Laozi · Complete work
Chapter 1
Chapter 1 of 81. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Classical Chinese
道可道，非常道。名可名，非常名。無名天地之始；有名萬物之母。故常無欲，以觀其妙；常有欲，以觀其徼。此兩者，同出而異名，同謂之玄。玄之又玄，衆妙之門。
Mouseia
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the original source for fidelity, modern clarity, beauty, symbolism, and structure.
The Way that can be spoken as a way is not the constant Way.The name that can be named is not the constant name.Nameless, it is the beginning of heaven and earth;Named, it is the mother of the ten thousand things.Therefore, constantly without desire, observe its subtle marvel;Constantly with desire, observe its outer limits.These two issue from the same source but differ in name; together they are called mystery.Mystery upon mystery—the gate of all subtle marvels.
OpenTao
Complete CC BY 4.0 translation made directly from the received Chinese text; source line structure preserved.
Any path we can describe or follow is not the enduring Way.Any name we can give is not the enduring name.Nameless, it is the origin of heaven and earth;named, it is the mother of all things.So live free of desire, and you glimpse its hidden workings;live with desire, and you see its outer edge.These two spring from one source, though their names differ; together they are called dark.Dark upon dark: the gateway to all that is subtle.
James Legge (1891)
Complete public-domain translation made directly from the original source text.
1. The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name.
2. (Conceived of as) having no name, it is the Originator of heaven and earth; (conceived of as) having a name, it is the Mother of all things.
3.
Always without desire we must be found,If its deep mystery we would sound;But if desire always within us be,Its outer fringe is all that we shall see.
4. Under these two aspects, it is really the same; but as development takes place, it receives the different names. Together we call them the Mystery. Where the Mystery is the deepest is the gate of all that is subtle and wonderful.