Chapter 52 How to return to the origin.
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(Version and commentary of He Shanggong in Chinese)


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52. 1  
下有始,始有道也。以為天下母。道為天下萬物之母既知其母,復知其子,子,一也。既知道己,當復知一也。既知其子,復守其母,己知一,當復守道反無為也。沒身不殆。不危殆也。塞其兌,兌,目也。目不妄視也。閉其門,門,口也。使口不妄言終身不勤。人當塞目不妄視,閉口不妄言,則終生不勤苦。開其兌,開目視情欲也。濟其事,濟,益也。益情欲之事。終身不救。禍亂成也。見小曰明,萌芽未動,禍亂未見為小,昭然獨見為明。守柔日強。守柔弱,日以強大也。用其光,用其目光於外,視時世之利害。復歸其明。復當返其光明於內,無使精神泄也。無遺身殃,內視存神,不為漏失。是謂習常。人能行此,是謂修習常道。
- Chinese :

《道德經》: 天下有始,以為天下母。既知其母,復知其子,既知其子,復守其母,沒其不殆。塞其兌,閉其門,終身不勤。開其兌,濟其事,終身不救。見小曰明,守柔曰強。用其光,復歸其明,無遺身殃;是為習常。

《老子河上公章句·歸元》: 天下有始,以為天下母。既知其母,復知其子,既知其子,復守其母,沒身不殆。塞其兌,閉其門,終身不勤。開其兌,濟其事,終身不救。見小曰明,守柔日強。用其光,復歸其明。無遺身殃,是謂習常。

《馬王堆·老子甲德經》: 天下有始,以為天下母。既得其母,以知其□,復守其母,沒身不殆。塞其兌,閉其門,終身不堇。啟其悶,濟其事,終身□□。□小曰□,守柔曰強。用其光,復歸其明,毋道身央;是胃襲常。

《馬王堆·老子乙德經》: 天下有始,以為天下母。既得其母,以知其子;既○知其子,復守其母,沒身不佁。塞其兌,閉其門,冬身不堇。啟其兌,齊其□□□不棘。見小曰明,守□□強。用□□□□□□□遺身央;是胃□常。
(Ⅰ)
- He Shanggong (English) :

The world has a beginning.

The beginning is Tao.

It is thereby the world’s mother.

Tao is the mother of the world and of all beings.

If one knows one’s mother, she in turn knows her child.

The child is unity. If one knows Tao, it must in turn know unity.

If she knows her child, it in turn keeps to its mother.

If [Tao] already knows unity, [unity] must in turn keep to Tao and return to non-action.

To lose the body is not dangerous.

This is not dangerous.

By closing one’s openings,

The openings are the eyes. The eyes are not to look wrong,

by barring one’s gate,

The gate is the mouth. Do not let the mouth speak wrong words.

one finishes the body without trouble.

Man ought to close his eyes, then he will see nothing wrong. He ought to bar his mouth, then he will say nothing wrong. Then to the end of his life he will not be overwrought.

By opening one’s openings,

By opening one’s eyes one beholds things desirable,

by completing one’s doings,

濟 = 益to fill. Things filling the desires [are meant by this],

one finishes the body without rescue.

Misfortune and confusion become complete.

Who beholds smallness is called enlightened.

Though the germs do not yet move, misfortune moves them without being visible. As regards that which is small and nevertheless clear, only he who beholds it is enlightened.

Who retains weakness is called strong.

Who retains weakness and tenderness, thereby daily becomes stronger and bigger.

Who uses his splendour,

Who uses the light of his eyes within the outer world, thereby beholds the good and bad fortune of his time,

who returns to his light,

One ought to return to the light that is within. One may not allow the spirit to become negligent.

will not leave the body to calamity.

By looking inward, there is the spirit. Do not let it become lost.

This is called practising the eternal.

If a man is able to act according to this, it is called practising eternal Tao.

(Ⅱ)

- Wing-Tsit Chan (1963) :

There was a beginning of the universe Which may be called the Mother of the Universe.
He who has found the mother (Tao) And thereby understands her sons (things), And having understood the sons, Still keeps to its mother, Will be free from danger throughout his lifetime.
Close the mouth. Shut the doors (of cunning and desires). And to the end of life there will be (peace) without toil.
Open the mouth. Meddle with affairs. And to the end of life there will be no salvation.
Seeing what is small is called enlightenment. Keeping to weakness is called strength.
Use the light. Revert to enlightenment. And thereby avoid danger to one's life - This is called practicing the eternal.
(Ⅲ)
- Ellen Marie Chen (1989) :

The world (t'ien hsia) has an origin (shih),
Which is the world's (t'ien hsia) mother (mu).
Having reached the mother,
(We) know her child.
Having known the child,
Return and abide by its mother.
(In this way) one loses the body without becoming exhausted.
Stop the apertures (tui),
Close the doors,
(In this way) one's whole life (shen) is without toil (ch'in).
Open the apertures,
Going about the affairs,
(In this way) one's whole life (shen) cannot be saved.
To see the small is called illumination (ming).
To abide by the soft is called strength.
Use the bright light (kuang),
But return to the dim light (ming),
Do not expose your life (shen) to perils,
Such is to follow (hsi) the everlasting (ch'ang). (Ⅳ)
- Ch'u Ta-Kao (1904) :

The beginning of the Universe, when manifested, may be regarded as its Mother.
When a man has found the Mother, he will know the children accordingly;
Though he has known the children, he still keeps to the Mother:
Thus, however his body may decay, he will never perish.
If he shuts his mouth and closes his doors,
He can never be exhausted.
If he opens his mouth and increases his affairs,
He can never be saved.
To see the minuteness of things is called clarity of sight.
To keep to what is weak is called power.
Use your light, but dim your brightness;
Thus you will cause no harm to yourself.
This is called following the eternal (Tao).
(Ⅴ)
- World by world translation :

Traditional // simplified // pinyin // definition // dictionary
天下 // 天下 // tiān xià // ① empire céleste // Chinese-French
天下 // 天下 // tiān xià // ① land under heaven ② the whole world ③ the whole of China ④ realm ⑤ rule // CC-CEDICT
有 // 有 // yǒu // ① avoir ② posséder ③ il y a ④ exister // Chinese-French
有 // 有 // yǒu // ① to have ② there is ③ there are ④ to exist ⑤ to be // CC-CEDICT
始 // 始 // shǐ // ① début ② origine // Chinese-French
始 // 始 // shǐ // ① to begin ② to start ③ then ④ only then // CC-CEDICT
以為 // 以为 // yǐ wéi // ① croire ② penser ③ s'imaginer // Chinese-French
以為 // 以为 // yǐ wéi // ① to believe ② to think ③ to consider ④ to be under the impression // CC-CEDICT
天下 // 天下 // tiān xià // ① empire céleste // Chinese-French
天下 // 天下 // tiān xià // ① land under heaven ② the whole world ③ the whole of China ④ realm ⑤ rule // CC-CEDICT
母 // 母 // mǔ // ① mère ② femelle // Chinese-French
母 // 母 // mǔ // ① mother ② elderly female relative ③ origin ④ source ⑤ (of animals) female // CC-CEDICT
既 // 既 // jì // ① puisque ② étant donné que ③ aussi... que ④ et... et... ⑤ déjà // Chinese-French
既 // 既 // jì // ① already ② since ③ both... (and...) // CC-CEDICT
知 // 知 // zhī // ① savoir ② connaître ③ connaissances // Chinese-French
知 // 知 // zhī // ① to know ② to be aware // CC-CEDICT
其 // 其 // qí // ① son ② sa ③ ses ④ leur ⑤ leurs ⑥ il(s) ⑦ elle(s) ⑧ ceci ⑨ cela // Chinese-French
其 // 其 // qí // ① his ② her ③ its ④ their ⑤ that ⑥ such ⑦ it (refers to sth preceding it) // CC-CEDICT
母 // 母 // mǔ // ① mère ② femelle // Chinese-French
母 // 母 // mǔ // ① mother ② elderly female relative ③ origin ④ source ⑤ (of animals) female // CC-CEDICT
復 // 复 // fù // ① to go and return ② to return ③ to resume ④ to return to a normal or original state ⑤ to repeat ⑥ again ⑦ to recover ⑧ to restore ⑨ to turn over ⑩ to reply ⑪ to answer ⑫ to reply to a letter ⑬ to retaliate ⑭ to carry out // CC-CEDICT
知 // 知 // zhī // ① savoir ② connaître ③ connaissances // Chinese-French
知 // 知 // zhī // ① to know ② to be aware // CC-CEDICT
其 // 其 // qí // ① son ② sa ③ ses ④ leur ⑤ leurs ⑥ il(s) ⑦ elle(s) ⑧ ceci ⑨ cela // Chinese-French
其 // 其 // qí // ① his ② her ③ its ④ their ⑤ that ⑥ such ⑦ it (refers to sth preceding it) // CC-CEDICT
子 // 子 // zi // ① (suffixe substantif) // Chinese-French
子 // 子 // zi // ① (noun suffix) // CC-CEDICT
子 // 子 // zǐ // ① jeune ② petit ③ fils ④ personne ⑤ graine ⑥ le 1er des 12 Rameaux terrestres // Chinese-French
子 // 子 // zǐ // ① son ② child ③ seed ④ egg ⑤ small thing ⑥ 1st earthly branch: 11 p.m.-1 a.m., midnight, 11th solar month (7th December to 5th January), year of the Rat ⑦ Viscount, fourth of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3 jue2 wei4] ⑧ ancient Chinese compass point: 0° (north) // CC-CEDICT
既 // 既 // jì // ① puisque ② étant donné que ③ aussi... que ④ et... et... ⑤ déjà // Chinese-French
既 // 既 // jì // ① already ② since ③ both... (and...) // CC-CEDICT
知 // 知 // zhī // ① savoir ② connaître ③ connaissances // Chinese-French
知 // 知 // zhī // ① to know ② to be aware // CC-CEDICT
其 // 其 // qí // ① son ② sa ③ ses ④ leur ⑤ leurs ⑥ il(s) ⑦ elle(s) ⑧ ceci ⑨ cela // Chinese-French
其 // 其 // qí // ① his ② her ③ its ④ their ⑤ that ⑥ such ⑦ it (refers to sth preceding it) // CC-CEDICT
子 // 子 // zi // ① (suffixe substantif) // Chinese-French
子 // 子 // zi // ① (noun suffix) // CC-CEDICT
子 // 子 // zǐ // ① jeune ② petit ③ fils ④ personne ⑤ graine ⑥ le 1er des 12 Rameaux terrestres // Chinese-French
子 // 子 // zǐ // ① son ② child ③ seed ④ egg ⑤ small thing ⑥ 1st earthly branch: 11 p.m.-1 a.m., midnight, 11th solar month (7th December to 5th January), year of the Rat ⑦ Viscount, fourth of five orders of nobility 五等爵位[wu3 deng3 jue2 wei4] ⑧ ancient Chinese compass point: 0° (north) // CC-CEDICT
復 // 复 // fù // ① to go and return ② to return ③ to resume ④ to return to a normal or original state ⑤ to repeat ⑥ again ⑦ to recover ⑧ to restore ⑨ to turn over ⑩ to reply ⑪ to answer ⑫ to reply to a letter ⑬ to retaliate ⑭ to carry out // CC-CEDICT
守 // 守 // shǒu // ① garder ② défendre ③ monter la garde ④ respecter (une règle) ⑤ être proche de // Chinese-French
守 // 守 // shǒu // ① to guard ② to defend ③ to keep watch ④ to abide by the law ⑤ to observe (rules or ritual) ⑥ nearby ⑦ adjoining // CC-CEDICT
其 // 其 // qí // ① son ② sa ③ ses ④ leur ⑤ leurs ⑥ il(s) ⑦ elle(s) ⑧ ceci ⑨ cela // Chinese-French
其 // 其 // qí // ① his ② her ③ its ④ their ⑤ that ⑥ such ⑦ it (refers to sth preceding it) // CC-CEDICT
母 // 母 // mǔ // ① mère ② femelle // Chinese-French
母 // 母 // mǔ // ① mother ② elderly female relative ③ origin ④ source ⑤ (of animals) female // CC-CEDICT
沒 // 没 // méi // ① ne pas avoir // Chinese-French
沒 // 没 // méi // ① (negative prefix for verbs) ② have not ③ not // CC-CEDICT
沒 // 没 // mò // ① noyer ② inonder ③ mourir // Chinese-French
沒 // 没 // mò // ① drowned ② to end ③ to die ④ to inundate // CC-CEDICT
其 // 其 // qí // ① son ② sa ③ ses ④ leur ⑤ leurs ⑥ il(s) ⑦ elle(s) ⑧ ceci ⑨ cela // Chinese-French
其 // 其 // qí // ① his ② her ③ its ④ their ⑤ that ⑥ such ⑦ it (refers to sth preceding it) // CC-CEDICT
不 // 不 // bù // ① ne... pas ② non ③ (pour former une question placé à la fin d'une phrase, pour indiquer l'indifférence avec shen me ④ pour indiquer une alternative avec jiu) // Chinese-French
不 // 不 // bù // ① (negative prefix) ② not ③ no // CC-CEDICT
殆 // 殆 // dài // ① danger ② presque ③ à peu près // Chinese-French
殆 // 殆 // dài // ① dangerous ② perilous ③ to endanger ④ almost ⑤ probably ⑥ only // CC-CEDICT
塞 // 塞 // sè // ① bouchon // Chinese-French
塞 // 塞 // sè // ① to stop up ② to stuff ③ to cope with // CC-CEDICT
塞 // 塞 // sāi // ① bourrer ② boucher ③ faire entrer de force ④ caser ⑤ fourrer ⑥ glisser ⑦ bouchon // Chinese-French
塞 // 塞 // sāi // ① Serbia ② Serbian ③ abbr. for 塞爾維亞|塞尔维亚[Sai1 er3 wei2 ya4] // CC-CEDICT
塞 // 塞 // sāi // ① to stop up ② to squeeze in ③ to stuff ④ cork ⑤ stopper // CC-CEDICT
塞 // 塞 // sài // ① point stratégique à la frontière ② forteresse // Chinese-French
塞 // 塞 // sài // ① strategic pass ② tactical border position // CC-CEDICT
其 // 其 // qí // ① son ② sa ③ ses ④ leur ⑤ leurs ⑥ il(s) ⑦ elle(s) ⑧ ceci ⑨ cela // Chinese-French
其 // 其 // qí // ① his ② her ③ its ④ their ⑤ that ⑥ such ⑦ it (refers to sth preceding it) // CC-CEDICT
兌 // 兑 // duì // ① changer ② convertir ③ mêler ④ couper // Chinese-French
兌 // 兑 // duì // ① surname Dui // CC-CEDICT
兌 // 兑 // duì // ① to cash ② to exchange ③ to add (liquid) ④ to blend ⑤ one of the Eight Trigrams 八卦[ba1 gua4], symbolizing swamp ⑥ ☱ // CC-CEDICT
閉 // 闭 // bì // ① fermer ② clore ③ arrêter ④ faire obstruction // Chinese-French
閉 // 闭 // bì // ① to close ② to stop up ③ to shut ④ to obstruct // CC-CEDICT
其 // 其 // qí // ① son ② sa ③ ses ④ leur ⑤ leurs ⑥ il(s) ⑦ elle(s) ⑧ ceci ⑨ cela // Chinese-French
其 // 其 // qí // ① his ② her ③ its ④ their ⑤ that ⑥ such ⑦ it (refers to sth preceding it) // CC-CEDICT
門 // 门 // mén // ① porte ② entrée ③ voie ④ moyen ⑤ famille ⑥ école ⑦ classe ⑧ catégorie // Chinese-French
門 // 门 // mén // ① surname Men // CC-CEDICT
門 // 门 // mén // ① gate ② door ③ CL:扇[shan4] ④ gateway ⑤ doorway ⑥ CL:個|个[ge4] ⑦ opening ⑧ valve ⑨ switch ⑩ way to do something ⑪ knack ⑫ family ⑬ house ⑭ (religious) sect ⑮ school (of thought) ⑯ class ⑰ category ⑱ phylum or division (taxonomy) ⑲ classifier for large guns ⑳ classifier for lessons, subjects, branches of technology Ⓐ (suffix) -gate (i.e. scandal Ⓑ derived from Watergate) // CC-CEDICT
終身 // 终身 // zhōng shēn // ① toute la vie // Chinese-French
終身 // 终身 // zhōng shēn // ① lifelong ② all one's life ③ marriage // CC-CEDICT
不 // 不 // bù // ① ne... pas ② non ③ (pour former une question placé à la fin d'une phrase, pour indiquer l'indifférence avec shen me ④ pour indiquer une alternative avec jiu) // Chinese-French
不 // 不 // bù // ① (negative prefix) ② not ③ no // CC-CEDICT
勤 // 勤 // qín // ① fréquemment ② travailleur ③ assidu // Chinese-French
勤 // 勤 // qín // ① diligent ② industrious ③ hardworking ④ frequent ⑤ regular ⑥ constant // CC-CEDICT
懃 // 勤 // qín // ① variant of 勤[qin2] ② industrious ③ solicitous // CC-CEDICT
開 // 开 // kāi // ① ouvrir ② frayer ③ percer ④ s'épanouir ⑤ mettre en marche ⑥ démarrer ⑦ fonder ⑧ établir ⑨ commencer ⑩ débuter ⑪ tenir ⑫ organiser ⑬ bouillir // Chinese-French
開 // 开 // kāi // ① to open ② to start ③ to turn on ④ to boil ⑤ to write out (a prescription, check, invoice etc) ⑥ to operate (a vehicle) ⑦ carat (gold) ⑧ abbr. for Kelvin, 開爾文|开尔文[Kai1 er3 wen2] ⑨ abbr. for 開本|开本[kai1 ben3], book format // CC-CEDICT
其 // 其 // qí // ① son ② sa ③ ses ④ leur ⑤ leurs ⑥ il(s) ⑦ elle(s) ⑧ ceci ⑨ cela // Chinese-French
其 // 其 // qí // ① his ② her ③ its ④ their ⑤ that ⑥ such ⑦ it (refers to sth preceding it) // CC-CEDICT
兌 // 兑 // duì // ① changer ② convertir ③ mêler ④ couper // Chinese-French
兌 // 兑 // duì // ① surname Dui // CC-CEDICT
兌 // 兑 // duì // ① to cash ② to exchange ③ to add (liquid) ④ to blend ⑤ one of the Eight Trigrams 八卦[ba1 gua4], symbolizing swamp ⑥ ☱ // CC-CEDICT
濟 // 济 // jì // ① traverser un cours d'eau ② aider ③ secourir // Chinese-French
濟 // 济 // jì // ① to cross a river ② to aid or relieve ③ to be of help // CC-CEDICT
其 // 其 // qí // ① son ② sa ③ ses ④ leur ⑤ leurs ⑥ il(s) ⑦ elle(s) ⑧ ceci ⑨ cela // Chinese-French
其 // 其 // qí // ① his ② her ③ its ④ their ⑤ that ⑥ such ⑦ it (refers to sth preceding it) // CC-CEDICT
事 // 事 // shì // ① être occupé ② être engagé dans ③ affaire ④ chose ⑤ accident ⑥ trouble ⑦ travail ⑧ responsabilité ⑨ implication ⑩ empêtrement // Chinese-French
事 // 事 // shì // ① matter ② thing ③ item ④ work ⑤ affair ⑥ CL:件[jian4],樁|桩[zhuang1],回[hui2] // CC-CEDICT
終身 // 终身 // zhōng shēn // ① toute la vie // Chinese-French
終身 // 终身 // zhōng shēn // ① lifelong ② all one's life ③ marriage // CC-CEDICT
不 // 不 // bù // ① ne... pas ② non ③ (pour former une question placé à la fin d'une phrase, pour indiquer l'indifférence avec shen me ④ pour indiquer une alternative avec jiu) // Chinese-French
不 // 不 // bù // ① (negative prefix) ② not ③ no // CC-CEDICT
救 // 救 // jiù // ① sauver ② secourir ③ assister ④ aider // Chinese-French
救 // 救 // jiù // ① to save ② to assist ③ to rescue // CC-CEDICT
捄 // 救 // jiù // ① variant of 救[jiu4] // CC-CEDICT
見 // 见 // jiàn // ① voir ② apercevoir ③ rencontrer ④ être au contact de ⑤ être exposé à ⑥ se référer à // Chinese-French
見 // 见 // jiàn // ① to see ② to meet ③ to appear (to be sth) ④ to interview // CC-CEDICT
見 // 见 // xiàn // ① apparaître ② se montrer // Chinese-French
見 // 见 // xiàn // ① to appear ② also written 現|现[xian4] // CC-CEDICT
小 // 小 // xiǎo // ① petit ② jeune // Chinese-French
小 // 小 // xiǎo // ① small ② tiny ③ few ④ young // CC-CEDICT
曰 // 曰 // yuē // ① dire ② appeler // Chinese-French
曰 // 曰 // yuē // ① to speak ② to say // CC-CEDICT
明 // 明 // míng // ① brillant ② clair ③ comprendre ④ vue ⑤ distinct ⑥ net ⑦ ouvert ⑧ public ⑨ explicite ⑩ prompt ⑪ leste ⑫ prochain ⑬ suivant ⑭ ouvertement // Chinese-French
明 // 明 // míng // ① Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) ② surname Ming ③ Ming (c. 2000 BC), fourth of the legendary Flame Emperors, 炎帝[Yan2 di4] descended from Shennong 神農|神农[Shen2 nong2] Farmer God // CC-CEDICT
明 // 明 // míng // ① bright ② opposite: dark 暗[an4] ③ (of meaning) clear ④ to understand ⑤ next ⑥ public or open ⑦ wise ⑧ generic term for a sacrifice to the gods // CC-CEDICT
守 // 守 // shǒu // ① garder ② défendre ③ monter la garde ④ respecter (une règle) ⑤ être proche de // Chinese-French
守 // 守 // shǒu // ① to guard ② to defend ③ to keep watch ④ to abide by the law ⑤ to observe (rules or ritual) ⑥ nearby ⑦ adjoining // CC-CEDICT
柔 // 柔 // róu // ① souple ② flexible ③ doux // Chinese-French
柔 // 柔 // róu // ① soft ② flexible ③ supple ④ yielding ⑤ rho (Greek letter Ρρ) // CC-CEDICT
曰 // 曰 // yuē // ① dire ② appeler // Chinese-French
曰 // 曰 // yuē // ① to speak ② to say // CC-CEDICT
強 // 强 // qiáng // ① fort ② puissant ③ de force // Chinese-French
強 // 强 // qiáng // ① surname Qiang // CC-CEDICT
強 // 强 // qiáng // ① strong ② powerful ③ better ④ slightly more than ⑤ vigorous ⑥ violent ⑦ best in their category, e.g. see 百強|百强[bai3 qiang2] // CC-CEDICT
強 // 强 // qiǎng // ① faire un effort ② forcer // Chinese-French
強 // 强 // qiǎng // ① to force ② to compel ③ to strive ④ to make an effort // CC-CEDICT
強 // 强 // jiàng // ① obstiné ② têtu ③ inflexible // Chinese-French
強 // 强 // jiàng // ① stubborn ② unyielding // CC-CEDICT
用 // 用 // yòng // ① utiliser ② employer ③ avoir à faire ceci ou cela ④ manger ou boire ⑤ frais ou dépenses ⑥ utilité ⑦ c'est pourquoi ⑧ donc ⑨ par conséquent // Chinese-French
用 // 用 // yòng // ① to use ② to employ ③ to have to ④ to eat or drink ⑤ expense or outlay ⑥ usefulness ⑦ hence ⑧ therefore // CC-CEDICT
其 // 其 // qí // ① son ② sa ③ ses ④ leur ⑤ leurs ⑥ il(s) ⑦ elle(s) ⑧ ceci ⑨ cela // Chinese-French
其 // 其 // qí // ① his ② her ③ its ④ their ⑤ that ⑥ such ⑦ it (refers to sth preceding it) // CC-CEDICT
光 // 光 // guāng // ① rayon (de lumière) ② brillant, gloire ③ nu ④ épuiser ⑤ seul ⑥ (nom de famille) // Chinese-French
光 // 光 // guāng // ① light ② ray ③ CL:道[dao4] ④ bright ⑤ only ⑥ merely ⑦ to use up // CC-CEDICT
復歸 // 复归 // fù guī // ① revenir // Chinese-French
復歸 // 复归 // fù guī // ① to return ② to come back // CC-CEDICT
其 // 其 // qí // ① son ② sa ③ ses ④ leur ⑤ leurs ⑥ il(s) ⑦ elle(s) ⑧ ceci ⑨ cela // Chinese-French
其 // 其 // qí // ① his ② her ③ its ④ their ⑤ that ⑥ such ⑦ it (refers to sth preceding it) // CC-CEDICT
明 // 明 // míng // ① brillant ② clair ③ comprendre ④ vue ⑤ distinct ⑥ net ⑦ ouvert ⑧ public ⑨ explicite ⑩ prompt ⑪ leste ⑫ prochain ⑬ suivant ⑭ ouvertement // Chinese-French
明 // 明 // míng // ① Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) ② surname Ming ③ Ming (c. 2000 BC), fourth of the legendary Flame Emperors, 炎帝[Yan2 di4] descended from Shennong 神農|神农[Shen2 nong2] Farmer God // CC-CEDICT
明 // 明 // míng // ① bright ② opposite: dark 暗[an4] ③ (of meaning) clear ④ to understand ⑤ next ⑥ public or open ⑦ wise ⑧ generic term for a sacrifice to the gods // CC-CEDICT
無遺 // 无遗 // wú yí // ① completely ② fully ③ without omission // CC-CEDICT
身 // 身 // shēn // ① corps ② vie ③ soi-même // Chinese-French
身 // 身 // shēn // ① body ② life ③ oneself ④ personally ⑤ one's morality and conduct ⑥ the main part of a structure or body ⑦ pregnant ⑧ classifier for sets of clothes: suit, twinset ⑨ Kangxi radical 158 // CC-CEDICT
殃 // 殃 // yāng // ① malheur ② calamité ③ désastre ④ conduire qqn au désastre // Chinese-French
殃 // 殃 // yāng // ① calamity // CC-CEDICT
是 // 是 // shì // ① être ② oui ③ correct // Chinese-French
是 // 是 // shì // ① is ② are ③ am ④ yes ⑤ to be // CC-CEDICT
昰 // 是 // shì // ① variant of 是[shi4] ② (used in given names) // CC-CEDICT
為 // 为 // wèi // ① because of ② for ③ to // CC-CEDICT
為 // 为 // wéi // ① as (in the capacity of) ② to take sth as ③ to act as ④ to serve as ⑤ to behave as ⑥ to become ⑦ to be ⑧ to do ⑨ by (in the passive voice) // CC-CEDICT
習 // 习 // xí // ① étudier ② habitude ③ s'exercer ④ s'habituer // Chinese-French
習 // 习 // xí // ① surname Xi // CC-CEDICT
習 // 习 // xí // ① to practice ② to study ③ habit // CC-CEDICT
常 // 常 // cháng // ① souvent ② fréquemment ③ ordinaire ④ commun ⑤ constant ⑥ invariable // Chinese-French
常 // 常 // cháng // ① surname Chang // CC-CEDICT
常 // 常 // cháng // ① always ② ever ③ often ④ frequently ⑤ common ⑥ general ⑦ constant // CC-CEDICT (Ⅵ)
- Yi Wu (1989) :

The earliest beginning we can trace
Can be taken as the mother.
When we have come to know the mother,
We can then trace the son.
When we have found the son,
We should go back to stay with the mother.
Staying with the mother,
We are on the safest spot for our life.
Shut the eyes and cover the ears,
And one can stay away from worry all one's life.
Opening the door and rushing about all the time
Will not help save one from cares and trouble.
One who understands subtle details is wise.
One who keeps weakness is strong.
By adopting that subtle insight in the world,
One can avoid any danger.
That is called the inheritance of what is eternal. (Ⅶ)
- Lynn (2004) :

All under Heaven has a generatrix, which we regard as the mother of all under Heaven.
Once one has access to the mother, through it he can know the child.
Once one knows the child, if he again holds on to the mother, as long as he lives, no danger shall befall him.
Block up your apertures; close your door,
And to the end of your life you will never be exhausted.
But if you open your apertures and deal consciously with things, to the end of your life you will never have relief.
To see the small is called "perspicacious."
To hold on to softness is called "strength."
Make use of its brightness,
But always let its brightness revert.
Never let one's person be exposed to disaster: this is a matter of practicing constancy. (Ⅷ)


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