unbegun.jpg

Unbegun

Laozi's way empties and exhausts us. It's not something that empowers us.

Like a vortex, generations of living creatures.

It dulls sharp edges, loosens tight knots, dims bright lights, settles thick clouds of dust.

Like an instinct, something that helps it survive.

Child of who knows what, eldest of the elder gods.

Notes

The title is from Heshanggong.

Every English translation I've seen describes as empty () and is our use of it. Here, , and are verbs, the object of each is , and all three complement the sayings as 's entropic balancing, moderating effect.

Given , , and , another theme of the poem is something like evolution.

In Heshanggong, the sayings are advice. Sharp edges () are the desire for worldly success, fame and fortune, which should be discouraged. Tangled knots () are grudges, which should be resolved by meditating on 's unbiased, hands-off approach (). Bright lights () are true believers who should learn to keep their lamp under a bushel, or at the very least not threaten people with violence. Finally, is fellowship. It's about living in the real world with everyone else, not keeping yourself separate and aloof.

I've been more or less literal with the sayings except that is more like equalize (as is more like harmonize) and is a cloud of dust or maybe a strong, lingering odor.

As if is saturated or soaked and is keep safe, preserve.

In pre-Qin and Han ctext, appears once in Laozi and once in Guoyu, and in Guoyu, it refers specifically to ancient sage-king Shun (). In Laozi I think it refers collectively to mythic gods and heroes of the distant past.

Vocabulary

1 + 3
no, not; un-; negative prefix
zhī
4 + 3
marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; go to
9 + 5
resemble, similar to; as if, seem
xiān
10 + 4
first, former, previous
guāng
10 + 4
light, brilliant, shine; only
12 + 2
exclamatory particle
12 + 6
his, her, its, their; that
tóng
30 + 3
same, similar; together with
30 + 4
i, my, our; resist, impede
30 + 5
harmony, peace; peaceful, calm
chén
32 + 11
dust, dirt, ashes, cinders
39 + 0
offspring, child; fruit, seed of; first earthly branch
cún
39 + 3
exist, live, be; survive; remain
zōng
40 + 5
lineage, ancestry; ancestor, clan
50 + 6
supreme ruler, emperor; god
huò
62 + 4
or, either, else; perhaps, maybe
cuò
64 + 7
push down; chop down; grind
chōng
85 + 4
pour, infuse, steep; wash away
yuān
85 + 8
gulf, abyss, deep
zhàn
85 + 9
deep; profound; clear; tranquil, placid
yuán
85 + 10
spring; source, head; surname
wèi
86 + 5
do, handle, govern, act; be
86 + 8
negative, no, not; lack, have no
93 + 4
thing, substance, creature
yòng
101 + 0
use, employ, apply, operate; use
yíng
108 + 4
fill; full, overflowing; surplus
zhī
111 + 3
know, perceive, comprehend
fēn
120 + 4
in disorder, scattered, tangled
ér
126 + 0
and; and then; and yet; but; Kangxi radical 126
shùn
136 + 6
legendary ruler, last of the Five Emperors
wàn
114 + 8
ten thousand; innumerable
jiě
148 + 6
loosen, unfasten, untie; explain; hexagram ䷧
shuí shéi
149 + 8
who? whom? whose? anyone?
xiàng
152 + 5
elephant; ivory; figure, image
dào
162 + 9
path, road, street; method, way
ruì
167 + 7
sharp, keen, acute, pointed