Tao Te Ching Chapter 55
第55章
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。
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, but 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.
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
- 含hánto hold in the mouth; to contain; to che
- 德déethics, morality; compassion, kindness
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 厚hòugenerous; substantial; deep (as a friend
- 比bǐto compare, liken; comparison; than
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 赤chìred, scarlet; blushing; bare, naked
- 子zison, child; seed, egg; fruit; small thin
- 蜂fēngbee, wasp, hornet
- 蠆chàia kind of scorpion; a sting in the tail
- 虺huīa large venomous snake
- 蛇shésnake
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 螫shìpoison, sting; poisonous insect
- 猛měngviolent, savage, cruel, bold
- 獸shòubeast, animal; bestial
- 據jùto possess, to occupy; position; base
- 攫juéto snatch, to sieze, to rob
- 鳥niǎobird
- 搏bócombat; to fight; to strike
- 骨gǔbone; skeleton; frame, framework
- 弱ruòweak, fragile, delicate
- 筋jīnmuscles; tendons
- 柔róusoft, supple; gentle; flexible
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 握wòto grasp, to hold, to take by the hand
- 固gùto solidify; strength
- 未wèinot yet; 8th terrestrial branch
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 牝pìnfemale animal; keyhole; valley
- 牡mǔmale animal; key, door bolt
- 合héto combine, to join, to unite; to gather
- 全quánwhole, entire, complete; to preserve
- 作zuòto make; to write, to compose; to act, t
- 精jīngessence, germ, spirit
- 至zhìreach, arrive; very, extremely
- 也yěalso, too
- 終zhōngend; finally, in the end
- 日rìsun; day; daytime
- 號hàomark, sign; symbol; number; to call, to
- 嗄áhoarse
- 和héharmony, peace; calm, peaceful
- 曰yuēto speak; to say
- 常chángcommon, general, normal; always, frequen
- 明míngbright, clear; to explain, to understand
- 益yìto profit, to benefit; advantage
- 生shēnglife, lifetime; birth; growth
- 祥xiánghappiness, good fortune; auspicious
- 心xīnheart; mind; soul
- 使shǐcause, mission, orders; envoy, messenger
- 氣qìair, gas; steam, vapor; anger
- 強qiángstrong, powerful, energetic
- 物wùthing, substance, matter; creature
- 壯zhuàngbig, large; robust, strong; the name of
- 則zérule, law, regulation; grades
- 老lǎoold, aged; experienced
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 早zǎoearly; soon; morning
- 已yǐalready; finished; to stop; then, afterw
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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.