Tao Te Ching Chapter 26
第26章
重為輕根，靜為躁君。是以聖人終日行不離輜重。雖有榮觀，燕處超然。奈何萬乘之主，而以身輕天下？輕則失本，躁則失君。
Gravity is the root of lightness; stillness, the ruler of movement.
Therefore a wise prince, marching the whole day, does not go far from his baggage waggons. Although he may have brilliant prospects to look at, he quietly remains (in his proper place), indifferent to them. How should the lord of a myriad chariots carry himself lightly before the kingdom? If he do act lightly, he has lost his root (of gravity); if he proceed to active movement, he will lose his throne.
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
- 重zhòngheavy, weighty; to double, to repeat
- 為wèito do, to act; to handle, to govern; to
- 輕qīnglight, gentle; simple, easy
- 根gēnroot, basis, foundation
- 靜jìngstill, quiet, motionless, gentle
- 躁zàotense, irritable; rash, hot-tempered
- 君jūnsovereign, ruler, prince, monarch, chief
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 聖shèngholy, sacred; sage, saint
- 人rénman, person; people
- 終zhōngend; finally, in the end
- 日rìsun; day; daytime
- 行xíngto go, to walk, to move; professional
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 離lírare beast; strange; elegant
- 輜zīa supply cart, covered wagon, dray
- 雖suīalthough, even though
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 榮róngglory, honor; to flourish, to prosper
- 觀guānto observe, to spectate; appearance, vie
- 燕yànlovebird, swallow
- 處chùto reside at, to live in; place, locale;
- 超chāoto jump over, to leap over; to overtake,
- 然ráncertainly; naturally; suddenly
- 奈nàibut, how; to bear, to stand, to endure
- 何héwhat, why, where, which, how
- 萬wànten thousand; innumerable
- 乘chéngride, mount; to make use of; to ascend;
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 主zhǔto own; to host; master; host; lord
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 身shēnbody, torso; person; pregnancy
- 天tiānsky, heaven; god, celestial
- 下xiàbelow, underneath; inferior; to bring do
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 失shīto lose; to make a mistake, to neglect
- 本běnroot, origin, source; basis
Similar passages
- Zhuangzi Hsü Wu Kuei
- Mencius 1B.16
- Tao Te Ching Chapter 63
- Zhuangzi Lieh Tzŭ
- Zhuangzi The Secret of Life
- Zhuangzi Tsê Yang
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.