Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing)
Classic of the Way and Virtue
道德經
Chapters 41-60

By Lao-Tzu (Laozi, Lao Tse, Lan Dan, Li Ehr)
Circa 500-300 BCE
Old Master, Old Sage, Long-eared Wise Man, Wise Child
老子

Thematic Index 41-60 Bibliography Thematic Index 1-81 Chapter Index 1-81 Taoism

"Which is more vital, fame or wealth?
Which is more precious, health or riches?
Which is more harmful, loss or gain?
The deeper the love,
the higher the cost.
The bigger the treasure,
the greater the loss.
Who knows contentment
suffers no shame.
Who knows restraint
encounters no trouble
and thus lives long."
- Translated by Red Pine, 1996

"Which is more cherished, the name or the body?
Which is worth more, the body or possessions?
Which is more beneficial, to gain or to loose.
Extreme fondness is necessarily very costly.
The more you cling to, the more you lose.
So knowing what is sufficient averts disgrace,
Knowing when to stop averts disaster,
This can lead to a longer life."
- Translated by Edward Brennan and Tao Huang, 2002

"Your fame or you self, which is closer to you?
You self or your possessions, which counts for more/
Gaining or losing, which brings the pain?
Indeed:
Very fond and much expended
Much hoarding and heaving loss.
Be content and there will be no disgrace.
Know to stop and there will be no danger."
- Translated by Michael LaFargue, 1992

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Chapter 45

Themes of Chapter
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 45, by Lao Tzu

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Chapter 46

Themes of Chapter
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 46, by Lao Tzu

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Chapter 47

Themes of Chapter
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 47, by Lao Tzu

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Chapter 48

Themes of Chapter
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 48, by Lao Tzu

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Chapter 49

Themes of Chapter
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 49, by Lao Tzu

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Chapter 50

Themes of Chapter
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 50, by Lao Tzu

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Chapter 51

Themes of Chapter
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 51, by Lao Tzu

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Chapter 52

Themes of Chapter
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 52, by Lao Tzu

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Chapter 53

Gain Insight, Extravagant Living, Straying from the Way, 益証
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 53, by Lao Tzu

If I were suddenly to become known, and put into a position to conduct a government according to the Great Dao,
What I should be most afraid of would be a boastful display.
The great Dao is very level and easy; but people love the by-ways.
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 Dao surely!"
- Translated by James Legge, 1891

"If I had the last bit of understanding
I would walk on the great Way.
Only display will be dangerous.
The great Way is very smooth but people love bypaths.
The court is very well kept
The fields are very weedy
The granaries very empty.
'Their clothes are fine and colorful
On their belts are sharp swords,
The are filled with food and drink'
A superabundance of expensive goods.
This is robbers boasting,
Certainly not the Way."
- Translated by Michael LaFargue, 1992

"If I have ever so little knowledge, I shall walk in the great Reason.
It is but expansion that I must fear.
The great Reason is very plain, but people are fond of bypaths.
When the palace is very splendid, the fields are very weedy and granaries very empty.
To wear ornaments and gay clothes, to carry sharp swords, to be excessive in drinking and eating,
To have an abundance of costly articles, this is the pride of robbers.
Surely, this is un-Reason."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913

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