(He who) holds the great appearance, all that is under heaven flow tow
仁德 · Rén Dé
Classical Chinese Text
执大象①，天下往。往而不害，安平太。乐与饵，过客止，道之出口，淡乎其无味，视之不足见，听之不足闻，用之不足既。
Translation & Meaning
(He who) holds the great appearance, all that is under heaven flow towards (him), flow (together) not harming (each other), (with) stability, peace (and) harmony. Music and food, passersby linger. Tao’s outlet, bland as if odorless, look at it (one) cannot see it, listen to it (one) cannot smell it, (and the) use (of) it is infinite.
Linguistic & Character Analysis
- 执 (zhí): classical character (zhí)
- 大 (dà): classical character (dà)
- 象 (xiàng): appearance / image / form
- 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
- 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
- 往 (wǎng): classical character (wǎng)
- 而 (ér): yet / and / but
- 不 (bù): not / un- / without
- 害 (hài): classical character (hài)
- 安 (ān): classical character (ān)
- 平 (píng): classical character (píng)
- 太 (tài): classical character (tài)
- 乐 (lè): classical character (lè)
- 与 (yǔ): classical character (yǔ)
- 饵 (ěr): classical character (ěr)
- 过 (guò): classical character (guò)
- 客 (kè): classical character (kè)
- 止 (zhǐ): classical character (zhǐ)
- 道 (dào): The Way / Logos / to speak
- 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
- 出 (chū): emerge / issue forth / originate
- 口 (kǒu): classical character (kǒu)
- 淡 (dàn): classical character (dàn)
- 乎 (hū): classical character (hū)
- 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
- 无 (wú): formless void / non-being / without
- 味 (wèi): classical character (wèi)
- 视 (shì): classical character (shì)
- 足 (zú): classical character (zú)
- 见 (jiàn): see / display / manifest
- 听 (tīng): classical character (tīng)
- 闻 (wén): classical character (wén)
- 用 (yòng): use / function / apply
- 既 (jì): classical character (jì)