Chapter 56 — The dark virtue玄德
1One who knows does not speak
知者不言，
One who knows does not speak,
note 2
因自然也。
He follows what is so of itself.
知者貴行不貴言也。
One who knows prizes acting and does not prize speaking.
2One who speaks does not know
言者不知。
and one who speaks does not know.
note 2
造事端也。
He makes the beginnings of affairs.
駟不及舌，多言多患。
A team of four horses cannot catch up with the tongue; when words are many, troubles are many.
3Block the opening and shut the gate
塞其兌，閉其門，挫其銳，
Block the opening, shut the gate, blunt the sharp,
note 4
含守質也。
He holds the substance within and keeps it.
塞閉之者，欲絕其源。
To block and to shut is to cut off the source.
情欲有所銳為，當念道無為以挫止之。
When feeling and desire have something they would sharply set about, one should think on the Dao's doing nothing, and so blunt them and bring them to a stop.
紛，結恨不休也。當念道恬泊以解釋之。
Fen (紛) is resentment knotted up and never ceasing. One should think on the Dao's placid calm, and so loosen it and dissolve it.
4Undo what is divided
解其分，
undo what is divided,
note 1
除爭原也。
He does away with the source of contention.
5Soften the glare
和其光，
soften the glare,
note 2
無所特顯，則物無所偏爭也。
When there is nothing that stands out alone, things have nothing to contend over in partiality.
雖有獨見之明，當和之使闇昧，不使曜亂。
Though he has the brightness of seeing alone, he should soften it and let it be dim, so that it does not flash and throw things into confusion.
6Join with the dust
同其塵，
and join with the dust.
note 2
無所特賤，則物無所偏恥也。
When there is nothing that is made lowly alone, things have nothing to be ashamed of in partiality.
不當自別殊也。
He should not set himself apart as being different from others.
7He cannot be made close or set at a distance
是謂玄同。故不可得而親，不可得而疏；
This is called the dark sameness. So he cannot be reached and made close, nor reached and set at a distance;
note 4
可得而親，則可得而疏也。
If he can be reached and made close, he can be reached and set at a distance.
玄，天也。人能行此上事，是謂與天同道也。
Xuan (玄) is heaven. When a person can carry out the things above, this is called sharing the Dao with heaven.
不以榮譽為樂，獨立為哀。
He does not make honor and praise his joy, nor make standing alone his sorrow.
志靜無欲，故與人無怨。
His aims are still and he desires nothing, and so he has no resentment with others.
8He cannot be helped or harmed
不可得而利，不可得而害；
he cannot be reached and helped, nor reached and harmed;
note 3
可得而利，則可德而害也。
If he can be reached and helped, he can be reached and harmed.
身不欲富貴，口不欲五味。
His body does not desire wealth and rank, and his mouth does not desire the five flavors.
不與貪爭利，不與勇爭氣。
He does not contend for gain with the greedy, nor contend in spirit with the brave.
9He cannot be honored or made lowly
不可得而貴，不可得而賤。
he cannot be reached and honored, nor reached and made lowly.
note 3
可得而貴，則可得而賤也。
If he can be reached and honored, he can be reached and made lowly.
不為亂世主，不處暗君位。
He does not become the ruler of a disordered age, nor dwell in the place of a benighted ruler.
不以乘權故驕，不以失志故屈。
He is not haughty because he rides on power, nor does he bend because he has lost his aims.
10So he becomes what all under heaven honors
故為天下貴。
So he becomes what all under heaven honors.
note 2
無物可以加之也。
There is no thing that can be added to this.
其德如此，天子不得臣，諸侯不得屈，與世沉浮容身避害，故天下貴也。
His virtue being such, the Son of Heaven cannot make him a subject and the feudal lords cannot bend him; he sinks and rises along with the age, placing himself so as to avoid harm, and therefore all under heaven honors him.