Tao Te Ching Ch.21: The Power That Follows the Tao

孔kǒng德dé之zhī容róng，惟wéi道dào是shì从cóng。

1The grandest forms of active force From Tao come, their only source.

道dào之zhī为wéi物wù，惟wéi恍huǎng惟wéi惚hū。

2Who can of Tao the nature tell?

3Our sight it flies, our touch as well.

惚hū兮xī恍huǎng兮xī，其qí中zhōng有yǒu象xiàng；恍huǎng兮xī惚hū兮xī，其qí中zhōng有yǒu物wù。

4Eluding sight, eluding touch, The forms of things all in it crouch; Eluding touch, eluding sight, There are their semblances, all right.

窈yǎo兮xī冥míng兮xī，其qí中zhōng有yǒu精jīng；其qí精jīng甚shèn真zhēn。

5Profound it is, dark and obscure; Things' essences all there endure.

6Those essences the truth enfold Of what, when seen, shall then be told.

其qí中zhōng有yǒu信xìn。

7Now it is so; 'twas so of old.

自zì今jīn及jí古gǔ，其qí名míng不bù去qù，以yǐ阅yuè众zhòng甫fǔ。

8Its name--what passes not away; So, in their beautiful array, Things form and never know decay.

吾wú何hé以yǐ知zhī众zhòng甫fǔ之zhī状zhuàng哉zāi！

9How know I that it is so with all the beauties of existing things?

以yǐ此cǐ。

10By this (nature of the Tao).