Tao Teh Ching - 60 Interactive Versions

#Click on a sentence 1 2 3 4 5 Chapter 8 Chapter 10 Back to index #

Ch. 09	Sentence 1
Beck	Stretch a bow to the very full, and you will wish you had stopped in time.
Blackney	To take all you want Is never as good As to stop when you should.
Bynner	Keep stretching a bow You repent of the pull,
Byrn	It is easier to carry and empty cup than one that is filled to the brim.
Chan	To hold and fill a cup to overflowing Is not as good as to stop in time.
Cleary	To keep on filling is not as good as stopping.
Crowley	Fill not a vessel, lest it spill in carrying.
Hansen	To grasp and pile things up is not as good as regarding it as already done.
LaFargue	In filling, if you keep on and on - better to have stopped.
Legge	It is better to leave a vessel unfilled, than to attempt to carry it when it is full.
Lindauer	Holding yet being full Lacks compare to not yet being so
LinYutan	Stretch (a bow) to the very full, And you will wish you had stopped in time.
Mabry	Filling your cup until it overflows is not s good as stopping in time.
McDonald	Stretch a bow to the full, and you'll end up wishing you'd stopped in time; to hold and fill to overflowing isn't quite as able as to stop in time.
Merel	Fill a cup to its brim and it is easily spilled;
Mitchell	Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill.
Muller	To hold until full is not as good as stopping.
Red Pine	Instead of pouring in more better stop while you can
Ta-Kao	Holding and keeping a thing to the very full - it is better to leave it alone;
Walker	Filling to fullness is not as good as stopping at the right moment.
Wieger	To hold a vase filled to the brim, without spilling anything, is impossible; better not to fill it so.
World	Fill anything to the brim and the contents will spill out.
Wu	As for holding to fullness, Far better were it to stop in time!

Ch. 09 Sentence 2

Beck Temper a sword-edge to its very sharpest, and the edge will not last long.

Blackney Scheme and be sharp And you'll not keep it long.

Bynner A whetted saw Goes thin and dull,

Byrn The sharper the knife the easier it is to dull.

Chan Sharpen a sword edge to its very sharpest, And the (edge) will not last long.

Cleary Calculated sharpness cannot be kept for long.

Crowley Meddle not with a sharpened point by feeling it constantly, or it will soon become blunted.

Hansen When you measure and build a pillar , you cannot preserve it for long.

LaFargue In sharpening, if you keep trying - the edge won't last long.

Legge If you keep feeling a point that has been sharpened, the point cannot long preserve its sharpness.

Lindauer A sword blade being oversharpened Cannot long remain so

LinYutan Temper a (sword-edge) to its very sharpest, And the edge will not last long.

Mabry Over sharpen your sword and it will not protect you very long.

McDonald Temper a sword-edge to its very sharpest, and you'll find it soon grows dull.

Merel Temper a sword to its hardest and it is easily broken;

Mitchell Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.

Muller An over sharpened sword cannot last long.

Red Pine making it sharper won't help it last longer

Ta-Kao Handling and sharpening a blade - it cannot be long sustained;

Walker Oversharpening a blade causes its edge to be lost.

Wieger To keep an over-sharpened blade without its edge becoming blunt, is impossible; better not to sharpen it to this extreme.

World Hone a sharpened blade and it will become blunt.

Wu Keep on beating and sharpening a sword, And the edge cannot be preserved for long.

Ch. 09 Sentence 3

Beck When gold and jade fill your hall, you will not be able to keep them safe.

Blackney One can never guard His home when it's full Of jade and fine gold:

Bynner Surrounded with treasure Your lie ill at ease,

Byrn The more wealth you possess the harder it is to protect.

Chan When gold and jade fill your hall, You will not be able to keep them.

Cleary Though gold and jewels fill their house, no one can keep them.

Crowley Gold and jade endanger the house of their possessor.

Hansen When gold and jade fill the hall, you can't keep any of it.

LaFargue When gold and jade fill the halls, no one can guard it all.

Legge When gold and jade fill the hall, their possessor cannot keep them safe.

Lindauer A living room full of gold and jade There is no one able to guard it

LinYutan When gold and jade fill your hall, You will not be able to keep them safe.

Mabry You may fill your halls with gold and jewels but you cannot keep them safe.

McDonald When gold and jade fills your hall, can it be well guarded any more?

Merel Amass the greatest treasure and it is easily stolen;

Mitchell Chase after money and security and your heart will never unclench.

Muller A room filled with gold and jewels cannot be protected.

Red Pine houses full of treasure can never be safe

Ta-Kao When gold and jade fill the hall, no one can protect them;

Walker Line your home with treasures and you won't be able to defend it.

Wieger To keep a roomful of precious stones, without any of it becoming misappropriated, is impossible; better not to amass this treasure.

World Accumulate great wealth, but be aware that you cannot keep it.

Wu Fill your house with gold and jade, And it can no longer be guarded.

Ch. 09 Sentence 4

Beck To be proud with honor and wealth is to cause one's own downfall.

Blackney Wealth, power and pride Bequeath their own doom.

Bynner Proud beyond measure You come to your knees:

Byrn Pride brings its own trouble.

Chan To be proud with honour and wealth Is to cause one's own downfall.

Cleary When the rich upper classes are haughty, their legacy indicts them.

Crowley Wealth and honours lead to arrogance and envy, and bring ruin. Is your way famous and your name becoming distinguished?

Hansen Rich, ennobled and thus proud bequeaths ruin.

LaFargue Rich, famous - and conceited: leading to a downfall self-caused.

Legge When wealth and honours lead to arrogance, this brings its evil on itself.

Lindauer Abundant treasures yet arrogance Self-condemnation, self-punishment.

LinYutan To be proud with wealth and honor Is to sow seeds of one's own downfall.

Mabry Being rich, highly esteemed and proud will only bring you trouble.

McDonald To be proud with things and glory given, could bring ruin. Wealth and place breed insolence and could slowly harm and ruin:

Merel Claim credit and honour and you easily fall;

Mitchell Care about people's approval and you will be their prisoner.

Muller Boasting of wealth and virtue brings your demise.

Red Pine the vanity of success invites its own failure

Ta-Kao Wealth and honour with pride bring with them destruction;

Walker Amass possessions, establish positions, display your pride: Soon enough disaster drives you to your knees.

Wieger No extreme can be maintained for a long time. Every height is followed by a decline. Likewise for a man. Whomsoever, having become rich and powerful, takes pride in himself, prepares thereby his own ruin.

World

Wu Set store by your riches and honour, And you will only reap a crop of calamities.

Ch. 09 Sentence 5

Beck Withdraw as soon as your work is done. Such is heaven's way.

Blackney When fame and success Come to you, then retire. This is the ordained Way.

Bynner Do enough, without vying, Be living, not dying.

Byrn When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the pathway to Heaven.

Chan withdraw as soon as your work is done. Such is Heaven's Way.

Cleary When one' work is accomplished honorably, to retire is the Way of heaven.

Crowley Withdraw, your work once done, into obscurity; this is the way of Heaven.

Hansen With success, disappear: this is the heavenly guide.

LaFargue Achieve successes, win the fame, remove yourself: Heaven's Way.

Legge When the work is done, and one's name is becoming distinguished, to withdraw into obscurity is the way of Heaven.

Lindauer Outstanding service performed The body withdrawing The tao of the heavens.

LinYutan Retire when your work is done, Such is Heaven's way.

Mabry When you have done a good job, rest. This is the Way of Heaven

McDonald If your work is done, withdraw! That's heaven's way. It can be opposed to lots of ways of man.

Merel Retire once your purpose is achieved - this is natural.

Mitchell Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity.

Muller After finishing the work, withdraw. This is the Way of Heaven.

Red Pine retire when your work is done this is the Way of Heaven

Ta-Kao To have accomplished merit and acquired fame, then to retire - This is the Tao of heaven.

Walker This is the way of heaven: do your work, then quietly step back.

Wieger To retire at the height of one's own merit and fame, that is the way of heaven.

World When a task is complete, move on. Change is the harmony of Infinity.

Wu Here is the Way of Heaven: When you have done your work, retire!

Ch. 09	Sentence 2
Beck	Temper a sword-edge to its very sharpest, and the edge will not last long.
Blackney	Scheme and be sharp And you'll not keep it long.
Bynner	A whetted saw Goes thin and dull,
Byrn	The sharper the knife the easier it is to dull.
Chan	Sharpen a sword edge to its very sharpest, And the (edge) will not last long.
Cleary	Calculated sharpness cannot be kept for long.
Crowley	Meddle not with a sharpened point by feeling it constantly, or it will soon become blunted.
Hansen	When you measure and build a pillar , you cannot preserve it for long.
LaFargue	In sharpening, if you keep trying - the edge won't last long.
Legge	If you keep feeling a point that has been sharpened, the point cannot long preserve its sharpness.
Lindauer	A sword blade being oversharpened Cannot long remain so
LinYutan	Temper a (sword-edge) to its very sharpest, And the edge will not last long.
Mabry	Over sharpen your sword and it will not protect you very long.
McDonald	Temper a sword-edge to its very sharpest, and you'll find it soon grows dull.
Merel	Temper a sword to its hardest and it is easily broken;
Mitchell	Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.
Muller	An over sharpened sword cannot last long.
Red Pine	making it sharper won't help it last longer
Ta-Kao	Handling and sharpening a blade - it cannot be long sustained;
Walker	Oversharpening a blade causes its edge to be lost.
Wieger	To keep an over-sharpened blade without its edge becoming blunt, is impossible; better not to sharpen it to this extreme.
World	Hone a sharpened blade and it will become blunt.
Wu	Keep on beating and sharpening a sword, And the edge cannot be preserved for long.

Ch. 09	Sentence 3
Beck	When gold and jade fill your hall, you will not be able to keep them safe.
Blackney	One can never guard His home when it's full Of jade and fine gold:
Bynner	Surrounded with treasure Your lie ill at ease,
Byrn	The more wealth you possess the harder it is to protect.
Chan	When gold and jade fill your hall, You will not be able to keep them.
Cleary	Though gold and jewels fill their house, no one can keep them.
Crowley	Gold and jade endanger the house of their possessor.
Hansen	When gold and jade fill the hall, you can't keep any of it.
LaFargue	When gold and jade fill the halls, no one can guard it all.
Legge	When gold and jade fill the hall, their possessor cannot keep them safe.
Lindauer	A living room full of gold and jade There is no one able to guard it
LinYutan	When gold and jade fill your hall, You will not be able to keep them safe.
Mabry	You may fill your halls with gold and jewels but you cannot keep them safe.
McDonald	When gold and jade fills your hall, can it be well guarded any more?
Merel	Amass the greatest treasure and it is easily stolen;
Mitchell	Chase after money and security and your heart will never unclench.
Muller	A room filled with gold and jewels cannot be protected.
Red Pine	houses full of treasure can never be safe
Ta-Kao	When gold and jade fill the hall, no one can protect them;
Walker	Line your home with treasures and you won't be able to defend it.
Wieger	To keep a roomful of precious stones, without any of it becoming misappropriated, is impossible; better not to amass this treasure.
World	Accumulate great wealth, but be aware that you cannot keep it.
Wu	Fill your house with gold and jade, And it can no longer be guarded.

Ch. 09	Sentence 4
Beck	To be proud with honor and wealth is to cause one's own downfall.
Blackney	Wealth, power and pride Bequeath their own doom.
Bynner	Proud beyond measure You come to your knees:
Byrn	Pride brings its own trouble.
Chan	To be proud with honour and wealth Is to cause one's own downfall.
Cleary	When the rich upper classes are haughty, their legacy indicts them.
Crowley	Wealth and honours lead to arrogance and envy, and bring ruin. Is your way famous and your name becoming distinguished?
Hansen	Rich, ennobled and thus proud bequeaths ruin.
LaFargue	Rich, famous - and conceited: leading to a downfall self-caused.
Legge	When wealth and honours lead to arrogance, this brings its evil on itself.
Lindauer	Abundant treasures yet arrogance Self-condemnation, self-punishment.
LinYutan	To be proud with wealth and honor Is to sow seeds of one's own downfall.
Mabry	Being rich, highly esteemed and proud will only bring you trouble.
McDonald	To be proud with things and glory given, could bring ruin. Wealth and place breed insolence and could slowly harm and ruin:
Merel	Claim credit and honour and you easily fall;
Mitchell	Care about people's approval and you will be their prisoner.
Muller	Boasting of wealth and virtue brings your demise.
Red Pine	the vanity of success invites its own failure
Ta-Kao	Wealth and honour with pride bring with them destruction;
Walker	Amass possessions, establish positions, display your pride: Soon enough disaster drives you to your knees.
Wieger	No extreme can be maintained for a long time. Every height is followed by a decline. Likewise for a man. Whomsoever, having become rich and powerful, takes pride in himself, prepares thereby his own ruin.
World
Wu	Set store by your riches and honour, And you will only reap a crop of calamities.

Ch. 09	Sentence 5
Beck	Withdraw as soon as your work is done. Such is heaven's way.
Blackney	When fame and success Come to you, then retire. This is the ordained Way.
Bynner	Do enough, without vying, Be living, not dying.
Byrn	When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the pathway to Heaven.
Chan	withdraw as soon as your work is done. Such is Heaven's Way.
Cleary	When one' work is accomplished honorably, to retire is the Way of heaven.
Crowley	Withdraw, your work once done, into obscurity; this is the way of Heaven.
Hansen	With success, disappear: this is the heavenly guide.
LaFargue	Achieve successes, win the fame, remove yourself: Heaven's Way.
Legge	When the work is done, and one's name is becoming distinguished, to withdraw into obscurity is the way of Heaven.
Lindauer	Outstanding service performed The body withdrawing The tao of the heavens.
LinYutan	Retire when your work is done, Such is Heaven's way.
Mabry	When you have done a good job, rest. This is the Way of Heaven
McDonald	If your work is done, withdraw! That's heaven's way. It can be opposed to lots of ways of man.
Merel	Retire once your purpose is achieved - this is natural.
Mitchell	Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity.
Muller	After finishing the work, withdraw. This is the Way of Heaven.
Red Pine	retire when your work is done this is the Way of Heaven
Ta-Kao	To have accomplished merit and acquired fame, then to retire - This is the Tao of heaven.
Walker	This is the way of heaven: do your work, then quietly step back.
Wieger	To retire at the height of one's own merit and fame, that is the way of heaven.
World	When a task is complete, move on. Change is the harmony of Infinity.
Wu	Here is the Way of Heaven: When you have done your work, retire!