Verse 42: Way gives Yin ang Yang

道生一。
The Way gives birth to One
一生二。
One gives birth to two
二生三。
Two gives birth to three
三生萬物。
Three gives birth to the 10,000 things
萬物負陰而抱陽，
The 10,000 things carry Yin and embrace Yang
沖氣以為和。
Surging life-force is formed by harmonization of these two.
人之所惡，
What people detest
唯孤寡不穀，
Is called "Lonely, poor and desolate"
而王公以為稱，
Yet royalty and ministers call themselves such.
故物或損之而益，
Hence things may gain from loss,
或益之而損。
May lose from gain.
人之所教，
What people have been teaching,
我亦教之，
I teach as well:
強梁者，
The strong and violent
不得其死。
cannot get anything else besides death.
吾將以為教父甫
I make this maxim my own teacher.

Verse 41: Responses to the Way

上士聞道勤而行之。
The superior person hears of the Way, and works diligently to walk with It.
中士聞道若存若亡。
The normal person hears of the Way, and thinks it may or may not be true.
下士聞道大笑之。
The inferior person hears of the Way, and laughs mockingly at it.
不笑不足以為道。
Without such mocking, It would not be the Way.
故建言有之。
So the basic sayings include:
明道若昧。
The bright Way seems dark.
進道若退。
The advancing Way seems to be a retreat
夷道若纇。
The vigorous Way seems to be restrained.
上德若谷。
High Virtue seems to be like a valley
大白若辱。
Big Purity seems tarnished
廣德若不足。
Overflowing Virtue seems insufficient
建德若偷。
Constructive Virtue seems to be stolen
質真若渝。
The Natural Truth seems to change.
大方無隅。
The Big Square has no corners.
大器晚成。
The Big Vessel is late to emerge
大音希聲。
The Big Sound makes little noise
大象無形。
The Big Shape has no form
道隱無名。
The Way is hidden and nameless
夫唯道善貸且成。
Only the Way excels in developing and completing.

Verse 40: Having and Lacking

反者道之動。
Inversion is the movement of the Way
弱者道之用。
Weakness is the application of the Way
天下萬物生於有，
The 10,000 things of the world are born from "having",
有生於無。
"having" is born from "lacking".

Comments
"lacking" can also be understood as the void, nothing.

Verse 39: One and rulers

昔之得一者。
In the past, those who had One:
天得一以清。
The sky had One and was clear.
地得一以寧。
The earth had One and was settled.
神得一以靈。
The spirits had One and were responsive.
谷得一以盈。
The valley had One and was filled.
萬物得一以生。
The 10,000 things had One and were born.
侯王得一以為天下貞。
The rulers had One and were examples to the world.
其致之。
So these were caused.
天無以清將恐裂。
The sky ,without That which clears it, will horrendously split
地無以寧將恐廢。
The earth, without That which calms it, will horrendously decay
神無以靈將恐歇。
The spirits ,without That which makes them responsive, will horrendously expire
谷無以盈將恐竭。
The valley, without That which fills it, will horrendously run dry
萬物無以生將恐滅。
The 10,000 things, without That which births it, will be horrendously extinguished
侯王無以貞將恐蹶。
The rulers, without That which makes them an example, will be trampled upon.
故貴以賤為本，
Hence the refined is based on the unrefined.
高以下為基。
the high is built upon the low.
是以侯王自稱孤、寡、不穀。
So the rulers claim themselves to be powerless, small and unworthy
此非以賤為本邪﹖
Is such an action, by not being based on the unrefined, evil?
非乎。
We need not even ask.
至譽無譽。
The greatest honor is no honor.
不欲琭琭如玉
Not wanting to shine like jade
珞珞如石。
or sparking like jewels.

Verse 38: Way, Virtue, Mercy, Righteousness, Ritual

上德不德是以有德。
Superior virtue is unaware of "virtue", and therefore has virtue.
下德不失德是以無德。
Inferior virtue worries about loss of virtue, and therefore has no virtue.
上德無為而無以為。
Superior virtue does non-action not for the sake of doing so.
下德無為而有以為。
Inferior virtue does non-action for the sake of doing so.
上仁為之而無以為。
Superior mercy acts thus not for the sake of doing so.
上義為之而有以為。
Superior righteousness acts thus for the sake of doing so.
上禮為之而莫之以應，
Superior rituals act thus but no one responds
則攘臂而扔之。
Leading to these things being forced upon people.
故失道而後德。
Hence, a decline in the Way leads to the rise of virtue.
失德而後仁。
A decline in virtue leads to a rise in mercy.
失仁而後義。
A decline in mercy leads to a rise in righteousness.
失義而後禮。
A decline in righteousness leads to a rise in rituals.
夫禮者忠信之薄而亂之首。
People of rituals faithfully believe in the shallow, starting chaos.
前識者，道之華而愚之始。
Forecasters speak fancifully, initiating stupidity.
是以大丈夫，
So the truely Big people
處其厚，不居其薄。
Live with substance and avoid the shallow
處其實，不居其華。
Live with the concrete and avoid the fanciful.
故去彼取此。
Hence, leaving that is taking this.

Verse 37: Active Inaction

道常無為，而無不為。
The Constant Way behaves in non-action, yet leaves nothing undone.
侯王若能守之，萬物將自化。
If rulers could defend it, the 10,000 things will tranform themselves.
化而欲作，
If these things then desire to act,
吾將鎮之以無名之樸。
I then suppress them with the unnamed Simplicity.
無名之樸，夫亦將無欲。
The unnamed Simplicity makes man lacking in desire.
不欲以靜，天下將自定。
Lacking in desire, one becomes tranquil and the world determines itself.

Verse 36: Cycle of Yin and Yang

將欲歙之，必固張之。
What desires reduction must have been expanded.
將欲弱之，必固強之。
What desires weakness must have been strengthened.
將欲廢之，必固興之。
What desires decay must have flourished.
將欲取之，必固與之。
What desires being taken must have been given.
是謂微明。
This is called subtle enlightenment.
柔弱勝剛強。
The soft and weak overcomes the hard and strong.
魚不可脫於淵，
Since fish cannot be removed from the ocean,
國之利器不可以示人
A nation's weapons cannot be shown to men.

Comments
Laozi spends the first part mentioned natural cycles, how all forms of activity/positivity (yang) revert back to their opposite (yin). The beauty of the language is that one's positive actions ironically lead to negative outcomes. By displaying yang energy, one exhausts it and reverts to yin. This is especially important in all forms of warfare.

Verse 35: Tasteless but inexhaustible

執大象天下往。
Grasp the Big shape; everything comes to you.
往而不害安平太。
They come to you unharmed, discovering the grand calming peace.
樂與餌，過客止。
Music and food make the passers-by stop.
道之出口淡乎其無味。
When the Way is spoken of, it is bland and tasteless!
視之不足見。
Looked at, there is nothing to see.
聽之不足聞。
Listened at, there is nothing to hear.
用之不足既
When used, It cannot be exhausted.

Comments
There are two ways of understanding the mention of music and food here. The first is inferred from a contrast between what is full of taste (music, food) and what lacks taste (Tao). Music and food might be great tasting but they can be exhausted. Tao is the opposite.

The verse may also be suggested to use music and food as a tactic to stop travellers to calm them and get them to listen to the Tao.

Verse 34: Big and Small

大道氾兮，
The Big Way overflows,
其可左右。
When It moves, It can go both left and right.
萬物恃之以生而不辭，
The 10,000 things depend on It for survival, and It never deserts them.
功成而不名有。
It does the work but claims no title.
衣養萬物而不為主，
Caring for the 10,000 things without acting like the owner
常無欲可名於小。
The Constant without desire can be named Small.
萬物歸焉，而不為主，
The 10,000 things all return to It, but It does not act like the owner.
可名為大。
so It can also be named Big.
以其終不自為大，
Until the end It will never act big,
故能成其大。
yet It can yield big results.

Comments
"left and right" is an allegory here for Yin and Yang. Note how the Way can be both Small, and Big at the same time.

Verse 33: Kinds of People

知人者智，
Those who understand people are smart,
自知者明。
Those who understand themselves are enlightened
勝人者有力，
Those who defeat people have force,
自勝者強。
Those who defeat themselves are strong.
知足者富。
Those who understand restraint are rich.
強行者有志。
Those who are reluctant to act have will.
不失其所者久。
Those who do not lose their sense of direction will endure.
死而不亡者壽。
Those who die without perishing have longevity.

Comments
The last line is meant to be a mystery. To the Taoist death is perfectly normal; it is part of a cycle and comes to all living things. To die without having the person's presence in this world perish is the real art. It probably means an enduring legacy here to help those who stay behind in this world. It might meaning passing on one's learning of the Tao to others.

Verse 32: The Way has no name.

道常無名。
The Constant Way has no name.
樸雖小天下莫能臣也。
The Simple Essence might be small, but there is nothing in the world that can command it.
侯王若能守之，
If kings and courtiers are able to protect it,
萬物將自賓。
the ten-thousand things will naturally become their guests.
天地相合以降甘露，
Heaven and Earth are in mutual accord; sweet dew falls.
民莫之令而自均。
The people, without any orders, will treat one another fairly.
始制有名，
To start regulating there are names,
名亦既有，
Once names appear,
夫亦將知止，
People must know when to stop.
知止可以不殆。
By knowing restraint one can avoid peril.
譬道之在天下，
The Way is to the world
猶川谷之於江海。
as streams are to rivers and seas.

Verse 31: War is a funeral

夫佳兵者不祥之器，
The finest weapons of men are profane instruments
物或惡之，
All things detest them
故有道者不處。
So people of the Way do not live with them.
君子居則貴左，
The lord and his court occupies the left
用兵則貴右。
the military occupies the right.
兵者不祥之器，
Profane military instruments
非君子之器，
are not the instruments of the lord.
不得已而用之，
They are only used as a last resort.
恬淡為上。
Tranquil peace is the superior choice.
勝而不美，
Victory is not beautiful
而美之者，
and those who find it beautiful
是樂殺人。
rejoice in slaughter.
夫樂殺人者，
Those who rejoice in slaughter
則不可得志於天下矣。
can never have the will to move with the world until the end.
吉事尚左，凶事尚右。
Auspicious things favor the left, terrible things favor the right.
偏將軍居左，上將軍居右。
The lower general takes the left, the upper general takes the right
言以喪禮處之。
Words spoken should belong to that of a funeral.
殺人之眾，以悲哀泣之，
The killing of masses of people should bring cries of despair.
戰勝以喪禮處之。
War victories should be handled like a funeral.

Comments
Left/right (yang/yin) can also be read as active/passive. This might imply an active diplomacy coupled with a passive military, also an active lower general (to fight) coupled with a passive upper general (to strategize).

Verse 30: Do not dominate

以道佐人主者，
People who draw from the Way,
不以兵強天下。
Do not use troops to dominate the world.
其事好還。
For such matters rebound.
師之所處荊棘生焉。
Where there are armies, there are thorns.
軍之後必有凶年。
The military brings terrible years.
善有果而已，
The wise stop once the result comes into fruition
不敢以取強。
and do not push for more advantage.
果而勿矜。
Obtain fruit without bragging,
果而勿伐。
Obtain fruit without boasting,
果而勿驕。
Obtain fruit without arrogance,
果而不得已。
Obtain fruit without possessing.
果而勿強。
Obtain fruit without dominating.
物壯則老，
The strong dominating the old
是謂不道，
goes against the Way.
不道早已
What goes against the Way perishes quickly.

Verse 29: Acting is against the paradox of nature.

將欲取天下而為之，
For those who desire to acquire the world, and acts so,
吾見其不得已。
I foresee that they do not obtain it.
天下神器，不可為也，
The world is a spiritual vessel, that cannot be acted upon.
為者敗之，執者失之。
Those who do fail, those who grab lose .
夫物或行或隨、
Amongst people and things, they either lead or follow
或歔或吹、
Either breathe lightly or heavily
或強或贏、
Either have strength, either have victory
或挫或隳。
or have weakness, or have defeat.
是以聖人去甚、去奢、去泰。
Hence the sage rejects the excess, the extravagant and the grand.

Comments
Act/do is used here for "wei", opposite of "wu-wei" (non-action). Here it is refers to aggressive behaviour with intent to produce a total, symmetrical outcome. It goes against the law of nature that requires a paradox to sustain the system.

Verse 28: Know Yang, keep to Yin

知其雄，
Know the masculine,
守其雌，
Keep close to the feminine,
為天下谿。
Be the river of the world.
為天下谿，
Being the river of the world,
常德不離，
the Constant Virtue never falters,
復歸於嬰兒。
and one returns to being a child.
知其白，
Know white,
守其黑，
Keep close to black,
為天下式。
Be the example to the world.
為天下式，
Being the example to the world,
常德不忒，
the Constant Virtue never changes,
復歸於無極。
and one returns to the Infinite.
知其榮，
Know glory
守其辱，
Keep to disgrace
為天下谷。
Be the valley of the world
為天下谷，
Being the valley of the world,
常德乃足，
the Constant Virtue will be abundant
復歸於樸。
and one returns to being the Uncarved Block.
樸散則為器，
If this Simple Block is broken up, it becomes a mere instrument.
聖人用之則為官長。
However, when the Sage uses it, it becomes the lord of lords.
故大制不割。
Indeed, this is big regulation without separation.

Comments,
LZ is making a point on the importance of simplicity. Here, simplicity is symbolised by the Simple, Uncarved Block of Wood. It seems to me that under common circumstances, simplicity is frowned upon, making "simple" people a mere instrument in a complex system. Under the sage however, simplicity (as a person or a quality) becomes a the necessary object to manage a large number of managers. This is because the simple person keeps to Yin, respects every member of the system and ensures that the system grows sustainably. The complex person will aggressively apply Yang, promote rapid but unsustainable growth, and favor certain parts of the system over others (i.e. separation).

Verse 27: Experts and Beginners

善行無轍跡。
The expert in travelling leaves no tracks.
善言無瑕謫。
The expert in speaking shows no flaws.
善數不用籌策。
The expert in calculation uses no tally system.
善閉無關楗而不可開。
The expert in security uses no locks, but the doors cannot be opened.
善結無繩約而不可解。
The expert in binding uses no string, but the knots cannot be untied.
是以聖人常善救人，故無棄人。
Just like the sage, the expert in saving people who does not give up on them,
常善救物，故無棄物。
The expert in saving things who does not give up on them.
是謂襲明。
This is called strategic insight.
故善人者不善人之師。
Hence, the experts are the beginners' teachers
不善人者善人之資。
The beginners are the experts' resources.
不貴其師、
Not valuing the teachers,
不愛其資，
Not treasuring the resources,
雖智大迷，
Is a big mistake even for the cleverest of people.
是謂要妙。
This is called the vital wonder.

Comments
LZ shows how experts in their field all reach a paradoxical, automatic state of mind in going about their tasks. Yet he reminds that expert and beginners define each other and must learn mutual respect for one to practice true wisdom.