Tao Te Ching – Verse 23 – Express yourself completely, then keep quiet

Tao Te Ching – Verse 23

Express yourself completely,
then keep quiet.
Be like the forces of nature:
when it blows, there is only wind;
when it rains, there is only rain;
when the clouds pass, the sun shines through.

If you open yourself to the Tao,
you are at one with the Tao
and you can embody it completely.
If you open yourself to insight,
you are at one with insight
and you can use it completely.
If you open yourself to loss,
you are at one with loss
and you can accept it completely.

Open yourself to the Tao,
then trust your natural responses;
and everything will fall into place.

(translation by Stephen Mitchell, 1995)
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Sparse speech is natural
Thus strong wind does not last all morning
Sudden rain does not last all day
What makes this so? Heaven and Earth
Even Heaven and Earth cannot make it last
How can humans?

Thus those who follow the Tao are with the Tao
Those who follow virtue are with virtue
Those who follow loss are with loss
Those who are with the Tao, the Tao is also pleased to have them
Those who are with virtue, virtue is also pleased to have them
Those who are with loss, loss is also pleased to have them
Those who do not trust sufficiently, others have no trust in them

(translation by Derek Lin, 2006)
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In not believing, is created lying and liars.
In looking for causes,
The paradox comes.
There should be nothing left.
But nothing is not Nothingness,
And behind all is the well of Zero:
Too powerful to understand.

(translation by Jeremy M. Miller, 2013)
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from I Ching Online

Author: harinam

Yogi, teacher, healer

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