heaven and Earth And all the space between Are like a bellows: Empty but inexhaustible, Always producing more. Longwinded speech is exhausting. Better to stay centered.

Ursula K. Le Guin (1997)
USEFUL EMPTINESS. Heaven and earth aren’t humane. To them the ten thousand things are straw dogs. Wise souls aren’t humane. To them the hundred families are straw dogs. Heaven and earth act as a bellows: Empty yet structured, it moves, inexhaustibly giving.

Wang Keping (1998)
Heaven and Earth are not humane. They regard all things as straw dogs. The sage is not human. He regards all people as straw dogs. The space between Heaven and Earth is like a bellows, isn't it? While vacuous, it is never exhaustible. When active, it turns out even more. (To talk too muchg will surely lead to a quick demise. Hence it is better to keep to tranquility.)

Ron Hogan (2002)
Tao's neutral: it doesn't care about good or evil. The Masters are neutral: they treat everyone the same. Tao is like a bellows: It's empty, but it could help set the world on fire. If you keep using Tao, it works better. If you keep talking about it, it won't make any sense. Keep cool.

Roger T. Ames and David L. Hall (2003)
The heavens and the earth are not partial to institutionalized morality. They take things (wanwu) and treat them all as straw dogs. Sages too are not partial to institutionalized morality. They treat the common people as straw dogs. The space between the heavens and the earth — Isn’t it just like a bellows! Even though empty it is not vacuous. Pump it and more and more comes out. It is better to safeguard what you have within Than to learn a great deal that so often goes nowhere.

Red Pine (2009)
Heaven and Earth are heartless /treating creatures like straw dogs /sages are heartless too /they treat people like straw dogs /between Heaven and Earth /how like a bellows /empty but inexhaustible /each stroke produces more /talking only wastes it /better to protect what's inside

William Scott Wilson (2010)
Heaven and Earth are not out to make friends; Thus, they treat all creatures as straw dogs. The sage is not out to make friends; Thus, he treats the people as straw dogs. Perhaps this is something like a bellows between Heaven and Earth: It is empty, but never exhausted; It moves, and creatures are manifested endlessly. A lot of words will get you nowhere; Better just to stay centered.

David Hinton (2015)
Heaven and earth are Inhumane: they use the ten thousand things like straw dogs. And the sage too is Inhumane: he uses the hundred-fold people like straw dogs. Is all heaven and earth really so much like a bellows-chamber? It's empty but never contracts, just keeps bringing forth more and more. Words go on failing and failing, nothing like abiding in its midst.

Bruce R. Linnell (2015)
Heaven and earth are not kind – Thus the ten thousand creatures become as straw dogs to them. The sage is not kind – Thus the 100 families become as straw dogs to him. The space between heaven and earth, How is it just like a bellows or flute? It is empty, yet does not run out. The more it moves, and the more it produces. Too much talking is exceptionally exhausting, Which is not as good as maintaining what is within.

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