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.

Verse 26: Being a master

重為輕根，
Heavyness is the root of lightness
靜為躁君。
Tranquility is the master of impatience.
是以君子終日行不離輕重。
Hence the master never ignores the balance of heavy and light.
雖有榮觀
In spite of having of luxury,
燕處超然。
the master still can keep to the big picture.
奈何萬乘之主而以身輕天下?
How can the owner of 10,000 vehicles act lightly towards the world?
輕則失根，
Lightness leads to loss of the root,
躁則失君
Impatience leads to loss of the master.

Verse 25: "Big" "Way"

有物混成先天地生。
There was something mysterious before the birth of Heaven and Earth.
寂兮寥兮獨立不改，
Lonesome and empty, it is constant and independent.
周行而不殆，
It cycles through everything without harm,
可以為天下母。
and can be treated as the Mother of all things.
吾不知其名，
I do not know what it is called,
強字之曰道。
A probable character for it would be "Way"
強為之名曰大。
A probable name for its behaviour would be "Big"
大曰逝，逝曰遠，遠曰反。
Big seems to be Retreating, Retreating seems to be Distant, Distant seems to be Inverting.
故道大、天大、地大、人亦大。
So, the Way is Big, Heaven is Big, Earth is Big, Man is also Big.
域中有四大，而人居其一焉。
The universe has four Big realms, and Man occupies one of them.
人法地，地法天，
Man mimics Earth, Earth mimics Heaven
天法道，道法自然。
Heaven mimics the Way, the Way is the law of nature.

Verse 24: Disgusting Things

企者不立；
Those who tiptoe cannot stand,
跨者不行。
Those who straddle cannot walk
自見者不明；
Those who see themselves are not lucid
自是者不彰。
Those who affirm themselves do not exert influence
自伐者無功；
Those who boast have no recognition
自矜者不長。
Those who are arrogant do not last
其在道也曰：
Amongst those who are with the Way, this is known as
餘食贅形。
Excess food and superfluous style.
物或惡之，
For such things of disgust,
故有道者不處。
those with the Way keep far away.

Verse 23: Sincere Speech

希言自然。
To speak scarcely is natural.
故飄風不終朝，
The breeze cannot last beyond the morning,
驟雨不終日。
The rain cannot last beyond the day.
孰為此者﹖
Who produces these natural phenomena?
天地。
Heaven and Earth.
天地尚不能久，
Since even Heaven and Earth cannot last forever,
而況於人乎﹖
how can man possibly do so?
故從事於道者，
That is why there are people who keep to the Way.
道者同於道。
People of the Way are one with the Way.
德者同於德。
People of Virtue are one with Virtue.
失者同於失。
People of Loss are one with Loss.
同於道者道亦樂得之；
When one with the Way, the Way brings joy.
同於德者德亦樂得之；
When one with Virtue, Virtue brings joy.
同於失者失於樂得之。
When one with Loss, Loss brings joy.
信不足焉有不信焉。
When there is a lack of trust, there will be people who do not trust.

Comments
Laozi is being deliberately elusive on his ideal for speech. The first point he makes is the folly of humans to try to speak as much as possible, contrary to the law of nature. The second point is about how being one with tao, te and losing create happiness in itself. What is implied here is that the main human need is joy, and we foolish humans try to use speech to achieve that. The third point is about trust, which could imply another human motivation for speech is the lack of trust.

Verse 22: Paradoxical ways of the Sage

曲則全，
To yield is to be preserved whole
枉則直，
To bend is to become straight
窪則盈，
To be hollow is to be filled
敝則新
To be worn out is to be renewed
少則得，
To have little is to gain
多則惑。
To have plenty is to be confused
是以聖人抱一，
This is how the sage keeps to the Whole
為天下式。
and sets an example for the world.
不自見故明；
Does not see, yet lucidly aware
不自是故彰；
Does not insist, yet exerts presence
不自伐故有功；
Does not boast, yet receives recognition
不自矜故長；
Is not arrogant, and remains for long.
夫唯不爭，
By not competeing
故天下莫能與之爭。
No one on earth can compete with him
古之所謂：「曲則全者」
The ancients said "The one who yields is preserved"
豈虛言哉！
Is not an empty statement!
誠全而歸之
Keep to the Whole, and return to the Source.

Verse 21: "Everyone's father"

孔德之容,
The big heart of virtue
惟道是從。
Follows from the Tao.
道之為物
The Tao interacts with things
惟恍惟惚。
in an indistinct way.
惚兮恍兮其中有象。
In this indistinct way, there are shapes.
恍兮惚兮其中有物。
In this indistinct way, there are objects.
窈兮冥兮其中有精。
In this deep darkness, there is an essence.
其精甚真。
This essence is very real
其中有信
and contains all the information in the universe.
自古及今
From past to present,
其名不去以閱眾甫。
the Name that does not disappear, is read as "everyone's father"
吾何以知眾甫之狀哉！
How can I ever understand the overwhelming greatness of "everyone's father"?
以此。
From this.

Comments
Here the Tao is explained as an all-encompassing force that envelopes everything in the universe. Its essence has all the signs and information of everything from past to present. Human beings have difficulty comprehending its total greatness, which that makes it even greater.

This bears a lot of similarity to Christianity where man is unable to understand the will of God, making the Heavenly Father more great. Only difference here is, Laozi has written elsewhere that the Tao can also be female.

Verse 20: Postmodern Individualism

絕學無憂.
Terminate schooling, and there will be no worries.
唯之與阿，
"I" and "He"
相去幾何﹖
How different can they be?
善之與惡，
"Good" and "Evil"
相去若何﹖
How different can they be?
人之所畏，
What people fear,
不可不畏。
we learn to fear.
荒兮其未央哉！
Being "Uncultivated" is merely lacking a center!
眾人熙熙
The masses rejoice
如享太牢
as if enjoying a big sacrifice
如春登臺。
as if at the spring festival.
我獨泊兮其未兆，
I alone remain still, without any expression,
如嬰兒之未孩；
Like an infant who has not learned to laugh.
儽儽兮若無所歸。
Weary as if without a place to return.
眾人皆有餘，
Everyone has much to spare,
而我獨若遺。
Yet I, living alone, seem to be lost.
我愚人之心也哉！
I have the spirit of a fool!
沌沌兮俗人昭昭
Greatly confused. The vulgar people shine brightly,
我獨昏昏；
Only I seem muddle-headed.
俗人察察，
The vulgar are clever and sharp,
我獨悶悶。
Only I seem dull and boring.
眾人皆有以，
Everyone has many uses
而我獨頑且鄙。
Yet I seem stubborn and primitive.
我獨異於人，
I am very strange amongst men,
而貴食母。
For valuing the nourishment of the Source.

Comments
Laozi predicted postmodernism! Being uncultured is simply not willing to accept a moral/ethical center.

Verse 19: 8 words

絕聖棄智，
Discard sacred knowledge,
民利百倍；
The people are a hundred times better off;
絕仁棄義，
Discard moral righteousness,
民復孝慈；
The people return to duty and compassion.
絕巧棄利，
Discard quick profit,
盜賊無有；
The thieves have nothing.
此三者，以為文不足。
To execute these three, words are not enough.
故令有所屬，
So what we should belong to today:
見素抱樸
Meeting plainness, embracing simplicity
少私寡欲。
Refusing selfishness, rejecting desires.

Comments
Lao Zi hilariously stops himself from talking to much. Much of this is reflecting on verse 18.

Verse 18: Origin of morals

大道廢有仁義;
The great Tao declined, then came "moral righteousness".
慧智出有大偽；
Intelligence appeared, then came the big lies.
六親不和有孝慈；
The six relations were in disharmony, then came "filial compassion"
國家昏亂有忠臣。
The country was in turmoil, then came "loyal ministers".

Comments
Sarcasm abounds!

Verse 16: A Harmless Life

致虛極
Devote to the empty void,
守靜篤。
Keep close to the quiet truth,
萬物並作，
The 10,000 things simultaneously activate,
吾以觀復。
I watch them return.
夫物芸芸各復歸其根。
Every man and thing returns to its root.
歸根曰靜，是謂復命；
Returning to the root is called quiet, being quiet called recovering life.
復命曰常，知常曰明。
Recovering life is called Constant, understanding the Constant is called enlightenment.
不知常，妄作凶。
Not understanding the Constant, wilful actions bring terror.
知常容，容乃公，
Understanding the Constant brings magnanimity, magnanimity brings impartiality,
公乃全，全乃天，
impartiality brings totality, totality brings transcendence,
天乃道，道乃久，
transcendence brings Tao, Tao brings eternity
沒身不殆。
There is no risk of harm until death.