Religion

Lao-tzŭ

by Po Chü-i 772–846

Translated by Arthur Waley (1918) · From A Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems (1918)

Religion

“Those who speak know nothing;
Those who know are silent.”
These words, as I am told,
Were spoken by Lao-tzŭ.
If we are to believe that Lao-tzŭ
Was himself one who knew,
How comes it that he wrote a book
Of five thousand words?

MLA

Chü-i, Po. “Lao-tzŭ.” Translated by Arthur Waley. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/po-chu-i/56/.

Chicago

Chü-i, Po. “Lao-tzŭ.” Translated by Arthur Waley. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/po-chu-i/56/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Po Chü-i