Origin of the Law, Oneness, Power of the Dao, Root of Order, Source of Authority, 法本
"The things which from of old have got the One, the Tao, are:
Heaven which by it is bright and pure;
Earth rendered thereby firm and sure;
Spirits with powers by it supplied;
Valleys kept full throughout their void
All creatures which through it do live
Princes and kings who from it get
The model which to all they give.
All these are the results of the One, the Tao.
If heaven were not thus pure, it soon would rend;
If earth were not thus sure, it would break and bend;
Without these powers, the spirits soon would fail;
If not so filled, the drought would parch each vale;
Without that life, creatures would pass away;
Princes and kings, without that moral sway,
However grand and high, would all decay.
Thus it is that dignity finds its firm root in its previous meanness, and what
is lofty finds its stability in the lowness from which it rises.
Hence princes and kings call themselves 'Orphans,' 'Men of small virtue,' and as
'Carriages without a nave.'
Is not this an acknowledgment that in their considering themselves mean they see
the foundation of their dignity?
So it is that in the enumeration of the different parts of a carriage we do not
come on what makes it answer the ends of a carriage.
They do not wish to show themselves as elegant-looking as jade, but prefer to be
coarse-looking as an ordinary stone."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891,
Chapter 39
By Alexander and Annellen Simpkins. 
Translated by Thomas Cleary. 
By Ming-Dao Deng.
Translation by Burton Watson, Stephen Addiss, and Stanley Lombardo. 
Translation by Stephen Mitchell.
"From of old these things have obtained oneness:
Heaven by oneness becometh pure.
Earth by oneness can endure.
Minds by oneness souls procure.
Valleys by oneness repletion secure.
All creatures by oneness to life have been called.
And kings were by oneness as models installed.
Such is the result of oneness.
Were heaven not pure it might be rent.
Were earth not stable it might be bent.
Were minds not ensouled they'd be impotent.
Were valleys not filled they'd soon be spent.
When creatures are lifeless who can their death prevent?
Are kings not models, but on haughtiness bent,
Their fall, forsooth, is imminent.
Thus, the nobles come from the commoners as their root, and the high rest
upon the lowly as their foundation.
Therefore, princes and kings call themselves
orphaned, lonely, and unworthy.
Is this not because they take lowliness as their
root?
The several parts of a carriage are not a carriage.
Those who have become a unity are neither anxious to be praised with
praise like a gem, nor disdained with disdain like a stone."
- Translated by
Daisetsu Teitaro Suzuki and
Paul Carus, 1913, Chapter 39
Annotated and Explained by Derek Lin and Lama Surya Das. 
Translation and commentary by Victor Mair. 
Translation by John Wu.
"In harmony with the Tao,
the sky is clear and spacious,
the earth is solid and full,
all creature flourish together,
content with the way they are,
endlessly repeating themselves,
endlessly renewed.
When man interferes with the Tao,
the sky becomes filthy,
the earth becomes depleted,
the equilibrium crumbles,
creatures become extinct.
The Master views the parts with compassion,
because he understands the whole.
His constant practice is humility.
He doesn't glitter like a jewel
but lets himself be shaped by the Tao,
as rugged and common as stone."
- Translated by
Stephen Mitchell, Chapter 39
Translation and elucidation by Hua Ching Ni
Translated by Brian Walker
Translated by Lionel and and Herbert Giles
By Eva Wong
Tao Te Ching
Commentary, Interpretations, Research Tools, Resources
Chapter 39
Tao Te Ching: The Definitive Edition
By Jonathan Star. Translation, commentary and research tools. New York, Jeremy P. Tarcher, Penguin, 2001. Concordance, tables, appendices, 349 pages. A
new rendition of the Tao Te Ching is provided, then a verbatim translation with
extensive notes. Detailed tables for each verse provide line number, all
the Chinese characters, Wade-Giles romanization, and a list of meanings for
each character. An excellent reference tool!
Yellow Bridge
Dao De Jing Comparison Table, Chapter 39 Provides side by side comparisons of translations of the Tao Te
Ching by James Legge,
D. T. Suzuki, and Dwight Goddard. Chinese characters for each paragraph in
the Chapter are on the left; place your cursor over the Chinese characters to
see the Pinyin romanization of the Chinese character and a list of meanings.
The Complete Works of Lao Tzu: Tao Teh Ching & Hua Hu Ching
Tao Te Ching Commentaries - Google Search
Tao Te Ching: A
Bibliography and Index of Translations on the Web
Chapter 39 in the
Rambling
Taoist Commentaries by Trey Smith. The
Rambling Taoists are Trey Smith and Scott Bradley.
Lao-tzu's Taoteching
Lao Tzu: Te-Tao Ching - A New Translation Based on the Recently Discovered Ma-wang-tui
Texts (Classics of Ancient China)
Tao Te Ching
Next Chapter of the Tao Te Ching #40
Previous Chapter of the Tao Te Ching #38
Chapter and Thematic Index to the Tao Te Ching
Gushen Grove Notebooks for the Tao Te Ching
February 7, 2011
Green
Way Research, Valley Spirit
Grove, Gushen Grove Notebooks, Red Bluff, California
This webpage was first distributed online on February 7, 2011
Brief Biography of Michael P. Garofalo, M.S.
Valley Spirit Grove, Red Bluff, California
Ripening Peaches: Daoist
Studies and Practices
One Old Druid's Final Journey: Notebooks of the Librarian of Gushen Grove
The Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing) by Lao Tzu (Laozi) circa 500 BCE