Chapter 55
"He who contains virtue in abundance resembles a newborn child
wasps don't sting him beasts don't claw him
birds of prey don't carry him off
his bones are weak and his tendons are soft and yet his grip is firm
he hasn't known the union of sexes and yet his penis is stiff so full of essence is he
he cries all day yet ever gets hoarse
so full of breath is he who knows how to breath
endures who knows how to endure is wise
who lengthens his life tempts luck
who breathes with his will is strong
but virility means old age this isn't the Way
what isn't the Way ends early"
- Translated by Bill Porter (Red Pine), 1996, Chapter 55
"One who is filled with goodness is like a
freshly-born infant.
Wasps, scorpions and snakes will not bite her.
Wild beasts will not attack her, nor will birds of prey pounce on her.
Her bones may be fragile and her skin soft,
But her grasp is firm.
She does not recognize the union of male and female
For she knows it only as an undivided whole.
This is the essence of perfection.
She can how All day and not get hoarse.
This is perfect harmony.
Knowing harmony is faithfulness.
Knowing faithfulness is salvation.
Trying to extend one's life-span is dangerous and unnatural.
To manipulate one's energy with the mind is a powerful thing
But whoever possesses such strength invariably grows old and withers.
This is not the way of the Tao.
All those who do not follow the Tao will come to an early end."
- Translated by John R. Mabry, Chapter 55
Wasps, scorpions and snakes will not bite her.
Wild beasts will not attack her, nor will birds of prey pounce on her.
Her bones may be fragile and her skin soft,
But her grasp is firm.
She does not recognize the union of male and female
For she knows it only as an undivided whole.
This is the essence of perfection.
She can how All day and not get hoarse.
This is perfect harmony.
Knowing harmony is faithfulness.
Knowing faithfulness is salvation.
Trying to extend one's life-span is dangerous and unnatural.
To manipulate one's energy with the mind is a powerful thing
But whoever possesses such strength invariably grows old and withers.
This is not the way of the Tao.
All those who do not follow the Tao will come to an early end."
- Translated by John R. Mabry, Chapter 55
"The one who has virtue in its fullness
Is like a newborn babe.
Hornets and snakes do not sting him.
Savage beasts don't attack him.
Birds of prey don't pounce on him.
His bones are soft and his muscles weak
But his grasp is firm.
He knows nothing yet of mating
But his organ stirs
For his vigor is at its height.
He will cry all day
But his voice will remain loud.
For his harmony is at its height.
If you know harmony you know what is constant.
If you know what is constant you are enlightened.
If your mind forces your breath you misuse your strength.
You misuse your strength.
What expands too much is bound to collapse.
This is not the way of Tao.
What goes against Tao soon declines."
- Translated by Agnieszka Solska, 2005, Chapter 55
Is like a newborn babe.
Hornets and snakes do not sting him.
Savage beasts don't attack him.
Birds of prey don't pounce on him.
His bones are soft and his muscles weak
But his grasp is firm.
He knows nothing yet of mating
But his organ stirs
For his vigor is at its height.
He will cry all day
But his voice will remain loud.
For his harmony is at its height.
If you know harmony you know what is constant.
If you know what is constant you are enlightened.
If your mind forces your breath you misuse your strength.
You misuse your strength.
What expands too much is bound to collapse.
This is not the way of Tao.
What goes against Tao soon declines."
- Translated by Agnieszka Solska, 2005, Chapter 55
含德之厚.
比於赤子.
蜂蠆虺蛇不螫.
猛獸不據.
攫鳥不搏.
骨弱筋柔而握固.
未知牝牡之合而全作.
精之至也.
終日號而不嗄.
和之至也.
知和曰常.
知常曰明.
益生曰祥.
心使氣曰強.
物壯則老.
謂之不道.
不道早已.
- Chinese characters, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 55
比於赤子.
蜂蠆虺蛇不螫.
猛獸不據.
攫鳥不搏.
骨弱筋柔而握固.
未知牝牡之合而全作.
精之至也.
終日號而不嗄.
和之至也.
知和曰常.
知常曰明.
益生曰祥.
心使氣曰強.
物壯則老.
謂之不道.
不道早已.
- Chinese characters, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 55
han de zhi hou.
bi yu chi zi.
du chong hui she bu shi.
meng shou bu ju.
jue niao bu bo.
gu ruo jin rou er wo gu.
wei zhi pin mu zhi he er zui zuo.
jing zhi zhi ye.
zhong ri hao er bu sha.S
he zhi zhi ye.
zhi he yue chang.
zhi chang yue ming.
yi sheng yue xiang,
xin shi qi yue qiang.
wu zhuang ze lao.
wei zhi bu dao.
bu dao zao yi.
- Pinyin Romanization, Daodejing, Chapter 55
"One who possesses the fullness of De can
be compared to a newborn baby.
Bees, scorpions and poisonous snakes will not sting him.
Hunting birds and ferocious animals will not grab him.
His bones are weak, his muscles are soft, yet he can grasp objects with great strength.
He has no knowledge of sexual intercourse, yet his penis becomes enlarged: so extreme is his life force.
He can yell all day, yet he doesn't get hoarse.
There is ultimate harmony in his expressiveness.
This harmony of expressiveness is said to be constant;
Knowing this harmony is said to be obvious.
Increasing life is said to be lucky.
Using the mind to control the natural energy of life is said to show strength.
A living creature who who pretends to be stronger than they are will quickly age.
This may be described as one who doesn't follow Dao.
Don't follow Dao and you'll come to an early end."
- Translated by Nina Correa, 2005, Chapter 55
Bees, scorpions and poisonous snakes will not sting him.
Hunting birds and ferocious animals will not grab him.
His bones are weak, his muscles are soft, yet he can grasp objects with great strength.
He has no knowledge of sexual intercourse, yet his penis becomes enlarged: so extreme is his life force.
He can yell all day, yet he doesn't get hoarse.
There is ultimate harmony in his expressiveness.
This harmony of expressiveness is said to be constant;
Knowing this harmony is said to be obvious.
Increasing life is said to be lucky.
Using the mind to control the natural energy of life is said to show strength.
A living creature who who pretends to be stronger than they are will quickly age.
This may be described as one who doesn't follow Dao.
Don't follow Dao and you'll come to an early end."
- Translated by Nina Correa, 2005, Chapter 55
"He who has in himself abundantly the
attributes (of the Tao) is like an infant.
Poisonous insects will not sting him; fierce beasts will not seize him; birds of prey will not strike him. (The infant's) bones are weak and its sinews soft, yet its grasp is firm.
It knows not yet the union of male and female, and yet its virile member may be excited;
showing the perfection of its physical essence.
All day long it will cry without its throat becoming hoarse; showing the harmony (in its constitution).
To him by whom this harmony is known, the secret of the unchanging Tao is shown,
And in the knowledge wisdom finds its throne.
All life-increasing arts to evil turn;
Where the mind makes the vital breath to burn,
False is the strength, and o'er it we should mourn.
When things have become strong, they then become old, which may be said to be contrary to the Tao.
Whatever is contrary to the Tao soon ends."
- Translated by Andre Gauthier, Chapter 55
Poisonous insects will not sting him; fierce beasts will not seize him; birds of prey will not strike him. (The infant's) bones are weak and its sinews soft, yet its grasp is firm.
It knows not yet the union of male and female, and yet its virile member may be excited;
showing the perfection of its physical essence.
All day long it will cry without its throat becoming hoarse; showing the harmony (in its constitution).
To him by whom this harmony is known, the secret of the unchanging Tao is shown,
And in the knowledge wisdom finds its throne.
All life-increasing arts to evil turn;
Where the mind makes the vital breath to burn,
False is the strength, and o'er it we should mourn.
When things have become strong, they then become old, which may be said to be contrary to the Tao.
Whatever is contrary to the Tao soon ends."
- Translated by Andre Gauthier, Chapter 55
"He who embodies the fullness of integrity is like a
ruddy infant.
Wasps, spiders, scorpions, and snakes will not sting or bite him;
Rapacious birds and fierce beasts will not seize him.
His bones are weak and his sinews soft, yet his grip is tight.
He knows not the joining of male and female, yet his penis is aroused.
His essence has reached a peak.
He screams the whole day without becoming hoarse;
His harmony has reached perfection.
Harmony implies constancy;
Constancy requires insight.
Striving to increase one's life is ominous;
To control the vital breath with one's mind entails force.
Something that grows old while still in its prime is said to be not in accord with the Way;
Not being in accord with the Way leads to an early demise."
- Translated by Victor H. Mair, Chapter 55
Wasps, spiders, scorpions, and snakes will not sting or bite him;
Rapacious birds and fierce beasts will not seize him.
His bones are weak and his sinews soft, yet his grip is tight.
He knows not the joining of male and female, yet his penis is aroused.
His essence has reached a peak.
He screams the whole day without becoming hoarse;
His harmony has reached perfection.
Harmony implies constancy;
Constancy requires insight.
Striving to increase one's life is ominous;
To control the vital breath with one's mind entails force.
Something that grows old while still in its prime is said to be not in accord with the Way;
Not being in accord with the Way leads to an early demise."
- Translated by Victor H. Mair, Chapter 55
Nigún insecto venenoso le clava su aguijón;
Ninguna bestia salvaje le ataca;
Ningún ave de rapiña cae sobre él.
Sus huesos son frágiles; sus tendones, débiles; pero su abrazo es fuerte.
No conoce la unión de varón y hembra, mas posee la plenitud de su sexo.
Vitalmente, es perfecto.
Puede gritar sin quedar ronco:
Porque posee la armonía,
Y el que conoce esta armonía conoce lo duradero.
Conocer lo duradera es acercarse a la claridad.
Vivir intensamente conduce a la desdicha.
Dejando palpitar al corazón, nos acercamos a la muerte."
- Translated into Spanish by Caridad Diaz Faes (2003) from the English translation by Ch'u Ta-Kao (1904), Capítulo 55
"Who is rich in character
Is like a child.
No poisonous insects sting him,
No wild beasts attack him,
And no birds of prey pounce upon him.
His bones are soft, his sinews tender, yet his grip is strong.
Not knowing the union of male and female, yet his organs are complete,
Which means his vigor is unspoiled.
Crying the whole day, yet his voice never runs hoarse,
Which means his natural harmony is perfect.
To know harmony is to be in accord with the eternal,
And to know eternity is called discerning.
But to improve upon life is called an ill-omen;
To let go the emotions through impulse is called assertiveness.
For things age after reaching their prime;
That assertiveness would be against Tao.
And he who is against Tao perishes young."
- Translated by Lin Yutang, 1955, Chapter 55
"The man who is saturated with Virtue is like a little child.
Scorpions will not sting him, wild beasts will not seize him, nor will birds of prey pluck at him.
His young bones are not hard, neither are his sinews strong, yet his grasp is firm and sure.
He is full of vitality, though unconscious of his sex.
Though he should cry out all day, yet he is never hoarse.
Herein is shown his harmony with Nature.
The knowledge of this harmony is the eternal Tao.
The knowledge of the eternal Tao is illumination.
Habits of excess grow upon a man, and the mind, giving way to the passions, they increase day by day.
And when the passions have reached their climax, they fall.
This is against the nature of Tao.
And what is contrary to Tao soon comes to an end."
- Translated by Walter Gorn Old, 1904, Chapter 55
Chapter and Thematic Index (Concordance) to the Tao Te Ching
Taoism: A Selected Reading List
Tao Te Ching English Language Corncordance by Gerold Claser. An excellent English language concordance providing terms, chapter and line references, and the proximal English language text. No Chinese language characters or Wade-Giles or Pinyin Romanizations. Based on the translation by John H. McDonald.
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