Índice
Waley
Tao gave them birth;
The “power” of Tao reared them,
Shaped them according to their kinds,
Perfected them, giving to each its strength.
Therefore
Of the ten thousand things there is not one that does not worship Tao
And do homage to its “power”.
No mandate ever went forth that accorded to Tao the right to be worshipped,
Nor to its “power” the right to be worshipped,
Nor to its “power” the right to receive homage.
It was always and of itself so.
Therefore as Tao bore them and the “power” of Tao reared them,
Made them grow, fostered them,
Harboured them,
Brewed for them,
So you must rear them, but not lay claim to them,
Control them, but never lean upon them,
Be chief among them, but not manage them.
This is called the mysterious power.”
Wieger
A. Le Principe donne la vie aux êtres ; puis sa Vertu les nourrit, jusqu’à complètement de leur nature, jusqu’à perfection de leurs facultés. Aussi tous les êtres vénèrent ils le Principe et sa Vertu.
B. L’éminence du Principe et de sa Vertu, personne ne la leur a conférée ; ils l’ont de tout temps, naturellement.
C. Le Principe donne la vie ; sa Vertu fait croître, protège, parfait, mûrit, entretient, couvre (tous les êtres). Quand ils sont nés, il ne les accapare pas ; il les laisse agir librement, sans les exploiter ; il les laisse croître, sans les tyranniser. Voilà la Vertu transcendante.
Duyvendak
La Voie produit ; la Vertu nourrit ; les objets matériels prêtent la forme ; le milieu achève le développement.
C’est pourquoi il n’y a pas un seul des dix mille êtres qui ne révère la Voie et n’honore la Vertu.
Le fait que la Voie est si vénérable et la Vertu si honorable est chose constante et spontanée, sans que personne l’ait ainsi ordonné..
Car la Voie produit, la Vertu nourrit ; elles font croître, elles élèvent, elles font prospérer et conduisent, alimen-tent et protègent, produisent et nourrissent.
Elles produisent, mais ne s’approprient pas ; elles agissent, mais n’en tirent aucune assurance ; elles font croître, mais ne dirigent pas. Quand une œuvre est accomplie, elles ne s’y arrêtent pas. Parce qu’elles ne s’y arrêtent pas, elles ne disparaissent pas.
C’est là la Vertu secrète.
Matgioi
Ici la Voie produit ; la Vertu unit ; les Êtres se forment ; ils DEVIENNENT DES MODES. Aussi, les dix mille êtres vénèrent la Voie et respectent la Vertu, car la Voie est vénérable et la Vertu respectable. Personne ne les fit ; elles existent par elles. La Voie produit, unit, accroît, accorde, forme, normalise, nourrit, protège. Elle produit les êtres et ne se les approprie pas ; elle agit et ne s ’intéresse pas ; elle est grande et ne gagne rien de neuf. Telle est sa profonde Rectitude.
Haven
O Tao dá vida aos seres.
A Virtude os alimenta.
Os seres ganham corpo.
Um impulso natural perfaz seu desenvolvimento.
Por isso, entre os dez mil seres, não há um que não venere o Tao e não honre a Virtude.
Essa veneração pelo Tao e esse respeito pela Virtude não são forçados, mas espontâneos.
Pois o Tao os produz, e sua Virtude os alimenta.
Faz com que cresçam e se aperfeiçoem, entretém e amadurece, protege e sustenta.
O Tao os produz sem deles se apropriar.
Eles agem, e ele nada espera deles; eles crescem, e ele os deixa livres.
Eis a Virtude misteriosa.
Mitchell
Cada ser no universo é uma expressão do Tao.
Vem à existência, inconsciente, perfeito, livre,
toma um corpo físico, deixa as circunstâncias completá-lo.
Eis porque cada ser espontaneamente honra o Tao.
O Tao dá nascimento a todos os seres, os nutre, os mantém,
os cuida, os conforta, os protege, os toma de volta em si mesmo,
criando sem possuir, agindo sem esperar, guiando sem interferir.
Eis porque o amor do Tao está na própria natureza das coisas.
Legge
All things are produced by the Tao, and nourished by its
outflowing operation. They receive their forms according to the
nature of each, and are completed according to the circumstances of
their condition. Therefore all things without exception honour the
Tao, and exalt its outflowing operation.
This honouring of the Tao and exalting of its operation is not the
result of any ordination, but always a spontaneous tribute.
Thus it is that the Tao produces (all things), nourishes them,
brings them to their full growth, nurses them, completes them, matures
them, maintains them, and overspreads them.
It produces them and makes no claim to the possession of them; it
carries them through their processes and does not vaunt its ability in
doing so; it brings them to maturity and exercises no control over
them;—this is called its mysterious operation.