Classical grammar words in the Dao De Jing
以 yǐ
In the Dao De Jing, 以 (yǐ) most often means “by means of” or “with” (60 times), then “in order to” (25), “to take as” in 以…为… (15), “because” (12) and, as a noun, “a purpose” (5).
以 is at root a verb, “to use”, and in classical Chinese it mostly works as a preposition: it introduces the tool, the way or the reason of an action, as in 报怨以德, repay resentment with virtue. Between two verbs it says what the first is for.
Modern Chinese keeps it in formal words: 以便, “so that”, 以为, “to think”, 所以, “so”, 可以, “can”. In speech the instrument is 用, the purpose 来 or 为了, and 以 A 为 B has become 把 A 当作 B.
以 as “by means of, with”
Pattern 以 + noun + verb / verb + 以 + noun
As a preposition, 以 introduces the means, the tool or the manner of an action: “by”, “with”, “through”. The phrase usually comes before the verb, but it can follow it: 以正治国, “Govern the state by what is upright;” (chapter 57); 报怨以德, “repay resentment with virtue.” (chapter 63). When its object is understood, 以 alone means “by it”: 求以得, “by it, those who seek find” (chapter 62).
60 times in 54 lines.
孰能浊以静之徐清？
Who can be muddled, and use clarity to gradually become lucid?
Chapter 15, line 9孰能安以久动之徐生？
Who can be calm, and use constant application for eventual success?
Chapter 15, line 10以阅众甫。
and the study of all its origins.
Chapter 21, line 8以此。
By this.
Chapter 21, line 10周行而不殆，可以为天下母。
It revolves without tiring, and could be the mother of the world.
Chapter 25, line 3而以身轻天下？
that are so concerned with themselves as to disregard the rest of the world?
Chapter 26, line 5
Show 48 more lines
以道佐人主者，
Using the Way to assist the ruler,
Chapter 30, line 1不以兵强天下，
is not a means to dominate people by military force.
Chapter 30, line 2善者果而已，不敢以取强。
Great virtue brings results, nothing else. Do not dare to use violence.
Chapter 30, line 6言以丧礼处之。
which means war is treated as a funeral.
Chapter 31, line 13杀人之众，以哀悲泣之，
When many people are killed, weep for them in grief and sorrow.
Chapter 31, line 14战胜，以丧礼处之。
A victory in war is treated as a funeral.
Chapter 31, line 15知止可以不殆。
Knowing when to stop, one can avoid danger.
Chapter 32, line 9国之利器不可以示人。
the sharp tools of the state must not be shown to people.
Chapter 36, line 8吾将镇之以无名之朴。
I would calm them with the nameless uncarved block.
Chapter 37, line 5天无以清将恐裂，
If heaven were not clear, it might split;
Chapter 39, line 6地无以宁将恐废，
if earth were not calm, it might fall to ruin;
Chapter 39, line 7神无以灵将恐歇，
if the spirits were not potent, they might fade away;
Chapter 39, line 8谷无以盈将恐竭，
if the valley were not full, it might run dry;
Chapter 39, line 9万物无以生将恐灭，
if the myriad things did not live, they might perish;
Chapter 39, line 10侯王无以贵高将恐蹶。
if lords and kings were not noble and high, they might fall.
Chapter 39, line 11冲气以为和。
and the rising breath makes them one in harmony.
Chapter 42, line 5知止不殆，可以长久。
knowing when to stop, you are not in danger, and can last long.
Chapter 44, line 6取天下常以无事，
One wins the world by constantly leaving it alone;
Chapter 48, line 4子孙以祭祀不辍。
and children and grandchildren will keep up the offerings without end.
Chapter 54, line 3故以身观身，以家观家，
So observe the self through the self, the family through the family,
Chapter 54, line 9以乡观乡，以国观国，
the village through the village, the state through the state,
Chapter 54, line 10以天下观天下。
the world through the world.
Chapter 54, line 11吾何以知天下之然哉？以此。
How do I know the world is so? By this.
Chapter 54, line 12以正治国，以奇用兵，
Govern the state by what is upright; wage war by surprise;
Chapter 57, line 1以无事取天下。
win the world by leaving it alone.
Chapter 57, line 2吾何以知其然哉？以此。
How do I know it is so? By this:
Chapter 57, line 3莫知其极，可以有国；
when no one knows one's limits, one can hold a state;
Chapter 59, line 6有国之母，可以长久；
holding the mother of the state, one can last long.
Chapter 59, line 7以道莅天下，其鬼不神；
When the Way presides over the world, ghosts have no power;
Chapter 60, line 2天下之牝，牝常以静胜牡，
It is the female of the world. The female always overcomes the male by stillness;
Chapter 61, line 3以静为下。
by stillness she takes the lower place.
Chapter 61, line 4故大国以下小国，
So when a great state places itself below a small state,
Chapter 61, line 5小国以下大国，则取大国。
when a small state places itself below a great state, it wins the great state.
Chapter 61, line 7美言可以市，尊行可以加人。
Fine words can be sold; noble deeds can raise a person up.
Chapter 62, line 3虽有拱璧以先驷马，
though there be jade discs held in both hands, followed by teams of four horses,
Chapter 62, line 6不曰求以得，有罪以免邪？
Is it not said: by it, those who seek find, and those who have done wrong are spared?
Chapter 62, line 9大小多少，报怨以德。
Treat the small as great and the few as many; repay resentment with virtue.
Chapter 63, line 3故以智治国，国之贼，
So to govern a state with cleverness is to rob the state;
Chapter 65, line 4不以智治国，国之福。
not to govern a state with cleverness is a blessing for the state.
Chapter 65, line 5是以欲上民，必以言下之。
So to be above the people, one must speak as one below them;
Chapter 66, line 4欲先民，必以身后之。
to lead the people, one must put oneself behind them.
Chapter 66, line 5夫慈以战则胜，以守则固。
With compassion, one wins in battle and holds firm in defense.
Chapter 67, line 14天将救之，以慈卫之。
Heaven will save such a one, and guard him with compassion.
Chapter 67, line 15奈何以死惧之？
why threaten them with death?
Chapter 74, line 2其无以易之。
for nothing can take its place.
Chapter 78, line 3安可以为善？
how can this be called good?
Chapter 79, line 2既以为人己愈有，
The more he does for others, the more he has;
Chapter 81, line 7既以与人己愈多。
the more he gives to others, the more he gains.
Chapter 81, line 8
以 as “in order to”
Pattern Verb 1 + 以 + Verb 2
Between two verbs, 以 says what the first action is for, or what comes of it: “to”, “so as to”, “and so”. Example: 却走马以粪, “galloping horses are sent back to manure the fields.” (chapter 46). In chapter 39 it marks the result: 天得一以清, “heaven attained the One and became clear,”.
25 times in 23 lines.
故常无欲，以观其妙，
Therefore, ever desireless, one can see the cosmos' mystery,
Chapter 1, line 5常有欲，以观其徼。
ever desiring, one merely sees its manifestations.
Chapter 1, line 6埏埴以为器，
Mold some clay to make a pot,
Chapter 11, line 4凿户牖以为室，
Cut a door and windows to create a room,
Chapter 11, line 7执古之道，以御今之有，
By holding to the ancient Way, you can protect yourself from present confusion.
Chapter 14, line 10万物并作，吾以观复。
The myriad things act in concert, I therefore watch their return.
Chapter 16, line 2
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天地相合以降甘露，
Heaven and earth would join and let sweet dew fall,
Chapter 32, line 5不欲以静，
Without desire there is stillness,
Chapter 37, line 8昔之得一者，天得一以清，
Of old, these attained the One: heaven attained the One and became clear,
Chapter 39, line 1地得一以宁，神得一以灵，
earth attained the One and became calm, the spirits attained the One and became potent,
Chapter 39, line 2谷得一以盈，万物得一以生，
the valley attained the One and became full, the myriad things attained the One and came to life,
Chapter 39, line 3侯王得一以为天下贞。
lords and kings attained the One and became the standard of the world.
Chapter 39, line 4不笑不足以为道。
If he did not laugh, it would not be the Way.
Chapter 41, line 6天下有道，却走马以粪。
When the world has the Way, galloping horses are sent back to manure the fields.
Chapter 46, line 1损之又损，以至于无为。
Losing and losing again, one arrives at non-action.
Chapter 48, line 2及其有事，不足以取天下。
as soon as one meddles, one is not fit to win the world.
Chapter 48, line 5既得其母，以知其子，
Having found the mother, one knows the children;
Chapter 52, line 2故或下以取，
So one wins by lowering itself,
Chapter 61, line 8以辅万物之自然，而不敢为。
He helps the myriad things to be as they are of themselves, and does not dare to act.
Chapter 64, line 18古之善为道者，非以明民，
Those of old who were good at the Way did not use it to make the people clever,
Chapter 65, line 1将以愚之。
but to keep them simple.
Chapter 65, line 2损不足以奉有余。
it takes from those who have too little to give to those who have too much.
Chapter 77, line 7孰能有余以奉天下？
Who can take what he has in excess and give it to the world?
Chapter 77, line 8
以 as “to take (as)”
Pattern 以 A 为 B
In the frame 以 A 为 B, 以 means “take A as B”, “treat A as B”: the speaker sees or uses A in the role of B. Example: 以万物为刍狗, “they treat all things like ritual dolls.” (chapter 5). When A is clear from what came before, it is dropped and 以 and 为 meet: 吾将以为教父, “I will make this the father of my teaching.” (chapter 42).
15 times in 14 lines.
天地不仁，以万物为刍狗；
Heaven and earth are inhumane, they treat all things like ritual dolls.
Chapter 5, line 1圣人不仁，以百姓为刍狗。
The sage is inhumane, he treats the people like ritual dolls.
Chapter 5, line 2故有之以为利，
Therefore, presence brings benefits,
Chapter 11, line 9无之以为用。
absence brings utility.
Chapter 11, line 10故贵以身为天下，
Consequently, one who values his body as he values the world
Chapter 13, line 11爱以身为天下，
one who loves his body as he loves the world
Chapter 13, line 13
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此三者，以为文不足，
These above three, are insufficiently described by mere words,
Chapter 19, line 4故贵以贱为本，高以下为基。
So the noble has the humble as its root, and the high has the low as its base.
Chapter 39, line 12此非以贱为本邪？非乎？
Is this not taking the humble as the root? Is it not?
Chapter 39, line 14而王公以为称。
yet kings and lords use these as their titles.
Chapter 42, line 7吾将以为教父。
I will make this the father of my teaching.
Chapter 42, line 12以百姓心为心。
he makes the people's mind his mind.
Chapter 49, line 2天下有始，以为天下母。
The world has a beginning, which is the mother of the world.
Chapter 52, line 1夫唯无以生为者，
Only those who do not live for living
Chapter 75, line 8
以 as “because, by”
Pattern 以其 + clause
以 can give a reason: “because”, “since”. In the book it always comes as 以其 and a clause, “because it…”, “because he…”, often closing an argument: 以其不争, “Because he does not contend,” (chapter 66). Chapter 75 uses it three times to explain why the people suffer.
12 times in 12 lines.
以其不自生，
Is that they do not foster themselves.
Chapter 7, line 3非以其无私邪？
Is he not selfless?
Chapter 7, line 7以其终不自为大，
Because it never makes itself great,
Chapter 34, line 8以其生生之厚。
Because they cling too hard to living.
Chapter 50, line 8以其无死地。
Because he has no place of death in him.
Chapter 50, line 14民之难治，以其智多。
People are hard to govern because they are too clever.
Chapter 65, line 3
Show 6 more lines
以其善下之，
because they are good at being below them;
Chapter 66, line 2以其不争，故天下莫能与之争。
Because he does not contend, no one in the world can contend with him.
Chapter 66, line 9圣人不病，以其病病，
The sage is not sick, because he recognizes the sickness as sickness;
Chapter 71, line 4民之饥，以其上食税之多，
The people go hungry because those above eat up too much in taxes;
Chapter 75, line 1民之难治，以其上之有为，
The people are hard to govern because those above meddle;
Chapter 75, line 3以其上求生之厚，
because those above seek too much from life;
Chapter 75, line 6
以 as “a use, a purpose”
Pattern 有以 / 无以
Rarely, 以 is a noun: “a use”, “a reason”, “something to go on”. It comes after 有, “have”, or 无, “not have”: 众人皆有以, “Everyone has a purpose,” (chapter 20). In chapter 38, 无以为 and 有以为 are often read as having no motive, or a motive, for acting.
5 times in 5 lines.
众人皆有以，而我独顽似鄙。
Everyone has a purpose, whereas I am alone, stubborn as a scoundrel.
Chapter 20, line 19上德无为而无以为，
Superior virtue does not act, and has no motive for acting.
Chapter 38, line 3下德为之而有以为。
Inferior virtue acts, and has a motive for acting.
Chapter 38, line 4上仁为之而无以为，
Superior humaneness acts, but has no motive for acting.
Chapter 38, line 5上义为之而有以为，
Superior justice acts, and has a motive for acting.
Chapter 38, line 6
How to tell them apart
Find what 以 introduces. A noun after it, before or after the main verb, is the means: “by”, “with”. A second verb after it, following a first one, is the purpose or the result: “to”, “and so”. A 为 later in the phrase signals “take A as B”. 以其 followed by a clause is “because”.
Chapter 57 asks 吾何以知其然哉？以此。 “How do I know it is so? By this:”. The answer, 以此, “by this”, is the means. The question word 何以, “how”, and 是以, “therefore”, and 所以, “the reason why”, are words of their own in the glossary and are not counted here. The 以 of 可以, “can”, is counted with the means: in classical Chinese 可以 is still read as “can, by it”.