THE FEMININE TAO 
CHAPTER FORTY
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Tao Te Ching (Daodejing) (Intro) : 32 Nature Mystic Chapters :
gender-inclusive translations, citations from commentary, seal scripts :

01, 04, 06, 07, 08    09, 10, 11, 15, 21, 22, 23    26, 28, 29, 32, 35,
40, 43, 45, 47    48, 49, 51, 52, 56, 63, 67    70, 73, 77, 79.
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Search Site | Hyperlinked Bibliography: Women Authors on the Tao Te Ching
The Woman Crookback & the Way of the Sage: Chuang-Tzu / Zhuangzi

Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Ellen M. Chen (1989)

Returning is the movement of Tao.
Weak is the functioning of Tao.
Ten thousand things under heaven are
born of being.      
Being is born of non-being.

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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by R. B. Blakney (1955)

The movement of the Way is a return;
In weakness lies its major usefulness.
From What-is all the world of things was born
But What-is sprang in turn from What-is-not.

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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Walter Gorn Old (1904)

The path of the Tao is backward.

The characteristic of Tao is gentleness.

Everything in the universe comes from existence,
and existence from non-existence.

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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by P. J. Maclagan (1898-99)

1.
Reversion is Tao's movement.
Weakness is Tao's usefulness.

2.
All things under heaven spring from Existence.
Existence springs from non-existence.

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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Red Pine (1996)

The Tao moves the other way (*)

TAO TE CHING SEAL SCRIPT
(1) reversing (2) things (3) the Way
(4) the same's (5) movement

the Tao works through weakness
the things of this world come from something
something comes from nothing
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(*) ELLEN M. CHEN says:
"This chapter identifies reversion as the very life of Tao
itself. Reversion in this chapter is not the creature's
return to the source but the return of the source
to the world."

Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by John Chalmers (1868)

Returning is the motion of Tao.
Weakness is the character of Tao.

All things in the world are produced from
      existence;
and existence is produced from
      non-existence.*

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(*) LORENZ OKEN [nature philosopher, 1847] says:
"Zero is the essence of mathematics.
Out of nothing everything arose."

Daodejing / Tao Te Ching / Chapter Forty in Seal Script
(Zhuanshu 篆文, with Wang Pi / Wang Bi Version)
Chapter 40 Seal Script & Interlinear English
TAO TE CHING SEAL SCRIPT
(1) reversing (2) things (3) the Way (4) the same's (5) movement
TAO TE CHING SEAL SCRIPT 40d
(1) weakness (2) of things (3) the Way (4) the same's (5) usefulness
TAO TE CHING SEAL SCRIPT 40d
(1) in heaven (2) below (3) ten thousand (4) things (5) arise (6) from (7) being
TAO TE CHING SEAL SCRIPT 40d
(1) being (2) arises (3) from (4) nothing
 
Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Eduard Erkes (1945/1949)
(HO-SHANG-KUNG ver.)

Subversion is Tao's movement.
Weakness is Tao's use.
Within the world all things originate
from existence.      
Existence originates from non-existence.

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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Chao-Hsiu Chen (2004)

Returning is the movement of Tao.

Weakness is the use of the Tao.

The myriad creatures under Heaven
      are born from something.

The something is born from nothing.

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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Stephen Mitchell (1988)

Return to the movement of the Tao.
Yielding the Way of the Tao.

All things are born of being
Being is born of non-being.

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Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Ursula K. Le Guin (1998)

Return to how the Way moves.
Weakness is how the Way works.

Heaven and Earth and the ten thousand things
are born of being.
Being is born of nothing.

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TAO TE CHING SEAL SCRIPT 40d
(1) being (2) arises (3) from (4) nothing

Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Shrine of Wisdom (1924)

      The path of Tao is a return to the Source.
      Gentleness is its characteristic. (*)
      All things under Heaven derive their being from the manifestation of Tao; and Tao the Manifest is born in Tao the unmanifest.

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(*) SHRINE OF WIDSOM says:
"This Returning Home is the Path of Tao — the Simple Way; but so marvellous is its immaculate simplicity that those who find it, being like little children, oftentimes know it not, while those who seek it, but are not child-like, find it not."

Tao Te Ching: Chapter 40
translated by Lionel Giles (1905)

Retrogression (反) is the movement (動) of Tao.

Weakness is the character of Tao.

All things under Heaven derive their being from Tao in the form of Existence;

Tao in the form of Existence sprang from Tao in the form of Non-Existence.

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Chapters INDEX (TOP)
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