Laozi · Complete work
Chapter 53
Chapter 53 of 81. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
Open the complete readerOriginal Classical Chinese
使我介然有知，行於大道，唯施是畏。大道甚夷，而民好徑。朝甚除，田甚蕪，倉甚虛；服文綵，帶利劍，厭飲食，財貨有餘；是謂盜夸。非道也哉！
Mouseia
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the original source for fidelity, modern clarity, beauty, symbolism, and structure.
If I had the least grain of knowledge, I would walk the great Way and fear only straying from it.The great Way is very level, yet the people delight in bypaths.The court is richly cleared, while the fields are deeply overgrown and the granaries utterly empty;They wear embroidered finery, carry sharp swords, glut themselves with food and drink, and possess wealth and goods in excess;This is called a robber's pomp.Surely it is not the Way!
OpenTao
Complete CC BY 4.0 translation made directly from the received Chinese text; source line structure preserved.
If I had even a scrap of knowledge, I would walk the great Way and fear only straying from it.The great Way runs smooth and level, yet people prefer shortcuts.The court is spotless, the fields choked with weeds, the granaries standing empty;Those at court wear embroidered finery and sharp swords at their belts, gorge on food and drink, and amass wealth and goods in excess;This is the swagger of robbers.Surely this is not the Way!
James Legge (1891)
Complete public-domain translation made directly from the original source text.
1. If I were suddenly to become known, and (put into a position to) conduct (a government) according to the Great Tao, what I should be most afraid of would be a boastful display.
2. The great Tao (or way) is very level and easy; but people love the by-ways.
3. Their court(-yards and buildings) shall be well kept, but their fields shall be ill-cultivated, and their granaries very empty. They shall wear elegant and ornamented robes, carry a sharp sword at their girdle, pamper themselves in eating and drinking, and have a superabundance of property and wealth;--such (princes) may be called robbers and boasters. This is contrary to the Tao surely!