Compiled and Indexed by Michael P. Garofalo

Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Center, Gushen Grove Notebooks, Red Bluff, California

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Chapter 27

Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing) by Lao Tzu

Classic Book (Ching) about the Tao (Way, Nature, Patterns, Processes) and Te (Virtue, Potency, Power, Integrity, Wise Person, Sage)

Concordance: Indexing, Search Terms, Topics, Themes, Keys, Subjects, Words

English and Chinese (Wade-Giles) Terms:  Traveler, Walker or Hiker or Traveler (hsing), Speaker, Essential or Significant (yao), Error or Reproach (chai), Planner, Talents, Tao, Enlightened, Sage, Subtle, Knots or Bindings (chieh), Equality, Latch or Bolt (kuan), Details, Guide, Talker or Speaker (yen), Dao, Sage, Tool, Waste, Economy, Teacher or Instructor or Tutor (shih), Esteem or Value (kuei), Clever or Intelligent (chih), Practicality, Teaching, Things or Beings (wu), Learning from Everything, Save or Rescue (chiu), Resources or Valuables (tzu), Counting or Tally (ch'ou), Skillful, Mastery, No Talents are Wasted, The Function of Skill, Rope or Cords (shêng), String (yo), Paradoxical, Track or Rut (ch'ê), Dexterity in Using the Dao, Follow or Practice or Cover (hsi), Confused or Deluded (mi), Cultivating Perfection, Calculator or Tally Slips (ts'ê), Calculating or Accounting (shu), Open (k'ai), Bad, Shut or Lock (pi), Flaw or Blemish (hsia), Reject or Forsake (ch'i), Holy Man or Sage (shêng jen), Light or Brilliant or Insight or Mystical Vision (ming), Love or Cherish or Care (ai), Good or Excellent (shan), Loosen or Untie (chieh), Spiritual, Trace or Footprints (chi), A Good Walker Leaves no Tracks, Mystery or Secret or Subtle (miao),  巧用   

Términos en Español:  Viajero, Caminante, Orador, Viajero, Cerrar, Altavoz, Planificador, Talentos, Iluminados, Sabio, Santos, Sutil, Nudos, Cuerda, Desatar, Desechar, Igualdad, Detalles, Guía, Residuos, Imprefección, Luz, Perspicacia, Informado, Místico, Contador, Economía, Cuenta, Reproche, Hábil, Maestría, Tutor, Preceptor, Apreciar, Querer, Paradójico, Rodera, Salvar, Cosas, Efectos, Carril, Malo, Práctica, Bueno, Deluded, Engañarse, Huella, Pisada, Abierto, Inteligente, Astuto, Pestillo, Valores, Estima, Respeto, Espiritual, Esencial, Importante, Misterio, Secreto, Espiritual.  

Electronic Concordance for all 81 Chapters of the Tao Te Ching

English Language Translations of the Tao Te Ching

"A good traveler leaves no tracks,
A good speaker is without flaw.
A good planner does not calculate.
A good doorkeeper does not lock, yet it cannot be opened.
A good knotter does not use binding, yet it cannot be undone.
Therefore, the sage is good at his earnest demands upon people.
So no one is left out. 
No talent is wasted.
This is called being in the tow of enlightenment. 
And it ensures the good person.
For everything that is good is the teacher of the good person.
For everything that is bad becomes the resource for the good person.
No need to honor the teachers. 
No need to love the resources. 
Though knowing this is a great paradox,
It is the subtle principle."
-  Translated by Edward Brennan and Tao Huang, 2002, Chapter 27   

"The perfect traveler leaves no trail to be followed;
The perfect speaker leaves no question to be answered;
The perfect accountant leaves no working to be completed;
The perfect container leaves no lock to be opened;
The perfect knot leaves no end to be raveled. 
So the sage nurtures all men
And abandons no one.
He accepts everything
And rejects nothing.
He attends to the smallest details. 
So the strong must guide the weak,
For the weak are raw material for the strong.
If the guide is not respected,
Or the material is not cared for,
Confusion will result, no matter how clever one is. 
This is the secret of perfection;
When raw wood is carved, it becomes a tool;
When a man is employed, he becomes a tool;
The perfect carpenter leaves no wood to be carved."
-  Translated by Peter A. Merel, 1992, Chapter 27 

"The skillful traveller leaves no wheel track;
the skillful speaker makes no slip of the tongue;
the skillful reckoner uses no tallies;
the skillful closer needs no bolts, while it is impossible to open what he has shut;
the skillful binder uses no strings or knots, while it is impossible to loosen what he has bound.
In the same way the sage is always skillful at saving men, and there is no rejected person;
he is always skillful at saving things, and there is no rejected thing.
This is called 'procuring enlightenment.'
Therefore the man of skill is a master of he who has no skill;
and he who has no skill is the servant of he who has skill.
If one does not value his master, and the other does not love his servant,
intelligent as they are, they might be perplexed."
-  Translated by Shifu Hwang, Chapter 27 

"Following the Tao, the Tao–Master leaves no tracks,
speaks without error, counts without markers.
No locks on his door, and yet no one can open it.
No rope used, and yet his knots cannot be untied.
Thus, the Tao–Master cares for all beings and neglects none.
Thus, he follows the light.
The Tao–Master teaches the fool; and thus the fool learns.
But teaching and learning will not take place
unless the student values the teacher
and the teacher loves the student.
This is the subtle secret of teaching and learning."
-  Translated by George Cronk, 1999, Chapter 27 

 

This webpage work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Created by Michael P. Garofalo, Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Center, Gushen Grove Notebooks, Red Bluff, California, © 2015 CCA 4.0

Tao Te Ching  Translated by Stephen Addiss and Stanley Lombardo  

Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching  Translated by John C. Wu

Lao-Tzu and the Tao-Te-Ching  Translated by Livia Kohn

Dao De Jing: The Book of the Way Translated by Moss Roberts

"A good traveler leaves no trace.
A good speaker makes no slips.
A good accountant uses no devices.
A good door needs no bolts to remain shut.
A good fastener needs no rope to hold its bond.
Therefore the wise are good at helping people,
and consequently no one is rejected.
They are good at saving things,
and consequently nothing is wasted.
This is called using the Light.
Therefore the good teach the bad,
and the bad are lessons for the good.
Those who neither value the teacher nor care for the lesson
are greatly deluded, though they may be learned.
Such is the essential mystery."
-  Translated by Sanderson Beck, 1996, Chapter 27 

Cloud Hands Blog

"A good traveler has no fixed plans
and is not intent upon arriving.
A good artist lets his intuition
lead him wherever it wants.
A good scientist has freed himself of concepts
and keeps his mind open to what is.
Thus the Master is available to all people
and doesn't reject anyone.
He is ready to use all situations
and doesn't waste anything.
This is called embodying the light. 
What is a good man but a bad man's teacher?
What is a bad man but a good man's job?
If you don't understand this, you will get lost,
however intelligent you are.
It is the great secret."
-  Translated by Stephen Mitchell, 2006, Chapter 27     

"The able wanderer leaves no trail (or) trace
The able speaker is without fallacy (or) error
The able reckoner does not use counting devices
The best closure uses no barrier (or) bar
And yet is not easily opened
The best binding uses no cord (or) knot
And yet is not easily loosened
And so it is that wise ones
Are ever so skilled at making the most of others
That no person is forsaken
Are ever so skilled at making the most of situations
That no situation is wasted
This may be called “practical wisdom”
And so the able one is the less than able one’s teacher
The less than able one is the able one’s resource
To not value one’s teacher, to not care for one’s resource,
However “prudent” is greatly deluded
This may be called a “tactical mystery." "
-  Translated by Bradford Hatcher, 2005, Chapter 27

"An experienced leader does not need a packaged tour to go places safely.
A good political speech does not need to make promises or antagonize the crowd.
A good mathematician does not need a computer to solve every problem.
A secure home does not have bolts and bars and locks and alarms everywhere, yet a burglar cannot get inside.
The wise leader's ability does not rest on techniques or gimmicks or set exercises.
The method of awareness-of-process applies to all people and all situations.
The leader's personal state of consciousness creates a climate of openness.
Center and ground give the leader stability, flexibility, and endurance.
Because the leader sees clearly, the leader can shed light on others.
The group members need the leader for guidance and facilitation.
The leader needs people to work with, people to serve.
If both do not recognize the mutual need to love and respect one another, each misses the point.
They miss the creativity of the student-teacher polarity.
They do not see how things happen."
-  Translated by John Heider, 1985, Chapter 27

Simple Taoism: A Guide to Living in Balance  By Alexander Simkins. 

The Tao of Daily Life: The Mysteries of the Orient Revealed  By Derek Lin. 

Everyday Tao: Living with Balance and Harmony   By Ming-Dao Deng. 

Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices

The Tao of Pooh   By Benjamin Hoff. 

Scholar Warrior: An Introduction to the Tao in Everyday Life  By Ming-Dao Deng. 

Vitality, Energy, Spirit: A Taoist Sourcebook  Translated by Thomas Cleary. 

"Good walking leaves no tracks
good talking reveals no flaws
good counting counts no beads
good closing locks no locks
and yet it can't be opened
good tying ties no knots
and yet it can't be undone
thus the sage is good at saving others 
and yet abandons no one
nor anything of use 
this is called cloaking the light
thus, the good instruct the bad 
the bad learn from the good
not honoring their teachers
not cherishing their students
the wise alone are perfectly blind
this is called peering into the distance."
-   Translated by Red Pine, 1996, Chapter 27 

A Chinese Language Version of Chapter 27 of the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
A note on my style of displaying the Chinese characters of the Tao Te Ching

善行無轍迹.
善言無瑕讁.
善數不用籌策.
善閉無關楗而不可開.
善結無繩約而不可解.
是以聖人常善救人, 故無棄人.
常善救物.
故無棄物, 是謂襲明.
故善人者, 不善人之師.
不善人者, 善人之資.
不貴其師, 不愛其資, 雖智大迷.
是謂要妙.
-  Chinese characters, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 27

shan hsing wu ch'ê chi.
shan yen wu hsia chai.
shan shu pu yung ch'ou ts'ê.
shan pi wu kuan chien erh pu k'o k'ai. 
shan chieh wu shêng yo erh pu k'o chieh.
shih yi shêng jên ch'ang shan chiu jên, ku wu ch'i jên.
ch'ang shan chiu wu.
ku wu ch'i wu shih wei hsi ming.
ku shan jên chê, pu shan jên chih shih.
pu shan jên chih, shan jên chih tzu. 
pu kuei ch'i shih, pu ai ch'i tzu, sui chih ta mi.
shih wei yao miao. 
-  Wade-Giles Romanization, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 27

Audio Version in Chinese of Chapter 27 of the Tao Te Ching

shan xing wu zhe ji.
shan yan wu xia zhe.  
shan shu bu yong chou ce.  
shan bi wu guan jian er bu ke kai.
shan jie wu sheng yue er bu ke jie.
shi yi sheng ren chang shan jiu ren, gu wu qi ren.
chang shan jiu wu.,
gu wu qi wu shi wei xi ming.
gu shan ren zhe, bu shan ren zhi shi.
bu shan ren zhe, shan ren zhi zi.
bu gui qi shi, bu ai xi qi zi, sui zhi da mi.
shi wei yao miao.
-  Pinyin Romanization, Daodejing, Chapter 27

Tao Te Ching in Chinese characters and English (includes a word by word key) from YellowBridge

Tao Te Ching in Chinese characters, Pinyin Romanization, English and German by Dr. Hilmar Alquiros. 

Laozi Daodejing: Chapters with Chinese characters, seal script, detailed word by word concordance, Pinyin (tone#), German, French and English. 

Chinese and English Dictionary, MDGB

Chinese Character Dictionary

Dao De Jing Wade-Giles Concordance by Nina, Dao is Open

Dao De Jing English and Wade-Giles Concordance by Mike Garofalo

Tao Te Ching in Pinyin Romanization with Chinese characters, WuWei Foundation

Tao Te Ching in Pinyin Romanization

Tao Te Ching in Chinese characters and English

Tao Te Ching: English translation, Word by Word Chinese and English, and Commentary, Center Tao by Carl Abbott

Tao Te Ching in Chinese characters, English, Word by word analysis, Zhongwen

Tao Te Ching: The Definitive Edition  Chinese characters, Wade-Giles Romanization, and a list of meanings for each character by Jonathan Star 

Tao Te Ching in Chinese characters: Big 5 Traditional and GB Simplified

Convert from Pinyin to Wade Giles to Yale Romanizations of Words and Terms: A Translation Tool from Qi Journal

Chinese Characters, Wade-Giles and Pinyin Romanizations, and 16 English Translations for Each Chapter of the Daodejing by Mike Garofalo. 

Tao Te Ching in Chinese characters, Pinyin and Wade Giles Romanization spellings, English; a word for word translation of the Guodian Laozi Dao De Jing Version. 

Lao Zi's Dao De Jing: A Matrix Translation with Chinese Text by Bradford Hatcher. 

"The skillful traveler leaves no trace behind him,

The skillful speaker says nothing that falsely jars,

The skillful counter keeps no checks to remind him,

The skillful locker requires no bolts or bars,

And the skillful binder no cords, or knots or strings,

Yet to afterwards open or loose are impossible things.

So the sage in his goodness is ever a saver of men,

No man he rejects or loses,

And alike in his goodness a saver of things, for then

He everything saves and uses,

And this is the inner enlightenment again,

Which comprehends and chooses.

So the good instructs the bad, the bad in turn

Is material for the good; and not to prize

One's own instructor, not to love, but spurn

One's own material, would confuse the wise.

This mutual help and love make all men kin,

And mark the spirit divine, within."
-  Translated by Isaac Winter Heysinger, 1903, Chapter 27

Lieh-Tzu: A Taoist Guide to Practical Living  Translated by Eva Wong

The Daodejing of Laozi   Translated by Philip Ivahoe 

Daoism: A Beginner's Guide   By James Miller

Early Daoist Scriptures  Translated by Stephen Bokencamp

Lifestyle Advice from Wise Persons

Simple Taoism: A Guide to Living in Balance  By Alexander and Annellen Simpkins

Practical Taoism  Translated by Thomas Cleary

Daoism and Chinese Culture  By Livia Kohn

"The skilful traveler leaves no traces of his wheels or footsteps.
The skilful speaker says nothing that can be found fault with or blamed.
The skilful reckoner uses no tallies.
The skilful closer needs no bolts or bars, while to open what he has shut will be impossible.
The skilful binder uses no strings or knots, while to unloose what he has bound will be impossible.
In the same way the sage is always skilful at saving men, and so he does not cast away any man;
He is always skilful at saving things, and so he does not cast away anything.
This is called 'Hiding the light of his procedure.'
Therefore, the man of skill is a master to be looked up to by him who has not the skill. 
He who has not the skill is the helper of the reputation of him who has the skill.
If the one did not honor his master, and the other did not rejoice in his helper, an observer, though intelligent, might greatly err about them.
This is called 'The utmost degree of mystery.'"
-  Translated by James Legge, 1891, Chapter 27 

"Good (shan) running leaves no tracks,
Good speech has no flaws,
Good counting uses no counters,
A good lock uses no bolts yet cannot be opened,
A good knot uses no rope yet cannot be untied.
Hence the sage is always good at saving people,
Therefore no one is rejected.
He is always good at saving things,
Therefore nothing is rejected.
This is called following the light (ming).
Therefore the good person,
Is the not-good (pu-shan) person's teacher.
The not-good (pu-shan) person,
Is the good person's capital.
One who does not honor (kuei) the teacher,
Or love (ai) the capital,
Is greatly confounded though knowledgeable (chih).
This is called the important mystery (miao)."
-  Translated by Ellen Marie Chen, 1989, Chapter 27 

"Perfect activity leaves no track behind it;
Perfect speech is like a jade-worker whose tool leaves no mark.
The perfect reckoner needs no counting-slips;
The perfect door has neither bolt nor bar,
Yet cannot be opened.
The perfect knot needs neither rope nor twine,
Yet cannot be united.
Therefore the Sage
Is all the time in the most perfect way helping men,
He certainly does not turn his back on men;
Is all the time in the most perfect way helping creatures,
He certainly does not turn his back on creatures.
This is called resorting to the Light.
Truly, “the perfect man is the teacher of the imperfect;
But the imperfect is the stock-in-trade of the perfect man”.
He who does not respect his teacher,
He who does not take care of his stock-in-trade,
Much learning through he may possess, is far astray.
This is the essential secret."
-  Translated by Arthur Waley, 1934, Chapter 27 

This webpage work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Created by Michael P. Garofalo, Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Center, Gushen Grove Notebooks, Red Bluff, California, © 2015 CCA 4.0

Revealing the Tao Te Ching: In-Depth Commentaries on an Ancient Classic  By Hu Xuzehi

Tao Te Ching  Annotated translation by Victor Mair  

Reading Lao Tzu: A Companion to the Tao Te Ching with a New Translation  By Ha Poong Kim

The Philosophy of the Daodejing  By Hans-Georg Moeller  

Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices   By Mike Garofalo

Dao De Jing: A Philosophical Translation  By Roger T. Ames and David T. Hall

The Way and Its Power: Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching and Its Place in Chinese Thought   By Arthur Waley

"Good travelers leave no trace nor track,
Good speakers, in logic show no lack,
Good counters need no counting rack.
Good lockers bolting bars need not,
Yet none their locks can loose.
Good binders need no string nor knot,
Yet none unties their noose.
Therefore the holy man is always a good savior of men, for there are no outcast people.
He is always a good savior of things, for there are no outcast things.
This is called applied enlightenment.  
Thus the good man does not respect multitudes of men.
The bad man respects the people's wealth.
Who does not esteem multitudes nor is charmed by their wealth, though his knowledge be greatly confused,
He must be recognized as profoundly spiritual."
-  Translated by Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913, Chapter 27 

"Good doers leave no tracks.
True words have no defects.
Skillful plans require no calculations.
Able closers need no locks and bars, yet none can open what they shut.
Real strength wants no cords, yet none can loose it.
It follows that the Holy Man when helping others, works in accordance with the unchanging goodness.
Hence, he rejects none.
He does the same when helping nature to develop.
Therefore, he rejects nothing.
This may be called “obscure perception.”
Thus a Good Man is the bad man’s instructor; the bad man the Good Man’s material.
Yet he does not esteem himself a teacher, nor does he love his material.
Although one may be wise, here he is deceived.
This is called “The Cardinal Mystery.”"
-  Translated by C. Spurgeon Medhurst, 1905, Chapter 27

The Complete Works of Lao Tzu: Tao Teh Ching & Hua Hu Ching   Translation and elucidation by Hua Ching Ni

The Tao Te Ching of Lao Tzu   Translated by Brian Walker

Tao Te Ching  Translated by Arthur Waley

Tao - The Way   Translated by Lionel and and Herbert Giles

Taoism: An Essential Guide   By Eva Wong

"The conduct of the virtuous leaves neither trace nor clue.
The words of the virtuous afford no ground for fault-finding.
The projects of the virtuous require no intrigue.  
When the virtuous are obstructed in their policy, though there be no bolt to the door which shuts them in, it yet cannot be opened.
When the virtuous enter into relations with others, though they be not bound by the ties of contract, they yet may not release themselves from their obligations. 
Thus the Sage ever uses his goodness in saving others; and therefore there are none who are abandoned.
He ever uses his goodness in saving the inanimate creation; and therefore there are none of these who are abandoned.
This is called being doubly enlightened.  
Wherefore the virtuous man is the teacher, or patron, of the bad man, while the bad man is employed as material, on which to work, by the virtuous man.
If the bad man does not reverence the other as his teacher, nor the good man love the former as his material; then, in spite of any wisdom either may possess, they are both greatly blinded.
This doctrine is both important and sublime."
-  Translated by Frederic H. Balfour, 1884, Chapter 27 

"A good walker leaves no trace, a good speaker offends no one, a good reckoner needs no tally,
an expert locksmith can make one that no one can open, an expert on knots can make them so that no one can untie them.
All specialists have their speciality, which makes their fame, from which they take their profit.
Likewise the Sage (Confucian politician), the professional saviour of men and things, has his own procedures.
He considers himself as the born master of other men, regarding them as material born for his craft.
Now that is to blind oneself, (to shade out the light, the Daoist principles).
Not wishing to rule, nor to appropriate, others; although wise,
seeming like a madman (persisting to live in retreat); this is the essential truth."
-  Translated by Derek Bryce, 1999, Chapter 27 

"A good traveler leaves no tracks, and a skillful speaker is well rehearsed.
A good bookkeeper has an excellent memory, and a well made door is easy to open and needs no locks.
A good knot needs no rope and it can not come undone.

Thus the Master is willing to help everyone, and doesn't know the meaning of rejection.
She is there to help all of creation, and doesn't abandon even the smallest creature.
This is called embracing the light.

What is a good person but a bad person's teacher?
What is a bad person but raw material for his teacher?
If you fail to honor your teacher or fail to enjoy your student, you will become deluded no matter how smart you are.
It is the secret of prime importance."
-  Translated by John H. McDonald, 1996, Chapter 27  

Walking the Way: 81 Zen Encounters with the Tao Te Ching by Robert Meikyo Rosenbaum

The Tao of Zen by Ray Grigg

Tao Te Ching: Zen Teachings on the Taoist Classic by Takuan Soho 

Buddhism and Taoism Face to Face: Scripture, Ritual, and Iconographic Exchange in Medieval China by Christine Mollier  

"He who walks in goodness leaves his trace in the Inner Life.
He who speaks in goodness carries no blame to the Inner Life.
He who reckons in goodness does not need to use a tally.
The good man has power to close the inner door and no one can open it.
The good man has power to tie the inner knot and no one can untie it.
That is why the self-controlled man always uses goodness in helping men, thus he draws them to the Inner Life.
He always uses goodness in helping creatures, thus he draws them to the Inner Life.
This is called being doubly illuminated.
Therefore the good man masters the man who is not good,
And the man who is not good is helper to the good man.
He who does not honour his master,
He who does not love his helper,
Though counted wise, is greatly deceived.
This is called important and mysterious."
-  Translated by Isabella Mears, 1916, Chapter 27 

"A knower of the Truth travels without leaving a trace
speaks without causing harm
gives without keeping an account
The doors he shuts, though having no lock, cannot be opened
The knot he ties, though using no cord, cannot be undone
The Sage is always on the side of virtue
so everyone around him prospers
He is always on the side of truth
so everything around him is fulfilled
The path of the Sage is called he Path of Illumination
He who gives himself to this path is like a block of wood that gives itself to the chisel
Cut by cut it is honed to perfection
Only a student who gives himself can receive the master gift
If you think otherwise, despite your knowledge, you have blundered
Giving and receiving are one
This is called, "The great wonder?  The essential mystery?  The very heart of all that is true?"
-  Translated by Johathan Star, 2001, Chapter 27 

"The master travels the natural path, which has no destination, and on which no tracks can be left.
A good trader follows the market wherever it goes.
A good teacher lets the students guide him.
A master is present for all, both saints and sinners.
All situations are used and nothing is dismissed.
This is called spreading the light.
A man, who considers himself good, must be intimate with that which is bad.
A man, who considers himself bad, must know the good.
Therefore the master sees no distinction between the two.
For this reason the master and disciple are equal."
-  Translated by David Bullen, Chapter 27     

Further Teachings of Lao-Tzu: Understanding the Mysteries (Wen Tzu)   By Thomas Cleary

The Lunar Tao: Meditations in Harmony with the Seasons   By Deng Ming-Dao

Awakening to the Tao   By Lui I-Ming (1780) and translated by Thomas Cleary

Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices   By Mike Garofalo

Zhuangzi: The Essential Writings with Selections from Traditional Commentaries   Translation and commentary by Brook Ziporyn

"A good walker makes no dust after him.
The good speaker incurs no discussion.
The good reckoner needs no arithmetic.
The good keeper needs no bolts or bars, and none can open after him.
The wise man is constant and a good helper of his fellows.
He rejects none.
He is a continual good preserver of things.
He disdains nothing.
His intelligence is all-embracing.
Good men instruct one another; and bad men are the material they delve in.
Whoever, therefore, does not honour his teacher and cherish his material, though he be called wise, is yet in a state of delusion.
This is no less important than strange."
-  Translated by Walter Gorn Old, 1904, Chapter 27

"A good runner leaves no track.
A good speech leaves no flaws for attack.
A good reckoner makes use of no counters.
A well-shut door makes use of no bolts, and yet cannot be opened.
A well-tied knot makes use of no rope, and yet cannot be untied.
Therefore the Sage is good at helping men; for that reason there is no rejected person.
He is good at saving things; for that reason there is nothing rejected.
This is called stealing the Light.
Therefore the good man is the Teacher of the bad.
And the bad man is the lesson of the good.
He who neither values his teacher
Nor loves the lesson
Is one gone far astray,
Though he be learned.
Such is the subtle secret."
-  Translated by Lin Yutang, 1955, Chapter 27

"Ein guter Wanderer läßt keine Spur zurück.
Ein gutes Redner braucht nichts zu widerlegen.
Ein guter Rechner braucht keine Rechenstäbchen.
Ein gutes Schließer braucht nicht Schloß noch Schlüssel,
und doch kann niemand auftun.
Ein guter Binder braucht nicht Strick noch Bänder,
und doch kann niemand lösen.
Der Berufene versteht es immer gut, die Menschen zu retten;
darum gibt es für ihn keine verworfenen Menschen.
Er versteht es immer gut, die Dinge zu retten;
darum gibt es für ihn keine verworfenen Dinge.
Das heißt die Klarheit erben.
So sind die guten Menschen die Lehrer der Nichtguten,
und die nichtguten Menschen sind der Stoff für die Guten.
Wer seine Lehrer nicht werthielte
und seinen Stoff nicht liebte,
der wäre bei allem Wissen in schwerem Irrtum.
Das ist das große Geheimnis."
-  Translated by Richard Wilhelm, 1911, Chapter 27 

"The master in his action is so complete
that he leaves no trace behind.
The master in his conversation is so balanced
that he leaves no discord behind.
The master in his thinking is so original
that he depends on no external authority.
The master in protecting people is so skillful
that, without any visible means, he renders all attempts for invasion ineffectual.
The master in uniting people is so adept
that, without any visible means, he renders all efforts for disunity ineffectual.
Thus, the master, without abandoning anyone, is always good at empowering people
And, without abandoning anything, is always good at utilizing things.
This is the all-embracing wisdom of the Tao.
Hence, the virtuous is the teacher of the non-virtuous,
While the non-virtuous serves as the lessons for the virtuous.
If you value not your teacher or cherish not your lessons,
No matter how intelligent and informed you are, you are greatly deluded.
This is the essential, subtle truth of the Tao."
-  Translated by Yasuhiko Genku Kimura, Chapter 27 

This webpage work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Created by Michael P. Garofalo, Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Center, Gushen Grove Notebooks, Red Bluff, California, © 2015 CCA 4.0

Tao Te Ching: An Illustrated Journey   Translated by Stephen Mitchell

"One may move so well that a foot-print never shows,
Speak so well that the tongue never slips,
Reckon so well that no counter is needed,
Seal an entrance so tight, though using no lock,
That it cannot be opened,
Bind a hold so firm, though using no cord,
That it cannot be untied.
And these are traits not only of a sound man
But of many a man thought to be unsound.
A sound man is good at salvage,
At seeing that nothing is lost.
Having what is called insight,
A good man, before he can help a bad man,
Finds in himself the matter with the bad man.
And whichever teacher
Discounts the lesson
Is as far off the road as the other,
Whatever else he may know.
That is the heart of it."
-  Translated by Witter Bynner, 1944, Chapter 27 

"A good traveler leaves no tracks.
A good speaker is without flaw.
A good planner does not calculate.
A good doorkeeper does not lock, yet it cannot be opened.
A good knotter does not use binding, yet it cannot be undone.
Therefore, the sage is good at his earnest demands upon people.
So no one is left out.
No talent is wasted.
This is called being in the tow of enlightenment,
And it ensures the good person.
For everything that is good is the teacher of the good person.
Everything that is bad becomes a resource for the good person.
No need to honor the teachers.
No need to love the resources.
Though knowing this is a great paradox,
It is the subtle principle."
-  Translated by Tao Huang, Chapter 27 

"The best action is free from marks either good or evil.
The best words are free from stains either good or bad.
The best calculator is free from calculation and measure.
The best closure has no bolts, yet it cannot be opened.
The best knot has no cord, yet it cannot be untied.
Thus, the wise knows how to rescue men; hence, no one is excluded.
He also knows how to rescue things; hence, nothing is excluded.
This is called penetration to illumination.
Therefore, the virtuous is the model for the unvirtuous.
The unvirtuous is the origin of the virtuous.
If one does not appreciate the virtuous or cherish the unvirtuous,
Although one is intelligent, one is not free from confusion.
This is called the indispensable wonder."
-  Translated by Chang Chung-Yuan, Chapter 27 

"The best action is free from marks either good or evil.
The best words are free from stains either good or bad.
The best calculator is free from calculation and measure.
The best closure has no bolts, yet it cannot be opened.
The best knot has no cord, yet it cannot be untied.
Thus, the wise knows how to rescue men; hence, no one is excluded.
He also knows how to rescue things; hence, nothing is excluded.
This is called penetration to illumination.
Therefore, the virtuous is the model for the unvirtuous.
The unvirtuous is the origin of the virtuous.
If one does not appreciate the virtuous or cherish the unvirtuous,
Although one is intelligent, one is not free from confusion.
This is called the indispensable wonder."
-  Translated by Chang Chung-Yuan, Chapter 27 

"Celui qui sait marcher dans le Tao ne laisse pas de traces; celui qui sait parler ne commet point de fautes;
celui qui sait compter ne se sert point d'instruments de calcul;
celui qui sait fermer quelque chose ne se sert point de verrou, et il est impossible de l'ouvrir;
celui qui sait lier quelque chose ne se sert point de cordes, et il est impossible de le délier.
De là vient que le Saint excelle constamment à sauver les hommes; c'est pourquoi il n'abandonne pas les hommes.
Il excelle constamment à sauver les êtres; c'est pourquoi il n'abandonne pas les êtres.
Cela s'appelle être doublement éclairé.
C'est pourquoi l'homme vertueux est le maître de celui qui n'est pas vertueux.
L'homme qui n'est pas vertueux est le secours de l'homme vertueux.
Si l'un n'estime pas son maître, si l'autre n'affectionne pas celui qui est son secours,
quand on leur accorderait une grande prudence, ils sont plongés dans l'aveuglement.
Voilà ce qu'il y a de plus important et de plus subtil!"
-  Translated by Stanislas Julien, 1842, Chapter 27 

Spanish Language Versions of the Tao Te Ching (Daodejing)
Tao Te Ching en Español

Lao Tsé Tao Te Ching   Traducido al español por Anton Teplyy

Tao Te Ching   Traducido por Stephen Mitchell, versión española  

Tao Te Ching   Traducido al español por el Padre Carmelo Elorduy

Lifestyle Advice from Wise Persons   Consejos de Estilo de Vida de Sabios

Tao Te Ching en Español

Lao Tzu-The Eternal Tao Te Ching   Traducido al español por Yuanxiang Xu y Yongjian Yin 

Ripening Peaches: Taoist Studies and Practices   By Mike Garofalo    Maduración Duraznos: Estudios y Prácticas Taoístas por Mike Garofalo

Tao Te Ching - Wikisource

Tao Te Ching   Traducido al español por William Scott Wilson. 

Lao Tzu - Tao Te Ching   Traducido al español por Javier Cruz

Tao te king   Translated by John C. H. Wu, , versión española  

Daodejing   Español, Inglés, y Chino Versiones Lingüísticas de la Daodejing

Spanish Language Translations of the Tao Te Ching

"Un buen caminante no deja huellas.
Un buen orador no se equivoca ni ofende.
Un buen contable no necesita útiles de cálculo.
Un buen cerrajero no usa barrotes ni cerrojos,
y nadie puede abrir lo que ha cerrado.
Quien ata bien no utiliza cuerdas ni nudos,
y nadie puede desatar lo que ha atado.
Así, el sabio siempre ayuda a los hombres,
por eso a nadie desampara.
El sabio siempre salva a las cosas,
por eso a ninguna descuida.
De él se dice que está deslumbrado por la luz.
Por esto, el hombre bueno no se considera maestro
de los hombres, sino que les enseña;
y el hombre que no es bueno estima como buenas las
riquezas que de los hombres obtiene.
No amar el magisterio ni la materia de los hombres,
y aparentar ignorancia, siendo iluminado,
Este es un principio esencial del Tao."
-  Translation from Wikisource, 2013, Capítulo 27  

"El buen viajero no deja huella que pueda seguirse,
El buen hablador no deja palabras que puedan ser cuestionadas,
El buen contable no deja cálculo sin comprobar,
El buen cerrajero no deja cerradura que pueda ser forzada,
El buen atador no deja nudo que pueda ser deshecho.

Así, el sabio cuida a todos los hombres
y no abandona a ninguno.
Acepta todo y no rechaza nada.
Atiende hasta el menor detalle.

Así el fuerte debe guiar al débil,
pues el débil es el material de donde hacer a los fuertes.
Si la guía no es respetada
O el material no es cuidado
Se origina confusión, no importa cuan inteligente sea uno.
Esta es la esencia de la sutileza."
-  Translated by Antonio Rivas Gonzálvez, 1998, Capítulo 27

This webpage work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Created by Michael P. Garofalo, Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Center, Gushen Grove Notebooks, Red Bluff, California, © 2015 CCA 4.0

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Chapter and Thematic Index to the Tao Te Ching 

Tao Te Ching
Commentary, Interpretations, Research Tools, Resources
Chapter 27

Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse.  Complete versions of all 81 Chapters of the Tao Te Ching by many different translators in many languages: 124 English, 24 German, 14 Russian, 7 Spanish, 5 French and many other languages.  Links are organized first by languages, and then alphabetically by translators.  Formatting varies somewhat.  The original website at Onekellotus went offline in 2012; but, the extensive collection of these Tao Te Ching versions was saved for posterity by the Internet Archive Wayback Machine and available as of 9/9/2015.  This is an outstanding original collection of versions of the Daodejing─ the Best on the Internet.  Caution: copyright infringement may sometimes be an issue at this website. 

Tao Te Ching, Translations into English: Terebess Asia Online (TAO).  124 nicely formatted complete English language translations, on separate webpages, of the Daodejing.  Alphabetical index by translators.  Each webpage has all 81 chapters of the Tao Te Ching translated into English.  A useful collection!  Many reformatted and colored versions from the original collection at Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse.  Caution: copyright infringement may sometimes be an issue at this website. 

Lao Tzu: Te-Tao Ching - A New Translation Based on the Recently Discovered Ma-wang-tui Texts (Classics of Ancient China) Translated with and introduction and detailed exposition and commentary by Professor Robert G. Henricks.  New York, Ballantine Books, 1992.  Includes Chinese characters for each chapter.  Bibliography, detailed notes, 282 pages. 

Daodejing by Laozi: Chapters with Chinese characters, seal script, detailed word by word concordance, Pinyin (tone#), German, French and English.  This is an outstanding resource for serious students of the Tao Te Ching. 

Tao Te Ching: A New Translation and Commentary.  By Ellen Chen.  Paragon House, 1998.  Detailed glossary, index, bibliography, notes, 274 pages. 

The Tao and Method: A Reasoned Approach to the Tao Te Ching.  By Michael Lafargue.  New York, SUNY Press, 1994.  640 pages.  Detailed index, bibliography, notes, and tables.  An essential research tool. 

Two Visions of the Way: A Study of the Wang Pi and the Ho-Shang Kung Commentaries on the Lao-Tzu.  By Professor by Alan Kam-Leung Chan.   SUNY Series in Chinese Philosophy and Culture.  State University of New York Press, 1991.  Index, bibliography, glossary, notes, 314 pages.  ISBN: 0791404560.     

Tao Te Ching: The Definitive Edition  By Jonathan Star.  Translation, commentary and research tools.  New York, Jeremy P. Tarcher, Penguin, 2001.  Concordance, tables, appendices, 349 pages.  A new rendition of the Tao Te Ching is provided, then a verbatim translation with extensive notes.  Detailed tables for each verse provide line number, all the Chinese characters, Wade-Giles Romanization, and a list of meanings for each character.  An excellent print reference tool! 

Chinese Reading of the Daodejing  Wang Bi's Commentary on the Laozi with Critical Text and Translation.  By Professor Rudolf G. Wagner.  A SUNY Series in Chinese Philosophy and Culture.  English and Mandarin Chinese Edition.  State University of New York Press; Bilingual edition (October 2003).  540 pages.  ISBN: 978-0791451823.  Wang Bi (Wang Pi, Fusi), 226-249 CE, Commentary on the Tao Te Ching.

Tao Te Ching  Translated by D. C. Lau.  Addison Wesley, Reprint Edition, 2000.  192 pages.  ISBN: 978-0140441314. 

The Taoism Reader  By Thomas Cleary.  Shambhala, 2012.  192 pages.

Change Your Thoughts - Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao  By Wayne W. Dyer.  Hay House, Reprint Edition, 2009.  416 pages. 

The Tao of Being: A Think and Do Workbook  By Ray Grigg.  Green Dragon Pub., 1988. 204 pages.

The Lunar Tao: Meditations in Harmony with the Seasons.  By Deng Ming-Dao.  New York, Harper Collins, 2013.  429 pages.  

The Classic of the Way and Virtue: A New Translation of the Tao-te Ching of Laozi as Interpreted by Wang Bi.  Translated by Richard John Lynn.  Translations from the Asian Classics Series.  New York, Columbia University Press, 1999.  Extensive index, glossaries, notes, 244 pages. 

Tao Te Ching in Chinese characters, Pinyin Romanization, English and German by Dr. Hilmar Alquiros. 

Stoicism and Hellenistic Philosophy  

How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise Persons 

One Old Philosopher's Notebooks  Research, Reading, and Reflections by Mike Garofalo.

Virtues and a Good Life

Yellow Bridge Dao De Jing Comparison Table   Provides side by side comparisons of translations of the Tao Te Ching by James Legge, D. T. Suzuki, and Dwight Goddard.  Chinese characters for each paragraph in the Chapter are on the left; place your cursor over the Chinese characters to see the Pinyin Romanization of the Chinese character and a list of meanings. 

Translators Index, Tao Te Ching Versions in English, Translators Sorted Alphabetically by Translator, Links to Books and Online Versions of the Chapters 

Taoism and the Tao Te Ching: Bibliography, Resources, Links

Spanish Language Translations of the Tao Te Ching, Daodejing en Español, Translators Index 

Concordance to the Daodejing

The Tao of Zen.  By Ray Grigg.  Tuttle, 2012, 256 pages.  Argues for the view that Zen is best characterized as a version of philosophical Taoism (i.e., Laozi and Zhuangzi) and not Mahayana Buddhism. 

Chapter 41 in the Rambling Taoist Commentaries by Trey Smith.  The Rambling Taoists are Trey Smith and Scott Bradley. 

Valley Spirit, Gu Shen, Concept, Chapter 6   Valley Spirit Center in Red Bluff, California.   Sacred Circle in the Gushen Grove. 

Lao-tzu's Taoteching  Translated by Red Pine (Bill Porter).  Includes many brief selected commentaries for each Chapter draw from commentaries in the past 2,000 years.  Provides a verbatim translation and shows the text in Chinese characters.  San Francisco, Mercury House, 1996, Second Edition, 184 pages.  An invaluable resource for commentaries.   

Reading Lao Tzu: A Companion to the Tao Te Ching with a New Translation  By Ha Poong Kim.  Xlibris, 2003, 198 pages. 

Dao De Jing: A Philosophical Translation  By Roger T. Ames and David T. Hall.  Ballantine, 2003, 256 pages. 

Thematic Index to the 81 Chapters of the Tao Te Ching

Lieh-Tzu: A Taoist Guide to Practical Living.  Translated by Eva Wong.  Lieh-Tzu was writing around 450 BCE.  Boston, Shambhala, 2001.  Introduction, 246 pages. 

Revealing the Tao Te Ching: In-depth Commentaries on an Ancient Classic.  By Hu Huezhi.  Edited by Jesse Lee Parker.  Seven Star Communications, 2006.  240 pages. 

Cloud Hands Blog   Mike Garofalo writes about Mind-Body Arts, Philosophy, Taoism, Gardening, Taijiquan, Walking, Mysticism, Qigong, and the Eight Ways.

The Whole Heart of Tao: The Complete Teachings From the Oral Tradition of Lao Tzu. By John Bright-Fey.  Crane Hill Publishers, 2006.  376 pages.

Gushen Grove Notebooks for the Tao Te Ching

Research and Indexing by
Michael P. Garofalo

Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Center, Gushen Grove Notebooks, Red Bluff, California
Green Way Research, 2011-2015. 
Indexed and Compiled by Michael P. Garofalo
 

This webpage was last modified or updated on October 7, 2016.  
 
This webpage was first distributed online on February 12, 2011. 

Created by Michael P. Garofalo, Green Way Research, Valley Spirit Center, Gushen Grove Notebooks, Red Bluff, California, © 2015 CCA 4.0

Michael P. Garofalo's E-mail

Brief Biography of Michael P. Garofalo, M.S.

Valley Spirit Center, Red Bluff, California

Study Chi Kung or Tai Chi with Mike Garofalo

Ripening Peaches: Daoist Studies and Practices

Taoism: Resources and Guides

Cloud Hands Blog

Valley Spirit Qigong

Ways of Walking

The Spirit of Gardening

Months: Cycles of the Seasons

Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu, Zhuang Zhou, Master Chuang)  369—286 BCE

Chan (Zen) and Taoist Poetry

Yang Style Taijiquan

Chen Style Taijiquan

Taoist Perspectives: My Reading List

Meditation

Bodymind Theory and Practices, Somaesthetics

The Five Senses

How to Live a Good Life: Advice from Wise Persons

Grandmaster Chang San Feng

Virtues

Qigong (Chi Kung) Health Practices

One Old Daoist Druid's Final Journey: Notebooks of the Librarian of Gushen Grove

Cloud Hands: T'ai Chi Ch'uan

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

Index to Cloud Hands and Valley Spirit Websites

Gushen Grove Notebooks for the Tao Te Ching 

Introduction

Bibliography  

Index to English Language Translators of the Tao Te Ching

Thematic Index 1-81  

Chapter Index 1-81    

Concordance to the Daodejing

The Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing) by Lao Tzu (Laozi) circa 500 BCE

Cloud Hands Blog

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