道德经 Tao and Teh
老子 著 Laozi
林语堂 英译 Lin Yutang Translation
一章
道，可道，非恒道。
名，可名，非恒名。
无名，天地之始；有名，万物之母。
故常无欲，以观其妙；
常有欲，以观其徼。此两者同出而异名，
同谓之玄。玄之又玄，众妙之门。
The Tao that can be told of
Is not the Absolute Tao;
The Names that can be given
Are not Absolute Names.
The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth;
The Named is the Mother of All Things.
Therefore:
Oftentimes, one strips oneself of passion
In order to see the Secret of Life;
Oftentimes, one regards life with passion,
In order to see its manifest forms.
These two (the Secret and its manifestations)
Are (in their nature) the same;
They are given different names
When they become manifest.
They may both be called the Cosmic Mystery:
Reaching from the Mystery into the Deeper Mystery
Is the Gate to the Secret of All Life.
