第十五章 Dao De Jing · Chapter 15

The ancient masters of the Way were subtle and cautious, and did not seek fullness.

古gǔ之zhī善shàn为wéi士shì者zhě，微wēi妙miào玄xuán通tōng，深shēn不bù可kě识shí。

The ancient masters of the Way had subtle marvelous mystic penetration; a depth that cannot be known.
夫fú唯wéi不bù可kě识shí，故gù强qiǎng为wéi之zhī容róng。

The disciple solely can not know, hence he is forced to pay attention to its appearance.
豫yù焉yān若ruò冬dōng涉shè川chuān，

Apprehend it akin to wade across a river in the winter.
犹yóu兮xī若ruò畏wèi四sì邻lín，

Just like one afraid of his neighbors on all sides.
俨yǎn兮xī其qí若ruò容róng，

Respectful, towards its outer appearance.
涣huàn兮xī若ruò冰bīng之zhī将jiāng释shì，

Like ice, ever melting away before revealing itself.
敦dūn兮xī其qí若ruò朴pǔ，

Considerate towards its simplicity.
旷kuàng兮xī其qí若ruò谷gǔ，混hùn兮xī其qí若ruò浊zhuó。

Open, like a valley. Obscure, like muddy water.
孰shú能néng浊zhuó以yǐ静jìng之zhī徐xú清qīng？

Who can be muddled, and use clarity to gradually become lucid?
孰shú能néng安ān以yǐ久jiǔ动dòng之zhī徐xú生shēng？

Who can be calm, and use constant application for eventual success?
保bǎo此cǐ道dào者zhě不bù欲yù盈yíng，

The one who holds to this Way does not crave fulfillment.
夫fú唯wéi不bù盈yíng，故gù能néng蔽bì不bù新xīn成chéng。

Precisely because he does not crave fulfillment, can he preserve himself and avoid the lure of new accomplishment.

Words in this chapter

Words in chapter 15, with pinyin and meaning
Word	Pinyin	Meaning
古	gǔ	antiquity, ancient
之	zhī	of, 's (linking particle)
善	shàn	to be good at
为	wéi	to be, to count as
士	shì	scholar
者	zhě	one who, that which
微	wēi	subtle, minute
妙	miào	subtle wonder
玄	xuán	mystery, mysterious
通	tōng	penetrating, all-pervading
深	shēn	deep, profound
不	bù	not
可	kě	can be
识	shí	to fathom, to know
夫唯	fú wéi	precisely because
故	gù	therefore
强	qiǎng	forcibly, by effort
为	wéi	to act, to do, to make
之	zhī	it, them (object)
容	róng	form, bearing
豫	yù	hesitant, cautious
焉	yān	-ly (descriptive suffix)
若	ruò	like, as if
冬	dōng	winter
涉	shè	to wade across
川	chuān	river, stream
犹	yóu	wary, hesitant
兮	xī	ah (particle)
畏	wèi	to fear, to dread
四	sì	four, every direction
邻	lín	neighbors
俨	yǎn	grave, dignified
其	qí	it, he, they (subject)
涣	huàn	melting, dispersing
冰	bīng	ice
之	zhī	that (clause particle)
将	jiāng	about to; to intend
释	shì	to melt, to thaw
敦	dūn	solid, simple
朴	pǔ	the uncarved block
旷	kuàng	open, wide
谷	gǔ	valley
混	hùn	to merge, blended
浊	zhuó	muddy, turbid
孰	shú	who, which
能	néng	can, to be able
以	yǐ	by means of, with
静	jìng	stillness, still
徐	xú	slowly
清	qīng	clear
安	ān	calm, at rest
久	jiǔ	lasting, long
动	dòng	to move
生	shēng	to produce, give life, arise
保	bǎo	to keep, preserve
此	cǐ	this, these
道	dào	the Way
欲	yù	desire, to desire
盈	yíng	full, to fill
蔽	bì	to stay worn
新	xīn	new, renewed
成	chéng	to complete, accomplish

Compare: James Legge (1891)

The skilful masters (of the Tao) in old times, with a subtle and exquisite penetration, comprehended its mysteries, and were deep (also) so as to elude men's knowledge. As they were thus beyond men's knowledge, I will make an effort to describe of what sort they appeared to be.

Shrinking looked they like those who wade through a stream in winter; irresolute like those who are afraid of all around them; grave like a guest (in awe of his host); evanescent like ice that is melting away; unpretentious like wood that has not been fashioned into anything; vacant like a valley, and dull like muddy water.

Who can (make) the muddy water (clear)? Let it be still, and it will gradually become clear. Who can secure the condition of rest? Let movement go on, and the condition of rest will gradually arise.

They who preserve this method of the Tao do not wish to be full (of themselves). It is through their not being full of themselves that they can afford to seem worn and not appear new and complete.

Public domain. Source: Wikisource.

Meaning of chapter 15

Chapter 15 portrays the masters of old who were good at the Way. They were too deep to be known, so the speaker can only try to describe how they appeared. Seven similes follow: hesitant, as if wading a river in winter; wary, as if fearing the neighbors on every side; grave, like a guest; loosening, like ice about to melt; plain, like 朴 (the uncarved block); open, like a valley; murky, like muddy water.

Two questions follow. Who can make muddy water gradually clear by stilling it? Who can make what is at rest gradually come to life by moving it? The chapter ends with those who keep this Way: they do not seek to be full, and because they are not full, they can wear out without needing to be made new.

Several words are uncertain. In line 1 Wang Bi's text reads 士, an officer or scholar, where the silk manuscripts read 道, which is why the house English says "masters of the Way". In line 5 many editions read 客, a guest, for Wang Bi's 容, bearing. 蔽 in the last line is read as 敝, worn. The uncarved block returns in chapters 19 and 28.

Text

Meaning of chapter 15