Religion
Chapter 52
Translated by James Legge (1891) · From The Tao Teh King (1891)
(The Tao) which originated all under the sky is to be considered as the mother of them all.
When the mother is found, we know what her children should be. When one knows that he is his mother's child, and proceeds to guard (the qualities of) the mother that belong to him, to the end of his life he will be free from all peril.
Let him keep his mouth closed, and shut up the portals (of his nostrils), and all his life he will be exempt from laborious exertion. Let him keep his mouth open, and (spend his breath) in the promotion of his affairs, and all his life there will be no safety for him.
The perception of what is small is (the secret of) clear-sightedness; the guarding of what is soft and tender is (the secret of) strength.
Who uses well his light,
Reverting to its (source so) bright,
Will from his body ward all blight,
And hides the unchanging from men's sight.
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
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 52.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/laozi/51/.
Chicago
Laozi (Lao Tzu). “Chapter 52.” Translated by James Legge. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/laozi/51/.
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