All that is under heaven’s softest, runs through all that’s under heav
遍用 · Biàn Yòng
Classical Chinese Text
天下之至柔，驰骋天下之至坚。无有入无间，吾是以知无为之有益。不言之教，无为之益，天下希及之。
Translation & Meaning
All that is under heaven’s softest, runs through all that’s under heaven’s hardest. I hereby know Wu Wei is good. The teaching of no words, (and) the good of Wu Wei, few under heaven achieves them.
Linguistic & Character Analysis
- 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
- 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
- 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
- 至 (zhì): classical character (zhì)
- 柔 (róu): classical character (róu)
- 驰 (chí): classical character (chí)
- 骋 (chěng): classical character (chěng)
- 坚 (jiān): classical character (jiān)
- 无 (wú): formless void / non-being / without
- 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
- 入 (rù): classical character (rù)
- 间 (jiān): classical character (jiān)
- 吾 (wú): I / myself
- 是 (shì): this / therefore
- 以 (yǐ): in order to / by means of
- 知 (zhī): know / distinguish / recognize
- 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
- 益 (yì): classical character (yì)
- 不 (bù): not / un- / without
- 言 (yán): words / speech
- 教 (jiào): teaching / guidance
- 希 (xī): classical character (xī)
- 及 (jí): classical character (jí)