Lao Tzu for Everyone
Students, Scholars,
& Seekers
Chinese-English Interlinear
Peter Gilboy, Ph. D.
regarding the characters
chosen for this translation.
Lesson 15
More about
the Sage
聖shèng
(呈 to present + 耳 ear.)
the sage
Interlinear
Line 1
Of old, sages
in accord with the Way
were so profound in their insight,
that it cannot be fathomed.
古gǔ 之zhī 仙xiān* 為wéi 道tào 者zhě
age past mountain man do Way one who
微wēi 眇miǎo 玄xuán 達dá 深shēn
subtle minute/utmost profound arrive/insight deep
不bù 可kě 志zhì**
not able intent/understanding
In past ages the mountain men who
practiced the way were subtle the utmost,
profound and and insightful,
so deep that it cannot be understood.
A sages insight cannot be fathomed because it can't be passed on from one person to another. It is more data. It isn't knowledge. The insight of which Lao Tzu speaks cannot be explained any more than a mother can explain er love for a newborn.
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*仙xiān, literally, “mountain person.” It is composed of 亻person + 山 mountain. In the later Taoist tradition 仙xiān referred to an immortal person believed to possess spiritual powers. Note that the Wang Bi, Heshang Gong, Fu Yi, and Guodian editions have a different character, 善shàn, "benevolent," "good."
**志zhì, has the sense of will, purpose, scope. It is also present in the Guodian edition. But the Wang Bi, Heshang Gong, and Fu Yi editions have 識shí, to understand, comprehend.
. . . . . .
Line 2
Though they were unknowable,
were I forced to describe how they
appeared to others,
I would say this:
夫fū 唯wéi 不bù 可kě 志zhì
(intro) only not able intent/understanding
故gù 強qiáng 為wéi 之zhī 容róng 曰yuē
therefore strong do (pron.) appearance say
Only because their understanding
cannot be understood,
therefore, forced to say about their appearance.
In the description of a sage that follows, note how the sage presumes nothing, takes nothing for granted, is always alert and inquiring.
. . . . . .
Line 3
They were cautious!
As if crossing an icy stream.
豫yù 呵hē
hesitant/play exclaim
其qí 若ruò 冬dōng 涉shè 水shuǐ
(pron.) same as winter ford water
Hesitant!
They were as if fording
a river in winter.
The sage knows how to pause and to wait. That is to draw on his or her feminine energy. What is the sage waiting for? The right moment for action.
. . . . . .
Line 4
They were strategic!
As if wary of those on all side.
猷yóu 呵hē
plan/think (exclamation)
亓qí 若ruò 畏wèi 四sì 鄰lín
(pron.) same as fear four neighbor
Planning!
they were the same as
fearing their four neighbors.
Does the sage plan, ponder, and deliberate? Of course. The sage is not an idiot. He or she does not mindlessly go with the flow. The sage is vigilant moment to moment. For that reason he or she is able to meet each occasion openly, as an unprecedented moment in time
. . . . . .
Line 5
The were formal!
As if always they were guests.
嚴yán 呵hē
exacting (exclamation)
其qí 若ruò 客kè
(pron.) same as guest
Exacting!
They were the same as guests.
The sage is not outside society. He or she observes the conventions of society, perhaps even more unerringly than the ordinary person.
. . . . . .
.
Line 6
They were elusive!
Like melting ice.
渙huàn 呵hē
scatter/disperse exclaim
其qí 若ruò 凌líng 澤zé
(pron.) same as ice/surpass/pure marsh
Dispersed!
Like an icy marsh.
. . . . . .
Line 7
They were original!
Like an uncarved block of wood.
沌dùn 呵hē
unformed (exclamation)
其qí 若ruò 樸pú
(pron.) same as uncarved block
Unformed!
Like an uncarved block.
樸pú, "uncarved block of wood", is another of Lao Tzu's metaphors conveying our original and uncontrived self, or 自zì 然rán self-so-ness. 樸pú is found in six lessons.* It refers to who we are, individually, prior to being shaped or molded by all our experiences and learnings.
As the 道Tào Way is described in Lesson 1, an uncarved block has no name because it has not been cut or fashioned into this thing or that. It is potentiality and actuality. It is nothing in particular, but retains the capacity to take on a number of shapes depending on the situation and the need.
In Lesson 20 Lao Tzu tells us that the 聖shèng sage is one who has 復fù 歸guī returned to the condition "an uncarved block of wood."
Having turned to to the condition of an "uncarved block," the sage lives naturally and acts spontaneously as needed through 无wú 為wéi “not doing.”
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*Lessons 15, 19, 28, 32, 37, and 57.
Note: In Lesson 20 Lao Tzu uses a different metaphor to convey the same condition, there as "an infant who has not yet made a sound."
. . . . . .
Line 8
They were obscure!
Like churned up water.
湷hún 呵hē 亓qí 若ruò 濁zhuó
muddy (exclamation) (pron.) same as turbid water
Muddy!
Like turbid water.
. . . . . .
Line 9
They were expansive and fruitful!
Like a valley.
莊zhuāng 呵hē 亓qí 若ruò 谷rǔ
farmland/fertile (exclamation) (pron) same as valley
Farmland!
Like a valley.
. . . . . .
Line 10
When what is churned up becomes still,
it gradually clears.
濁zhuó 而ér 靜jìng 之zhī 徐xú 清qīng
turbid water and peaceful (pron.) slowly clear/clean.
Turbid water and then peaceful,
it slowly clears.
This line may be compared to Lao Tzu's analogy to an "uncarved block of wood." Turbid water is yet undifferentiated and retains the potential to reflect this or that.
. . . . . .
Line 11
When what is tranquil is moved,
it gradually gives life.
安ān 以yǐ 重zhòng 之zhī 徐xú 生shēng
tranquil by means strong/heavy/central (pron.) gradual live/life
Tranquil and then peaceful,
it slowly clears.
The structure of this is parallel to the previous one. Together they depict the movement from potential to actual.
___
Note: In place of 安ān, "tranquil," the Ma Wang Tu editions alone have 女nǔ, "female," "feminine." Wang Bi's commentary on this line notes that this movement from potential to actual, results in 自zì 然rán, the self-so-ness of a thing; or, in other words, a thing becoming orginal itself.
. . . . . .
Line 12
The person who preserves
his or her self in this way
does not desire to become filled.
葆bǎo 此cǐ 道tào 者zhě
preserve this way one who
不bù 欲yù 盈yíng
not desire full.
One who preserves like this the way
does not desire fullness.
This may well be another of Lao Tzu's play on words. 葆 preserving 此cǐ this 道tào way means to "preserve (or maintain) things in this manner" while at the same times alludes to "preserving (or maintaining) the Way" itself.
In other words, one who preserves the ebb and flow, the potential to actual, inherent in the operation of the Way, has no need or desire to do anything of himself or herself. As in so many other lines of other chapters, the subtext is 无wú 為wéi , or "not doing" anything of one's self.
. . . . . .
Line 13
Truly, it is only when one
does not desire to be filled
that he or she may be
worn and incomplete.
夫fū 唯wéi 不bù 欲yù 盈yíng
(intro) only then not desire full
是shì 以yǐ 能néng 敝bì
(for this reason) able worn
而ér 不bù 成chéng
and not complete.
Now, only when no desiring to be full,
for this reason able to be worn and not complete.
Being "worn" and "incomplete" is not an adverse disadvantageous condition. The sage does not seek to be filled, or need to be. For this reason, like the 樸pú uncarved block and churned up water, the sage is able to be ever receptive to the needs that may come.
. . . . . .
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Note: Some translations conclude this line with, "newly complete" or "renewed." This translation relies on the character 新xīn, "new", placed before "complete" in the Wang Bi and other standard texts. 新xīn, "new", is not present in the Ma Wang Tui editions.
Also, Wang Bi's commentary refers to the sage not desiring to be filled up, then being able to "cover" all things. Apparently the edition he was working with had the character 蔽bì, "hide," "conceal" rather than its homonym 敝bì, "worn," found in the MWT editions. Some modern translations using the same text as Wang Bi also translate "cover," or "conceal" in place of 敝bì, "worn.