#9.*

Holding and filling it up,
no comparison to stopping it in time;
Honing and sharpening it
cannot remain for a long time.

Gold and jade fill the hall,
Yet cannot be guarded.
Wealthy and honored
Yet arrogant,
Brings disaster upon himself.

Successfully accomplish
then withdraw your body[1]
The Dào of heaven!

*Translation by LU Wenlong & Keith Wayne Brown, ©2013.


[1] This probably means to absent your self as soon as you are done with an action.

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4 responses to “Daodejing 9”

  1. Daodejing 8 | Reason & Existenz Avatar

    […] Daodejing 9 (keithwaynebrown.com) […]

  2. simonhlilly Avatar

    Ambiguous, edgy. Reminds me of the Old Norse Rune Poem: a sense of profound meaning, but just out of reach.

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