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CHAPTER FORTY
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Tao Te Ching (Daodejing) (Intro) : 32 Nature Mystic Chapters :
gender-inclusive translations, calligraphy, commentary, seal scripts :
01, 04, 06, 07, 08 09, 10, 11, 15, 21, 22, 23 26, 28, 29, 32, 35,
40, 43, 45, 47
48, 49, 51,
52, 56, 63, 67
70, 73, 77, 79.
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Search Site | Hyperlinked Bibliography: Women Authors on the Tao Te Ching
The Woman Crookback (Chuang-Tzu) | Picturing Tao » Found Circles
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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Ellen M. Chen (1989)
Returning is the movement of Tao.
Weak is the functioning of Tao.
Ten thousand things under heaven are
born of being.
Being is born of non-being.
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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by R. B. Blakney (1955)
The movement of the Way is a return;
In weakness lies its major usefulness.
From What-is all the world of things was born
But What-is sprang in turn from What-is-not.
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REVERSE / TURNING BACK (反 = Fan)
Pictograph = Hand turned over
like a cliff (showing the back)
"Turning back is how the way moves."
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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Kari Hohne (2009)
Turning back is how the way moves.
Weakness is the means the way employs.
The myriad of things in this world are born from 'something'
although 'something' comes from 'nothing.'
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WEAKNESS (弱 = Ruo)
Pictograph = Fragile plant or possible variation
of a young bird's wings (zhongwen.com).
"Weakness is Tao's usefulness."
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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by P. J. Maclagan (1898-99)
1.
Reversion is Tao's movement.
Weakness is Tao's usefulness.
2.
All things under heaven spring from Existence.
Existence springs from non-existence.
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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Red Pine (1996)
The Tao moves the other way [*]
(1) reversing (2) things (3) the Way
(4) the same's (5) movement
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the Tao works through weakness
the things of this world come from something
something comes from nothing [**]
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[*] ELLEN M. CHEN says:
"This chapter identifies reversion as the very life of Tao
itself. Reversion in this chapter is not the creature's
return to the source but the return of the source
to the world."
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[**] LORENZ OKEN [nature philosopher, 1847] says:
"Zero is the essence of mathematics.
Out of nothing everything arose."
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ACT / MOVE (PUSH) (動 = Dong)
Pictograph = heavy + strength / muscle
"Turning back is how the way moves."
KARI HOHNE says:
"If we push on something and cause it to move, we will also be propelled backward by the force we have exerted. Strength is the power of the 'weak' or yielding, when energy is applied productively."
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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by John Chalmers (1868)
Returning is the motion of Tao.
Weakness is the character of Tao.
All things in the world are produced from
existence;
and existence is produced
from non-existence.
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Daodejing / Tao Te Ching / Chapter Forty in Seal Script
(Zhuanshu 篆文, with Wang Pi / Wang Bi Version)
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Chapter 40 Seal Script & Interlinear English
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(1) reversing (2) things (3) the Way (4) the same's (5) movement
(1) weakness (2) of things (3) the Way (4) the same's (5) usefulness
(1) in heaven (2) below (3) ten thousand (4) things (5) arise (6) from (7) being
(1) being (2) arises (3) from (4) nothing
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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Eduard Erkes (1945/1949)
(HO-SHANG-KUNG ver.)
Subversion is Tao's movement.
Weakness is Tao's use.
Within the world all things originate
from existence.
Existence originates from non-existence.
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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Chao-Hsiu Chen (2004)
Returning is the movement of Tao.
Weakness is the use of the Tao.
The myriad creatures under Heaven
are born from something.
The something is born from nothing.
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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Walter Gorn Old (1904)
The path of the Tao is backward.
The characteristic of Tao is gentleness.
Everything in the universe comes from existence,
and existence from non-existence.
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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Stephen Mitchell (1988)
Return to the movement of the Tao.
Yielding the Way of the Tao.
All things are born of being
Being is born of non-being.
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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Ursula K. Le Guin (1998)
Return to how the Way moves.
Weakness is how the Way works.
Heaven and Earth and the ten thousand things
are born of being.
Being is born of nothing.
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(1) being (2) arises (3) from (4) nothing
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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Shrine of Wisdom (1924)
The path of Tao is a return to the Source.
Gentleness is its characteristic. [*]
All things under Heaven derive their being from the manifestation of Tao; and Tao the Manifest is born in Tao the unmanifest.
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[*] SHRINE OF WIDSOM says:
"This Returning Home is the Path of Tao — the Simple Way; but so marvellous is its immaculate simplicity that those who find it, being like little children, oftentimes know it not, while those who seek it, but are not child-like, find it not."
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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Lionel Giles (1905)
Retrogression (反) is the movement (動) of Tao.
Weakness is the character of Tao.
All things under Heaven derive their being from Tao
in the form of Existence;
Tao in the form of Existence
sprang from Tao in the form of Non-Existence.
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Chapters INDEX (TOP)
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