Tao Te Ching Chapter 17
第17章
太上，下知有之，其次，親而譽之，其次，畏之，其次，侮之。信不足焉，有不信焉。悠兮其貴言，功成事遂，百姓皆謂：我自然。
In the highest antiquity, (the people) did not know that there were (their rulers). In the next age they loved them and praised them. In the next they feared them; in the next they despised them. Thus it was that when faith (in the Tao) was deficient (in the rulers) a want of faith in them ensued (in the people).
How irresolute did those (earliest rulers) appear, showing (by their reticence) the importance which they set upon their words! Their work was done and their undertakings were successful, while the people all said, 'We are as we are, of ourselves!'
English: James Legge (1891), The Tâo Teh King, Sacred Books of the East vol. 39 (1891) — public domain. Chinese: Wang Bi recension (王弼本), commentary removed.
Character glossary
- 太tàivery, too much; big; extreme
- 上shàngabove, on top, superior; to go up; to at
- 下xiàbelow, underneath; inferior; to bring do
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 次cìorder, sequence; second, next; one after
- 親qīnrelatives, parents; intimate; the hazeln
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 譽yùfame, reputation; to praise
- 畏wèifear, dread, awe, reverence
- 侮wǔinsult, ridicule, disgrace
- 信xìnto trust, to believe; letter, sign
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 足zúfoot; to attain, to satisfy; enough
- 焉yānwhy? where? how?; strange; thereupon, th
- 悠yōudistant, remote; long, far; carefree
- 兮xīexclamatory particle
- 貴guìexpensive, costly; valuable, precious
- 言yánwords, speech; to speak, to say
- 功gōngachievement, good work; merit; service
- 成chéngto accomplish; to become; to complete, t
- 事shìaffair, matter, business; to serve; acci
- 遂suìto fail; to follow, to comply with
- 百bǎione hundred; numerous, many
- 姓xìngname, family name, surname; clan, people
- 皆jiēall, every, everybody
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 我wǒI, me, my; our, us
- 自zìself; private, personal; from
- 然ráncertainly; naturally; suddenly
Similar passages
- Tao Te Ching Chapter 23
- Zhuangzi The Tao of God
- Zhuangzi Transcendental Bliss
- Zhuangzi Kêng Sang Ch’u
- Zhuangzi Man Among Men
- Mencius 1A.7
Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0); Chinese Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.