Chapter 21 — An empty heart虛心

孔，空也，惟以空為德，然後乃能動作從道。

Kong (孔) means empty. Only when one takes emptiness as one's virtue can one's movements follow the Dao.

孔，大也。有大德之人，無所不容，能受垢濁，處謙卑也。

Kong means great. A person of great virtue holds everything, taking in even what is soiled and murky, and dwells low in humility.

唯，獨也。大德之人，不隨世俗所行，獨從於道也。

Wei (唯) means alone. A person of great virtue does not follow the ways of the world, but follows the Dao alone.

恍惚，無形不繫之歎。

Huanghu (恍惚) is a word that sighs at having no form and being tied to nothing.

道之於萬物，獨怳忽往來，於其無所定也。

Toward the ten thousand things the Dao alone comes and goes hazily, and in this there is nothing fixed.

道唯忽怳無形，之中獨有萬物法象。

The Dao is only faint and has no form, yet within it there is the image that serves as the pattern of the ten thousand things.

道唯怳忽，其中有一，經營生化，因氣立質。

The Dao is only hazy, yet within it there is the One, which manages the work of begetting and transforming and sets up substance in accord with qi (氣).

以無形始物，不繫成物，萬物以始以成，而不知其所以然，故曰，恍兮惚兮、惚兮恍兮，其中有象也。

It begins things by having no form and completes things by being tied to nothing. The ten thousand things begin and are completed by it, yet they do not know how this is so. This is why it says that hazy and faint, within it there is an image.

窈、冥，深遠之歎，深遠不可得而見。然而萬物由之，其可得見，以定其真。故曰，窈兮冥兮，其中有精也。

Yao (窈) and ming (冥) are words that sigh at what is deep and far, and being deep and far, it cannot be seen. And yet the ten thousand things come by way of it, so that it can be seen and its genuineness can be settled. This is why it says that deep and dark, within it there is a vital essence.

道唯窈冥無形，其中有精實，神明相薄，陰陽交會也。

The Dao is only deep and dark and has no form, yet within it there is the fullness of the vital essence, where the numinous spirits (神明) press close upon each other and yin and yang meet and mingle.

信，信驗也。物反窈冥，則真精之極得，萬物之性定。故曰，其精甚真，其中有信也。

Xin (信) is to put a thing to the test and find it trustworthy. When things return to what is deep and dark, the utmost of the true vital essence is gained and the nature of the ten thousand things is settled. This is why it says that its essence is utterly true, and within it there is something to trust.

言存精氣，其妙甚真，非有飾也。

It means that because the vital essence is kept, its subtlety is utterly true and nothing about it is adorned.

道匿功藏名，其信在中也。

The Dao hides its merit and conceals its name, so what is trustworthy in it lies within.

自，從也。自古至今，道常在不去。

Zi (自) means “from.” From ancient times down to today the Dao is always present and does not depart.

至真之極，不可得名，無名則是其名也。自古及今，無不由此而成，故曰，自古及今，其名不去也。

The utmost of perfect genuineness cannot be named, and having no name is itself its name. From of old down to now there is nothing that has not been completed by way of it. This is why it says that from of old down to now its name does not depart.

眾甫，物之始也。以無名說萬物始也。

Zhongfu (眾甫) is the beginning of things. Having no name is how it speaks of the beginning of the ten thousand things.

閱，稟也。甫，始也。言道稟與，萬物始生，從道受氣。

Yue (閱) means to bestow, and fu (甫) means beginning. It means that the Dao bestows and the ten thousand things first come to be, receiving qi from the Dao.

此上之所云也。言吾何以知萬物之始於無哉，以此知之也。

This refers to what was said above. It means: how do I know that the ten thousand things begin from nonbeing? By this I know it.

吾何以知萬物從道受氣。

How am I to know that the ten thousand things receive qi from the Dao?

此，今也。以今萬物皆得道精氣而生，動作起居，非道不然。

Ci (此) means today. Today the ten thousand things all gain the vital essence of the Dao and so come to be, move, and rest; without the Dao it could not be so.