Take all that is under heaven and act it, I predict its failure. All t

無為 · Wú Wéi

Classical Chinese Text

将欲取天下而为之，吾见其不得已。天下神器①，不可为也，不可执也。为者败之，执者失之。是以圣人无为，故无败，故无失。
夫物或行或随；或觑或吹；或强或羸；或载或隳。是以圣人去甚、去奢、去泰。

Translation & Meaning

Take all that is under heaven and act it, I predict its failure. All that is under heaven is a divine artifact, not to be acted, not to be held. He who acts it fails, he who holds it loses it. This is why a sage does not act, so she won't fail, so she won't lose it.

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 将 (jiāng): classical character (jiāng)
  • 欲 (yù): intent / desire / craving
  • 取 (qǔ): classical character (qǔ)
  • 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
  • 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
  • 而 (ér): yet / and / but
  • 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
  • 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
  • 吾 (wú): I / myself
  • 见 (jiàn): see / display / manifest
  • 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
  • 不 (bù): not / un- / without
  • 得 (dé): obtain / acquire / gain
  • 已 (yǐ): arises / already / cessation
  • 神 (shén): classical character (shén)
  • 器 (qì): classical character (qì)
  • 可 (kě): can / capable of being
  • 也 (yě): [modal particle of assertion]
  • 执 (zhí): classical character (zhí)
  • 者 (zhě): aspects / those who / things
  • 败 (bài): classical character (bài)
  • 失 (shī): classical character (shī)
  • 是 (shì): this / therefore
  • 以 (yǐ): in order to / by means of
  • 圣 (shèng): sage / enlightened one
  • 人 (rén): person / human
  • 无 (wú): formless void / non-being / without
  • 故 (gù): therefore / thus / consequence
  • 夫 (fū): for / indeed / now
  • 物 (wù): things / phenomena / forms
  • 或 (huò): tangible / perhaps / presence
  • 行 (xíng): practice / teach / walk
  • 随 (suí): follow / accompany
  • 觑 (qù): classical character (qù)
  • 吹 (chuī): classical character (chuī)
  • 强 (qiáng): strengthen / firm / robust
  • 羸 (léi): classical character (léi)
  • 载 (zǎi): classical character (zǎi)
  • 隳 (huī): classical character (huī)
  • 去 (qù): depart / lose / abandon
  • 甚 (shèn): classical character (shèn)
  • 奢 (shē): classical character (shē)
  • 泰 (tài): classical character (tài)