Tao Te Ching Ch.52: The Mother of All Things — Chinese, Pinyin and English

天tiān下xià有yǒu始shǐ，以yǐ为wéi天tiān下xià母mǔ。

1(The Tao) which originated all under the sky is to be considered as the mother of them all.

既jì得dé其qí母mǔ，以yǐ知zhī其qí子zǐ；既jì知zhī其qí子zǐ，复fù守shǒu其qí母mǔ，没mò身shēn不bù殆dài。

2When the mother is found, we know what her children should be.

3When one knows that he is his mother's child, and proceeds to guard (the qualities of) the mother that belong to him, to the end of his life he will be free from all peril.

塞sāi其qí兑duì，闭bì其qí门mén，终zhōng身shēn不bù勤qín。

4Let him keep his mouth closed, and shut up the portals (of his nostrils), and all his life he will be exempt from laborious exertion.

开kāi其qí兑duì，济jì其qí事shì，终zhōng身shēn不bù救jiù。

5Let him keep his mouth open, and (spend his breath) in the promotion of his affairs, and all his life there will be no safety for him.

见jiàn小xiǎo曰yuē明míng，守shǒu柔róu曰yuē强qiáng。

6The perception of what is small is (the secret of) clear-sightedness; the guarding of what is soft and tender is (the secret of) strength.

用yòng其qí光guāng，复fù归guī其qí明míng，无wú遗yí身shēn殃yāng，是shì为wéi袭xí常cháng。

7Who uses well his light, Reverting to its (source so) bright, Will from his body ward all blight, And hides the unchanging from men's sight.