Tao Te Ching Chapter 71
第71章
知不知上，不知知病。夫唯病病，是以不病。聖人不病，以其病病，是以不病。
To know and yet (think) we do not know is the highest (attainment); not to know (and yet think) we do know is a disease.
It is simply by being pained at (the thought of) having this disease that we are preserved from it. The sage has not the disease. He knows the pain that would be inseparable from it, and therefore he does not have it.
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
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 上shàngabove, on top, superior; to go up; to at
- 病bìngsickness, illness, disease
- 夫fūman, husband; worker; those
- 唯wéionly; sole
- 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
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
Similar passages
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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.