The ones who were good at Tao from the ancient times, (were) subtle an

顯德 · Xiǎn Dé

Classical Chinese Text

古之善为道者，微妙玄通，深不可识。
夫唯不可识，故强为之容；豫兮若冬涉川；犹兮若畏四邻；俨兮其若客；涣兮其若凌释；敦兮其若朴；旷兮其若谷；混兮其若浊；孰能浊以静之徐清？孰能安以静之徐生？
保此道者，不欲盈。夫唯不盈，故能蔽而新成⒃。

Translation & Meaning

The ones who were good at Tao from the ancient times, (were) subtle and profound, (their) depth is beyond comprehension.

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 古 (gǔ): classical character (gǔ)
  • 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
  • 善 (shàn): goodness / skillful / kind
  • 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
  • 道 (dào): The Way / Logos / to speak
  • 者 (zhě): aspects / those who / things
  • 微 (wēi): classical character (wēi)
  • 妙 (miào): subtlety / mystical profundity
  • 玄 (xuán): mystery / fathomless depth
  • 通 (tōng): classical character (tōng)
  • 深 (shēn): classical character (shēn)
  • 不 (bù): not / un- / without
  • 可 (kě): can / capable of being
  • 识 (shí): classical character (shí)
  • 夫 (fū): for / indeed / now
  • 唯 (wéi): only / precisely because
  • 故 (gù): therefore / thus / consequence
  • 强 (qiáng): strengthen / firm / robust
  • 容 (róng): classical character (róng)
  • 豫 (yù): classical character (yù)
  • 兮 (xī): classical character (xī)
  • 若 (ruò): classical character (ruò)
  • 冬 (dōng): classical character (dōng)
  • 涉 (shè): classical character (shè)
  • 川 (chuān): classical character (chuān)
  • 犹 (yóu): classical character (yóu)
  • 畏 (wèi): classical character (wèi)
  • 四 (sì): classical character (sì)
  • 邻 (lín): classical character (lín)
  • 俨 (yǎn): classical character (yǎn)
  • 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
  • 客 (kè): classical character (kè)
  • 涣 (huàn): classical character (huàn)
  • 凌 (líng): classical character (líng)
  • 释 (shì): classical character (shì)
  • 敦 (dūn): classical character (dūn)
  • 朴 (pǔ): classical character (pǔ)
  • 旷 (kuàng): classical character (kuàng)
  • 谷 (gǔ): classical character (gǔ)
  • 混 (hùn): classical character (hùn)
  • 浊 (zhuó): classical character (zhuó)
  • 孰 (shú): classical character (shú)
  • 能 (néng): fruitful / capacity / ability
  • 以 (yǐ): in order to / by means of
  • 静 (jìng): classical character (jìng)
  • 徐 (xú): classical character (xú)
  • 清 (qīng): classical character (qīng)
  • 安 (ān): classical character (ān)
  • 生 (shēng): give birth to / arise
  • 保 (bǎo): classical character (bǎo)
  • 此 (cǐ): classical character (cǐ)
  • 欲 (yù): intent / desire / craving
  • 盈 (yíng): fulfill / overflow
  • 蔽 (bì): classical character (bì)
  • 而 (ér): yet / and / but
  • 新 (xīn): classical character (xīn)
  • 成 (chéng): complete / fulfill