Tao Te Ching Chapter 15
Original Chinese Text
古之善为士者，微妙玄通，深不可识。
夫唯不可识，故强为之容：
豫兮若冬涉川；
犹兮若畏四邻；
俨兮其若客；
涣兮若冰之将释；
敦兮其若朴；
旷兮其若谷；
混兮其若浊。
孰能浊以静之徐清？
孰能安以久动之徐生？
保此道者不欲盈，
夫唯不盈，故能蔽不新成。
Pinyin (Pronunciation)
Gǔ zhī shàn wéi shì zhě, wēi miào xuán tōng, shēn bùkě shí.
Fú wéi bùkě shí, gù qiǎng wéi zhī róng:
Yù xī ruò dōng shè chuān;
Yóu xī ruò wèi sìlín;
Yǎn xī qí ruò kè;
Huàn xī ruò bīng zhī jiāng shì;
Dūn xī qí ruò pǔ;
Kuàng xī qí ruò gǔ;
Hùn xī qí ruò zhuó.
Shú néng zhuó yǐ jìng zhī xú qīng?
Shú néng ān yǐ jiǔ dòng zhī xú shēng?
Bǎo cǐ dào zhě bù yù yíng,
Fú wéi bù yíng, gù néng bì bù xīn chéng.
白话文翻译 (Plain Chinese Translation)
- 古之善为士者…深不可识
- 古代得道之人，精妙通达，深刻得难以理解。
- The ancient masters were profound and subtle—their wisdom was unfathomable.
- 夫唯不可识…混兮其若浊
- 正因为难以理解，所以勉强形容他们：
- 谨慎如冬天涉水过河；
- 警觉如防备四邻；
- 庄重如作客；
- 洒脱如冰雪融化；
- 淳厚如未经雕琢的木头；
- 空旷如山谷；
- 混沌如浊水。
- *Since they cannot be fully known, we describe them cautiously:
- Cautious as crossing a winter stream;
- Alert as sensing danger;
- Reserved like a guest;
- Fluid like melting ice;
- Simple like uncarved wood;
- Open like a valley;
- Murky like muddy water.*
- 正因为难以理解，所以勉强形容他们：
- 孰能浊以静之徐清？孰能安以久动之徐生？
- 谁能在浑浊中安静下来，慢慢澄清？谁能在安定中变动，慢慢焕发生机？
- Who can be still until mud settles and water clears? Who can stay calm until right action arises?
- 保此道者不欲盈…故能蔽不新成
- 持守此道的人不追求满盈，正因为不盈满，所以能安于旧而不求新成。
- Those who hold this Tao avoid excess—because they are not full, they remain timeless.
Key Concepts Explained
- 微妙玄通 (wēi miào xuán tōng) – The sage’s unfathomable wisdom (呼应 Chapter 4’s “渊兮”).
- 不欲盈 (bù yù yíng) – Rejecting excess (对比 Chapter 9’s “持而盈之，不如其已”).
- 蔽不新成 (bì bù xīn chéng) – Timeless integrity over novelty (like uncarved wood).
Philosophical Essence
- The Sage’s Paradoxical Nature
- Combines caution (“若冬涉川”) and spontaneity (“若冰之将释”).
- Balances stillness (“静之徐清”) and dynamic growth (“动之徐生”).
- Wuwei in Action
- True mastery appears ordinary (“若朴”) yet transcendent (“玄通”).
- Anti-Materialism
- “不盈” warns against overachievement (呼应 Chapter 12’s “为腹不为目”).
“The muddiest water, left still, becomes clear.”
— Practical metaphor for non-forcing (呼应 Chapter 37’s “无为自化”).
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