Attain utmost emptiness — those who attain the Dao abandon emotions and desires, achieving inner purity and tranquility, reaching ultimate emptiness. Uphold quietude with sincerity — maintain clarity and stillness, and act with earnestness and integrity. All things arise together — Zuo means to be born; all things are born together. I observe their return — I observe that all things ultimately return to their root; people should always cherish the importance of returning to their roots. Things flourish in abundance — Yunyun refers to the flourishing of flowers and leaves. Each returns to its root — all things eventually wither and fall, returning to their roots to be reborn again. Returning to the root is called stillness — stillness refers to the root; the root is tranquil, gentle, and humble, dwelling in a low position; therefore, it does not die again. This is called returning to one's destiny — tranquility allows one to return to the essence of life, thus achieving immortality. Returning to one's destiny is called constancy — returning to one's destiny and attaining immortality is the constant way of the Dao. To know constancy is called enlightenment — to understand the constant way of the Dao is to be enlightened. Not knowing constancy, one acts recklessly and brings misfortune — failing to understand the constant way of the Dao, acting with cunning and deceit leads one to lose spiritual clarity; therefore, misfortune follows. Knowing constancy brings inclusiveness — to remove emotions and forget desires is to embrace all things without exception. Inclusiveness leads to impartiality — fairness and selflessness, with no evil able to withstand it. Impartiality leads to kingship — fairness and selflessness make one worthy of being the ruler of the world.

When cultivating oneself with uprightness, the physical form becomes unified, and myriad spirits gather to support one's body. Kingship is aligned with Heaven — one who achieves kingship possesses virtue in harmony with the divine, thus connecting with Heaven. Heaven is the Dao — when one's virtue connects with Heaven, it unites with the Dao as well. The Dao endures forever — to unite with the Dao is to attain lasting endurance. One's entire life remains free from peril — to be impartial, to achieve kingship, to connect with Heaven and unite with the Dao: when these four qualities are fully present, one's virtue is vast and enduring; with no misfortune or blame, one will perish together with Heaven and Earth without ever facing danger or peril.