《道德經》第三十二章

 — Unconceived  —

“Death Eavesdropping on Lovers” Michael Hutter (b. 1963, DE)

道常無名. 

樸雖小, 天下莫能臣也. 

侯王若能守之, 萬物將自賓. 

天地相合, 以降甘露, 民莫之令而自均. 

始制有名.

名亦既有.

夫亦將知止.

知止所以不殆. 

譬道之在天下.

猶川谷之與江海. 

The Unthinkable and the Unconceived

道德經 Dao De Jing Chapter Thirty-two — Ronald Hogan

32.

道 is an eternal mystery,

so small you can never take hold of it.

If a leader gets right with 道,

people will follow him on instinct.

All will be right with the world.

People will do the right thing

without being told.

Everything that comes from 道

needs a name.

But once everything has its name,

you should make no other distinction between things.

This prevents you

from becoming trapped by them.

Everything in the universe is full of 道

and leads to 道,

just like the water in rivers

that flows into oceans.

道德經 Dao De Jing Chapter Thirty-two — Translated by 林語堂 Lín Yǔtáng, 1948

Chapter 32 

"道 is absolute and has no name.

Though the uncarved wood is small,

It cannot be employed (used as a vessel) by anyone.

If kings and barons can keep (this unspoiled nature),

The whole world shall yield them lordship of their own accord.

The Heaven and Earth join,

And the sweet rain falls,

Beyond the command of men,

Yet evenly upon all.

Then human civilization arose and there were names.

Since there were names,

It was well one knew where to stop.

He who knows where to stop

May be exempt from danger.

道 in the world

May be compared to rivers that run into the sea."

道德經 Dao De Jing Chapter Thirty-two — English version by Arthur Waley, 1934

— The Way and its Power: A Study of the Tao Te Ching and its Place in Chinese Thought

32

道 is eternal, but has no fame (name);

The Uncarved Block, though seemingly of small account,

Is greater than anything that is under heaven.

If kings and barons would but possess themselves of it,

The ten thousand creatures would flock to do them homage;

Heaven-and-earth would conspire

To send Sweet Dew,

Without law or compulsion, men would dwell in harmony.

Once the block is carved, there will be names,

And so soon as there are names,

Know that it is time to stop.

Only by knowing when it is time to stop can danger be avoided.

To 道 all under heaven will come

As streams and torrents flow into a great river or sea.