Laozi · Complete work
Chapter 40
Chapter 40 of 81. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Classical Chinese
反者道之動；弱者道之用。天下萬物生於有，有生於無。
Mouseia
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the original source for fidelity, modern clarity, beauty, symbolism, and structure.
Returning is the movement of the Way;weakness is the Way’s use.The ten thousand things under heaven are born from being; being is born from nonbeing.
OpenTao
Complete CC BY 4.0 translation made directly from the received Chinese text; source line structure preserved.
The Way moves by turning back;it works through weakness.Everything under heaven is born of presence; presence is born of absence.
James Legge (1891)
Complete public-domain translation made directly from the original source text.
1.
The movement of the TaoBy contraries proceeds;And weakness marks the courseOf Tao's mighty deeds.
2. All things under heaven sprang from It as existing (and named); that existence sprang from It as non-existent (and not named).