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.