Tao Te Ching Chapter 5
paulpengThe Original Chinese Text
天地不仁，以万物为刍狗；圣人不仁，以百姓为刍狗。天地之间，其犹橐籥乎？虚而不屈，动而愈出。多言数穷，不如守中。
Heaven and earth do not act from (the impulse of) any wish to be benevolent; they deal with all things as the dogs of grass are dealt with. The sages do not act from (any wish to be) benevolent; they deal with the people as the dogs of grass are dealt with. May not the space between heaven and earth be compared to a bellows?
It is emptied, yet it loses not its power;
It is moved again, and sends forth air the more.
Much speech to swift exhaustion lead we see;
Your inner being guard, and keep it free.
【译文】天地没有违背自然的情感，把万物等同于刍狗而不加干预；圣人没有违背自然的情感，把百姓等同于刍狗不加干预。天和地之间的构造，不正像一个风箱吗？空间虚无却不会穷竭消失，一旦鼓动起来风反而会向外流出。天下也像风箱一样虚而不竭，如果用过多的政令去干预反而会加速灭亡，因此不如持守虚静。
Heaven and earth do not go against the emotions of nature. They treat all things like straw dogs and do not interfere with them; sages do not go against the emotions of nature either. They treat the common people like straw dogs and do not interfere with them. Isn't the structure between heaven and earth just like a bellows? It is empty in space but will not be exhausted or disappear. Once it is operated, the wind will instead flow outwards. The world is also like a bellows, being empty yet inexhaustible. If one interferes with it by using excessive decrees and regulations, it will instead accelerate its own demise. Therefore, it is better to maintain emptiness and tranquility.
【注释】仁，是人在社会化过程中创造出的一种人道的情感，不是自然生成的。
【Annotation】Benevolence is a kind of humanistic emotion created by people during the process of socialization, rather than something naturally generated.
