道德經 第六章

Auti Te Pape (Women at the River), Paul Gauguin, carved winter 1893-1894

谷神不死，是謂玄牝。

玄牝之門，是謂天地根。

綿綿若存，用之不勤。

道德經 第六章 Dao De Jing Chapter 6 — C. Ganson

6

The concept of Yin is ever-present.

It is the Mystic Female from whom

the heavens and the earth originate.

Constantly, continuously, enduring always.

Use her!

—  道德經 第六章 Dao De Jing Chapter 6 — C. Ganson

"The Spirit of the perennial spring is said to be immortal, she is called the Mysterious One.

The Mysterious One is typical of the source of heaven and earth.

It is continually and endlessly issuing and without effort."

—  道德經 第六章 Dao De Jing Chapter 6 translated by Dwight Goddard and Henri Borel, 1919, Chapter 6

"The Spirit of the Depths is immortal; it is called the Azure Heaven and the Mother Earth.

The passage through which these Two Influences emerge and enter is called the root of the visible creation.

They are ceaseless in action as though permanent, and maybe drawn upon without ever being exhausted."

—  道德經 第六章 Dao De Jing Chapter 6 translated by Frederic H. Balfour, 1884, Chapter 6

"Like the river in the valley, the spirit is never dried up.

I call it the Mother-Deep.

The motion of the Mother-Deep I regard as the origin of Heaven and the Earth.

Forever it endures and moves without design."

—  道德經 第六章 Dao De Jing Chapter 6 translated by Walter Gorn-Old, 1904, Chapter 6

"The Spirit of the Valley dies not, it is called Mother-substance of the Deep.

The Door of Mother-substance of the Deep is called the Root of Heaven and Earth.

Continuously, continuously,

It nourishes and preserves.

Use it,

Thy strength shall not fail."

-  道德經 第六章 Dao De Jing Chapter 6 translated by Isabella Mears, 1916, Chapter 6 

"The Valley Spirit never dies.

It is named the Mysterious Female.

And the doorway of the Mysterious Female

Is the base from which Heaven and Earth sprang.

It is there within us all the while;

Draw upon it as you will, it never runs dry."

—  道德經 第六章 Dao De Jing Chapter 6 translated by Arthur Waley, 1934, Chapter 6

"The never-dying spirit of the cave is called the mysterious mother.

The doorway of the mysterious mother is called the root of Heaven and Earth.

Lingering like a veil barely seen, it has only a hint of existence;

and yet it is inexhaustibly used."

-  道德經 第六章 Dao De Jing Chapter 6 translated by Tran Tien Cong, Chapter 6

"The spirit of the valley (Dao) is immortal.

It is known as the mystical female.

The birth canal of the mystical female

Opens to the universe.

Dao seems to be able to go on forever and continues to function effortlessly."

—  道德經 第六章 Dao De Jing Chapter 6 translated by Tan Han Hiong, Chapter 6

"The heart of Tao is immortal, the mysterious fertile mother of us all,

of heaven and earth, of everything and not-thing.

Invisible yet ever-present, you can use it forever without using it up."

—  道德經 第六章 Dao De Jing Chapter 6 translated by Brian Browne Walker, 1996, Chapter 6

"Perceiving the Subtle

The mystery of the valley is immortal;

It is known as the Subtle Female.

The gateway of the Subtle Female

Is the source of Heaven and Earth.

Everlasting, endless, it appears to exist.

Its usefulness comes with no effort."

—  道德經 第六章 Dao De Jing Chapter 6 translated by R. L. Wing, 1986, Chapter 6