Knowledge Wanders North｜Zhuangzi

知（zhī）北（běi）游（yóu）于（yú）玄（xuán）水（shuǐ）之（zhī）上（shàng），（）登（dēng）隐（yǐn）弅（fèn）之（zhī）丘（qiū），（）而（ér）适（shì）遭（zāo）无（wú）为（wéi）谓（wèi）焉（yān）。（）知（zhī）谓（wèi）无（wú）为（wéi）谓（wèi）曰（yuē）：（）“（）予（yǔ）欲（yù）有（yǒu）问（wèn）乎（hū）若（ruò）：（）何（hé）思（sī）何（hé）虑（lǜ）则（zé）知（zhī）道（dào）？（）何（hé）处（chǔ）何（hé）服（fú）则（zé）安（ān）道（dào）？（）何（hé）从（cóng）何（hé）道（dào）则（zé）得（dé）道（dào）？（）”（）

Zhi was traveling north upon the Dark Water. He climbed Yinfen Hill and happened to meet Wuwei Wei. Zhi said to Wuwei Wei, 'I wish to ask you: What should one think and ponder in order to know the Way? Where should one dwell and how should one act in order to be at peace in the Way? What should one follow, and by what path can one obtain the Way?'

三（sān）问（wèn）而（ér）无（wú）为（wéi）谓（wèi）不（bù）答（dá）也（yě）。（）非（fēi）不（bù）答（dá），（）不（bù）知（zhī）答（dá）也（yě）。（）知（zhī）不（bù）得（dé）问（wèn），（）反（fǎn）于（yú）白（bái）水（shuǐ）之（zhī）南（nán），（）登（dēng）狐（hú）阕（què）之（zhī）上（shàng），（）而（ér）睹（dǔ）狂（kuáng）屈（qū）焉（yān）。（）知（zhī）以（yǐ）之（zhī）言（yán）也（yě）问（wèn）乎（hū）狂（kuáng）屈（qū）。（）狂（kuáng）屈（qū）曰（yuē）：（）“（）唉（āi）！（）予（yǔ）知（zhī）之（zhī），（）将（jiāng）语（yǔ）若（ruò），（）中（zhōng）欲（yù）言（yán）而（ér）忘（wàng）其（qí）所（suǒ）欲（yù）言（yán）。（）”（）

Zhi asked three times, but Wuwei Wei gave no answer. It was not that he would not answer; he did not know how to answer. Since Zhi could get no answer, he returned south of the White Water, climbed up to Huque, and saw Kuang Qu. Zhi put the same questions to Kuang Qu. Kuang Qu said, 'Ah! I know it. I was going to tell you, but just as I was about to speak I forgot what I meant to say.'

知（zhī）不（bù）得（dé）问（wèn），（）反（fǎn）于（yú）帝（dì）宫（gōng），（）见（jiàn）黄（huáng）帝（dì）而（ér）问（wèn）焉（yān）。（）黄（huáng）帝（dì）曰（yuē）：（）“（）无（wú）思（sī）无（wú）虑（lǜ）始（shǐ）知（zhī）道（dào），（）无（wú）处（chǔ）无（wú）服（fú）始（shǐ）安（ān）道（dào），（）无（wú）从（cóng）无（wú）道（dào）始（shǐ）得（dé）道（dào）。（）”（）

Zhi could get no answer. He returned to the emperor's palace, saw the Yellow Emperor, and asked him. The Yellow Emperor said, 'Only by not thinking and not deliberating does one begin to know the Way. Only by having no dwelling place and no practice does one begin to rest in the Way. Only by following nothing and taking no path does one begin to obtain the Way.'

知（zhī）问（wèn）黄（huáng）帝（dì）曰（yuē）：（）“（）我（wǒ）与（yǔ）若（ruò）知（zhī）之（zhī），（）彼（bǐ）与（yǔ）彼（bǐ）不（bù）知（zhī）也（yě），（）其（qí）孰（shú）是（shì）邪（xié）？（）”（）

Zhi asked Huangdi, 'I and you know it; those two do not know it. Which of us is right?'

黄（huáng）帝（dì）曰（yuē）：（）“（）彼（bǐ）无（wú）为（wéi）谓（wèi）真（zhēn）是（shì）也（yě），（）狂（kuáng）屈（qū）似（shì）之（zhī），（）我（wǒ）与（yǔ）汝（rǔ）终（zhōng）不（bù）近（jìn）也（yě）。（）夫（fū）知（zhī）者（zhě）不（bù）言（yán），（）言（yán）者（zhě）不（bù）知（zhī），（）故（gù）圣（shèng）人（rén）行（xíng）不（bù）言（yán）之（zhī）教（jiào）。（）道（dào）不（bù）可（kě）致（zhì），（）德（dé）不（bù）可（kě）至（zhì）。（）仁（rén）可（kě）为（wèi）也（yě），（）义（yì）可（kě）亏（kuī）也（yě），（）礼（lǐ）相（xiāng）伪（wěi）也（yě）。（）故（gù）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）失（shī）道（dào）而（ér）后（hòu）德（dé），（）失（shī）德（dé）而（ér）后（hòu）仁（rén），（）失（shī）仁（rén）而（ér）后（hòu）义（yì），（）失（shī）义（yì）而（ér）后（hòu）礼（lǐ）。（）’（）

Huangdi said, 'Wuwei Wei is truly right; Kuangqu resembles him; I and you, in the end, are not near. Those who know do not speak; those who speak do not know. Therefore the sage practices the teaching without words. The Way cannot be attained; virtue cannot be reached. Benevolence can be practiced; righteousness can be diminished; ritual is mutual pretence. Hence it is said: ‘Lose the Way, and then there is virtue; lose virtue, and then there is benevolence; lose benevolence, and then there is righteousness; lose righteousness, and then there is ritual.’'

礼（lǐ）者（zhě），（）道（dào）之（zhī）华（huá）而（ér）乱（luàn）之（zhī）首（shǒu）也（yě）。（）故（gù）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）为（wéi）道（dào）者（zhě）日（rì）损（sǔn），（）损（sǔn）之（zhī）又（yòu）损（sǔn）之（zhī），（）以（yǐ）至（zhì）于（yú）无（wú）为（wéi）。（）无（wú）为（wéi）而（ér）无（wú）不（bù）为（wéi）也（yě）。（）’（）

Ritual is the outward ornament of the Way and the beginning of disorder. Hence it is said: ‘Those who practice the Way diminish day by day; diminish and again diminish, until they reach non-action. Non-action, and nothing is left undone.’

今（jīn）已（yǐ）为（wèi）物（wù）也（yě），（）欲（yù）复（fù）归（guī）根（gēn），（）不（bù）亦（yì）难（nán）乎（hū）！（）其（qí）易（yì）也（yě）其（qí）唯（wéi）大（dà）人（rén）乎（hū）！（）生（shēng）也（yě）死（sǐ）之（zhī）徒（tú），（）死（sǐ）也（yě）生（shēng）之（zhī）始（shǐ），（）孰（shú）知（zhī）其（qí）纪（jì）！（）人（rén）之（zhī）生（shēng），（）气（qì）之（zhī）聚（jù）也（yě）。（）聚（jù）则（zé）为（wéi）生（shēng），（）散（sàn）则（zé）为（wèi）死（sǐ）。（）若（ruò）死（sǐ）生（shēng）为（wéi）徒（tú），（）吾（wú）又（yòu）何（hé）患（huàn）！（）故（gù）万（wàn）物（wù）一（yī）也（yě）。（）是（shì）其（qí）所（suǒ）美（měi）者（zhě）为（wèi）神（shén）奇（qí），（）其（qí）所（suǒ）恶（è）者（zhě）为（wèi）臭（chòu）腐（fǔ）。（）

Now that it has already become a thing, to wish to return again to the root—is that not difficult? If it is easy, perhaps only the Great Man can do so. Life is the companion of death; death is the beginning of life—who knows their order? Human life is the gathering of qi. When it gathers, there is life; when it scatters, there is death. If death and life are companions, what have I to worry about? Therefore the ten thousand things are one. What they deem beautiful they call wondrous and divine; what they deem hateful they call foul and rotten.

臭（chòu）腐（fǔ）复（fù）化（huà）为（wéi）神（shén）奇（qí），（）神（shén）奇（qí）复（fù）化（huà）为（wéi）臭（chòu）腐（fǔ）。（）故（gù）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）通（tōng）天（tiān）下（xià）一（yī）气（qì）耳（ěr）。（）’（）

The foul and rotten again transform into the wondrous and divine; the wondrous and divine again transform into the foul and rotten. Therefore it is said: 'What pervades all under Heaven is simply one qi.'

圣（shèng）人（rén）故（gù）贵（guì）一（yī）。（）”（）

Therefore the sage values oneness.

知（zhī）谓（wèi）黄（huáng）帝（dì）曰（yuē）：（）“（）吾（wú）问（wèn）无（wú）为（wéi）谓（wèi），（）无（wú）为（wéi）谓（wèi）不（bù）应（yīng）我（wǒ），（）非（fēi）不（bù）我（wǒ）应（yīng），（）不（bù）知（zhī）应（yīng）我（wǒ）也（yě）；（）吾（wú）问（wèn）狂（kuáng）屈（qū），（）狂（kuáng）屈（qū）中（zhōng）欲（yù）告（gào）我（wǒ）而（ér）不（bù）我（wǒ）告（gào），（）非（fēi）不（bù）我（wǒ）告（gào），（）中（zhōng）欲（yù）告（gào）而（ér）忘（wàng）之（zhī）也（yě）；（）今（jīn）予（yǔ）问（wèn）乎（hū）若（ruò），（）若（ruò）知（zhī）之（zhī），（）奚（xī）故（gù）不（bù）近（jìn）？（）”（）

Zhi said to the Yellow Emperor, “I asked Wuweiwei. Wuweiwei did not answer me—not that he did not answer me, but that he did not know how to answer me. I asked Kuangqu. Kuangqu inwardly wanted to tell me but did not tell me—not that he did not tell me, but that he wanted to tell me and forgot it. Now I ask you, and you know it. Why, then, do you not draw near [to it]?”

黄（huáng）帝（dì）曰（yuē）：（）“（）彼（bǐ）其（qí）真（zhēn）是（shì）也（yě），（）以（yǐ）其（qí）不（bù）知（zhī）也（yě）；（）此（cǐ）其（qí）似（shì）之（zhī）也（yě），（）以（yǐ）其（qí）忘（wàng）之（zhī）也（yě）；（）予（yú）与（yǔ）若（ruò）终（zhōng）不（bù）近（jìn）也（yě），（）以（yǐ）其（qí）知（zhī）之（zhī）也（yě）。（）”（）

The Yellow Emperor said, “That one is truly so, because he does not know; this one resembles it, because he forgot it. You and I will never draw near, because we know it.”

狂（kuáng）屈（qū）闻（wén）之（zhī），（）以（yǐ）黄（huáng）帝（dì）为（wèi）知（zhī）言（yán）。（）

Kuangqu heard this and found the Yellow Emperor’s words insightful.

天（tiān）地（dì）有（yǒu）大（dà）美（měi）而（ér）不（bù）言（yán），（）四（sì）时（shí）有（yǒu）明（míng）法（fǎ）而（ér）不（bù）议（yì），（）万（wàn）物（wù）有（yǒu）成（chéng）理（lǐ）而（ér）不（bù）说（shuō）。（）圣（shèng）人（rén）者（zhě），（）原（yuán）天（tiān）地（dì）之（zhī）美（měi）而（ér）达（dá）万（wàn）物（wù）之（zhī）理（lǐ）。（）是（shì）故（gù）至（zhì）人（rén）无（wú）为（wéi），（）大（dà）圣（shèng）不（bù）作（zuò），（）观（guān）于（yú）天（tiān）地（dì）之（zhī）谓（wèi）也（yě）。（）今（jīn）彼（bǐ）神（shén）明（míng）至（zhì）精（jīng），（）与（yǔ）彼（bǐ）百（bǎi）化（huà）。（）物（wù）已（yǐ）死（sǐ）生（shēng）方（fāng）圆（yuán），（）莫（mò）知（zhī）其（qí）根（gēn）也（yě）。（）

Heaven and earth have the greatest beauty but do not speak; the four seasons have clear laws but do not debate; the myriad things have established patterns but do not explain. The sage traces the beauty of heaven and earth to its source and penetrates the patterns of the myriad things. Therefore the ultimate person does not act with contrivance, and the great sage does not contrive; this is what is meant by observing heaven and earth. Now that spiritual clarity is supremely refined and joins with those hundred transformations. Things have already become dead or alive, square or round, yet no one knows their root.

扁（piān）然（rán）而（ér）万（wàn）物（wù），（）自（zì）古（gǔ）以（yǐ）固（gù）存（cún）。（）六（liù）合（hé）为（wèi）巨（jù），（）未（wèi）离（lí）其（qí）内（nèi）；（）秋（qiū）毫（háo）为（wèi）小（xiǎo），（）待（dài）之（zhī）成（chéng）体（tǐ）；（）天（tiān）下（xià）莫（mò）不（bù）沉（chén）浮（fú），（）终（zhōng）身（shēn）不（bù）故（gù）；（）阴（yīn）阳（yáng）四（sì）时（shí）运（yùn）行（xíng），（）各（gè）得（dé）其（qí）序（xù）；（）惛（hūn）然（rán）若（ruò）亡（wáng）而（ér）存（cún）；（）油（yóu）然（rán）不（bù）形（xíng）而（ér）神（shén）；（）万（wàn）物（wù）畜（chù）而（ér）不（bù）知（zhī）：（）此（cǐ）之（zhī）谓（wèi）本（běn）根（gēn），（）可（kě）以（yǐ）观（guān）于（yú）天（tiān）矣（yǐ）！（）

Universally, the myriad things have from ancient times firmly existed. The six directions are vast, yet they never depart from what is within; an autumn hair is tiny, yet it too depends on the source to take form. Nothing under heaven does not sink and float, and throughout life they do not remain in the same state. Yin and yang and the four seasons move, each attaining its order. Dimly, as if vanished, it is present; spontaneously, without showing form, it is numinous. The myriad things are nurtured by it yet do not know it: this is called the root and source, and through it one may observe heaven.

啮（niè）缺（quē）问（wèn）道（dào）乎（hū）被（bèi）衣（yī），（）被（bèi）衣（yī）曰（yuē）：（）“（）若（ruò）正（zhèng）汝（rǔ）形（xíng），（）一（yī）汝（rǔ）视（shì），（）天（tiān）和（hé）将（jiāng）至（zhì）；（）摄（shè）汝（rǔ）知（zhī），（）一（yī）汝（rǔ）度（dù），（）神（shén）将（jiāng）来（lái）舍（shě）。（）德（dé）将（jiāng）为（wèi）汝（rǔ）美（měi），（）道（dào）将（jiāng）为（wèi）汝（rǔ）居（jū）。（）汝（rǔ）瞳（tóng）焉（yān）如（rú）新（xīn）生（shēng）之（zhī）犊（dú）而（ér）无（wú）求（qiú）其（qí）故（gù）。（）”（）

Nie Que asked Pi Yi about the Way. Pi Yi said: 'Rectify your bodily form and make your gaze one, and heavenly harmony will arrive. Gather in your knowledge and make your measure one, and the spirit will come to lodge. Virtue will be your beauty; the Way will be your dwelling. You will be blank-eyed like a newborn calf and will not seek its reason.'

言（yán）未（wèi）卒（zú），（）啮（niè）缺（quē）睡（shuì）寐（mèi）。（）被（pī）衣（yī）大（dà）说（yuè），（）行（xíng）歌（gē）而（ér）去（qù）之（zhī），（）曰（yuē）：（）“（）形（xíng）若（ruò）槁（gǎo）骸（hái），（）心（xīn）若（ruò）死（sǐ）灰（huī），（）真（zhēn）其（qí）实（shí）知（zhì），（）不（bù）以（yǐ）故（gù）自（zì）持（chí）。（）媒（méi）媒（méi）晦（huì）晦（huì），（）无（wú）心（xīn）而（ér）不（bù）可（kě）与（yǔ）谋（móu）。（）彼（bǐ）何（hé）人（rén）哉（zāi）！（）”（）

Before he had finished speaking, Nie Que fell asleep. Pi Yi was greatly pleased, and singing as he walked, he left him, saying: “His form is like a withered corpse, his heart like dead ashes; he truly possesses genuine wisdom and does not cling to what he previously held. Dark and obscure, without a fixed mind, he is not one to plan with. What sort of person is he!”

舜（shùn）问（wèn）乎（hū）丞（chéng）曰（yuē）：（）“（）道（dào）可（kě）得（dé）而（ér）有（yǒu）乎（hū）？（）”（）

Shun asked Cheng, “Can the Way be obtained and possessed?”

曰（yuē）：（）“（）汝（rǔ）身（shēn）非（fēi）汝（rǔ）有（yǒu）也（yě），（）汝（rǔ）何（hé）得（dé）有（yǒu）夫（fū）道（dào）！（）”（）

He said, “Your own body is not yours—how could you possess the Way!”

舜（shùn）曰（yuē）：（）“（）吾（wú）身（shēn）非（fēi）吾（wú）有（yǒu）也（yě），（）孰（shú）有（yǒu）之（zhī）哉（zāi）？（）”（）

Shun said, “My body is not something I possess—so who possesses it?”

曰（yuē）：（）“（）是（shì）天（tiān）地（dì）之（zhī）委（wěi）形（xíng）也（yě）；（）生（shēng）非（fēi）汝（rǔ）有（yǒu），（）是（shì）天（tiān）地（dì）之（zhī）委（wěi）和（hé）也（yě）；（）性（xìng）命（mìng）非（fēi）汝（rǔ）有（yǒu），（）是（shì）天（tiān）地（dì）之（zhī）委（wěi）顺（shùn）也（yě）；（）子（zǐ）孙（sūn）非（fēi）汝（rǔ）有（yǒu），（）是（shì）天（tiān）地（dì）之（zhī）委（wěi）蜕（tuì）也（yě）。（）故（gù）行（xíng）不（bù）知（zhī）所（suǒ）往（wǎng），（）处（chù）不（bù）知（zhī）所（suǒ）持（chí），（）食（shí）不（bù）知（zhī）所（suǒ）味（wèi）。（）天（tiān）地（dì）之（zhī）强（qiáng）阳（yáng）气（qì）也（yě），（）又（yòu）胡（hú）可（kě）得（dé）而（ér）有（yǒu）邪（yé）！（）”（）

He said: “This body is a form entrusted by Heaven and Earth. Life is not yours; it is the harmony they entrust. Your nature and allotted life are not yours; they are entrusted by Heaven and Earth in their natural course. Your descendants are not yours; they are a shedding and transformation entrusted by Heaven and Earth. Thus you walk without knowing where you go, dwell without knowing what sustains you, and eat without knowing the flavor. This is the vigorous, moving yang qi of Heaven and Earth; how could you claim it as your own?”

孔（kǒng）子（zi）问（wèn）于（yú）老（lǎo）聃（dān）曰（yuē）：（）“（）今（jīn）日（rì）晏（yàn）间（jiān），（）敢（gǎn）问（wèn）至（zhì）道（dào）。（）”（）

Confucius asked Lao Dan, “Today you are at leisure; I venture to ask about the ultimate Dao.”

老（lǎo）聃（dān）曰（yuē）：（）“（）汝（rǔ）齐（zhāi）戒（jiè），（）疏（shū）瀹（yuè）而（ér）心（xīn），（）澡（zǎo）雪（xuě）而（ér）精（jīng）神（shén），（）掊（pǒu）击（jī）而（ér）知（zhì）。（）夫（fū）道（dào），（）窅（yǎo）然（rán）难（nán）言（yán）哉（zāi）！（）将（jiāng）为（wèi）汝（rǔ）言（yán）其（qí）崖（yá）略（lüè）：（）夫（fū）昭（zhāo）昭（zhāo）生（shēng）于（yú）冥（míng）冥（míng），（）有（yǒu）伦（lún）生（shēng）于（yú）无（wú）形（xíng），（）精（jīng）神（shén）生（shēng）于（yú）道（dào），（）形（xíng）本（běn）生（shēng）于（yú）精（jīng），（）而（ér）万（wàn）物（wù）以（yǐ）形（xíng）相（xiāng）生（shēng）。（）故（gù）九（jiǔ）窍（qiào）者（zhě）胎（tāi）生（shēng），（）八（bā）窍（qiào）者（zhě）卵（luǎn）生（shēng）。（）

Lao Dan said: “Fast and purify yourself; clear and wash out your heart; bathe and cleanse your spirit; strike down your knowledge. The Way is dark and profound—hard to speak of! I will speak to you of its outline: the brightly manifest is born from the dark and obscure; ordered distinctions are born from the formless; spirit is born from the Way; the root of bodily form is born from essence; and the ten thousand things generate one another through form. Therefore creatures with nine orifices are born live, and those with eight orifices are born from eggs.”

其（qí）来（lái）无（wú）迹（jì），（）其（qí）往（wǎng）无（wú）崖（yá），（）无（wú）门（mén）无（wú）房（fáng），（）四（sì）达（dá）之（zhī）皇（huáng）皇（huáng）也（yě）。（）邀（yāo）于（yú）此（cǐ）者（zhě），（）四（sì）肢（zhī）强（qiáng），（）思（sī）虑（lǜ）恂（xún）达（dá），（）耳（ěr）目（mù）聪（cōng）明（míng）。（）其（qí）用（yòng）心（xīn）不（bù）劳（láo），（）其（qí）应（yīng）物（wù）无（wú）方（fāng），（）天（tiān）不（bù）得（dé）不（bù）高（gāo），（）地（dì）不（bù）得（dé）不（bù）广（guǎng），（）日（rì）月（yuè）不（bù）得（dé）不（bù）行（xíng），（）万（wàn）物（wù）不（bù）得（dé）不（bù）昌（chāng），（）此（cǐ）其（qí）道（dào）与（yú）！（）

“Its coming leaves no trace; its going has no limit. It has no gate and no chamber, yet it is grand and bright, open in all four directions. One who meets with this has strong limbs, penetrating thought, and acute ears and eyes. Such a person uses the mind without toil and responds to things without a fixed method. Heaven cannot but be high; earth cannot but be broad; the sun and moon cannot but move; the ten thousand things cannot but flourish. Could this be the Way?”

且（qiě）夫（fū）博（bó）之（zhī）不（bù）必（bì）知（zhī），（）辩（biàn）之（zhī）不（bù）必（bì）慧（huì），（）圣（shèng）人（rén）以（yǐ）断（duàn）之（zhī）矣（yǐ）！（）若（ruò）夫（fú）益（yì）之（zhī）而（ér）不（bù）加（jiā）益（yì），（）损（sǔn）之（zhī）而（ér）不（bù）加（jiā）损（sǔn）者（zhě），（）圣（shèng）人（rén）之（zhī）所（suǒ）保（bǎo）也（yě）。（）渊（yuān）渊（yuān）乎（hū）其（qí）若（ruò）海（hǎi），（）巍（wēi）巍（wēi）乎（hū）其（qí）终（zhōng）则（zé）复（fù）始（shǐ）也（yě）。（）运（yùn）量（liàng）万（wàn）物（wù）而（ér）不（bù）匮（kuì）。（）则（zé）君（jūn）子（zǐ）之（zhī）道（dào），（）彼（bǐ）其（qí）外（wài）与（yǔ）！（）万（wàn）物（wù）皆（jiē）往（wǎng）资（zī）焉（yān）而（ér）不（bù）匮（kuì）。（）

“Moreover, wide learning does not necessarily bring true knowledge, and clever disputation does not necessarily bring wisdom—the sage has settled this matter! As for adding to it without making it increase, and subtracting from it without making it decrease: this is what the sage preserves. Deep and vast, it is like the sea; towering and lofty, when it ends it begins again. It moves and measures the ten thousand things without being exhausted. Then as for the Way of the noble man—could it be outside this? All things go to it for sustenance, yet it is never exhausted.”

此（cǐ）其（qí）道（dào）与（yú）！（）中（zhōng）国（guó）有（yǒu）人（rén）焉（yān），（）非（fēi）阴（yīn）非（fēi）阳（yáng），（）处（chǔ）于（yú）天（tiān）地（dì）之（zhī）间（jiān），（）直（zhí）且（qiě）为（wéi）人（rén），（）将（jiāng）反（fǎn）于（yú）宗（zōng）。（）自（zì）本（běn）观（guān）之（zhī），（）生（shēng）者（zhě），（）喑（yīn）醷（yì）物（wù）也（yě）。（）虽（suī）有（yǒu）寿（shòu）夭（yāo），（）相（xiāng）去（qù）几（jǐ）何（hé）？（）须（xū）臾（yú）之（zhī）说（shuō）也（yě），（）奚（xī）足（zú）以（yǐ）为（wéi）尧（yáo）、（）桀（jié）之（zhī）是（shì）非（fēi）！（）果（guǒ）蓏（luǒ）有（yǒu）理（lǐ），（）人（rén）伦（lún）虽（suī）难（nán），（）所（suǒ）以（yǐ）相（xiāng）齿（chǐ）。（）

This, perhaps, is the Way! In the central states there is a person, neither yin nor yang, dwelling between heaven and earth, simply and directly human, who will return to the source. Seen from the root, life is a thing of gathered breath. Though there be long life and early death, how far apart are they? It is a matter of an instant—how could it suffice for the right and wrong of Yao and Jie? Fruits and gourds have their patterns; human relations, though difficult, have that by which they are ordered in sequence.

圣（shèng）人（rén）遭（zāo）之（zhī）而（ér）不（bù）违（wéi），（）过（guò）之（zhī）而（ér）不（bù）守（shǒu）。（）调（diào）而（ér）应（yīng）之（zhī），（）德（dé）也（yě）；（）偶（ǒu）而（ér）应（yīng）之（zhī），（）道（dào）也（yě）。（）帝（dì）之（zhī）所（suǒ）兴（xīng），（）王（wáng）之（zhī）所（suǒ）起（qǐ）也（yě）。（）人（rén）生（shēng）天（tiān）地（dì）之（zhī）间（jiān），（）若（ruò）白（bái）驹（jū）之（zhī）过（guò）隙（xì），（）忽（hū）然（rán）而（ér）已（yǐ）。（）注（zhù）然（rán）勃（bó）然（rán），（）莫（mò）不（bù）出（chū）焉（yān）；（）油（yóu）然（rán）漻（liáo）然（rán），（）莫（mò）不（bù）入（rù）焉（yān）。（）已（yǐ）化（huà）而（ér）生（shēng），（）又（yòu）化（huà）而（ér）死（sǐ）。（）

The sage encounters it and does not oppose it; he passes through it and does not cling to it. To attune oneself and respond is Virtue; to meet it as a counterpart and respond is the Way. This is whence the emperors arose and the kings began. Human life between heaven and earth is like a white colt passing a crevice—suddenly it is over. Surging and bursting, nothing does not come forth from it; flowing and clear, nothing does not enter into it. Having transformed, they are born; transforming again, they die.

生（shēng）物（wù）哀（āi）之（zhī），（）人（rén）类（lèi）悲（bēi）之（zhī）。（）解（jiě）其（qí）天（tiān）弢（tāo），（）堕（huī）其（qí）天（tiān）帙（zhì）。（）纷（fēn）乎（hū）宛（wǎn）乎（hū），（）魂（hún）魄（pò）将（jiāng）往（wǎng），（）乃（nǎi）身（shēn）从（cóng）之（zhī）。（）乃（nǎi）大（dà）归（guī）乎（hū）！（）不（bù）形（xíng）之（zhī）形（xíng），（）形（xíng）之（zhī）不（bù）形（xíng），（）是（shì）人（rén）之（zhī）所（suǒ）同（tóng）知（zhī）也（yě），（）非（fēi）将（jiāng）至（zhì）之（zhī）所（suǒ）务（wù）也（yě），（）此（cǐ）众（zhòng）人（rén）之（zhī）所（suǒ）同（tóng）论（lùn）也（yě）。（）

Living beings grieve over it, and humans mourn it. Untie his natural bowcase, cast off his natural wrapper. In confusion and winding movement, the soul and spirit are about to depart, and then the body follows it. This is the great return! The formless taking form, and form becoming formless—this is what people all know, yet it is not what one approaching the deeper principle should make his concern; this is what the multitude all discuss.

彼（bǐ）至（zhì）则（zé）不（bù）论（lùn），（）论（lùn）则（zé）不（bù）至（zhì）；（）明（míng）见（jiàn）无（wú）值（zhí），（）辩（biàn）不（bù）若（ruò）默（mò）；（）道（dào）不（bù）可（kě）闻（wén），（）闻（wén）不（bù）若（ruò）塞（sāi）：（）此（cǐ）之（zhī）谓（wèi）大（dà）得（dé）。（）”（）

When it is reached, it is not discussed; when it is discussed, it is not reached. Even clear seeing finds no meeting; argument is not as good as silence. The Way cannot be heard; hearing it is not as good as plugging the ears: this is called the great attainment.

东（dōng）郭（guō）子（zǐ）问（wèn）于（yú）庄（zhuāng）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）所（suǒ）谓（wèi）道（dào），（）恶（wū）乎（hū）在（zài）？（）”（）

Dongguo Zi asked Zhuangzi: "Where, then, is what is called the Way?"

庄（zhuāng）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）无（wú）所（suǒ）不（bù）在（zài）。（）”（）

Zhuangzi said: "It is nowhere absent."

东（dōng）郭（guō）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）期（qī）而（ér）后（hòu）可（kě）。（）”（）

Dongguo Zi said, "You must be more specific; only then will it do."

庄（zhuāng）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）在（zài）蝼（lóu）蚁（yǐ）。（）”（）

Zhuangzi said, "It is in the mole crickets and ants."

曰（yuē）：（）“（）何（hé）其（qí）下（xià）邪（yé）？（）”（）

He said, "Why is it so low?"

曰（yuē）：（）“（）在（zài）稊（tí）稗（bài）。（）”（）

He said, "It is in the tares and barnyard grass."

曰（yuē）：（）“（）何（hé）其（qí）愈（yù）下（xià）邪（yé）？（）”（）

He said, "Why does it become lower and lower?"

曰（yuē）：（）“（）在（zài）瓦（wǎ）甓（pì）。（）”（）

He said, "It is in the tiles and bricks."

曰（yuē）：（）“（）何（hé）其（qí）愈（yù）甚（shèn）邪（xié）？（）”（）

Dongguo Zi said, “Why does it become more and more extreme?”

曰（yuē）：（）“（）在（zài）屎（shǐ）溺（niào）。（）”（）

Zhuangzi said, “In shit and urine.”

东（dōng）郭（guō）子（zi）不（bù）应（yīng）。（）庄（zhuāng）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）夫（fū）子（zǐ）之（zhī）问（wèn）也（yě），（）固（gù）不（bù）及（jí）质（zhì）。（）正（zhèng）获（huò）之（zhī）问（wèn）于（yú）监（jiān）市（shì）履（lǚ）狶（xī）也（yě），（）‘（）每（měi）下（xià）愈（yù）况（kuàng）’（）。（）汝（rǔ）唯（wéi）莫（mò）必（bì），（）无（wú）乎（hū）逃（táo）物（wù）。（）至（zhì）道（dào）若（ruò）是（shì），（）大（dà）言（yán）亦（yì）然（rán）。（）周（zhōu）遍（biàn）咸（xián）三（sān）者（zhě），（）异（yì）名（míng）同（tóng）实（shí），（）其（qí）指（zhǐ）一（yī）也（yě）。（）尝（cháng）相（xiāng）与（yǔ）游（yóu）乎（hū）无（wú）何（hé）有（yǒu）之（zhī）宫（gōng），（）同（tóng）合（hé）而（ér）论（lùn），（）无（wú）所（suǒ）终（zhōng）穷（qióng）乎（hū）！（）

Dongguo Zi did not respond. Zhuangzi said, “Your question, sir, does not reach the substance. When Zheng Huo asked the market inspector about treading on a pig, [the answer was], ‘The lower one treads, the more clearly it shows.’ You need only avoid insisting [on a particular place]; then nothing escapes it. The ultimate Dao is like this; great words are likewise so. Zhou, bian, and xian—these three have different names but the same reality; their reference is one. Let us try to wander together in the palace of Nothing-Whatsoever; joining together in discussion, is there no end to it?”

尝（cháng）相（xiāng）与（yǔ）无（wú）为（wéi）乎（hū）！（）澹（dàn）澹（dàn）而（ér）静（jìng）乎（hū）！（）漠（mò）而（ér）清（qīng）乎（hū）！（）调（diào）而（ér）闲（xián）乎（hū）！（）寥（liáo）已（yǐ）吾（wú）志（zhì），（）无（wú）往（wǎng）焉（yān）而（ér）不（bù）知（zhī）其（qí）所（suǒ）至（zhì），（）去（qù）而（ér）来（lái）而（ér）不（bù）知（zhī）其（qí）所（suǒ）止（zhǐ）。（）吾（wú）已（yǐ）往（wǎng）来（lái）焉（yān）而（ér）不（bù）知（zhī）其（qí）所（suǒ）终（zhōng），（）彷（páng）徨（huáng）乎（hū）冯（píng）闳（hóng），（）大（dà）知（zhì）入（rù）焉（yān）而（ér）不（bù）知（zhī）其（qí）所（suǒ）穷（qióng）。（）

Let us try to be together in non-action! Could we be calm and still? Could we be quiet and clear? Could we be harmonious and at ease? My will is empty: it goes nowhere and does not know where it arrives; it departs and comes and does not know where it stops. I have already gone back and forth and do not know where it ends. I wander in the vast openness; great knowledge enters there and does not know where it is exhausted.

物（wù）物（wù）者（zhě）与（yǔ）物（wù）无（wú）际（jì），（）而（ér）物（wù）有（yǒu）际（jì）者（zhě），（）所（suǒ）谓（wèi）物（wù）际（jì）者（zhě）也（yě）。（）不（bù）际（jì）之（zhī）际（jì），（）际（jì）之（zhī）不（bù）际（jì）者（zhě）也（yě）。（）谓（wèi）盈（yíng）虚（xū）衰（shuāi）杀（shā），（）彼（bǐ）为（wèi）盈（yíng）虚（xū）非（fēi）盈（yíng）虚（xū），（）彼（bǐ）为（wèi）衰（shuāi）杀（shā）非（fēi）衰（shuāi）杀（shā），（）彼（bǐ）为（wèi）本（běn）末（mò）非（fēi）本（běn）末（mò），（）彼（bǐ）为（wèi）积（jī）散（sàn）非（fēi）积（jī）散（sàn）也（yě）。（）”（）

That which makes things things has no boundary with things; yet things have boundaries—this is what is called the boundary of things. The boundary of the boundless is the boundlessness of the bounded. As for fullness and emptiness, decline and decay: it makes fullness and emptiness but is not fullness and emptiness; it makes decline and decay but is not decline and decay; it makes root and branch but is not root and branch; it makes gathering and scattering but is not gathering and scattering.

妸（ē）荷（hé）甘（gān）与（yǔ）神（shén）农（nóng）同（tóng）学（xué）于（yú）老（lǎo）龙（lóng）吉（jí）。（）神（shén）农（nóng）隐（yǐn）几（jǐ），（）阖（hé）户（hù）昼（zhòu）瞑（míng）。（）妸（ē）荷（hé）甘（gān）日（rì）中（zhōng）奓（zhā）户（hù）而（ér）入（rù），（）曰（yuē）：（）“（）老（lǎo）龙（lóng）死（sǐ）矣（yǐ）！（）”（）

E He Gan and Shennong studied together under Lao Long Ji. Shennong was leaning on his armrest, with the door closed, dozing by day. At midday, E He Gan pushed open the door and came in, saying, “Lao Long is dead!”

神（shén）农（nóng）隐（yǐn）几（jǐ）拥（yōng）杖（zhàng）而（ér）起（qǐ），（）嚗（bó）然（rán）放（fàng）杖（zhàng）而（ér）笑（xiào），（）曰（yuē）：（）“（）天（tiān）知（zhī）予（yǔ）僻（pì）陋（lòu）慢（màn）訑（yí），（）故（gù）弃（qì）予（yǔ）而（ér）死（sǐ）。（）已（yǐ）矣（yǐ），（）夫（fū）子（zǐ）无（wú）所（suǒ）发（fā）予（yǔ）之（zhī）狂（kuáng）言（yán）而（ér）死（sǐ）矣（yǐ）夫（fū）！（）”（）

Shennong was leaning on his armrest and holding his staff; he rose, let the staff fall with a thud, and laughed, saying: 'Heaven knew that I was narrow and rustic, slack and self-satisfied, and so it abandoned me, and he has died. It is over! The Master has died without ever sending forth to me his wild words!'

弇（yǎn）堈（gāng）吊（diào）闻（wén）之（zhī），（）曰（yuē）：（）“（）夫（fū）体（tǐ）道（dào）者（zhě），（）天（tiān）下（xià）之（zhī）君（jūn）子（zǐ）所（suǒ）系（xì）焉（yān）。（）今（jīn）于（yú）道（dào），（）秋（qiū）豪（háo）之（zhī）端（duān）万（wàn）分（fēn）未（wèi）得（dé）处（chù）一（yī）焉（yān），（）而（ér）犹（yóu）知（zhī）藏（cáng）其（qí）狂（kuáng）言（yán）而（ér）死（sǐ），（）又（yòu）况（kuàng）夫（fū）体（tǐ）道（dào）者（zhě）乎（hū）！（）视（shì）之（zhī）无（wú）形（xíng），（）听（tīng）之（zhī）无（wú）声（shēng），（）于（yú）人（rén）之（zhī）论（lùn）者（zhě），（）谓（wèi）之（zhī）冥（míng）冥（míng），（）所（suǒ）以（yǐ）论（lùn）道（dào）而（ér）非（fēi）道（dào）也（yě）。（）”（）

Yan Gangdiao heard of it and said: 'One who embodies the Dao is the one to whom the gentlemen of the world attach themselves. Now, with respect to the Dao, he had not attained even one part in ten thousand of the tip of an autumn hair, and yet he knew to hide his wild words and die—how much more so one who embodies the Dao! Looked at, it has no form; listened for, it has no sound. Those among people who discuss it call it “the dark and obscure”; but that by which they discuss the Dao is not the Dao.'

于（yú）是（shì）泰（tài）清（qīng）问（wèn）乎（hū）无（wú）穷（qióng），（）曰（yuē）：（）“（）子（zǐ）知（zhī）道（dào）乎（hū）？（）”（）

Then Taiqing asked Wuqiong, saying: 'Do you know the Dao?'

无（wú）穷（qióng）曰（yuē）：（）“（）吾（wú）不（bù）知（zhī）。（）”（）

Wuqiong said, “I do not know.”

又（yòu）问（wèn）乎（hū）无（wú）为（wéi），（）无（wú）为（wéi）曰（yuē）：（）“（）吾（wú）知（zhī）道（dào）。（）”（）

He then asked Wuwei, and Wuwei said, “I know the Way.”

曰（yuē）：（）“（）子（zi）之（zhī）知（zhī）道（dào），（）亦（yì）有（yǒu）数（shù）乎（hū）？（）”（）

He asked again, “If you know the Way, does it also have a method?”

曰（yuē）：（）“（）有（yǒu）。（）”（）

Wuwei said, “There is.”

曰（yuē）：（）“（）其（qí）数（shù）若（ruò）何（hé）？（）”（）

Taiqing asked, “What are its particulars?”

无（wú）为（wéi）曰（yuē）：（）“（）吾（wú）知（zhī）道（dào）之（zhī）可（kě）以（yǐ）贵（guì）、（）可（kě）以（yǐ）贱（jiàn）、（）可（kě）以（yǐ）约（yuē）、（）可（kě）以（yǐ）散（sàn），（）此（cǐ）吾（wú）所（suǒ）以（yǐ）知（zhī）道（dào）之（zhī）数（shù）也（yě）。（）”（）

Wuwei said, “I know that the Way can be honored and can be debased, can be contracted and can be dispersed; this is how I know the particulars of the Way.”

泰（tài）清（qīng）以（yǐ）之（zhī）言（yán）也（yě）问（wèn）乎（hū）无（wú）始（shǐ），（）曰（yuē）：（）“（）若（ruò）是（shì），（）则（zé）无（wú）穷（qióng）之（zhī）弗（fú）知（zhī）与（yǔ）无（wú）为（wéi）之（zhī）知（zhī），（）孰（shú）是（shì）而（ér）孰（shú）非（fēi）乎（hū）？（）”（）

Taiqing took these words and asked Wushi: "If that is so, then as for Wuqiong's not knowing and Wuwei's knowing, which is right and which is wrong?"

无（wú）始（shǐ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）不（bù）知（zhī）深（shēn）矣（yǐ），（）知（zhī）之（zhī）浅（qiǎn）矣（yǐ）；（）弗（fú）知（zhī）内（nèi）矣（yǐ），（）知（zhī）之（zhī）外（wài）矣（yǐ）。（）”（）

Wushi said: "Not knowing is deep; knowing is shallow. Not knowing is inner; knowing is outer."

于（yú）是（shì）泰（tài）清（qīng）仰（yǎng）而（ér）叹（tàn）曰（yuē）：（）“（）弗（fú）知（zhī）乃（nǎi）知（zhī）乎（hū），（）知（zhī）乃（nǎi）不（bù）知（zhī）乎（hū）！（）孰（shú）知（zhī）不（bù）知（zhī）之（zhī）知（zhī）？（）”（）

Thereupon Taiqing looked up and sighed: "Is not knowing, then, knowing? Is knowing, then, not knowing? Who knows the knowing of not-knowing?"

无（wú）始（shǐ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）道（dào）不（bù）可（kě）闻（wén），（）闻（wén）而（ér）非（fēi）也（yě）；（）道（dào）不（bù）可（kě）见（jiàn），（）见（jiàn）而（ér）非（fēi）也（yě）；（）道（dào）不（bù）可（kě）言（yán），（）言（yán）而（ér）非（fēi）也（yě）！（）知（zhī）形（xíng）形（xíng）之（zhī）不（bù）形（xíng）乎（hū）！（）道（dào）不（bù）当（dàng）名（míng）。（）”（）

Wu Shi said: “The Dao cannot be heard; what is heard is not it. The Dao cannot be seen; what is seen is not it. The Dao cannot be spoken; what is spoken is not it! Know that what gives form to forms is itself without form! The Dao does not admit a name.”

无（wú）始（shǐ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）有（yǒu）问（wèn）道（dào）而（ér）应（yīng）之（zhī）者（zhě），（）不（bù）知（zhī）道（dào）也（yě）；（）虽（suī）问（wèn）道（dào）者（zhě），（）亦（yì）未（wèi）闻（wén）道（dào）。（）道（dào）无（wú）问（wèn），（）问（wèn）无（wú）应（yīng）。（）无（wú）问（wèn）问（wèn）之（zhī），（）是（shì）问（wèn）穷（qióng）也（yě）；（）无（wú）应（yīng）应（yīng）之（zhī），（）是（shì）无（wú）内（nèi）也（yě）。（）以（yǐ）无（wú）内（nèi）待（dài）问（wèn）穷（qióng），（）若（ruò）是（shì）者（zhě），（）外（wài）不（bù）观（guān）乎（hū）宇（yǔ）宙（zhòu），（）内（nèi）不（bù）知（zhī）乎（hū）大（dà）初（chū）。（）是（shì）以（yǐ）不（bù）过（guò）乎（hū）昆（kūn）仑（lún），（）不（bù）游（yóu）乎（hū）太（tài）虚（xū）。（）”（）

Wu Shi said: “If someone asks about the Dao and another answers, the one who answers does not know the Dao; even the one who asks has not yet heard the Dao. The Dao has no question; questioning has no response. To ask what cannot be asked is to ask to exhaustion; to answer what has no answer is to be without inner ground. One who uses no inner ground to meet an exhausted question—such a person outwardly does not observe the universe, inwardly does not know the Great Beginning. Therefore he does not pass beyond Kunlun, does not roam in the Great Void.”

光（guāng）曜（yào）问（wèn）乎（hū）无（wú）有（yǒu）曰（yuē）：（）“（）夫（fū）子（zǐ）有（yǒu）乎（hū）？（）其（qí）无（wú）有（yǒu）乎（hū）？（）”（）

Guang Yao asked Wu You, saying: “Master, do you exist? Or do you not exist?”

光（guāng）曜（yào）不（bù）得（dé）问（wèn）而（ér）孰（shú）视（shì）其（qí）状（zhuàng）貌（mào）：（）窅（yǎo）然（rán）空（kōng）然（rán）。（）终（zhōng）日（rì）视（shì）之（zhī）而（ér）不（bú）见（jiàn），（）听（tīng）之（zhī）而（ér）不（bù）闻（wén），（）搏（bó）之（zhī）而（ér）不（bù）得（dé）也（yě）。（）光（guāng）曜（yào）曰（yuē）：（）“（）至（zhì）矣（yǐ），（）其（qí）孰（shú）能（néng）至（zhì）此（cǐ）乎（hū）！（）予（yǔ）能（néng）有（yǒu）无（wú）矣（yǐ），（）而（ér）未（wèi）能（néng）无（wú）无（wú）也（yě）。（）及（jí）为（wèi）无（wú）有（yǒu）矣（yǐ），（）何（hé）从（cóng）至（zhì）此（cǐ）哉（zāi）！（）”（）

Guangyao got no answer, so he looked closely at his form and appearance: it was abyssal and empty. All day he looked but saw nothing, listened but heard nothing, grasped but could not catch anything. Guangyao said, 'It is ultimate! Who could reach this? I can have nonbeing, but I cannot have no-nonbeing. As for becoming no-being, how could one reach this?'

大（dà）马（mǎ）之（zhī）捶（chuí）钩（gōu）者（zhě），（）年（nián）八（bā）十（shí）矣（yǐ），（）而（ér）不（bù）失（shī）豪（háo）芒（máng）。（）大（dà）马（mǎ）曰（yuē）：（）“（）子（zi）巧（qiǎo）与（yú）！（）有（yǒu）道（dào）与（yú）？（）”（）

The hook-forger of the Grand Marshal was eighty years old, yet he never missed by the tip of a hair. The Grand Marshal said, 'You are skillful! Do you have a Way?'

曰（yuē）：（）“（）臣（chén）有（yǒu）守（shǒu）也（yě）。（）臣（chén）之（zhī）年（nián）二（èr）十（shí）而（ér）好（hǎo）捶（chuí）钩（gōu），（）于（yú）物（wù）无（wú）视（shì）也（yě），（）非（fēi）钩（gōu）无（wú）察（chá）也（yě）。（）”（）

He replied, 'I have something I hold to. When I was twenty, I loved forging hooks. I paid no attention to other things; if it was not a hook, I did not examine it.'

是（shì）用（yòng）之（zhī）者（zhě）假（jiǎ）不（bù）用（yòng）者（zhě）也（yě），（）以（yǐ）长（zhǎng）得（dé）其（qí）用（yòng），（）而（ér）况（kuàng）乎（hū）无（wú）不（bù）用（yòng）者（zhě）乎（hū）！（）物（wù）孰（shú）不（bù）资（zī）焉（yān）！（）

Thus the one who uses it borrows from the unused, and thereby long preserves its use; how much more so for that which leaves nothing unused! What thing does not depend on it?

冉（rǎn）求（qiú）问（wèn）于（yú）仲（zhòng）尼（ní）曰（yuē）：（）“（）未（wèi）有（yǒu）天（tiān）地（dì）可（kě）知（zhī）邪（yé）？（）”（）

Ran Qiu asked Zhongni, “Before heaven and earth existed, can it be known?”

仲（zhòng）尼（ní）曰（yuē）：（）“（）可（kě）。（）古（gǔ）犹（yóu）今（jīn）也（yě）。（）”（）

Zhongni said, “It can. Antiquity is like the present.”

冉（rǎn）求（qiú）失（shī）问（wèn）而（ér）退（tuì）。（）明（míng）日（rì）复（fù）见（jiàn），（）曰（yuē）：（）“（）昔（xī）者（zhě）吾（wú）问（wèn）‘（）未（wèi）有（yǒu）天（tiān）地（dì）可（kě）知（zhī）乎（hū）？（）’（）

Ran Qiu lost the thread of his question and withdrew. The next day he came to see him again and said, ‘Yesterday I asked, “Can what was before heaven and earth be known?”

夫（fū）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）可（kě）。（）古（gǔ）犹（yóu）今（jīn）也（yě）。（）’（）

The Master said, ‘Yes. Antiquity is just like the present.’

昔（xī）日（rì）吾（wú）昭（zhāo）然（rán），（）今（jīn）日（rì）吾（wú）昧（mèi）然（rán）。（）敢（gǎn）问（wèn）何（hé）谓（wèi）也（yě）？（）”（）

Yesterday I was clear; today I am in the dark. May I ask what this means?’

仲（zhòng）尼（ní）曰（yuē）：（）“（）昔（xī）之（zhī）昭（zhāo）然（rán）也（yě），（）神（shén）者（zhě）先（xiān）受（shòu）之（zhī）；（）今（jīn）之（zhī）昧（mèi）然（rán）也（yě），（）且（qiě）又（yòu）为（wèi）不（bù）神（shén）者（zhě）求（qiú）邪（yé）！（）无（wú）古（gǔ）无（wú）今（jīn），（）无（wú）始（shǐ）无（wú）终（zhōng）。（）未（wèi）有（yǒu）子（zǐ）孙（sūn）而（ér）有（yǒu）孙（sūn）子（zǐ）可（kě）乎（hū）？（）”（）

Zhongni said, “When it was clear in the past, the spiritual received it first; now that it is dark, are you again seeking it from what is not spiritual? There is no ancient and no present, no beginning and no end. Before there are descendants, can there already be a grandson?”

冉（rǎn）求（qiú）未（wèi）对（duì）。（）仲（zhòng）尼（ní）曰（yuē）：（）“（）已（yǐ）矣（yǐ），（）未（wèi）应（yīng）矣（yǐ）！（）不（bù）以（yǐ）生（shēng）生（shēng）死（sǐ），（）不（bù）以（yǐ）死（sǐ）死（sǐ）生（shēng）。（）死（sǐ）生（shēng）有（yǒu）待（dài）邪（xié）？（）皆（jiē）有（yǒu）所（suǒ）一（yī）体（tǐ）。（）有（yǒu）先（xiān）天（tiān）地（dì）生（shēng）者（zhě）物（wù）邪（xié）？（）物（wù）物（wù）者（zhě）非（fēi）物（wù），（）物（wù）出（chū）不（bù）得（dé）先（xiān）物（wù）也（yě），（）犹（yóu）其（qí）有（yǒu）物（wù）也（yě）。（）犹（yóu）其（qí）有（yǒu）物（wù）也（yě）无（wú）已（yǐ）！（）

Ran Qiu did not answer. Zhongni said, “That is enough; do not answer! Do not make life give rise to death, nor death give rise to life. Do life and death depend on anything? They both share one unified whole. Was there anything that came into being before Heaven and Earth? That which makes things things is not a thing. When a thing comes forth, it cannot precede things; yet there are things. Yet there being things has no end!”

圣（shèng）人（rén）之（zhī）爱（ài）人（rén）也（yě）终（zhōng）无（wú）已（yǐ）者（zhě），（）亦（yì）乃（nǎi）取（qǔ）于（yú）是（shì）者（zhě）也（yě）。（）”（）

The sage’s love for others never ceases; it too is taken from this.”

颜（yán）渊（yuān）问（wèn）乎（hū）仲（zhòng）尼（ní）曰（yuē）：（）“（）回（huí）尝（cháng）闻（wén）诸（zhū）夫（fū）子（zǐ）曰（yuē）：（）‘（）无（wú）有（yǒu）所（suǒ）将（jiāng），（）无（wú）有（yǒu）所（suǒ）迎（yíng）。（）’（）

Yan Yuan asked Zhongni: 'I, Hui, once heard from you, Master: “Do not have anything to send off; do not have anything to welcome.”'

回（huí）敢（gǎn）问（wèn）其（qí）游（yóu）。（）”（）

“May I, Hui, venture to ask what this roaming is like?”

仲（zhòng）尼（ní）曰（yuē）：（）“（）古（gǔ）之（zhī）人（rén）外（wài）化（huà）而（ér）内（nèi）不（bù）化（huà），（）今（jīn）之（zhī）人（rén）内（nèi）化（huà）而（ér）外（wài）不（bù）化（huà）。（）与（yǔ）物（wù）化（huà）者（zhě），（）一（yī）不（bù）化（huà）者（zhě）也（yě）。（）安（ān）化（huà）安（ān）不（bù）化（huà）？（）安（ān）与（yǔ）之（zhī）相（xiāng）靡（mǐ）？（）必（bì）与（yǔ）之（zhī）莫（mò）多（duō）。（）狶（xī）韦（wéi）氏（shì）之（zhī）囿（yòu），（）黄（huáng）帝（dì）之（zhī）圃（pǔ），（）有（yǒu）虞（yú）氏（shì）之（zhī）宫（gōng），（）汤（tāng）武（wǔ）之（zhī）室（shì）。（）

Zhongni said: 'The people of old transformed outwardly but did not transform inwardly; the people of today transform inwardly but do not transform outwardly. One who transforms with things is one who remains inwardly unchanged. How does one transform, and how does one not transform? How does one go along with it? One must follow it without going too far. The park of Xiwei, the garden of the Yellow Emperor, the palace of the Youyu clan, and the chamber of Tang and Wu.'

君（jūn）子（zǐ）之（zhī）人（rén），（）若（ruò）儒（rú）墨（mò）者（zhě）师（shī），（）故（gù）以（yǐ）是（shì）非（fēi）相（xiāng）赍（jī）也（yě），（）而（ér）况（kuàng）今（jīn）之（zhī）人（rén）乎（hū）！（）圣（shèng）人（rén）处（chù）物（wù）不（bù）伤（shāng）物（wù）。（）不（bù）伤（shāng）物（wù）者（zhě），（）物（wù）亦（yì）不（bù）能（néng）伤（shāng）也（yě）。（）唯（wéi）无（wú）所（suǒ）伤（shāng）者（zhě），（）为（wèi）能（néng）与（yǔ）人（rén）相（xiāng）将（jiāng）迎（yíng）。（）山（shān）林（lín）与（yú），（）皋（gāo）壤（rǎng）与（yú），（）使（shǐ）我（wǒ）欣（xīn）欣（xīn）然（rán）而（ér）乐（lè）与（yǔ）！（）乐（lè）未（wèi）毕（bì）也（yě），（）哀（āi）又（yòu）继（jì）之（zhī）。（）

Gentlemen—such as the masters of the Confucians and Mohists—still use right and wrong to attack one another; how much more so the people of today! The sage dwells with things without harming them. One who does not harm things—things likewise cannot harm him. Only one who does no harm can meet and send off others. Mountains and forests, marshes and plains—they make me rejoice with delight! Before the joy is finished, sorrow follows after it.

哀（āi）乐（lè）之（zhī）来（lái），（）吾（wú）不（bù）能（néng）御（yù），（）其（qí）去（qù）弗（fú）能（néng）止（zhǐ）。（）悲（bēi）夫（fū），（）世（shì）人（rén）直（zhí）为（wèi）物（wù）逆（nì）旅（lǚ）耳（ěr）！（）夫（fū）知（zhī）遇（yù）而（ér）不（bù）知（zhī）所（suǒ）不（bù）遇（yù），（）知（zhī）能（néng）能（néng）而（ér）不（bù）能（néng）所（suǒ）不（bù）能（néng）。（）无（wú）知（zhī）无（wú）能（néng）者（zhě），（）固（gù）人（rén）之（zhī）所（suǒ）不（bù）免（miǎn）也（yě）。（）夫（fū）务（wù）免（miǎn）乎（hū）人（rén）之（zhī）所（suǒ）不（bù）免（miǎn）者（zhě），（）岂（qǐ）不（bù）亦（yì）悲（bēi）哉（zāi）！（）至（zhì）言（yán）去（qù）言（yán），（）至（zhì）为（wéi）去（qù）为（wéi）。（）

When sorrow and joy come, I cannot fend them off; when they go, I cannot stop them. Alas! The people of the world are merely inns where things lodge! They know what they meet but do not know what they do not meet; they know how to be capable in what they are capable of, but cannot be capable in what they are not capable of. Being without knowledge and without capacity is indeed something people cannot avoid. To strive to avoid what people cannot avoid—is that not sad? Ultimate speech discards speech; ultimate action discards action.

齐（qí）知（zhī）之（zhī）所（suǒ）知（zhī），（）则（zé）浅（qiǎn）矣（yǐ）！（）”（）

To force what one already knows upon all things under heaven is a shallow kind of knowing.

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Knowledge Wanders North

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