Religion
Chapter 21
Translated by James Legge (1891) · From The Tao Teh King (1891)
The grandest forms of active force
From Tao come, their only source.
Who can of Tao the nature tell?
Our sight it flies, our touch as well.
Eluding sight, eluding touch,
The forms of things all in it crouch;
Eluding touch, eluding sight,
There are their semblances, all right.
Profound it is, dark and obscure;
Things' essences all there endure.
Those essences the truth enfold
Of what, when seen, shall then be told.
Now it is so; 'twas so of old.
Its name--what passes not away;
So, in their beautiful array,
Things form and never know decay.
How know I that it is so with all the beauties of existing things? By this (nature of the Tao).
Codex Note
Prose translation of a largely rhymed original, with occasional rhymed renderings by Legge; words in parentheses are his supplied additions.
Cite this poem
MLA
Laozi (Lao Tzu). “Chapter 21.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/laozi/20/.
Chicago
Laozi (Lao Tzu). “Chapter 21.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/laozi/20/.
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