《道道經第十一章》

Primordial Awareness

三十輻，共一轂，當其無，有車之用。

埏埴以為器，當其無，有器之用。

鑿戶牖以為室，當其無，有室之用。

故有之以為利，無之以為用。

Dao De jing Chapter Eleven — C. Ganson

道德經 Dao De Jing 11

Thirty spokes unite at the hub of a wheel

but the ultimate use of the wheel

depends on the part where nothing exists.

Clay is molded into a vessel

but the ultimate use of the vessel

depends on the part where nothing exists.

Doors and windows are cut from the walls of a house

but the ultimate use of the house

depends on the part where nothing exists.

So there is 利 an advantage in using

what can be seen, what does exist.

There is also 用 an advantage in using

the invisible, the non-existent.

Dao De jing Chapter Eleven — James Legge

道德經 Dao De Jing 11

(The use of what has no substantive existence)

The thirty spokes unite in the one nave; but it is on the empty space (for the axle), that the use of the wheel depends. Clay is fashioned into vessels; but it is on their empty hollowness, that their use depends. The door and windows are cut out (from the walls) to form an apartment; but it is on the empty space (within), that its use depends. Therefore, what has a (positive) existence serves for profitable adaptation, and what has not that for (actual) usefulness.

Dao De jing Chapter Eleven — Arthur Waley

道德經 Dao De Jing 11

We put thirty spokes together and call it a wheel;

But it is on the space where there is nothing

That the usefulness of the wheel depends.

We turn clay to make a vessel;

But it is on the space where there is nothing

That the usefulness of the vessel depends.

We pierce doors and windows to make a house;

And it is in these spaces where there is nothing

That the usefulness of the house depends.

Therefore just as we take advantage of what is,

We should recognize the usefulness of what is not.