Translation
The way of the myriad things is profound and difficult to understand.
For the good person it is precious, for the not good person it is protective.
Beautiful speech can bring worldly honor.
Beautiful behavior can augment people.
For people not good, why abandon them?
Hence, the son of heaven (emperor) establishes three commonalities,
Even though surrounded by jade and presented with horses,
Not equal to receiving the way.
Of old, why was this way so valued?
Wasn’t it said that by using it one got what one sought.
By using it one avoids the evils of hardship.
Hence it is valued by all under heaven.
road (way, principle; speak; think) ?all things on earth ) of profound (difficult to understand> oersted).
good (satisfactory) human being (person; people; adult) of treasure (precious), no (not) good (satisfactory) human being (person; people; adult) of place protect (maintain; preserve).
beautiful (good) speech (word; say; talk) can (may) market (city) senior (respect; venerate).
beautiful (good) go (prevail; do; behavior; O.K.) can (may) add (plus; increase; augment) human being (person; people; adult).
human being (person; people; adult) of no (not) good (satisfactory), who (why) throw away (discard; abandon) of have (exist).
reason (cause; on purpose; hence) stand (set up) the Son of Heaven (the emperor), place (put; establish) three (more than two; several; many) public (common; equitable; impartial),
though (although) have (exist) encircle (arch; push) piece of jade use (take; so as to_and; as well as) earlier (first) a team of four horses,
not equal to (not as good as; inferior to) sit (take a sit; travel, have its back towards) advance (enter; receive; eat; take) this road (way, principle; speak; think) .
ancient (age-old) of <conj.> so (therefore; as a result) expensive (precious; noble) this road (way, principle; speak; think) ? who (why) .
no (not) say (call; name) beg (request; seek; try; demand) use (take; so as to_and; as well as) get (obtain, gain > satisfied_need; must,
have (exist) crime (blame; pain; hardship) use (take; so as to_and; as well as) excuse (exempt; avoid) evil (heretical; irregular; unhealthy environment)?
reason (cause; on purpose; hence) do (act; act as; serve as; be; mean; support) land under heaven expensive (precious; noble).
Original
道者万物之奥。
善人之宝，
不善人之所保。
美言可以市尊。
美行可以加人。
人之不善，
何弃之有。
故立天子、
置三公，
虽有拱璧以先驷马，
不如坐进此道。
古之所以贵此道者何。
不曰：求以得，
有罪以免邪？
故为天下贵。
Commentary, January 2011
This chapter makes a bit more sense in the original Chinese than in D.C. Lao’s translation. I doubt I’ll do any better though. This is the curious side of attempting to convey knowing through words. There is also the peculiar effectiveness one language (here Chinese) can have over another (English here). Although, perhaps this isn’t really that unusual. Think of how the Eskimos have dozens of words to refer to the subtle characteristics of snow. In this case, the difference lies not in any unique Chinese words used in the original Tao Te Ching, but in its terseness. Maybe this reflects an ancient Chinese sense that more words obfuscates, i.e., To use words but rarely is to be natural. In Chinese, it is possible to say more with less words. (Correlations takes that even farther… alas, a leap to far for most.)
Is this saying that using more words is somehow less natural? Not exactly. Rather, the less we expect words to mean what they say, the more room we make for intuitive understanding. In other words, our attempts to hammer it to a point are less enlightening than groping around for the shape that has no shape. Saying less has the potential to convey more of the essence, if one already knows—at some level. This goes back to my view that we only truly understand cognitively what we already know intuitively (i.e., sub-thought).
Especially endearing to me is the view: Even though surrounded by jade and presented with horses, Not equal to receiving the way , or as D.C. Lau translated it, he who makes a present of the way without stirring from his seat is preferable to one who offers presents of jade disks followed by a team of four horses. Here is where ‘giving’ and ‘receiving’ truly produce each other. I set this in motion through impartiality. This means not passing judgment, but instead observing the myriad creatures (i.e., everything) in their own right. This is the only true present of the way I can offer, and in offering that I am receiving the way. Chapter 16 speaks beautifully to this experience…
On gifts, the Bhagavad Gita says this, “A gift is pure when it is given from the heart to the right person at the right time and at the right place, and when we expect nothing in return. But when it is given expecting something in return, or for the sake of a future reward, or when it is given unwillingly, the gift is of Rajas, impure“.
It really is the thought (or rather feeling) that counts, and for me, the ultimate gift is non-judgment. As Christ puts it, “Judge not, that ye be not judged (1). For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”
(1) I imagine many Christians take this to mean God will judge us later in Heaven. I find it is immediate. Any judgments I make are only reflections of my own needs and fears. Being such, they are actually self-judgments. As needs and fears wane, I see and act more impartially. Seeing judgment for the two-way-street it is helps me be self honest: When I judge, I look inward to find what I am needing or fearing at the moment.