All that is under heaven has a beginning, to be the mother of all that

歸元 · Guī Yuán

Classical Chinese Text

天下有始，以为天下母。既得其母，以知其子；既知其子，复守其母，没身不殆。塞其兑，闭其门，终身不勤。开其兑，济其事，终身不救。见小曰明，守柔曰强。用其光，复归其明，无遗身殃；是为袭常。

Translation & Meaning

All that is under heaven has a beginning, to be the mother of all that is under heaven. As (we) comprehend the mother, (we) then know the children; as (we) know the children, (we) then turn around and keep the mother, (for) a living of no danger. Block the opennings, close the doors. (for) a living of no toil. Open the openings, increase the affairs. (to) a living of beyond saving. Seeing small is called bright, staying soft is called strong. Use its light, (to) return to its brightness, (for) not causing misfortune to the body; this is called the unchanging constant.

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
  • 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
  • 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
  • 始 (shǐ): dawn / primordial origin
  • 以 (yǐ): in order to / by means of
  • 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
  • 母 (mǔ): mother / generative root
  • 既 (jì): classical character (jì)
  • 得 (dé): obtain / acquire / gain
  • 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
  • 知 (zhī): know / distinguish / recognize
  • 子 (zǐ): child / progeny
  • 复 (fù): classical character (fù)
  • 守 (shǒu): classical character (shǒu)
  • 没 (méi): classical character (méi)
  • 身 (shēn): classical character (shēn)
  • 不 (bù): not / un- / without
  • 殆 (dài): classical character (dài)
  • 塞 (sāi): classical character (sāi)
  • 兑 (duì): sharpness / apertures
  • 闭 (bì): classical character (bì)
  • 门 (mén): gateway / portal of reality
  • 终 (zhōng): classical character (zhōng)
  • 勤 (qín): classical character (qín)
  • 开 (kāi): classical character (kāi)
  • 济 (jì): classical character (jì)
  • 事 (shì): affairs / deeds
  • 救 (jiù): classical character (jiù)
  • 见 (jiàn): see / display / manifest
  • 小 (xiǎo): classical character (xiǎo)
  • 曰 (yuē): classical character (yuē)
  • 明 (míng): classical character (míng)
  • 柔 (róu): classical character (róu)
  • 强 (qiáng): strengthen / firm / robust
  • 用 (yòng): use / function / apply
  • 光 (guāng): light / radiance / shine
  • 归 (guī): classical character (guī)
  • 无 (wú): formless void / non-being / without
  • 遗 (yí): classical character (yí)
  • 殃 (yāng): classical character (yāng)
  • 是 (shì): this / therefore
  • 袭 (xí): classical character (xí)
  • 常 (cháng): constant / dynamic invariable