Religion
Chapter 48
Translated by James Legge (1891) · From The Tao Teh King (1891)
He who devotes himself to learning (seeks) from day to day to increase (his knowledge); he who devotes himself to the Tao (seeks) from day to day to diminish (his doing).
He diminishes it and again diminishes it, till he arrives at doing nothing (on purpose). Having arrived at this point of non-action, there is nothing which he does not do.
He who gets as his own all under heaven does so by giving himself no trouble (with that end). If one take trouble (with that end), he is not equal to getting as his own all under heaven.
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 48.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/laozi/47/.
Chicago
Laozi (Lao Tzu). “Chapter 48.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/laozi/47/.
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