Dao (道, the Way) in the Dao De Jing: Meaning and Occurrences

道dào可kě道dào非fēi常cháng道dào，

The way that can be followed is not the eternal Way.

道dào冲chōng而ér用yòng之zhī或huò不bù盈yíng，

The Way soars and consumes, without filling.

故gù几jī于yú道dào。

Thus is almost like the Way.

天tiān之zhī道dào。

The universal Way.

执zhí古gǔ之zhī道dào，以yǐ御yù今jīn之zhī有yǒu，

By holding to the ancient Way, you can protect yourself from present confusion.

能néng知zhī古gǔ始shǐ，是shì谓wèi道dào纪jì。

And know the primordial beginning. This is called the very beginning thread of the Way.

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.

天tiān乃nǎi道dào，道dào乃nǎi久jiǔ，

The universe is the Way, the Way is eternal.

大dà道dào废fèi，有yǒu仁rén义yì；

When the great Way perishes, appears humaneness and justice.

孔kǒng德dé之zhī容róng，惟wéi道dào是shì从cóng。

The great virtue's form, only originates from the Way.

道dào之zhī为wéi物wù，惟wéi恍huǎng惟wéi惚hū。

The Way as a "thing" is only obscure and vague.

故gù从cóng事shì于yú道dào者zhě，

Thus, by engaging with the Way,

道dào者zhě同tóng于yú道dào，

The daoist bonds with the Way,

同tóng于yú道dào者zhě，道dào亦yì乐lè得dé之zhī；

The daoist who bonds, is also gladly received by the Way.

其qí在zài道dào也yě，曰yuē余yú食shí赘zhuì行xíng。

Him who abides by the Way, calls these "leftover foods" and "wasted actions",

故gù有yǒu道dào者zhě不bù处chǔ。

Thus, the daoist does not act like this.

吾wú不bù知zhī其qí名míng，字zì之zhī曰yuē道dào，

I don't know its name. As a word, I label it the "Way".

故gù道dào大dà，天tiān大dà，

Hence, the Way is great, the universe is great,

天tiān法fǎ道dào，道dào法fǎ自zì然rán。

The cosmos is ruled by the Way, the Way is ruled by nature.

以yǐ道dào佐zuǒ人rén主zhǔ者zhě，

Using the Way to assist the ruler,

是shì谓wèi不bù道dào，不bù道dào早zǎo已yǐ。

This isn't called the Way, and has never been.

物wù或huò恶wù之zhī，故gù有yǒu道dào者zhě不bù处chǔ。

All things may loathe them, so one who has the Way does not keep them.

道dào常cháng无wú名míng，朴pǔ虽suī小xiǎo，

The Way is constantly nameless. Though the uncarved block is small,

譬pì道dào之zhī在zài天tiān下xià，

The Way in the world

大dà道dào泛fàn兮xī，其qí可kě左zuǒ右yòu。

The great Way flows everywhere; it can go left or right.

道dào之zhī出chū口kǒu，

But when the Way is spoken,

道dào常cháng无wú为wéi而ér无wú不bù为wéi，

The Way constantly practices non-action, yet nothing is left undone.

故gù失shī道dào而ér后hòu德dé，失shī德dé而ér后hòu仁rén，

So when the Way is lost, there is virtue; when virtue is lost, there is humaneness;

前qián识shí者zhě，道dào之zhī华huá而ér愚yú之zhī始shǐ。

Foreknowledge is the flower of the Way and the beginning of folly.

反fǎn者zhě，道dào之zhī动dòng；

Returning is the movement of the Way;

弱ruò者zhě，道dào之zhī用yòng。

weakness is the use of the Way.

上shàng士shì闻wén道dào，

When the superior scholar hears of the Way,

中zhōng士shì闻wén道dào，

when the average scholar hears of the Way,

下xià士shì闻wén道dào，大dà笑xiào之zhī。

when the lesser scholar hears of the Way, he laughs out loud at it.

不bù笑xiào不bù足zú以yǐ为wéi道dào。

If he did not laugh, it would not be the Way.

明míng道dào若ruò昧mèi，进jìn道dào若ruò退tuì，

The bright Way seems dark, the Way forward seems to go back,

夷yí道dào若ruò颣lèi，上shàng德dé若ruò谷gǔ，

the smooth Way seems rough, the highest virtue seems like a valley,

道dào隐yǐn无wú名míng。

the Way is hidden and nameless.

夫fú唯wéi道dào，善shàn贷dài且qiě成chéng。

Only the Way is good at giving and at completing.

道dào生shēng一yī，

The Way gives birth to one,

天tiān下xià有yǒu道dào，却què走zǒu马mǎ以yǐ粪fèn。

When the world has the Way, galloping horses are sent back to manure the fields.

天tiān下xià无wú道dào，戎róng马mǎ生shēng于yú郊jiāo。

When the world lacks the Way, warhorses are bred on the borders.

不bù窥kuī牖yǒu，见jiàn天tiān道dào。

without looking out of the window, one sees the Way of heaven.

为wéi学xué日rì益yì，为wéi道dào日rì损sǔn。

Pursuing learning, one gains every day; pursuing the Way, one loses every day.

道dào生shēng之zhī，德dé畜xù之zhī，物wù形xíng之zhī，

The Way gives them life, virtue nourishes them, things shape them,

是shì以yǐ万wàn物wù莫mò不bù尊zūn道dào而ér贵guì德dé。

So among the myriad things none fails to honor the Way and value virtue.

道dào之zhī尊zūn，德dé之zhī贵guì，夫fú莫mò之zhī命mìng而ér常cháng自zì然rán。

The Way is honored and virtue valued not by anyone's command, but always of themselves.

故gù道dào生shēng之zhī，德dé畜xù之zhī。

So the Way gives them life and virtue nourishes them.

使shǐ我wǒ介jiè然rán有yǒu知zhī，行xíng于yú大dà道dào，

If I had the least knowledge, walking on the great Way,

大dà道dào甚shèn夷yí，而ér民mín好hào径jìng。

The great Way is very smooth, yet people love side paths.

非fēi道dào也yě哉zāi！

This is not the Way!

谓wèi之zhī不bù道dào，

this is called going against the Way,

不bù道dào早zǎo已yǐ。

and what goes against the Way soon ends.

是shì谓wèi深shēn根gēn固gù柢dǐ，长cháng生shēng久jiǔ视shì之zhī道dào。

This is called deep roots and a firm base, the Way of long life and lasting sight.

以yǐ道dào莅lì天tiān下xià，其qí鬼guǐ不bù神shén；

When the Way presides over the world, ghosts have no power;

道dào者zhě万wàn物wù之zhī奥ào。

The Way is the hidden refuge of the myriad things,

不bù如rú坐zuò进jìn此cǐ道dào。

it is better to sit still and offer this Way.

古gǔ之zhī所suǒ以yǐ贵guì此cǐ道dào者zhě何hé？

Why did the ancients value this Way?

古gǔ之zhī善shàn为wéi道dào者zhě，非fēi以yǐ明míng民mín，

Those of old who were good at the Way did not use it to make the people clever,

天tiān下xià皆jiē谓wèi我wǒ道dào大dà，

Everyone in the world says my Way is great,

天tiān之zhī道dào，不bù争zhēng而ér善shàn胜shèng，

The Way of heaven does not contend, yet is good at winning;

天tiān之zhī道dào，其qí犹yóu张zhāng弓gōng与yú？

Is the Way of heaven not like drawing a bow?

天tiān之zhī道dào，损sǔn有yǒu余yú而ér补bǔ不bù足zú。

The Way of heaven reduces what has too much and adds to what has too little.

人rén之zhī道dào则zé不bù然rán，

The way of people is not so:

唯wéi有yǒu道dào者zhě。

Only one who has the Way.

天tiān道dào无wú亲qīn，常cháng与yǔ善shàn人rén。

The Way of heaven has no favorites; it is always with the good.

天tiān之zhī道dào，利lì而ér不bù害hài；

The Way of heaven benefits and does not harm;

圣shèng人rén之zhī道dào，为wéi而ér不bù争zhēng。

the Way of the sage acts and does not contend.