Tao, master of ten thousand things, kind one’s precious, unkind one’s

為道 · Wéi Dào

Classical Chinese Text

道者，万物之奥，善人之宝，不善人之所保。美言可以市尊，美行可以加人。人之不善，何弃之有？故立天子，置三公，虽有拱璧以先驷马，不如坐进此道。古之所以贵此道者何？不曰：求以得，有罪以免邪？故为天下贵。

Translation & Meaning

Tao, master of ten thousand things, kind one’s precious, unkind one’s protection. Good words can receive dignity, good deeds can receive respect. Ones who are unkind, why abandon them? This is why when inaugurating the Son of Heaven, appointing the Three Dukes, though receiving precious jade before a four-horse chariot (full of tributes), neither is better than sitting on the Tao. Ancient (people) of what reason cherish Tao for? Isn't it said that: quest then receive, guilty then be absolved? This is why (Tao) becomes all that is under heaven’s cherished.

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 道 (dào): The Way / Logos / to speak
  • 者 (zhě): aspects / those who / things
  • 万 (wàn): ten thousand / myriad / all
  • 物 (wù): things / phenomena / forms
  • 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
  • 奥 (ào): classical character (ào)
  • 善 (shàn): goodness / skillful / kind
  • 人 (rén): person / human
  • 宝 (bǎo): classical character (bǎo)
  • 不 (bù): not / un- / without
  • 所 (suǒ): place / frontier / that which
  • 保 (bǎo): classical character (bǎo)
  • 美 (měi): beauty / aesthetic ideal
  • 言 (yán): words / speech
  • 可 (kě): can / capable of being
  • 以 (yǐ): in order to / by means of
  • 市 (shì): classical character (shì)
  • 尊 (zūn): classical character (zūn)
  • 行 (xíng): practice / teach / walk
  • 加 (jiā): classical character (jiā)
  • 何 (hé): classical character (hé)
  • 弃 (qì): classical character (qì)
  • 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
  • 故 (gù): therefore / thus / consequence
  • 立 (lì): classical character (lì)
  • 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
  • 子 (zǐ): child / progeny
  • 置 (zhì): classical character (zhì)
  • 三 (sān): classical character (sān)
  • 公 (gōng): classical character (gōng)
  • 虽 (suī): classical character (suī)
  • 拱 (gǒng): classical character (gǒng)
  • 璧 (bì): classical character (bì)
  • 先 (xiān): before / front
  • 驷 (sì): classical character (sì)
  • 马 (mǎ): classical character (mǎ)
  • 如 (rú): classical character (rú)
  • 坐 (zuò): classical character (zuò)
  • 进 (jìn): classical character (jìn)
  • 此 (cǐ): classical character (cǐ)
  • 古 (gǔ): classical character (gǔ)
  • 贵 (guì): prize / cherish / valuable
  • 曰 (yuē): classical character (yuē)
  • 求 (qiú): classical character (qiú)
  • 得 (dé): obtain / acquire / gain
  • 罪 (zuì): classical character (zuì)
  • 免 (miǎn): classical character (miǎn)
  • 邪 (xié): classical character (xié)
  • 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
  • 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble