The great accomplished seems to be incomplete, but their use does not
洪德 · Hóng Dé
Classical Chinese Text
大成若缺，其用不弊。大盈若冲，其用不穷。大直若屈，大巧若拙，大辩若讷。静胜躁，寒胜热。清静为天下正。
Translation & Meaning
The great accomplished seems to be incomplete, but their use does not deplete. The great filled seems to be empty, but their use does not exhaust. The great straight seems to be bent, the great dextrious seems to be clumsy, the great eloquent seems to be slow. Stillness wins over unrest, cold wins over hot. Clean and stillness is the right path under heaven.
Linguistic & Character Analysis
- 大 (dà): classical character (dà)
- 成 (chéng): complete / fulfill
- 若 (ruò): classical character (ruò)
- 缺 (quē): classical character (quē)
- 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
- 用 (yòng): use / function / apply
- 不 (bù): not / un- / without
- 弊 (bì): classical character (bì)
- 盈 (yíng): fulfill / overflow
- 冲 (chōng): void / surge / empty cup
- 穷 (qióng): classical character (qióng)
- 直 (zhí): classical character (zhí)
- 屈 (qū): classical character (qū)
- 巧 (qiǎo): classical character (qiǎo)
- 拙 (zhuō): classical character (zhuō)
- 辩 (biàn): classical character (biàn)
- 讷 (nè): classical character (nè)
- 静 (jìng): classical character (jìng)
- 胜 (shèng): classical character (shèng)
- 躁 (zào): classical character (zào)
- 寒 (hán): classical character (hán)
- 热 (rè): classical character (rè)
- 清 (qīng): classical character (qīng)
- 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
- 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
- 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
- 正 (zhèng): classical character (zhèng)