Chapter 32 — The virtue of a sage聖德

道，無形不繫，常不可名，以無名為常。故曰「道常無名」也。樸之為物，以無為心也，亦無名，故將得道，莫若守樸，夫智者可以能臣也，勇者可以武使也，巧者可以事役也，力者可以重任也，樸之為物，憒然不偏，近於無有，故曰「莫能臣也」。抱樸無為，不以物累其真，不以欲害其神，則物自賓而道自得也。

The Dao has no form and is not bound, so it can never be named; it takes namelessness as its constancy. Hence "The Dao is always without a name." The uncarved log takes nothing as its mind, so it too is without a name. Therefore, to gain the Dao there is nothing better than keeping to the uncarved log. Now one who is wise can be made a subject, one who is brave can be employed by force, one who is skilled can be put to work, and one who is strong can be charged with heavy burdens. But the uncarved log is blurred and leans to no side, and comes close to nothing. Hence "nothing can make it a subject." If one embraces the uncarved log and does nothing, not binding the truth of things with things nor harming their spirit with wanting, then things come of themselves as guests and the Dao is gained of itself.

道能陰能陽，能弛能張，能存能亡，故無常名也。

The Dao can be yin and can be yang, can slacken and can draw taut, can be there and can be gone. Therefore it has no constant name.

道樸雖小，微妙無形，天下不敢有臣使道者也。

The plainness of the Dao is small, yet it is subtle and without form, and so there is no one under heaven who dares make the Dao a subject and put it to use.

侯王若能守道無為，萬物將自賓，服從於德也。

If the lords and the king can keep to the Dao and do nothing, the ten thousand things become guests of themselves, following and submitting to their virtue.

言天地相合，則甘露不求而自降；我守其真性無為，則民不令而自均也。

This says that when heaven and earth meet, sweet dew falls of itself without being sought; and when I keep to my true nature and do nothing, the people become even of themselves without being ordered.

侯王動作能與天相應和，天即降下甘露善瑞也。

When the conduct of the lords and the king answers and accords with heaven, heaven then sends down sweet dew and good omens.

天降甘露善瑞，則萬物莫有教令之者，皆自均調若一也。

When heaven sends down sweet dew and good omens, then even with no one to teach or command them, the ten thousand things all even out of themselves and become as one.

始制，謂樸散始為官長之時也。始制官長，不可不立名分，以定尊卑，故始制有名也，過此以往，將爭錐刀之末，故曰「名亦既有」，夫亦將知止也，遂任名以號物，則失治之母也，故知止所以不殆也。

"When shaping begins" refers to the time when the uncarved log is scattered and heads of office are first set up. Once heads of office are set up, names and stations must be established and high and low fixed. Hence it says that when shaping begins, there are names. Press on past this, and men come to fight over what is no bigger than the point of an awl. Hence it says that once there are names, one must also know where to stop. If in the end one leaves it to names to summon things, the mother of governing is lost. Therefore, knowing where to stop, one is not in danger.

始，道也。有名，萬物也。道無名能制於有名，無形，能制於有形也。

Shi (始) means the Dao. What has a name is the ten thousand things. Being without a name, the Dao can govern what has a name; being without form, it can govern what has form.

既，盡也。有名之物，盡有情欲，叛道離德，故身毀辱也。

Ji (既) means being exhausted. Things that have names all have feelings and desires, and they turn their backs on the Dao and depart from virtue; and so their bodies are ruined and they suffer disgrace.

人能法道行德，天亦將自知之。

If a person can take the Dao as a model and practice virtue, heaven too comes to know it of itself.

天知之，則神靈祐助，不復危怠。

When heaven knows it, the spirits aid and guard him, so that he is never again in danger or slack.

川谷之求江與海，非江海召之，不召不求而自歸者，世行道於天下者，不令而自均，不求而自得，故曰「猶川谷之與江海」也。

That the streams and valleys seek the rivers and the sea is not because the rivers and the sea call them. Unsummoned and unsought, they return of themselves. So it is with one who carries out the Dao in all under heaven: without being ordered, things become even of themselves, and without seeking, he gains of himself. Hence "like the streams and valleys flowing to the rivers and the sea."

譬言道之在天下，與人相應和，如川谷與江海相流通也。

This draws a likeness: the Dao being in the world and answering and according with people is like the streams and valleys flowing through into the great river and the sea.