Tao Te Ching道德经
Tao Te Ching/Chapter 45

Ready, Yet Always Unfinished

大成若缺
Dà Chéng Ruò Quē

What is complete looks unfinished and never wears out; what is full looks empty, what is straight looks bent. The clear and the still are what set the world right.

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5 sentences · 2 notes
大dà成chéng若ruò缺quē,其qí用yòng不bù弊bì。

1Who thinks his great achievements poor Shall find his vigour long endure.

大dà盈yíng若ruò冲chōng,其qí用yòng不bù穷qióng。

2Of greatest fulness, deemed a void, Exhaustion ne'er shall stem the tide.

大dà直zhí若ruò屈qū,大dà巧qiǎo若ruò拙zhuō,大dà辩biàn若ruò讷nè。

3Do thou what's straight still crooked deem; Thy greatest art still stupid seem, And eloquence a stammering scream.

静jìng胜shèng躁zào,寒hán胜shèng热rè。

4Constant action overcomes cold; being still overcomes heat.

清qīng静jìng为wéi天tiān下xià正zhèng。

5Purity and stillness give the correct law to all under heaven.

Chinese commentary · 2 notes

The notes printed with this chapter in Chinese editions, kept in Chinese, for readers who come to the text that way.

1讷:口才不好。

2正:通“政”。

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