Know the masculine, (but) uphold the feminine, be a creek to all that
反樸 · Fǎn Pǔ
Classical Chinese Text
知其雄，守其雌，为天下溪。为天下溪，常德不离，复归于婴儿。 知其白，守其黑，为天下式。为天下式，常德不忒，复归于无极。 知其荣，守其辱，为天下谷。为天下谷，常德乃足，复归于朴。朴散则为器，圣人用之，则为官长，故大制不割。
Translation & Meaning
Know the masculine, (but) uphold the feminine, be a creek to all that is under heaven. To be a creek to all that is under heaven, the forever virtues never leave, returning to (the state of) newborn.
Linguistic & Character Analysis
- 知 (zhī): know / distinguish / recognize
- 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
- 雄 (xióng): classical character (xióng)
- 守 (shǒu): classical character (shǒu)
- 雌 (cí): classical character (cí)
- 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
- 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
- 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
- 溪 (xī): classical character (xī)
- 常 (cháng): constant / dynamic invariable
- 德 (dé): Intrinsic Virtue / inner power
- 不 (bù): not / un- / without
- 离 (lí): classical character (lí)
- 复 (fù): classical character (fù)
- 归 (guī): classical character (guī)
- 于 (yú): to / at / in
- 婴 (yīng): classical character (yīng)
- 儿 (ér): classical character (ér)
- 白 (bái): classical character (bái)
- 黑 (hēi): classical character (hēi)
- 式 (shì): classical character (shì)
- 忒 (tè): classical character (tè)
- 无 (wú): formless void / non-being / without
- 极 (jí): classical character (jí)
- 荣 (róng): classical character (róng)
- 辱 (rǔ): classical character (rǔ)
- 谷 (gǔ): classical character (gǔ)
- 乃 (nǎi): classical character (nǎi)
- 足 (zú): classical character (zú)
- 朴 (pǔ): classical character (pǔ)
- 散 (sàn): classical character (sàn)
- 则 (zé): classical character (zé)
- 器 (qì): classical character (qì)
- 圣 (shèng): sage / enlightened one
- 人 (rén): person / human
- 用 (yòng): use / function / apply
- 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
- 官 (guān): classical character (guān)
- 长 (cháng): long / enduring / grow
- 故 (gù): therefore / thus / consequence
- 大 (dà): classical character (dà)
- 制 (zhì): classical character (zhì)
- 割 (gē): classical character (gē)