Tao Te Ching Chapter 44 – 立戒 (道德經 第44章)

Tao Te Ching Chapter 44 – 立戒 (道德經 第44章)

Paul Peng

Tao Te Ching — Chapter 44: Cautions

道德經 第四十四章 · 立戒 · Lao Tzu · Bilingual Edition with Classical Commentaries

📖 Taoist Scripture 🖋 Lao Tzu 🔢 Chapter 44 of 81 🌐 English & Chinese

Original Text — 原文

名與身孰親？身與貨孰多？得與亡孰病？是故甚愛必大費；多藏必厚亡。知足不辱，知止不殆，可以長久。

English Translation — James Legge

Or fame or life, which do you hold more dear? Or life or wealth, to which would you adhere? Keep life and lose those other things; keep them and lose your life — which brings sorrow and pain more near?

Thus we may see, who cleaves to fame rejects what is more great; who loves large stores gives up the richer state.

Who is content needs fear no shame. Who knows to stop incurs no blame. From danger free, long live shall he. As explored in Chapter 33, the one who knows contentment is truly rich — and the one who acts without forcing endures longest.

✦ Key Insight

Chapter 44 poses three stark questions: fame or life, life or wealth, gain or loss — which matters more? Lao Tzu's answer is clear: excessive attachment to fame and wealth costs far more than it gains. Excessive hoarding leads to heavy loss. The two principles that protect against this are contentment (zhi zu 知足) and knowing when to stop (zhi zhi 知止). These two together free one from disgrace and danger, and enable long life.

Classical Commentaries — 古典注释

王弼注 Wang Bi's Commentary

名與身孰親？尚名好高，其身必疏。身與貨孰多？貪貨無厭，其身必少。得與亡孰病？得多利而亡其身，何者為病也。是故甚愛必大費，多藏必厚亡，甚愛不與物通，多藏不與物散，求之者多，攻之者眾，為物所病，故大費厚亡也。知足不辱，知止不殆，可以長久。

Wang Bi asks: fame or life, which is dearer? Life or wealth, which is greater? Gain or loss, which is more painful? Excessive love costs much, excessive hoarding leads to heavy loss. Contentment avoids disgrace, knowing when to stop avoids danger — thus one can endure long.

河上公注 Heshang Gong's Commentary

名與身孰親。名遂則身退也。身與貨孰多。財多則害身也。得與亡孰病。好得利則病於行也。甚愛必大費，甚愛色，費精神。甚愛財，遇禍患。所愛者少，所亡者多，故言大費。多藏必厚亡。生多藏於府庫，死多藏於丘墓。生有攻劫之憂，死有掘塚探柩之患。知足不辱，知足之人絕利去欲，不辱於身。知止不殆，知可止，則財利不累於身，聲色不亂於耳目，則身不危殆也。可以長久。人能知止足則福禄在己，治身者，神不勞；治國者，民不擾，故可長久。

Heshang Gong asks: fame fades, retire when it arrives. Wealth harms the body. The desire for gain corrupts conduct. Contentment protects the body from disgrace. Knowing when to stop keeps one safe. Those who understand enjoy long life and peaceful rule.

Primary Sources: Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching (道德經), trans. James Legge (1891). Commentaries: Wang Bi (王弼, 226–249 CE); Heshang Gong (河上公, Han Dynasty).
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Paul Peng — Zhengyi Taoist Priest, Longhu Mountain

About the Author

Paul Peng

Paul Peng is a Zhengyi Taoist priest from Longhu Mountain, Jiangxi — the ancestral home of the Celestial Masters' tradition. Ordained at 25 after a dream from the Celestial Master, he has practiced for 25 years under Master Zeng Guangliang. He is the curator of this store, which is officially authorized by Tianshi Fu. All items are consecrated at the temple by the resident priest team.

Read his full story →
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