With music and dainties we may detain the passing guest. But if we open our mouths to speak of Tao, he finds it tasteless and insipid.
Not visible to the sight, not audible to the ear, in its use it is inexhaustible.
Retrogression is the movement of Tao. Weakness is the character of Tao.
All things under Heaven derive their being from Tao in the form of Existence; Tao in the form of Existence sprang from Tao in the form of Non-Existence.
Tao is a great square with no angles, a great vessel which takes long to complete, a great sound which cannot be heard, a great image with no form.
Tao lies hid and cannot be named, yet it has the power of transmuting and perfecting all things.
Tao produced Unity; Unity produced Duality; Duality produced Trinity; and Trinity produced all existing objects.) These myriad objects leave darkness behind them and embrace the light, being harmonised by the breath of Vacancy.
Tao produces all things; its Virtue nourishes them; its Nature gives them form; its Force perfects them.
Hence there is not a single thing but pays homage to Tao and extols its Virtue. This homage paid to Tao, this extolling of its Virtue, is due to no command, but is always spontaneous.
Thus it is that Tao, engendering all things, nourishes them, develops them, and fosters them, perfects them, ripens them, tends them, and protects them.
Production without possession, action without
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