Derek Lin Translation Tao Te Ching 10

1. In holding the soul and embracing oneness
2. Can one be without straying?
3. In concentrating the energy and reaching relaxation
4. Can one be like an infant?

5. In cleaning away the worldly view
6.         Can one be without imperfections?
7. In loving the people and ruling the nation
8.         Can one be without manipulation?
9. In the heavenly gate’s opening and closing
10.       Can one hold to the feminine principle?
11. In understanding clearly all directions
12.       Can one be without intellectuality?

13. Bearing it, rearing it
14. Bearing without possession
15. Achieving without arrogance
16. Raising without domination
17. This is called the mystic virtue

Lines 1 – 4

1	載營魄抱	In holding[1] the soul[2] and embracing[3] oneness[4]
2	能無離乎	Can[5] one be without[6] straying[7]?[8]
3	專氣致柔	In concentrating[9] the energy[10] and reaching[11] relaxation[12]
4	能嬰兒乎	Can one be like[13] an infant[14]?

[1] 载 zài; to carry; to convey; to load; to hold; to fill up; and; also; as well as; simultaneously

[2] 魄 pò soul; mortal soul, i.e. attached to the body

[3] 抱 Bào to hold; to carry (in one‘s arms); to hug; to embrace; to surround; to cherish

[4] 营 ying; barracks; battalion; to build; to operate; to manage; to strive for

[5] 能: 能 néng; can; to be able to; might possibly; ability; (physics) energy;

[6] 無; 无; wú; not to have; no; none; not; to lack; un-; –less

[7] 離; 离; lí; to leave; to part from; to be away from; (in giving distances) from; without (something); independent of;

[8] 乎; hū; in; at; from; because; than; (classical final particle similar 吗, 吧, 呢, expressing, question, doubt, astonishment)

[9] 專; 专; zhuān; for particular person, occasion, purpose; focused on one thing; special; expert; particular; concentrated; specialized

[10] 氣;气; qì; gas; air; smell; weather; to make angry; to annoy; to get angry; vital energy; qi

[11] 致; 緻; zhì; fine; delicate; to send; to devote; to deliver; to cause; to convey

[12] 柔; róu ; soft; flexible; supple; yielding; rho

[13] 兒; 儿; ér; son; r non–syllabic diminutive suffix; retroflex final

[14] 嬰; 婴; yīng; infant; baby

Lines 5 – 12

5	滌除玄覽	In cleaning[1] away[2] the worldly[3] view[4]
6	能無疵乎	Can one be without imperfections[5]?
7	愛國治民	In loving[6] the people[7] and ruling[8] the nation[9]
8	能無為乎	Can one be without manipulation[10]?
9	天門開闔	In the heavenly[11] gate’s[12] opening[13] and closing[14]
10	能為雌乎	Can one hold to the feminine[15] principle?
11	明白四達	In understanding[16] clearly[17] all[18] directions[19]
12	能無知乎	Can one be without intellectuality[20]?

Lines 13 – 17

13	生之畜之	Bearing[21] it[22], rearing[23] it
14	生而不有	Bearing without[24] [25] possession[26]
15	為而不恃	Achieving without arrogance[27]
16	長而不宰	Raising[28] without domination[29]
17	是謂玄德	This is[30] called[31] the mystic virtue[32]