That which was the beginning of all things under heaven We may speak of as the “mother” of all things. He who apprehends the mother Thereby knows the sons. And he who has known the sons, Will hold all the tighter to the mother, And to the end of his days suffer no harm; “Block the passages, shut the doors, And till the end your strength shall not fail. Open up the passages, increase your doings, And till your last day no help shall come to you.” As good sight means seeing what is very small So strength means holding on to what is weak. He who having used the outer-light can return to the innerlight Is thereby preserved from all harm. This is called resorting to the always-so.

A. Ce qui fut avant le monde, devint la mère du monde. Qui a atteint la mère [la matière, le corps], connaît par elle son fils [l’esprit vital qui y est enfermé]. Qui connaît le fils [son esprit vital] et conserve la mère [son corps], arrivera à la fin de ses jours sans accident.

B. S’il tient sa bouche fermée et ses narines closes [pour empêcher l’évaporation du principe vital], il arrivera à la fin de ses jours sans avoir éprouvé de décadence. Tandis que, s’il parle beaucoup et se fait de nombreux soucis, il usera et abrégera sa vie.

C. Borner ses considérations aux petites choses, et ses soucis aux affaires de faible importance, rend l’esprit clair et le corps fort. Concentrer dans son intelligence ses rayons intellectuels, et ne pas laisser l’application mentale léser son corps, c’est là voiler [son esprit] pour faire durer [sa vie].

Tout sous le ciel a un commencement qu’on peut considérer comme la mère de Tout sous le ciel. Quand on trouve la mère, on peut par là connaître les enfants. Quand on connaît les enfants, si de nouveau on s’en tient à la mère, jus¬qu’à la fin de sa vie on n’est pas en péril.

Bouche les entrées, ferme les portes, et pour le développement [naturel] de ton corps tes forces ne seront pas épui¬sées. Ouvre les entrées, aide les activités, et pour le développement [naturel] de ton corps tu seras sans secours.

Percevoir ce qui est petit, c’est avoir la vision ; s’en tenir au faible, c’est être fort.

Se servant de sa lumière, si de nouveau on a recours à sa vision, on n’expose pas son corps à des calamités. C’est ce qu’on appelle : s’appliquer à ce qui est constant.

Le principe initial des hommes, voilà le modèle de tous les hommes. Qui connaît le principe veut aussi connaître les conséquences : qui connaît les enfants est respectueux de la mère. Ainsi, les générations ne cessent point. Fermer sa porte, c’est être stable jusqu’à la mort ; ouvrir à l’assiduité, s’égaler aux circonstances, c’est n’avoir pas besoin d’aide pour la mort. Qui comprend le plus subtil est clair. Qui observe la bonté est le plus fort. Qui aspire à l ’éclatante Voie se tourne à sa clarté. Ne jamais quitter cette clarté, c’est la recherche continuelle de la Voie.

O Universo teve início graças à Mãe do Universo.

Quando se alcança a Mãe, adquire-se o meio de conhecer suas crianças.

Quando se conhece suas crianças, e se permanece unido à Mãe, a morte não apresenta mais perigos.

Quem cala a boca e cerra as portas não enfraquecerá até o final de seus dias.

Quem abre a boca e se apaixona por seus negócios chegará ao final de sua vida sem se ter salvo.

Quem percebe o ínfimo é iluminado.

Quem conserva a fragilidade é forte.

Quem se serve da simplicidade retorna ã luz e não atrai provações fatais para sua pessoa.

Isso é herdar o Eterno.

No princípio era o Tao. Todas as coisas dele provêm; todas as coisas a ele retornam. Para encontrar a origem retrilhe o caminho das manifestações. Quando reconheceres os filhos e encontrares a mãe, estareis livre de tristeza. Se fechas tua mente julgamentos e traficas com desejos, teu coração será perturbado. Se guardas tua mente de julgamentos e não és levado pelos sentidos, teu coração encontrará paz. Desvendando a escuridão é claridade. Sabendo como ceder é fortaleza. Use tua própria luz e retorna à fonte de luz. Isto é chamado praticando eternidade.

[The Tao] which originated all under the sky is to be considered as the mother of them all.

When the mother is found, we know what her children should be. When one knows that he is his mother's child, and proceeds to guard [the qualities of] the mother that belong to him, to the end of his life he will be free from all peril.

Let him keep his mouth closed, and shut up the portals [of his nostrils], and all his life he will be exempt from laborious exertion. Let him keep his mouth open, and [spend his breath] in the promotion of his affairs, and all his life there will be no safety for him.

The perception of what is small is [the secret of clear- sightedness]; the guarding of what is soft and tender is [the secret of] strength.

Who uses well his light, Reverting to its [source so] bright, Will from his body ward all blight, And hides the unchanging from men's sight.