The Great and Venerable Teacher

知天之所為，知人之所為者，至矣。知天之所為者，天而生也；知人之所為者，以其知之所知以養其知之所不知，終其天年而不中道夭者，是知之盛也。雖然，有患。夫知有所待而後當，其所待者特未定也。庸詎知吾所謂天之非人乎？所謂人之非天乎？且有真人而後有真知。

One who knows what Heaven does and what man does has reached the utmost. One who knows what Heaven does is born of Heaven; one who knows what man does uses what his knowledge can know to nourish what his knowledge cannot know, living out his natural years without dying midway; this is the fullness of knowledge. Even so, there is a trouble. Knowledge depends on something before it is fitting, but what it depends on is not yet settled. How do I know that what I call Heaven is not man? And what I call man is not Heaven? Moreover, there must be a true man before there is true knowledge.

何謂真人？古之真人，不逆寡，不雄成，不謩士。若然者，過而弗悔，當而不自得也。若然者，登高不慄，入水不濡，入火不熱，是知之能登假於道也若此。古之真人，其寢不夢，其覺無憂，其食不甘，其息深深。真人之息以踵，眾人之息以喉。屈服者，其嗌言若哇。其耆欲深者，其天機淺。古之真人，不知悅生，不知惡死；其出不訢，其入不距；翛然而往，翛然而來而已矣。不忘其所始，不求其所終；受而喜之，忘而復之，是之謂不以心捐道，不以人助天，是之謂真人。若然者，其心志，其容寂，其顙頯，淒然似秋，煖然似春，喜怒通四時，與物有宜而莫知其極。故聖人之用兵也，亡國而不失人心，利澤施乎萬世，不為愛人。故樂通物，非聖人也；有親，非仁也；天時，非賢也；利害不通，非君子也；行名失己，非士也；亡身不真，非役人也。若狐不偕、務光、伯夷、叔齊、箕子、胥餘、紀他、申徒狄，是役人之役，適人之適，而不自適其適者也。古之真人，其狀義而不朋，若不足而不承；與乎其觚而不堅也，張乎其虛而不華也；邴邴乎其似喜乎，崔乎其不得已乎；滀乎進我色也，與乎止我德也；厲乎其似世乎，謷乎其未可制也；連乎其似好閉也，悗乎忘其言也。以刑為體，以禮為翼，以知為時，以德為循。以刑為體者，綽乎其殺也；以禮為翼者，所以行於世也；以知為時者，不得已於事也；以德為循者，言其與有足者至於丘也，而人真以為勤行者也。故其好之也一，其弗好之也一。其一也一，其不一也一。其一與天為徒，其不一與人為徒。天與人不相勝也，是之謂真人。

What is a true man? The true men of old did not oppose the few, did not boast of success, and did not scheme over affairs. Such men did not regret when they missed something and were not pleased with themselves when they got it right. Such men climbed high without trembling, entered water without getting wet, entered fire without feeling hot; this is knowledge reaching up to the Way to this degree. The true men of old did not dream when they slept, had no worries when they woke, did not seek sweet flavors in their food, and breathed deeply. The true man breathes from his heels, while ordinary men breathe from their throats. Those who are subdued by others utter words from the throat as if retching. Those with deep desires have a shallow heavenly pivot. The true men of old did not know to delight in life or to hate death; they were not elated when they came out and did not resist when they went in; they went briskly and came briskly, and that was all. They did not forget where they began, nor seek where they would end; they received and were delighted, forgot and returned; this is called not using the mind to cast away the Way and not using man to assist Heaven, and this is called a true man. Such a man has a focused mind, a tranquil countenance and a broad brow, is chilly like autumn and warm like spring, his joy and anger matching the four seasons, fitting with things so that no one knows his limit. Therefore, when the sage uses the army, he may destroy a state without losing people's hearts; the benefit and grace he brings reach ten thousand generations, yet not out of love for people. So one who delights in communicating with things is not a sage; one who has close and distant is not benevolent; one who waits for the right time is not worthy; one who cannot see through gain and loss is not a gentleman; one who acts for fame and loses himself is not a scholar; one who ruins himself and is not true cannot employ people. Men like Hu Buxie, Wu Guang, Boyi, Shuqi, Jizi, Xu Yu, Ji Ta and Shentu Di were all employed by others, followed the paths of others, and did not follow the path that suited themselves. The true men of old had a lofty bearing and did not form cliques; they seemed to lack but did not receive; they were upright and angular but not stubborn, broad and empty but not showy; they appeared cheerful and seemed to act reluctantly; their complexion was full so that people approached, and their virtue was gentle so that people stopped; they were stern like the world and lofty as if unconquerable; they seemed continuous and fond of seclusion, and were absentminded as if they had forgotten their own words. They took punishment as the body, ritual as the wings, knowledge as the timing, and virtue as the following. Those who take punishment as the body are lenient even in killing; those who take ritual as wings use it to move in the world; those who take knowledge as timing act in affairs only when unavoidable; those who take virtue as the following are like walking with those who have feet up to the hill, while people truly think he is working hard. Therefore what he likes is one, and what he does not like is also one. That which is one is one, and that which is not one is also one. In his oneness he is a companion of Heaven; in his not-oneness he is a companion of man. When Heaven and man do not overcome each other, this is called a true man.

死生，命也；其有夜旦之常，天也。人之有所不得與，皆物之情也。彼特以天為父，而身猶愛之，而況其卓乎？人特以有君為愈乎己，而身猶死之，而況其真乎？泉涸，魚相與處於陸，相呴以濕，相濡以沫，不如相忘於江湖。與其譽堯而非桀也，不如兩忘而化其道。夫大塊載我以形，勞我以生，佚我以老，息我以死，故善吾生者，乃所以善吾死也。夫藏舟於壑，藏山於澤，謂之固矣，然而夜半有力者負之而走，昧者不知也。藏小大有宜，猶有所遯。若夫藏天下於天下而不得所遯，是恆物之大情也。特犯人之形而猶喜之，若人之形者，萬化而未始有極也，其為樂可勝計邪！故聖人將遊於物之所不得遯而皆存。善夭善老，善始善終，人猶效之，又況萬物之所係，而一化之所待乎！

Death and life are fate; their constant rhythm of day and night is Heaven. What man cannot take part in is all the fact of things. People take Heaven as a father, and still love it with their bodies, how much more that which is eminent? People think there is a ruler greater than themselves, and still die for him with their bodies, how much more the truly real? When the spring dries up, the fish all stay on the land, moistening each other with breath and wetting each other with foam; that is not as good as forgetting each other in the rivers and lakes. Rather than praising Yao and condemning Jie, it is better to forget both and be transformed into that Way. The great earth carries me with a form, toils me with life, gives me ease with old age, and gives me rest with death; so what makes my life good makes my death good. One hides a boat in a ravine and a mountain in a marsh, calling it secure, yet in the middle of the night a strong man carries it off on his back and the sleepers do not know. Hiding small things in large ones each has its suitability, yet there is still some escaping. As for hiding the world in the world, there is no place for anything to escape; this is the great fact of constant things. Merely meeting the human form brings delight; a form like the human one has ten thousand changes without end, so how can the joys be counted! Therefore the sage will roam in the place where things cannot escape and all are preserved. Good at dying young, good at being old, good at the beginning, good at the end: people still model on him, how much more that on which the myriad things depend and for which the one transformation waits!

夫道，有情有信，無為無形；可傳而不可受，可得而不可見；自本自根，未有天地，自古以固存；神鬼神帝，生天生地；在太極之先而不為高，在六極之下而不為深；先天地生而不為久，長於上古而不為老。狶韋氏得之，以挈天地；伏戲得之，以襲氣母；維鬥得之，終古不忒；日月得之，終古不息；堪壞得之，以襲崐崘；馮夷得之，以遊大川；肩吾得之，以處大山；黃帝得之，以登雲天；顓頊得之，以處玄官；禺強得之，立乎北極；西王母得之，坐乎少廣，莫知其始，莫知其終；彭祖得之，上及有虞，下及五伯；傅說得之，以相武丁，奄有天下，乘東維，騎箕尾，而比於列星。

The Way has feeling and trustworthiness, but does nothing and has no form; it can be transmitted but not given, can be attained but not seen; it is its own root and its own source, and before there was heaven and earth, it existed from ancient times; it makes ghosts divine and gods divine, gives birth to heaven and to earth; it is before the Supreme Ultimate yet not high, beneath the six directions yet not deep; it was born before heaven and earth yet is not old, is older than high antiquity yet not aged. Xiwei obtained it and used it to hold up heaven and earth; Fu Xi obtained it and used it to take over the mother of qi; the Big Dipper obtained it and has not erred since ancient times; the sun and moon obtained it and have not rested since ancient times; Kanpei obtained it and used it to take over Kunlun; Feng Yi obtained it and used it to roam the great rivers; Jianwu obtained it and used it to dwell on Mount Tai; the Yellow Emperor obtained it and used it to ascend to the clouds and heaven; Zhuanxu obtained it and used it to dwell in the Dark Palace; Yuqiang obtained it and stands at the North Pole; the Queen Mother of the West obtained it and sat on Shaoguang, and no one knows her beginning, no one knows her end; Peng Zu obtained it and lived from Youyu above down to the Five Hegemons below; Fu Yue obtained it and used it to assist Wu Ding, holding all under heaven, riding the Eastern Dipper and mounting Ji and Wei, and ranking among the stars.

南伯子葵問乎女偊曰：「子之年長矣，而色若孺子，何也？」曰：「吾聞道矣。」南伯子葵曰：「可得學邪？」曰：「惡！惡可！子非其人也。夫卜梁倚有聖人之才而無聖人之道，我有聖人之道而無聖人之才。吾欲以教之，庶幾其果為聖人乎？不然，以聖人之道告聖人之才，亦易矣，吾猶守而告之，參日而後能外天下；已外天下矣，吾又守之，七日而後能外物；已外物矣，吾又守之，九日而後能外生；已外生矣，而後能朝徹；朝徹而後能見獨，見獨而後能無古今，無古今而後能入於不死不生。殺生者不死，生生者不生。其為物，無不將也，無不迎也，無不毀也，無不成也。其名為攖寧。攖寧也者，攖而後成者也。」南伯子葵曰：「子獨惡乎聞之？」曰：「聞諸副墨之子，副墨之子聞諸洛誦之孫，洛誦之孫聞之瞻明，瞻明聞之聶許，聶許聞之需役，需役聞之於謳，於謳聞之玄冥，玄冥聞之參寥，參寥聞之疑始。」

Ziku of Nanbo asked Nu Yu: "You are old, yet your complexion is like a child's; why?" She said: "I have heard the Way." Ziku of Nanbo said: "Can it be learned?" She said: "No! How could it? You are not that kind of person. Buliang Yi has the talent of a sage but not the way of a sage; I have the way of a sage but not the talent of a sage. I wanted to teach him, hoping that perhaps he would indeed become a sage. If not, telling the way of a sage to one with the talent of a sage is also easy. I kept to telling him, and after three days he was able to put the world outside himself; having put the world outside, I kept on, and after seven days he was able to put things outside himself; having put things outside, I kept on, and after nine days he was able to put life outside himself; having put life outside, he was then able to attain morning clarity; with morning clarity he was able to see the One; seeing the One, he was able to be without past or present; without past or present, he was able to enter where there is no death and no birth. That which kills life does not die; that which gives life to life is not born. As a thing it has none it does not send off, none it does not welcome, none it does not destroy, none it does not complete. Its name is Ying-ning (settling in disturbance: a completion that comes in the midst of disturbance, not stillness after disturbance is removed). Ying-ning is that which is completed after being disturbed." Ziku of Nanbo said: "From where did you alone hear it?" She said: "I heard it from the Son of Auxiliary Ink, and the Son of Auxiliary Ink heard it from the Grandson of Recitation, the Grandson of Recitation heard it from Clear Sight, Clear Sight heard it from Whispered Listening, Whispered Listening heard it from Needful Service, Needful Service heard it from Oh-Chant, Oh-Chant heard it from Dark Obscurity, Dark Obscurity heard it from Cantering Emptiness, and Cantering Emptiness heard it from Doubting Beginning."

子祀、子輿、子犁、子來四人相與語曰：「孰能以無為首，以生為脊，以死為尻？孰知死生存亡之一體者，吾與之友矣。」四人相視而笑，莫逆於心，遂相與為友。俄而子輿有病，子祀往問之。曰：「偉哉，夫造物者將以予為此拘拘也！」曲僂發背，上有五管，頤隱於齊，肩高於頂，句贅指天，陰陽之氣有沴，其心閒而無事，跰𨇤而鑑於井，曰：「嗟乎，夫造物者又將以予為此拘拘也！」子祀曰：「汝惡之乎？」曰：「亡，予何惡！浸假而化予之左臂以為雞，予因以求時夜；浸假而化予之右臂以為彈，予因以求鴞炙；浸假而化予之尻以為輪，以神為馬，予因而乘之，豈更駕哉？且夫得者時也，失者順也，安時而處順，哀樂不能入也，此古之所謂縣解也。而不能自解者，物有結之。且夫物不勝天久矣，吾又何惡焉！」俄而子來有病，喘喘然將死，其妻子環而泣之。犁往問之，曰：「叱避，無怛化！」倚其戶，與之語曰：「偉哉，造化又將奚以汝為？將奚以汝適？以汝為鼠肝乎？以汝為蟲臂乎？」子來曰：「父母於子，東西南北，唯命之從。陰陽於人，不翅於父母。彼近吾死，而我不聽，我則捍矣，彼何罪焉？夫大塊載我以形，勞我以生，佚我以老，息我以死，故善吾生者，乃所以善吾死也。今大冶鑄金，金踴躍曰：『我且必為鏌鋣！』大冶必以為不祥之金。今一犯人之形，而曰『人耳人耳』，夫造化者必以為不祥之人。今一以天地為大鑪，以造化為大冶，惡乎往而不可哉！」成然寐，蘧然覺，發然汗出。

Four men, Zisi, Ziyu, Zili and Zilai, said to one another: "Who can take nothingness as the head, life as the spine, and death as the rump? Who knows that death and life, survival and loss are one body? I will make him my friend." The four looked at one another and smiled, and, nothing opposing in their hearts, became friends with one another. Before long Ziyu fell ill, and Zisi went to ask after him. He said: "Wonderful! The Creator is turning me into this crooked thing!" His back was hunched, with his five organs on top, his chin hidden in his navel, his shoulders higher than his crown, his neck bone pointing to the sky, and the energies of yin and yang were in disorder, yet his heart was at ease and had nothing to do; he limped over to look at himself in the well and said: "Ah, the Creator is making me into such a crooked thing!" Zisi said: "Do you dislike it?" He said: "No, what would I dislike! If gradually my left arm were transformed into a rooster, I would use it to announce the dawn; if gradually my right arm were transformed into a crossbow pellet, I would use it to seek roasted owl; if gradually my rump were transformed into a wheel and my spirit into a horse, I would ride it, and would I need to look for another carriage? Moreover, gaining is the right time, and losing is compliance; resting in the time and dwelling in compliance, sorrow and joy cannot enter; this is what the ancients called being released from the hanging. And those who cannot release themselves are bound by things. Moreover, things have not overcome Heaven for a long time already, so what would I dislike!" Before long Zilai fell ill, gasping as if about to die, and his wife and children surrounded him weeping. Zili went to ask after him and said: "Hey, step aside, do not startle the transformation!" Leaning on the door he said to him: "Wonderful, what will the Creator make of you now? Where will he take you? Will he make you into a rat's liver? Will he make you into an insect's arm?" Zilai said: "A child, toward his parents, goes east, west, south or north, only obeying their commands. Yin and yang, toward a person, are more than parents. If it brings me close to death and I do not obey, I am being defiant; what offense has it committed? The great earth carries me with a form, toils me with life, gives me ease with old age and gives me rest with death; so what makes my life good makes my death good. Now a great smith is casting metal, and the metal leaps up and says: 'I must become Moye!' The great smith will surely regard this as inauspicious metal. Now, having once met the human form, to say 'Man! Man!' the Creator will surely regard this as an inauspicious man. Now, once heaven and earth are taken as a great furnace and the Creator as a great smith, where could I go that is not fine!" He fell peacefully asleep and woke easily, sweating.

子桑戶、孟子反、子琴張三人相與友，曰：「孰能相與於無相與，相為於無相為？孰能登天遊霧，撓挑無極，相忘以生，無所終窮？」三人相視而笑，莫逆於心，遂相與友。莫然有間而子桑戶死，未葬。孔子聞之，使子貢往待事焉。或編曲，或鼓琴，相和而歌曰：「嗟來桑戶乎！嗟來桑戶乎！而已反其真，而我猶為人猗！」子貢趨而進曰：「敢問臨屍而歌，禮乎？」二人相視而笑曰：「是惡知禮意！」子貢反，以告孔子，曰：「彼何人者邪？脩行無有，而外其形骸，臨屍而歌，顏色不變，無以命之。彼何人者邪？」孔子曰：「彼，遊方之外者也；而丘，遊方之內者也。外內不相及，而丘使汝往弔之，丘則陋矣。彼方且與造物者為人，而遊乎天地之一氣。彼以生為附贅縣疣，以死為決𤴯潰癕。夫若然者，又惡知死生先後之所在！假於異物，託於同體，忘其肝膽，遺其耳目，反覆終始，不知端倪，芒然彷徨乎塵垢之外，逍遙乎無為之業。彼又惡能憒憒然為世俗之禮以觀眾人之耳目哉！」子貢曰：「然則夫子何方之依？」孔子曰：「丘，天之戮民也。雖然，吾與汝共之。」子貢曰：「敢問其方。」孔子曰：「魚相造乎水，人相造乎道。相造乎水者，穿池而養給；相造乎道者，無事而生定。故曰：魚相忘乎江湖，人相忘乎道術。」子貢曰：「敢問畸人。」曰：「畸人者，畸於人而侔於天。故曰：天之小人，人之君子；人之君子，天之小人也。」

Sang Hu, Meng Zifan and Qin Zhang, three men, were friends with one another and said: "Who can associate with no association, and help with no help? Who can ascend to heaven and roam in the mist, circling in the limitless, forgetting life with one another, without end or exhaustion?" The three looked at one another and smiled, and, nothing opposing in their hearts, became friends with one another. After a short while Sang Hu died and was not yet buried. Confucius heard of it and sent Zigong to help with the funeral. One was composing a tune, another plucking a zither, and they sang in harmony: "Alas, Sang Hu! Alas, Sang Hu! You have already returned to your true state, and we are still people!" Zigong hurried forward and said: "May I ask, is it ritually proper to sing in front of a corpse?" The two looked at each other and smiled and said: "What does he know of the meaning of ritual!" Zigong returned and told Confucius, saying: "What kind of people are they? They do not cultivate conduct but put the body outside themselves, sing in front of a corpse without changing their expression; I cannot name them. What kind of people are they?" Confucius said: "They are those who roam beyond the bounds, and I am one who roams within the bounds. Outside and inside do not meet, and I sent you to condole, which was shallow of me. They are just now companions of the Creator, roaming in the one breath of heaven and earth. They regard life as a hanging tumor and a swollen wart, and death as a boil bursting and draining. Such men, how would they know where death and life, before and after are! Borrowing from different things and lodging in the same body, forgetting liver and gall, leaving behind ears and eyes, repeating end and beginning without knowing their starting point, they wander vaguely beyond the dust and filth, roaming freely in the work of non-action. How could they bother to make worldly rites for the eyes and ears of the multitude!" Zigong said: "Then which side do you follow, Master?" Confucius said: "I am one punished by Heaven. Even so, I share it with you." Zigong said: "May I ask the method?" Confucius said: "Fish thrive in water, and people thrive in the Way. For those who thrive in water, dig a pond and they are well supplied; for those who thrive in the Way, without affairs their lives are settled. So it is said: fish forget each other in the rivers and lakes, and people forget each other in the Way." Zigong said: "May I ask about the odd person?" He said: "An odd person is one who is odd to people but matches Heaven. So it is said: Heaven's petty man is man's gentleman; man's gentleman is Heaven's petty man."

顏回問仲尼曰：「孟孫才，其母死，哭泣無涕，中心不慼，居喪不哀。無是三者，以善喪蓋魯國。固有無其實而得其名者乎？回壹怪之。」仲尼曰：「夫孟孫氏，盡之矣，進於知矣。唯簡之而不得，夫已有所簡矣。孟孫氏不知所以生，不知所以死；不知就先，不知就後；若化為物，以待其所不知之化已乎！且方將化，惡知不化哉？方將不化，惡知已化哉？吾特與汝，其夢未始覺者邪？且彼有駭形而無損心，有旦宅而無情死。孟孫氏特覺，人哭亦哭，是自其所以乃，且也相與吾之耳矣，庸詎知吾所謂吾之乎？且汝夢為鳥而厲乎天，夢為魚而沒於淵，不識今之言者，其覺者乎，其夢者乎？造適不及笑，獻笑不及排，安排而去化，乃入於寥天一。」

Yan Hui asked Zhongni: "Meng Sun Cai, when his mother died, wept without tears, felt no grief in his heart and was not sad in mourning. Lacking these three, he yet covers Lu with his reputation for being good at mourning. Is there truly one who gains the name without the substance? I find it truly strange." Zhongni said: "The Meng Sun clan has gone all the way, further than knowledge. He wanted to simplify but could not, and he has already simplified in some way. The Meng Sun clan does not know what life comes from or what death is for; does not know to go first or to go after; like a transformed thing, he waits for a transformation he does not know, that is all! Moreover, in the midst of transformation, how can one know that one is not transformed? In the midst of non-transformation, how can one know that one has already been transformed? You and I alone are perhaps dreaming and have not yet awakened. Moreover, he has a startling form but no harm to his mind, has a daily dwelling but no real death. The Meng Sun clan is awake alone; when others wail he wails too, simply because he himself is so. Moreover, we merely call one another 'I'; how do we know what I call 'I'? Moreover, you dream of being a bird and soar into the sky, or dream of being a fish and plunge into the deep, and do not know whether the one speaking now is awake or dreaming. Producing satisfaction does not reach laughter, giving forth laughter does not allow arrangement; resting in what is arranged and following transformation, one then enters the One of the vast sky."

意而子見許由，許由曰：「堯何以資汝？」意而子曰：「堯謂我：『汝必躬服仁義而明言是非。』」許由曰：「而奚來為軹？夫堯既已黥汝以仁義而劓汝以是非矣，汝將何以遊夫遙蕩恣睢轉徙之塗乎？」意而子曰：「雖然，吾願遊於其藩。」許由曰：「不然。夫盲者無以與乎眉目顏色之好，瞽者無以與乎青黃黼黻之觀。」意而子曰：「夫無莊之失其美，據梁之失其力，黃帝之亡其知，皆在鑪錘之間耳。庸詎知夫造物者之不息我黥而補我劓，使我乘成以隨先生邪？」許由曰：「噫！未可知也。我為汝言其大略。吾師乎！吾師乎！䪠萬物而不為義，澤及萬世而不為仁，長於上古而不為老，覆載天地、刻彫眾形而不為巧。此所遊已！」

Yi Erzi visited Xu You, and Xu You said: "What did Yao supply you with?" Yi Erzi said: "Yao told me: 'You must personally practice benevolence and righteousness and clearly state right and wrong.'" Xu You said: "Why have you come? Yao has already tattooed your face with benevolence and righteousness and cut off your nose with right and wrong; how will you roam on that free, wandering, shifting path?" Yi Erzi said: "Even so, I would like to roam at its borders." Xu You said: "No. The blind cannot take part in the beauty of eyes and complexion, and the sightless cannot take part in the enjoyment of blue, yellow and embroidered patterns." Yi Erzi said: "Wuzhuang lost her beauty, Juliang lost his strength, and the Yellow Emperor lost his knowledge, all within the furnace and hammer. How do I know that the Creator will not heal my tattoo and restore my cut-off nose, letting me ride on completeness and follow you?" Xu You said: "Ah! That cannot yet be known. Let me tell you the general outline. My teacher! My teacher! He harmonizes the myriad things and does not count it righteousness, his bounty reaches ten thousand generations and he does not count it benevolence, he is older than high antiquity and does not count it age, he covers and carries heaven and earth and carves all forms and does not count it skill. This is where you should roam!"

顏回曰：「回益矣。」仲尼曰：「何謂也？」曰：「回忘仁義矣。」曰：「可矣，猶未也。」它日復見，曰：「回益矣。」曰：「何謂也？」曰：「回忘禮樂矣。」曰：「可矣，猶未也。」它日復見，曰：「回益矣。」曰：「何謂也？」曰：「回坐忘矣。」仲尼蹵然曰：「何謂坐忘？」顏回曰：「墮枝體，黜聰明，離形去知，同於大通，此謂坐忘。」仲尼曰：「同則無好也，化則無常也。而果其賢乎，丘也請從而後也。」

Yan Hui said: "I have made progress." Zhongni said: "How so?" He said: "I have forgotten benevolence and righteousness." He said: "Good, but not yet there." On another day they met again, and he said: "I have made progress." He said: "How so?" He said: "I have forgotten ritual and music." He said: "Good, but not yet there." On another day they met again, and he said: "I have made progress." He said: "How so?" He said: "I sit and forget." Zhongni was startled and said: "What is sitting and forgetting?" Yan Hui said: "I let limbs and body fall away, dismiss hearing and sight, leave form and discard knowledge, and become one with the great thoroughfare; this is called sitting and forgetting (Zhuangzi's own coinage: to forget while sitting, not the name of a meditation technique and not the same as ordinary forgetting)." Zhongni said: "With sameness there is no preference, with transformation there is no fixation. You are truly worthy; I, Qiu, ask to follow behind you."

子輿與子桑友，而淋雨十日。子輿曰：「子桑殆病矣。」裹飯而往食之。至子桑之門，則若歌若哭，鼓琴曰：「父邪，母邪？天乎，人乎？」有不任其聲而趨舉其詩焉。子輿入，曰：「子之歌詩，何故若是？」曰：「吾思夫使我至此極者而弗得也。父母豈欲吾貧哉？天無私覆，地無私載，天地豈私貧我哉？求其為之者而不得也。然而至此極者，命也夫！」

Ziyu was friends with Zisang, and rain fell for ten days. Ziyu said: "Zisang may be ill." He wrapped up some rice and went to feed him. When he reached Zisang's door, it sounded like singing and like weeping, with a zither plucked, and he said: "Father? Mother? Heaven? Man?" The voice could not hold up and burst out quickly in verses. Ziyu went in and said: "Why does your singing of poems sound like this?" He said: "I was thinking about what brought me to this extremity and could not find it. Would my parents want me to be poor? Heaven covers without favoritism and earth carries without favoritism; would heaven and earth privately make me poor? I sought the one who did it and could not find him. Yet that I have reached this extremity is fate!"

齧缺問於王倪，四問而四不知。齧缺因躍而大喜，行以告蒲衣子。蒲衣子曰：「而乃今知之乎？有虞氏不及泰氏。有虞氏，其猶藏仁以要人，亦得人矣，而未始出於非人。泰氏，其臥徐徐，其覺于于；一以己為馬，一以己為牛；其知情信，其德甚真，而未始入於非人。」

Nie Que asked Wang Ni four questions and four times Wang Ni said he did not know. Nie Que leapt up in great joy, went off and told Puyizi. Puyizi said: "Do you understand it now? The House of Yu (Shun) was not equal to Tai. The House of Yu still held onto benevolence to win over people, and did win people, but had not yet gone beyond being non-human. Tai slept slowly and woke carefree; one moment he took himself for a horse, the next for an ox; his knowledge was trustworthy and his virtue very true, and he had not yet entered the non-human."

肩吾見狂接輿。狂接輿曰：「日中始何以語汝？」肩吾曰：「告我：君人者以己出經式義度，人孰敢不聽而化諸？」狂接輿曰：「是欺德也。其於治天下也，猶涉海鑿河而使蚉負山也。夫聖人之治也，治外乎？正而後行，確乎能其事者而已矣。且鳥高飛以避矰弋之害，鼷鼠深穴乎神丘之下以避燻鑿之患，而曾二蟲之無知！」

Jianwu went to see the madman Jie Yu. The madman Jie Yu said: "What did Zhong Shi tell you?" Jianwu said: "He told me: a ruler who sets out regulations, standards, and measures of right by himself, who among the people would dare not listen and be transformed?" The madman Jie Yu said: "That is false virtue. For governing the world it is like wading into the sea to dig a river or making a mosquito carry a mountain. Does the governing of a sage govern the outside? He first sets himself right and then acts, sure only that he can do his task. Moreover a bird flies high to avoid the harm of the stringed arrow, and a field mouse digs deep beneath the sacred mound to avoid the trouble of smoking out and digging; and you do not even have the knowledge of these two small creatures!"

天根遊於殷陽，至蓼水之上，適遭無名人而問焉，曰：「請問為天下。」無名人曰：「去！汝鄙人也，何問之不豫也？予方將與造物者為人，厭則又乘夫莽眇之鳥，以出六極之外，而遊無何有之鄉，以處壙埌之野。汝又何帠以治天下感予之心為？」又復問。無名人曰：「汝遊心於淡，合氣於漠，順物自然而無容私焉，而天下治矣。」

Tian Gen wandered on the sunny side of Mount Yin, and reaching the banks of the Liao River he happened to meet a Nameless Man and asked him: "May I ask about governing the world." The Nameless Man said: "Go away! You vulgar fellow, how unpleasant your question is! I am about to be a companion of the Creator, and when tired of that I will ride the vast and distant bird, go out beyond the six extremes, wander in the village of Nothing-Whatever, and dwell in the boundless wilderness. Why do you come to move my heart with talk of governing the world?" He asked again. The Nameless Man said: "Let your mind wander in the bland, blend your breath with the silent, follow the natural way of things and allow no private view, and the world will be governed."

陽子居見老聃，曰：「有人於此，嚮疾彊梁，物徹疏明，學道不勌。如是者，可比明王乎？」老聃曰：「是於聖人也，胥易技係，勞形怵心者也。且也虎豹之文來田，猨狙之便執斄之㣘來藉。如是者，可比明王乎？」陽子居蹵然曰：「敢問明王之治。」老聃曰：「明王之治，功蓋天下而似不自己，化貸萬物而民弗恃，有莫舉名，使物自喜，立乎不測，而遊於無有者也。」

Yang Ziju met Lao Dan and said: "Here is a man who is quick and vigorous, thorough and clear in everything, and tireless in studying the Way. Can such a person be compared to an enlightened king?" Lao Dan said: "To a sage, he is one bound by service and skill, who toils his body and frightens his heart. Moreover the tiger and leopard attract hunters because of their patterns, the monkey because of its agility and the dog because of its catching of civets attract ropes and tethers. Can such a person be compared to an enlightened king?" Yang Ziju, startled, said: "May I ask about the rule of an enlightened king?" Lao Dan said: "The rule of an enlightened king: his merit covers the world yet seems not to be his own doing; his transformation extends to all things yet the people do not depend on him; he has things but does not name them, letting things be delighted of themselves; he stands in the unfathomable and wanders in nothingness."

鄭有神巫曰季咸，知人之死生存亡、禍褔壽夭，期以歲月旬日，若神。鄭人見之，皆棄而走。列子見之而心醉，歸以告壺子，曰：「始吾以夫子之道為至矣，則又有至焉者矣。」壺子曰：「吾與汝，既其文，未既其實，而固得道與？眾雌而無雄，而又奚卵焉？而以道與世亢，必信，夫故使人得而相汝。嘗試與來，以予示之。」明日，列子與之見壺子。出而謂列子曰：「嘻！子之先生死矣！弗活矣！不以旬數矣！吾見怪焉，見濕灰焉。」列子入，泣涕沾襟以告壺子。壺子曰：「曏吾示之以地文，萌乎不震不正。是殆見吾杜德機也。嘗又與來。」明日，又與之見壺子。出而謂列子曰：「幸矣，子之先生遇我也！有瘳矣，全然有生矣！吾見其杜權矣！」列子入，以告壺子。壺子曰：「曏吾示之以天壤，名實不入，而機發於踵。是殆見吾善者機也。嘗又與來。」明日，又與之見壺子。出而謂列子曰：「子之先生不齊，吾無得而相焉。試齊，且復相之。」列子入，以告壺子。壺子曰：「吾曏示之以太沖莫勝。是殆見吾衡氣機也。鯢桓之審為淵，止水之審為淵，流水之審為淵。淵有九名，此處三焉。嘗又與來。」明日，又與之見壺子。立未定，自失而走。壺子曰：「追之！」列子追之不及，反以報壺子，曰：「已滅矣，已失矣，吾弗及已！」壼子曰：「曏吾示之以未始出吾宗。吾與之虛而委蛇，不知其誰何，因以為弟靡，因以為波流，故逃也。」然後列子自以為未始學而歸，三年不出，為其妻爨，食豕如食人，於事無與親，彫琢復樸，塊然獨以其形立，紛而封哉，一以是終。

In Zheng there was a spirit-shaman named Ji Xian, who knew people's life and death, survival and ruin, fortune and misfortune, long and short life, and predicted the year, month, ten-day period and day, like a spirit. When the people of Zheng saw him, they all abandoned him and ran. Liezi saw him and was intoxicated, came back and told Huzi, saying: "At first I thought your Way, Master, was the utmost, but there is yet something more." Huzi said: "What I have given you is only the form, not yet the substance; do you think you have attained the Way? With many hens and no rooster, how could there be eggs? You contend with the world using the Way and surely seek people's trust, and so you let people read your face. Try bringing him along and show me to him." The next day, Liezi brought him to see Huzi. When he came out he said to Liezi: "Ah! Your master is dead! He will not live! Not ten days more! I saw something strange, I saw wet ashes." Liezi went in, weeping and soaking his collar, and told Huzi. Huzi said: "Just now I showed him the pattern of earth, stirring but neither shaking nor correct. He probably saw me with the spring of virtue blocked. Try bringing him again." The next day he brought him again to see Huzi. When he came out he said to Liezi: "Lucky for you, your master met me! He is better, full of life! I saw the shifting within the blockage!" Liezi went in and told Huzi. Huzi said: "Just now I showed him the pattern of heaven and earth, with name and substance not entering, and the spring rising from the heels. He probably saw me with the spring of goodness. Try bringing him again." The next day he brought him again to see Huzi. When he came out he said to Liezi: "Your master is uneven, and I have no way to read him. Try making him even and I will read him again." Liezi went in and told Huzi. Huzi said: "Just now I showed him the Great Void in which nothing prevails. He probably saw me with the spring of balanced breath. Where a whale circles is an abyss, where still water gathers is an abyss, where flowing water gathers is an abyss. The abyss has nine names; here three were used. Try bringing him again." The next day he brought him again to see Huzi. Before he had stood firm, he lost his composure and ran. Huzi said: "Chase him!" Liezi could not catch him and came back and reported to Huzi, saying: "He has vanished, he is lost, I could not overtake him!" Huzi said: "Just now I showed him what has not yet come out of my source. I was empty and winding with him, and he did not know who I was or what, so I was like a falling reed, like flowing waves, and so he fled." Then Liezi, feeling he had never learned anything, went home, did not go out for three years, cooked for his wife, fed the pigs as if feeding people, had no preference between near and far in affairs, returned from carving to the uncarved block (the unworked log, a figure for the original state untouched by artifice), stood like a clod in his own form, in the confusion sealed himself, and ended his life in this one way.

無為名屍，無為謀府，無為事任，無為知主。體盡無窮，而遊無朕，盡其所受乎天，而無見得，亦虛而已。至人之用心若鏡，不將不迎，應而不藏，故能勝物而不傷。

Do not be the corpse-master of fame, do not be the storehouse of schemes, do not be the bearer of affairs, do not be the master of knowledge. Embody the endless and wander in what has no omen, use up what you have received from Heaven but do not show that you have gained anything; be only empty, that is all. The perfect person uses the mind like a mirror, neither sending nor welcoming, responding but not storing, so he can overcome things without being harmed.

南海之帝為儵，北海之帝為忽，中央之帝為渾沌。儵與忽時相與遇於渾沌之地，渾沌待之甚善。儵與忽謀報渾沌之德，曰：「人皆有七竅，以視聽食息。此獨無有，嘗試鑿之。」日鑿一竅，七日而渾沌死。

The emperor of the South Sea was Shu, the emperor of the North Sea was Hu, and the emperor of the Center was Hundun (Chaos). Shu and Hu often met in Hundun's land, and Hundun treated them very well. Shu and Hu discussed how to repay Hundun's kindness, saying: "All people have seven apertures with which to see, hear, eat and breathe. He alone has none; let us try boring them." Each day they bored one aperture, and on the seventh day Hundun died.

駢拇枝指，出乎性哉，而侈於德；附贅縣疣，出乎形哉，而侈於性。多方乎仁義而用之者，列於五藏哉，而非道德之正也。是故駢於足者，連無用之肉也；枝於手者，樹無用之指也；多方駢枝於五藏之情者，淫僻於仁義之行，而多方於聰明之用也。是故駢於明者，亂五色，淫文章，青黃黼黻之煌煌，非乎？而離朱是已。多於聰者，亂五聲，淫六律，金石絲竹、黃鍾大呂之聲，非乎？而師曠是已。枝於仁者，擢德塞性以收名聲，使天下簧鼓，以奉不及之法，非乎？而曾、史是已。駢於辯者，纍瓦、結繩、竄句，遊心於堅白同異之間，而敝跬譽無用之言，非乎？而楊、墨是已。故此皆多駢旁枝之道，非天下之至正也。

Joined toes and extra fingers come from nature, perhaps, but go beyond what virtue should have; attached growths and warts come from the body, perhaps, but go beyond what nature should have. To spin off branches of benevolence and righteousness and put them to use is to array them among the five organs, perhaps, but is not the correct form of the Way and virtue. So those with joined toes have useless flesh attached; those with extra fingers on the hand have a useless finger standing; those who have extra branching in the feelings of the five organs become excessive in the conduct of benevolence and righteousness and sprout many branches in the use of hearing and sight. So those who join and branch in clear sight confuse the five colors and overuse patterns, the blue, yellow and embroidered cloths gleaming; is that not so? Li Zhu was one. Those who add to hearing confuse the five sounds and overuse the six pitches, the sounds of metal, stone, silk, bamboo, Huangzhong and Dalu; is that not so? Shi Kuang was one. Those who branch out in benevolence pull up virtue and block nature in order to gather fame and make the world buzz like reed organs and drums in pursuing standards they cannot reach; is that not so? Zeng Shen and Shi Yu were such. Those who join and branch in disputation pile up tiles, tie knots in cords, tamper with phrases, and let the mind wander among hard-and-white and same-and-different, weary and taking small steps to seek the fame of useless speech; is that not so? Yang Zhu and Mo Di were such. So all these are the way of extra joined and branching growths, not the world's utmost rightness.

彼正正者，不失其性命之情，故合者不為駢，而枝者不為跂；長者不為有餘，短者不為不足。是故鳧脛雖短，續之則憂；鶴脛雖長，斷之則悲。故性長非所斷，性短非所續，無所去憂也。意仁義其非人情乎？彼仁人何其多憂也？且夫駢於拇者，決之則泣；枝於手者，齕之則啼。二者或有餘於數，或不足於數，其於憂一也。今世之仁人，蒿目而憂世之患；不仁之人，決性命之情而饕貴富。故意仁義其非人情乎！自三代以下者，天下何其囂囂也！且夫待鉤繩規矩而正者，是削其性也；待繩約膠漆而固者，是侵其德也；屈折禮樂，呴俞仁義，以慰天下之心者，此失其常然也。天下有常然。常然者，曲者不以鉤，直者不以繩，圓者不以規，方者不以矩，附離不以膠漆，約束不以纆索。故天下誘然皆生，而不知其所以生；同焉皆得，而不知其所以得。故古今不二，不可虧也，則仁義又奚連連如膠漆纆索而遊乎道德之間為哉，使天下惑也！

The true rightness does not lose the real condition of nature and destiny, so what is joined together is not called joined, and what branches out is not called protruding; the long is not called surplus, and the short is not called lacking. So though a duck's legs are short, to lengthen them would grieve it; though a crane's legs are long, to cut them short would sadden it. So what is long by nature is not to be cut and what is short by nature is not to be lengthened, and there is no worry to be removed. I suppose benevolence and righteousness may not be human feeling! Why do those benevolent people have so many worries? Moreover, if you cut joined toes the person weeps; if you bite off an extra finger the person cries. Of these two, one is in surplus in number and one is in lack, but their sorrow is the same. Now the benevolent people of the age stare with withered eyes in worry over the troubles of the age; the unbenevolent tear apart the real condition of nature and destiny to covet wealth and honor. So I suppose benevolence and righteousness may not be human feeling! Since the Three Dynasties, why has the world been so noisy! Moreover, what waits for hook, line, compass and square to be corrected cuts away its nature; what waits for rope, binding, glue and lacquer to be fixed encroaches on its virtue; to bend and bow to rites and music, to speak softly about benevolence and righteousness, in order to console the heart of the world, is to lose the constant way. The world has a constant way. The constant way is that the curved needs no hook, the straight needs no line, the round needs no compass, the square needs no carpenter's square, joining needs no glue or lacquer, and binding needs no cords. So all things in the world are born naturally yet do not know why they are born; all are alike obtained yet do not know why they are obtained. So past and present are not two and cannot be diminished; then why must benevolence and righteousness cling continuously like glue and cords and wander between the Way and virtue, confusing the world!

夫小惑易方，大惑易性。何以知其然邪？自虞氏招仁義以撓天下也，天下莫不奔命於仁義。是非以仁義易其性與？故嘗試論之：自三代以下者，天下莫不以物易其性矣。小人則以身殉利，士則以身殉名，大夫則以身殉家，聖人則以身殉天下。故此數子者，事業不同，名聲異號，其於傷性以身為殉，一也。臧與穀，二人相與牧羊，而俱亡其羊。問臧奚事，則挾筴讀書；問穀奚事，則博塞以遊。二人者，事業不同，其於亡羊，均也。伯夷死名於首陽之下，盜蹠死利於東陵之上。二人者，所死不同，其於殘生傷性，均也，奚必伯夷之是而盜蹠之非乎？天下盡殉也。彼其所殉仁義也，則俗謂之君子；其所殉貨財也，則俗謂之小人。其殉一也，則有君子焉，有小人焉。若其殘生損性，則盜蹠亦伯夷已，又惡取君子小人於其間哉！

A small confusion changes one's direction, a great confusion changes one's nature. How do we know this is so? Since the House of Yu raised up benevolence and righteousness and disturbed the world, none in the world has not rushed after benevolence and righteousness. Is this not changing their nature with benevolence and righteousness? So let us discuss: since the Three Dynasties, no one in the world has not changed his nature through outer things. The petty man sacrifices himself for profit, the scholar sacrifices himself for fame, the grandee sacrifices himself for his house, and the sage sacrifices himself for the world. So these kinds of people differ in their occupations and in the titles of their fame, but in harming their nature and sacrificing themselves they are the same. Zang and Gu were herding sheep together, and both lost their sheep. Asked what Zang was doing, he was holding bamboo slips and reading; asked what Gu was doing, he was playing a board game. The two had different occupations, but in losing the sheep they are equal. Bo Yi died for fame at the foot of Mount Shouyang, and Robber Zhi died for profit on Mount Dongling. The two died for different things, but in destroying life and harming nature they are equal; why must one call Bo Yi right and Robber Zhi wrong? All the world is sacrificing. If what one sacrifices for is benevolence and righteousness, the world calls him a gentleman; if what one sacrifices for is goods and wealth, the world calls him a petty man. Their sacrifice is the same, yet one becomes a gentleman and the other a petty man. If we look at destroying life and harming nature, then Robber Zhi is also Bo Yi, so how could one pick out gentleman and petty man between them!

且夫屬其性乎仁義者，雖通如曾、史，非吾所謂臧也；屬其性於五味，雖通如俞兒，非吾所謂臧也；屬其性乎五聲，雖通如師曠，非吾所謂聰也；屬其性乎五色，雖通如離朱，非吾所謂明也。吾所謂臧，非仁義之謂也，臧於其德而已矣；吾所謂臧者，非所謂仁義之謂也，任其性命之情而已矣；吾所謂聰者，非謂其聞彼也，自聞而已矣；吾所謂明者，非謂其見彼也，自見而已矣。夫不自見而見彼，不自得而得彼者，是得人之得而不自得其得者也，適人之適而不自適其適者也。夫適人之適而不自適其適，雖盜蹠與伯夷，是同為淫僻也。餘愧乎道德，是以上不敢為仁義之操，而下不敢為淫僻之行也。

Moreover, one who attaches his nature to benevolence and righteousness, even if as accomplished as Zeng Shen and Shi Yu, is not what I call good; one who attaches his nature to the five flavors, even if as accomplished as Yu Er, is not what I call good; one who attaches his nature to the five sounds, even if as accomplished as Shi Kuang, is not what I call keen of hearing; one who attaches his nature to the five colors, even if as accomplished as Li Zhu, is not what I call clear of sight. What I call good is not benevolence and righteousness, it is only being good in his virtue; what I call good is not that of so-called benevolence and righteousness, it is only letting go and trusting the real condition of nature and destiny; what I call keen of hearing is not hearing that other thing, it is only hearing oneself; what I call clear of sight is not seeing that other thing, it is only seeing oneself. One who does not see himself but sees the other, who does not gain himself but gains the other, is one who gains what others gain and does not gain what he himself should gain, one who goes where others go and does not go where he himself should go. To go where others go and not where one should go oneself, even Robber Zhi and Bo Yi are alike in being excessive and deviant. I am ashamed before the Way and virtue, so above I dare not practice the conduct of benevolence and righteousness, and below I dare not practice excess and deviation.

馬，蹄可以踐霜雪，毛可以禦風寒，齕草飲水，翹足而陸，此馬之真性也，雖有義臺路寢，無所用之。及至伯樂，曰：「我善治馬。」燒之剔之，刻之雒之，連之以羈馽，編之以皂棧，馬之死者十二三矣；飢之渴之，馳之驟之，整之齊之，前有橛飾之患，而後有鞭筴之威，而馬之死者已過半矣。陶者曰：「我善治埴，圓者中規，方者中矩。」匠人曰：「我善治木，曲者中鉤，直者應繩。」夫埴木之性，豈欲中規矩鉤繩哉？然且世世稱之曰「伯樂善治馬，而陶匠善治埴木」，此亦治天下者之過也。

A horse's hooves can tread on frost and snow, its hair can ward off wind and cold, it eats grass and drinks water, lifts its feet and leaps; this is the true nature of a horse, and even if there were terraces of ceremony and great chambers, they would be of no use to it. When Bo Le appeared, he said: "I am good at managing horses." He burned them, clipped them, carved them, branded them, linked them with halters and bridles, and arranged them in troughs and stables, and the horses that died were already two or three in ten; then he made them hungry and thirsty, drove them to gallop and rush, set them in line, with the trouble of bit and decoration in front and the threat of the whip behind, and the horses that died were already more than half. The potter said: "I am good at managing clay; round shapes fit the compass, square ones fit the square." The carpenter said: "I am good at managing wood; curved pieces fit the hook, straight ones answer the line." The nature of clay and wood, do they want to fit compass, square, hook and line? Yet for generation after generation people say "Bo Le is good at managing horses, and the potter and carpenter are good at managing clay and wood," and this too is the fault of those who govern the world.

吾意善治天下者不然。彼民有常性，織而衣，耕而食，是謂同德；一而不黨，命曰天放。故至德之世，其行填填，其視顛顛。當是時也，山無蹊隧，澤無舟梁；萬物群生，連屬其鄉；禽獸成群，草木遂長。是故禽獸可係羈而遊，鳥鵲之巢可攀援而闚。夫至德之世，同與禽獸居，族與萬物並，惡乎知君子小人哉！同乎無知，其德不離；同乎無慾，是謂素樸，素樸而民性得矣。及至聖人，蹩躠為仁，踶跂為義，而天下始疑矣；澶漫為樂，擿僻為禮，而天下始分矣。故純樸不殘，孰為犧樽？白玉不毀，孰為珪璋？道德不廢，安取仁義？性情不離，安用禮樂？五色不亂，孰為文采？五聲不亂，孰應六律？

I think that those who are good at governing the world are not like this. The people have a constant nature: they weave and then wear, plow and then eat, which is called common virtue; they are undivided and form no cliques, which is named Heaven's freedom. So in the age of supreme virtue, they walked with steady gravity and looked with single-minded focus. At that time there were no paths or tunnels in the mountains, no boats or bridges in the marshes; the myriad things lived in groups, villages were connected; birds and beasts formed flocks, and grasses and trees grew smoothly. So birds and beasts could be led on leashes to wander, and the nests of magpies could be climbed to peep into. In the age of supreme virtue, people lived together with birds and beasts and gathered with the myriad things as one clan; how would they know gentleman from petty man! Alike without knowledge, their virtue did not scatter; alike without desire, this is called simplicity, and with simplicity the people's nature was obtained. When the sage appeared, laboring to practice benevolence and standing on tiptoe to practice righteousness, the world began to doubt; wantonly making music and fussily making ritual, the world began to split. So if the uncarved wood is not chopped up, who would make sacrificial vessels? If white jade is not ruined, who would make tablets and scepters? If the Way and virtue are not abandoned, where would one take benevolence and righteousness? If nature and feeling are not separated, what use are rites and music? If the five colors are not confused, who would make patterns? If the five sounds are not confused, who would answer to the six pitches?

夫殘樸以為器，工匠之罪也；毀道德以為仁義，聖人之過也。夫馬，陸居則食草飲水，喜則交頸相靡，怒則分背相踶，馬知已此矣。夫加之以衡扼，齊之以月題，而馬知介倪、闉枙、騺曼、詭銜、竊轡。故馬之知而能至盜者，伯樂之罪也。夫赫胥氏之時，民居不知所為，行不知所之，含哺而熙，鼓腹而遊，民能以此矣。及至聖人，屈折禮樂以匡天下之形，縣跂仁義以慰天下之心，而民乃始踶跂好知，爭歸於利，不可止也。此亦聖人之過也。

To chop up the uncarved to make vessels is the fault of the craftsman; to ruin the Way and virtue to make benevolence and righteousness is the error of the sage. A horse, living on land, eats grass and drinks water, when pleased rubs necks together, when angry turns and kicks; the horse's knowledge goes only this far. Add the yoke and crossbar, put the moon-shaped ornament and forehead plate in line, and the horse learns to roll its eyes sideways, bend the yoke, bolt, spit out the bit and steal bites at the bridle. So when the knowledge of the horse reaches stealing, it is the crime of Bo Le. In the time of Hexu, people lived without knowing what to do and walked without knowing where they were going, played with food in their mouths and wandered with full bellies; this is what people could do. When the sage appeared, bending and bowing to rites and music to correct the form of the world, and hanging high benevolence and righteousness to console the world's hearts, the people began to stand on tiptoe in love of knowledge and to rush toward profit, and could not be stopped. This too is the sage's fault.

將為胠篋探囊發匱之盜而為守備，則必攝緘縢，固扃鐍，此世俗之所謂知也。然而巨盜至，則負匱揭篋擔囊而趨，唯恐緘縢扃鐍之不固也。然則向之所謂知者，不乃為大盜積者也？

To guard against thieves who open boxes, rifle bags and break into cabinets, one must tighten the cords and bindings and strengthen the locks and bolts; this is what the world calls cleverness. Yet when a great thief comes, he shoulders the cabinet, lifts the box, carries off the bag and runs, fearing only that the cords and locks are not firm. Then what was called cleverness before, is it not just storing up for the great thief?

故嘗試論之：世俗所謂知者，有不為大盜積者乎？所謂聖者，有不為大盜守者乎？何以知其然邪？昔者齊國鄰邑相望，雞狗之音相聞，罔罟之所布，耒耨之所刺，方二千餘裡。闔四境之內，所以立宗廟社稷，治邑屋州閭鄉曲者，曷嘗不法聖人哉？然而田成子一旦殺齊君而盜其國。所盜者豈獨其國邪？並與其聖知之法而盜之。故田成子有乎盜賊之名，而身處堯、舜之安，小國不敢非，大國不敢誅，十二世有齊國。則是不乃竊齊國，並與其聖知之法，以守其盜賊之身乎？

So let us discuss: is there any of the world's so-called cleverness that does not store up for the great thief? Is there any so-called sage that does not guard for the great thief? How do we know this is so? In former times, the neighboring towns of Qi were within sight of each other, the sounds of chickens and dogs could be heard, and the land spread with nets and pierced by plows and hoes was over two thousand li across. Within the entire four borders, the setting up of ancestral temples and altars and the governing of towns, houses, districts, villages and neighborhoods, when did it not take the sages as its model? Yet one morning Tian Chengzi killed the ruler of Qi and stole his state. Did he steal only his state? He stole together with it the laws of sagely knowledge. So Tian Chengzi had the name of a thief yet lived in the security of Yao and Shun, small states did not dare criticize him and great states did not dare punish him, and for twelve generations he held Qi. Is this not stealing the state of Qi together with the laws of sagely knowledge in order to guard his thief's person?

嘗試論之：世俗之所謂至知者，有不為大盜積者乎？所謂至聖者，有不為大盜守者乎？何以知其然邪？昔者龍逢斬，比干剖，萇弘肔，子胥靡，故四子之賢，而身不免乎戮。故蹠之徒問於蹠曰：「盜亦有道乎？」蹠曰：「何適而無有道邪？夫妄意室中之藏，聖也；入先，勇也；出後，義也；知可否，知也；分均，仁也。五者不備而能成大盜者，天下未之有也。」由是觀之，善人不得聖人之道不立，蹠不得聖人之道不行。天下之善人少，而不善人多，則聖人之利天下也少，而害天下也多。故曰：唇竭則齒寒，魯酒薄而邯鄲圍，聖人生而大盜起。

Let us discuss: is there any of the world's so-called supreme knowledge that does not store up for the great thief? Is there any so-called supreme sage that does not guard for the great thief? How do we know this is so? In former times Guan Longfeng was beheaded, Bi Gan had his heart cut out, Chang Hong had his bowels slit, and Zixu was left to rot, so these four, though so worthy, could not escape execution. So the followers of Zhi asked Zhi: "Do robbers also have a Way?" Zhi said: "Where could one go without a Way? To guess in the dark what is stored in a house is sageliness; to be first to enter is courage; to be last to leave is righteousness; to know whether it can be done is wisdom; to divide equally is benevolence. Never has there been anyone in the world who became a great thief without all five." From this we see that good people cannot stand without the Way of the sages, and Zhi cannot act without the Way of the sages. Good people in the world are few and the not good are many, so the sages benefit the world little and harm the world much. So it is said: when the lips are gone the teeth are cold; when the wine of Lu is thin Handan is besieged; when the sage is born, the great thief arises.

掊擊聖人，縱舍盜賊，而天下始治矣。夫川竭而谷虛，丘夷而淵實。聖人已死，則大盜不起，天下平而無故矣。聖人不死，大盜不止，雖重聖人而治天下，則是重利盜蹠也。為之鬥斛以量之，則並與鬥斛而竊之；為之權衡以稱之，則並與權衡而竊之；為之符璽以信之，則並與符璽而竊之；為之仁義以矯之，則並與仁義而竊之。何以知其然邪？彼竊鉤者誅，竊國者為諸侯，諸侯之門而義士存焉，則是非竊仁義聖知邪？故逐於大盜，揭諸侯，竊仁義並鬥斛、權衡、符璽之利者，雖有軒冕之賞弗能勸，斧鉞之威弗能禁。此重利盜蹠而使不可禁者，是乃聖人之過也。故曰：魚不可脫於淵，國之利器不可以示人。

Strike down the sage and let go the thieves, and the world will begin to be governed. When the river runs dry the valley is empty; when the hill is leveled the abyss is filled. When the sage is dead and the great thieves no longer arise, the world is at peace without affairs. As long as the sage does not die, the great thief does not stop. Even if one values the sage to govern the world, it only increases the profit of Robber Zhi. Make a peck and bushel for them to measure with, and they steal the peck and bushel along with it; make a balance and weights for them to weigh with, and they steal the balance and weights; make tallies and seals for them to build trust, and they steal the tallies and seals; make benevolence and righteousness for them to correct with, and they steal benevolence and righteousness. How do we know this is so? One who steals a belt hook is executed, one who steals a state becomes a lord, and at the lord's gate there are righteous men; is this not stealing benevolence, righteousness, sagacity and knowledge? So those who follow the great thieves, raise up to be lords, steal benevolence and righteousness together with the profit of pecks, balances, tallies and seals, cannot be dissuaded by the reward of carriage and cap or deterred by the might of axe and halberd. This increase of the profit of Zhi that cannot be stopped is exactly the fault of the sage. So it is said: the fish must not leave the deep; the sharp tools of a state must not be shown to people.

彼聖人者，天下之利器也，非所以明天下也。故絕聖棄知，大盜乃止；擿玉毀珠，小盜不起；焚符破璽，而民樸鄙；掊斗折衡，而民不爭；殫殘天下之聖法，而民始可與論議。擢亂六律，鑠絕竽瑟，塞瞽曠之耳，而天下始人含其聰矣；滅文章，散五采，膠離朱之目，而天下始人含其明矣；毀絕鉤繩而棄規矩，攦工倕之指，而天下始人有其巧矣。故曰：大巧若拙。削曾、史之行，鉗楊、墨之口，攘棄仁義，而天下之德始玄同矣。彼人含其明，則天下不鑠矣；人含其聰，則天下不累矣；人含其知，則天下不惑矣；人含其德，則天下不僻矣。彼曾、史、楊、墨、師曠、工倕、離朱者，皆外立其德而以爚亂天下者也，法之所無用也。

The sage is the sharp tool of the world and is not to be displayed to the world. So when sageliness is cut off and knowledge discarded, the great thief stops; when jade is thrown away and pearls smashed, small thieves do not arise; when tallies are burned and seals broken, the people become simple and plain; when pecks are smashed and balances snapped, the people do not quarrel; when the sage laws of the world are entirely destroyed, then the people can be spoken with. Throw the six pitches into confusion, burn and snap the pipes and zithers, stop up Shi Kuang's ears, and then everyone in the world will hold his own hearing within; destroy patterns, scatter the five colors, glue shut Li Zhu's eyes, and everyone in the world will hold his own clear sight within; ruin hook and line and abandon compass and square, break the fingers of the craftsman Chui, and everyone in the world will have his own skill. So it is said: great skill seems clumsy. Cut away the conduct of Zeng Shen and Shi Yu, gag the mouths of Yang Zhu and Mo Di, cast off benevolence and righteousness, and the virtue of the world will begin to be mysteriously one. When everyone holds his own clear sight, the world will not be burnt up; when everyone holds his own hearing, the world will not be burdened; when everyone holds his own knowledge, the world will not be confused; when everyone holds his own virtue, the world will not be deviant. Those Zeng Shen, Shi Yu, Yang Zhu, Mo Di, Shi Kuang, Chui and Li Zhu all set up virtue outside themselves in order to confuse the world, and laws and standards are of no use against them.

子獨不知至德之世乎？昔者容成氏、大庭氏、伯皇氏、中央氏、栗陸氏、驪畜氏、軒轅氏、赫胥氏、尊盧氏、祝融氏、伏戲氏、神農氏，當是時也，民結繩而用之，甘其食，美其服，樂其俗，安其居，鄰國相望，雞狗之音相聞，民至老死而不相往來。若此之時，則至治已。今遂至使民延頸舉踵曰：「某所有賢者。」贏糧而趣之，則內棄其親，而外去其主之事，足跡接乎諸侯之境，車軌結乎千里之外，則是上好知之過也。

Do you not know the age of supreme virtue? Formerly there were Rongcheng, Dating, Bohuang, Zhongyang, Luli, Lixu, Xuanyuan, Hexu, Zunlu, Zhurong, Fuxi and Shennong; in those times the people knotted cords and used them, found their own food sweet, their own clothes beautiful, their own customs pleasant, their own homes safe; neighboring states were within sight of one another, the sounds of chickens and dogs could be heard, and the people grew old and died without going back and forth to one another. In such a time, it was perfect order. Now they are made to stretch their necks and stand on tiptoe, saying: "In such-and-such a place there is a worthy man." They carry provisions and rush to him, abandoning their own kin within and neglecting their lord's business outside, their footprints connect with the borders of the lords' states and their wheel tracks cross a thousand li away; this is the fault of those above who love knowledge.

上誠好知而無道，則天下大亂矣。何以知其然邪？夫弓弩、畢弋、機變之知多，則鳥亂於上矣；鉤餌、罔罟、罾笱之知多，則魚亂於水矣；削格、羅落、罝罘之知多，則獸亂於澤矣；知詐漸毒、頡滑堅白、解垢同異之變多，則俗惑於辯矣。故天下每每大亂，罪在於好知。故天下皆知求其所不知，而莫知求其所已知者；皆知非其所不善，而莫知非其所已善者，是以大亂。故上悖日月之明，下爍山川之精，中墮四時之施，喘耎之蟲，肖翹之物，莫不失其性。甚矣，夫好知之亂天下也，自三代以下者是已！舍夫種種之民而悅伕役役之佞，釋夫恬淡無為而悅夫啍啍之意，啍啍已亂天下矣！

If those above truly love knowledge without the Way, the world falls into great disorder. How do we know this is so? When the knowledge of crossbows, bows, nets and cunning devices becomes abundant, the birds are in disorder in the sky; when the knowledge of hooks, baits, nets, weirs and traps becomes abundant, the fish are in disorder in the water; when the knowledge of snares, gins and nets becomes abundant, the beasts are in disorder in the marshes; when the changes of cunning knowledge, poison, slippery argument, hard-and-white, disentangling and same-and-different become abundant, customs are confused by disputation. So the world is constantly in great disorder, and the fault is in loving knowledge. So everyone in the world knows to seek what they do not know, but does not know to seek what they already know; everyone knows to criticize what they find not good, but does not know to criticize what they already find good, and so there is great disorder. So above it goes against the brightness of sun and moon, below it drains the essence of mountains and rivers, in the middle it ruins the bestowals of the four seasons, and of panting and crawling creatures and the tiniest winged things, none fail to lose their nature. How excessive, that loving knowledge disorders the world, and has been so since the Three Dynasties! They discard the simple and honest people and delight in the busy, bustling, flattering and clever, they put aside bland non-action and delight in earnest instruction, and earnest instruction has already disordered the world!

聞在宥天下，不聞治天下也。在之也者，恐天下之淫其性也；宥之也者，恐天下之遷其德也。天下不淫其性，不遷其德，有治天下者哉？昔堯之治天下也，使天下欣欣焉，人樂其性，是不恬也；桀之治天下也，使天下瘁瘁焉，人苦其性，是不愉也。夫不恬不愉，非德也。非德也而可長久者，天下無之。

I have heard of letting be and tolerating the world, but not of governing the world. Letting be (zai) is fearing that the world will indulge its nature to excess; tolerating (you) is fearing that the world will change its virtue. If the world does not indulge its nature to excess and does not change its virtue, where would there be any governing of the world? Formerly when Yao governed the world, he made the world glad, and people took pleasure in their nature, and this was not tranquil; when Jie governed the world, he made the world worn down, and people suffered in their nature, and this was not happy. Neither tranquil nor happy is not virtue. That which is not virtue and yet can last long, the world has none.

人大喜邪，毗於陽；大怒邪，毗於陰。陰陽並毗，四時不至，寒暑之和不成，其反傷人之形乎！使人喜怒失位，居處無常，思慮不自得，中道不成章，於是乎天下始喬詰卓鷙，而後有盜蹠、曾、史之行。故舉天下以賞其善者不足，舉天下以罰其惡者不給，故天下之大，不足以賞罰。自三代以下者，匈匈焉終以賞罰為事，彼何暇安其性命之情哉？而且悅明邪，是淫於色也；悅聰邪，是淫於聲也；悅仁邪，是亂於德也；悅義邪，是悖於理也；悅禮邪，是相於技也；悅樂邪，是相於淫也；悅聖邪，是相於藝也；悅知邪，是相於疵也。天下將安其性命之情，之八者，存可也，亡可也；天下將不安其性命之情，之八者，乃始臠卷傖囊而亂天下也，而天下乃始尊之惜之。甚矣，天下之惑也！豈直過也而去之邪？乃齊戒以言之，跪坐以進之，鼓歌以儛之。吾若是何哉？故君子不得已而臨蒞天下，莫若無為。無為也，而後安其性命之情。故貴為身於為天下，則可以託天下；愛以身為天下，則可以寄天下。故君子苟能無解其五藏，無擢其聰明，屍居而龍見，淵默而雷聲，神動而天隨，從容無為，而萬物炊累焉。吾又何暇治天下哉！

If a person rejoices too much, he is injured on the side of yang; if he is angry too much, he is injured on the side of yin. When yin and yang are both injured, the four seasons do not come, the harmony of cold and heat is not achieved, and does this not in turn injure the human body! It makes people's joy and anger lose their place, their dwelling be unsettled, their thoughts unable to find themselves, and their middle way unable to form a pattern, and then the world begins to be false in feeling and fierce, and later there is the conduct of Zhi, Zeng Shen and Shi Yu. So raising up the whole world to reward the good is not enough, raising up the whole world to punish evil is not enough; the world is so large and yet is not enough for reward and punishment. Since the Three Dynasties, clamorously they have taken rewards and punishments as their business, so how would they have leisure to rest in the real condition of nature and destiny? Moreover, to like clear sight is to indulge in color; to like keen hearing is to indulge in sound; to like benevolence is to disorder virtue; to like righteousness is to go against principle; to like ritual is to foster artifice; to like music is to foster licentiousness; to like sageliness is to foster skills; to like knowledge is to foster faultfinding. If the world is to rest in the real condition of nature and destiny, these eight may be kept or may be lost; if the world is not to rest in the real condition of nature and destiny, these eight begin to twist and clamor and disorder the world, and only then does the world begin to honor and cherish them. How excessive, the world's confusion! Is it merely a passing fault to let it go? They even fast to speak of it, kneel to present it, and beat drums and sing and dance to it. What can I do about it? So when a gentleman, having no choice, must approach the world, nothing is better than non-action. When there is non-action, only then can one rest in the real condition of nature and destiny. So one who values his own person above ruling the world may be entrusted with the world; one who cherishes his own person above ruling the world may be given charge of the world. So if a gentleman can avoid dissolving his five organs and avoid pulling up his hearing and sight, can sit like a corpse and appear like a dragon, be in silent depth and yet have the sound of thunder, move divinely and Heaven follows, carefree and without action while the myriad things accumulate like rising steam, then what leisure have I to govern the world!

崔瞿問於老聃曰：「不治天下，安臧人心？」老聃曰：「汝慎無攖人心。人心排下而進上，上下囚殺，淖約柔乎剛彊。廉劌彫琢，其熱焦火，其寒凝冰，其疾俛仰之間而再撫四海之外，其居也淵而靜，其動也縣而天。僨驕而不可係者，其唯人心乎！昔者黃帝始以仁義攖人之心，堯、舜於是乎股無胈、脛無毛以養天下之形，愁其五藏以為仁義，矜其血氣以規法度，然猶有不勝也。堯於是放讙兜於崇山，投三苗於三峗，流共工於幽都，此不勝天下也。夫施及三王，而天下大駭矣，下有桀、蹠，上有曾、史，而儒墨畢起。於是乎喜怒相疑，愚知相欺，善否相非，誕信相譏，而天下衰矣；大德不同，而性命爛漫矣；天下好知，而百姓求竭矣。於是乎釿鋸制焉，繩墨殺焉，椎鑿決焉。天下脊脊大亂，罪在攖人心。故賢者伏處大山嵁巖之下，而萬乘之君憂慄乎廟堂之上。今世殊死者相枕也，桁楊者相推也，形戮者相望也，而儒墨乃始離跂攘臂乎桎梏之間。意，甚矣哉！其無愧而不知恥也甚矣！吾未知聖知之不為桁楊椄槢也，仁義之不為桎梏鑿枘也，焉知曾、史之不為桀、蹠嚆矢也？故曰：絕聖棄知，而天下大治。」

Cui Qu asked Lao Dan: "If the world is not governed, how are people's hearts to be settled?" Lao Dan said: "Take care not to disturb people's hearts. When the human heart is pressed it sinks, when it is pushed forward it rises, rising and sinking it imprisons and kills itself; the soft and weak can overcome the hard and strong. Carved and polished with sharp edges, it is hot as burning fire and cold as congealed ice, it moves so fast that in a glance it can sweep beyond the four seas again; at rest it is deep and still, in motion it hangs high. Proud and unbridled and unable to be tied down, probably it is only the human heart! In ancient times the Yellow Emperor began to disturb people's hearts with benevolence and righteousness, and Yao and Shun then had no white flesh on their thighs and no hair on their shins, to feed the body of the world, and grieved their five organs to practice benevolence and righteousness, strained their blood and breath to set laws and standards, yet there was still what they could not overcome. Yao then banished Huandou to Mount Chong, cast the Sanmiao into Sanwei, and exiled Gonggong to Youdu, which means he could not overcome the world. By the time of the Three Kings, the world was greatly alarmed; below there were Jie and Zhi, above there were Zeng Shen and Shi Yu, and Confucians and Mohists rose together. Then joy and anger suspected each other, fools and the wise deceived each other, good and bad criticized each other, the absurd and the sincere mocked each other, and the world declined; great virtue was not the same, nature and destiny scattered and rotted; the world loved knowledge, and the people searched until they were exhausted. Then axes and saws cut, rope and ink killed, hammers and chisels pierced. The world was in confusion and great disorder, and the fault was disturbing the human heart. So worthy people hid beneath great mountains and cliffs, and rulers of ten thousand chariots trembled in their temple halls. Today those executed with extraordinary punishments lie pillow on pillow, those wearing cangues push against each other, those under punishment see one another, and Confucians and Mohists only begin to stand on tiptoe and bare their arms amid the shackles. Ah, how excessive! How excessive that they feel no shame and do not know disgrace! I do not know whether sage knowledge is the wedge in the cangue, whether benevolence and righteousness are the mortise and tenon of the fetters, and how would I know whether Zeng Shen and Shi Yu are not the whistling arrows of Jie and Zhi? So it is said: cut off sageliness and discard knowledge, and the world will be greatly ordered."

黃帝立為天子十九年，令行天下，聞廣成子在於空同之上，故往見之，曰：「我聞吾子達於至道，敢問至道之精。吾欲取天地之精，以佐五穀，以養民人。吾又欲官陰陽，以遂群生。為之奈何？」廣成子曰：「而所欲問者，物之質也；而所欲官者，物之殘也。自而治天下，雲氣不待族而雨，草木不待黃而落，日月之光益以荒矣。而佞人之心翦翦者，又奚足以語至道！」黃帝退，捐天下，築特室，席白茅，閒居三月，復往邀之。廣成子南首而臥，黃帝順下風，膝行而進，再拜稽首而問曰：「聞吾子達於至道，敢問治身奈何而可以長久？」廣成子蹷然而起，曰：「善哉問乎！來，吾語汝至道。至道之精，窈窈冥冥；至道之極，昏昏默默。無視無聽，抱神以靜，形將自正。必靜必清，無勞汝形，無搖汝精，乃可以長生。目無所見，耳無所聞，心無所知，汝神將守形，形乃長生。慎汝內，閉汝外，多知為敗。我為汝遂於大明之上矣，至彼至陽之原也；為汝入於窈冥之門矣，至彼至陰之原也。天地有官，陰陽有藏，慎守汝身，物將自壯。我守其一，以處其和，故我脩身千二百歲矣，吾形未常衰。」黃帝再拜稽首曰：「廣成子之謂天矣！」廣成子曰：「來，餘語汝。彼其物無窮，而人皆以為終；彼其物無測，而人皆以為極。得吾道者，上為皇而下為王；失吾道者，上見光而下為土。今夫百昌，皆生於土而反於土，故餘將去汝，入無窮之門，以遊無極之野。吾與日月參光，吾與天地為常。當我，緡乎！遠我，昏乎！人其盡死，而我獨存乎！」

The Yellow Emperor had been established as Son of Heaven for nineteen years, and his orders were carried out through the world. He heard that Guangchengzi was on Mount Kongtong, and so went to see him, and said: "I have heard that you have mastered the supreme Way; may I ask about the essence of the supreme Way. I wish to take the essence of heaven and earth to help the five grains and nourish the people. I also wish to govern yin and yang to bring the multitude of living things to completion. What should I do?" Guangchengzi said: "What you want to ask about is the substance of things; what you want to govern is the remnant of things. Since you began governing the world, clouds disperse as rain before they gather, grasses and trees drop their leaves before they yellow, and the light of sun and moon grows more and more desolate. And a glib person's mind is so shallow and narrow; how is he worthy to speak of the supreme Way!" The Yellow Emperor withdrew, gave up the world, built a special chamber, spread white thatch, lived in leisure for three months, and went again to invite him. Guangchengzi was lying with his head to the south; the Yellow Emperor, going downwind, knelt and advanced on his knees, bowed twice, touched his head to the ground and asked: "I have heard that you have mastered the supreme Way; may I ask how to govern the body so that it may last long?" Guangchengzi sprang up and said: "A good question! Come, I will tell you the supreme Way. The essence of the supreme Way is dim and dark; the utmost of the supreme Way is murky and silent. Do not see, do not hear, hold the spirit in stillness, and the body will correct itself. Be sure to be still, be sure to be pure; do not toil your body, do not shake your essence, and then you can live long. When the eyes see nothing, the ears hear nothing and the heart knows nothing, your spirit will guard the body and the body will live long. Be careful of your inside, shut your outside; much knowledge is defeat. I have gone for you above the Great Brightness, to the source of supreme yang; I have entered for you the gate of the dim and dark, to the source of supreme yin. Heaven and earth have their officers, yin and yang have their storehouses; be careful to guard your body, and things will flourish of themselves. I guard the One and abide in harmony, and so I have cultivated myself for twelve hundred years and my body has never declined." The Yellow Emperor bowed twice, touched his head to the ground and said: "Guangchengzi may be called Heaven!" Guangchengzi said: "Come, I will tell you. Those things are endless, yet people all think they have an end; those things are unfathomable, yet people all think they have a limit. One who attains my Way is a sovereign above and a king below; one who loses my Way sees the light above and becomes earth below. Now the hundred things flourish, all born of earth and returning to earth, so I will leave you and enter the gate of the endless, to wander in the field without limit. I share the light of sun and moon, I am constant with heaven and earth. Meet me, be dim and silent! Be far from me, be dim and silent! All people will die, and I alone will remain!"

雲將東遊，過扶搖之枝而適遭鴻蒙。鴻蒙方將拊髀爵躍而遊。雲將見之，倘然止，贄然立，曰：「叟何人邪？叟何為此？」鴻蒙拊髀爵躍不輟，對雲將曰：「遊！」雲將曰：「朕願有問也。」鴻蒙仰而視雲將曰：「籲！」雲將曰：「天氣不和，地氣鬱結，六氣不調，四時不節。今我願合六氣之精以育群生，為之奈何？」鴻蒙拊脾爵躍，掉頭曰：「吾弗知，吾弗知！」雲將不得問。又三年，東遊，過有宋之野而適遭鴻蒙。雲將大喜，行趨而進，曰：「天忘朕邪？天忘朕邪？」再拜稽首，願聞於鴻蒙。鴻蒙曰：「浮遊不知所求，猖狂不知所往，遊者鞅掌，以觀無妄。朕又何知！」雲將曰：「朕也自以為猖狂，而民隨予所往。朕也不得已於民，今則民之放也。願聞一言。」鴻蒙曰：「亂天之經，逆物之情，玄天弗成；解獸之群，而鳥皆夜鳴；災及草木，禍及昆蟲。噫，治人之過也！」雲將曰：「然則吾奈何？」鴻蒙曰：「噫，毒哉！僊僊乎歸矣！」雲將曰：「吾遇天難，願聞一言。」鴻蒙曰：「噫，心養！汝徒處無為，而物自化。墮爾形體，吐爾聰明，倫與物忘；大同乎涬溟，解心釋神，莫然無魂。萬物云云，各復其根，各復其根而不知；渾渾沌沌，終身不離。若彼知之，乃是離之。無問其名，無闚其情，物故自生。」雲將曰：「天降朕以德，示朕以默。躬身求之，乃今也得。」再拜稽首，起辭而行。

Yun Jiang went wandering east, passing the branches of the Fuyao tree, and happened to meet Hongmeng. Hongmeng was slapping his thighs and hopping like a sparrow as he wandered. Yun Jiang saw him, stopped in dismay, stood reverently, and said: "Venerable sir, who are you? Why are you doing this?" Hongmeng, slapping his thighs and hopping without stopping, said to Yun Jiang: "Wandering!" Yun Jiang said: "I wish to ask something." Hongmeng looked up at Yun Jiang and said: "Hm!" Yun Jiang said: "The qi of heaven is not in harmony, the qi of earth is knotted, the six qi are not in tune, and the four seasons have no measure. Now I wish to combine the essence of the six qi to nourish the multitude of living things; what should I do?" Hongmeng, slapping his thighs and hopping, turned his head and said: "I do not know, I do not know!" Yun Jiang could not ask further. Three years later, he went wandering east again, passing the wilds of Song, and happened to meet Hongmeng. Yun Jiang was overjoyed, hurried forward and said: "Has Heaven forgotten me? Has Heaven forgotten me?" He bowed twice, touched his head to the ground and wished to hear Hongmeng speak. Hongmeng said: "Drifting and wandering, not knowing what to seek, rambling wildly, not knowing where to go, the wanderer is in confusion, coming to watch the unreal. What would I know!" Yun Jiang said: "I think of myself as rambling wildly, yet the people follow where I go. I too have no choice with the people, and now I have become what the people imitate. I wish to hear one word." Hongmeng said: "To disorder Heaven's constancy, to go against the real condition of things, the dark Heaven is not completed; the herds of beasts break up, and the birds all cry at night; disaster falls on grasses and trees, and calamity on insects. Ah, this is the fault of those who govern people!" Yun Jiang said: "Then what shall I do?" Hongmeng said: "Ah, poison! Drift back lightly!" Yun Jiang said: "It is hard to meet Heaven; I wish to hear one word." Hongmeng said: "Ah, nourish the mind! You need only stay in non-action, and things transform of themselves. Let your body fall away, spit out your hearing and sight, forget with the order of things; merge into the great vast and murky, untie the mind and release the spirit, vacant as if without soul. The myriad things in profusion each return to their root, each returning to its root without knowing; chaotic and undifferentiated, they never leave it for life. If they come to know it, they have already left. Do not ask its name, do not spy on its nature, and things will be born of themselves." Yun Jiang said: "Heaven has sent virtue down to me and shown me silence. I sought it in person and only now have gained it." He bowed twice, touched his head to the ground, rose, took leave and went.

世俗之人，皆喜人之同乎己，而惡人之異於己也。同於己而欲之，異於己而不欲者，以出乎眾為心也。夫以出乎眾為心者，曷常出乎眾哉？因眾以寧所聞，不如眾技眾矣。而欲為人之國者，此攬乎三王之利，而不見其患者也。此以人之國僥倖也，幾何僥倖而不喪人之國乎？其存人之國也，無萬分之一；而喪人之國也，一不成而萬有餘喪矣。悲夫，有土者之不知也！夫有土者，有大物也。有大物者，不可以物；物而不物，故能物物。明夫物物者之非物也，豈獨治天下百姓而已哉？出入六合，遊乎九州，獨往獨來，是謂獨有。獨有之人，是之謂至貴。

Common people all like others to be the same as themselves and dislike others being different from themselves. Those the same as themselves they want, those different from themselves they do not want, and they take standing out above the crowd as their aim. Those who take standing out above the crowd as their aim, when have they ever stood above the crowd? To rely on the crowd to make oneself secure in what one has heard is not as good as the many skills of the crowd. Those who wish to govern that state for others are grasping at the profit of the Three Kings without seeing its harm. This is using another's state to seek luck, and how many times can one be lucky without losing the other's state? Its preserving of another's state is not even one in ten thousand, and its losing another's state, failing once is losing ten thousand times over. How sad, those who hold land do not know! Those who hold land hold a great thing. One who holds a great thing must not be made a thing by things; he treats things as things and is not made a thing by things, and so can thing things. One who understands that what things things is not itself a thing, how could he govern only the world and the hundred clans? He goes in and out of the six directions, wanders in the nine provinces, goes alone and comes alone, which is called having alone. One who has alone is called supremely honored.

大人之教，若形之於影，聲之於響，有問而應之，盡其所懷，為天下配。處乎無響，行乎無方，挈汝適復之撓撓，以遊無端，出入無旁，與日無始；頌論形軀，合乎大同，大同而無己。無己，惡乎得有有？覩有者，昔之君子；覩無者，天地之友。

The teaching of the great person is like shadow to form, like echo to sound. When asked he responds, using up whatever he holds, to be a match for the world. He dwells where there is no echo, walks where there is no direction, takes you in that to-and-fro turmoil to wander where there is no beginning, going in and out with nothing to rely on, like the sun with no start; he praises and discusses the body and form, joins in the great sameness, and in the great sameness there is no self. Without self, how can there be "having"? Those who see having are the gentlemen of old; those who see nothing are friends of heaven and earth.

賤而不可不任者，物也；卑而不可不因者，民也；匿而不可不為者，事也；麤而不可不陳者，法也；遠而不可不居者，義也；親而不可不廣者，仁也；節而不可不積者，禮也；中而不可不高者，德也；一而不可不易者，道也；神而不可不為者，天也。故聖人觀於天而不助，成於德而不累，出於道而不謀，會於仁而不恃，薄於義而不積，應於禮而不諱，接於事而不辭，齊於法而不亂，恃於民而不輕，因於物而不去。物者莫足為也，而不可不為。不明於天者，不純於德；不通於道者，無自而可；不明於道者，悲夫！何謂道？有天道，有人道。無為而尊者，天道也；有為而累者，人道也。主者，天道也；臣者，人道也。天道之與人道也，相去遠矣，不可不察也。

What is lowly yet cannot be left unused is things; what is humble yet cannot but be followed is the people; what is hidden yet cannot but be done is affairs; what is coarse yet cannot but be set out is law; what is distant yet cannot but be kept is righteousness; what is near yet cannot but be extended is benevolence; what is measure yet cannot but be accumulated is ritual; what is central yet cannot but be made high is virtue; what is one yet cannot but be transformed is the Way; what is divine yet cannot but be acted on is Heaven. So the sage observes Heaven but does not help it, completes by virtue but is not burdened, comes out from the Way but does not scheme, meets in benevolence but does not rely on himself, draws near to righteousness but does not store it up, responds to ritual but does not avoid it, takes on affairs but does not refuse them, is even in law and not disordered, relies on the people and does not despise them, follows things and does not leave them. Things have nothing worth doing, yet they cannot be left undone. One who does not understand Heaven is not pure in virtue; one who does not penetrate the Way has no way to be right; one who does not understand the Way, how sad! What is the Way? There is the Way of Heaven and the Way of Man. To be honored by non-action is the Way of Heaven; to be burdened by action is the Way of Man. To be master is the Way of Heaven; to be minister is the Way of Man. The Way of Heaven and the Way of Man are far apart and must be examined.