tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Apr 11 14:08:35 2003

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Tao Te Ching Chp. 28



28K

loD DujlIj [A] yIghov
'ach be' DujlIj yIchoq
'ej qo'vaD 'och yIDa.
qo'vaD 'och DaDaDI',
not loj ghobna'lIj,
'ej ghu' Dotlh Dachavqa'.

DujlIj wov [A] yIghov
'ach DujlIj Hurgh yIchoq
'ej qo'vaD DevwI' yIDa.
qo'vaD DevwI' DaDaDI'
not QapHa' ghobna'lIj
'ej Dotlh vuSbe'lu'bogh Dachavqa'.

DujlIj quv [A] yIghov
'ach DujlIj quvHa' yIchoq
'ej qo'vaD ngech yIDa.
qo'vaD ngech DaDaDI'
yapchoH ghobna'lIj
'ej Sor Hap pe'be'lu'pu'bogh Dotlh nap Dachavqa'.

Sor Hap wavlu'chugh naQ moj Sor Hap.
naQ lo'chugh yajchu'wI' che'wI' 'aH moj naQ.
naQmoH che'wI''a'; wavbe' ghaH. [B]

28E

Be aware of what's masculine in you
But preserve what is feminine in you
And serve as a conduit for the world.
When you serve as a conduit for the world,
Your true virtue will never be gone.
And you'll return again to the state of a newborn child.

Be aware of what is bright in you
But preserve what is dark in you
And serve as a guide for the world.
When you serve a guide for the world,
Your true virtue will never falter,
And you'll return again to state of boundlessness.

Be aware of what's praiseworthy in you
But preserve what is base in you
And serve as a valley for the world.
When you serve as a valley for the world,
Your true virtue will grow ample enough,
And you'll return again to the simplicity of uncut wood.

Divided, the wood becomes a rod.
Used by a sage, the rod becomes a ruler's staff.
A great ruler keeps things whole; he does not divide.


[A] "What's masculine/feminine in you", "what is bright/dark, 
praiseworthy/base in you":
Before settling for {Duj} "instincts" I considered {vay'}, {mIw}, {'ay'} and 
{qa'}:

       loD vay'lIj/ loD mIwlIj/ loD 'ay'lIj/ loD qa'lI'
       vay'lIj wov /mIwlIj wov /'ay'lIj wov /qa'lI' wov
       etc.

I'm still trying to decide which of these is best.

[B] There is a pun in the Chinese version: the word "zhi" can mean "to cut, 
carve" but also "to govern, rule". I hope to have achieved a similar effect 
by exploiting the double sense of the word {naQ}. As a noun it means " a 
rod, staff", as a verb "to be whole, complete". The last line seems 
reminiscent of the old Earth adage "Divide and rule"  (in reverse).

'ISqu'




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