Translation by Sifu John A. Fey
1 indulged fascination of thoughts your own
revealed as words of one disturb the fabric disturb the gifts of these singular moments of quintessence revealed
2 for speech is a blessing if managed to yourself and others
3 the same speech is a curse if not managed to yourself and others
4 words that intrude will damage essence and
vitality
5 the core of both the speaker and the witness will be harmed when the event is filled
6 not intruding is the natural way of optimistic tao
nature
for tao nature tao speaks not in tao words
7 having no-thing to say it can say everything
8 and does
9 expressive tao nature rises in a continuous stream
that moves across the land
but it must exhaust itself as part of the natural
order
and give support and rest to the receptive side of
existence
for everything has its own time, place, and duration
10 yet all of the lifeforce that manifests in our experience
comes from an earth
with heaven standing at its center
11 as we stand in the middle of it
it is best that we acquiesce to the truth of it as well as the truth of our own humanity
12 holding life in this manner reveals the simplicity of the best approach
13 pattern your way of living after the tao source of lite and you will begin to perceive it
and it will shape you accordingly
14 guide your life with the strength and character of the tao source of
life
and it will be directed accordingly
15 but allow confusion into your life and you will be disassociated
accordingly
16 proper alignment with the tao way of life begets resonance with the tao source of life
17 proper alignment with the strength and character of the tao source of
life
begets resonance with the character of the tao
way of life
18 alignment with confusion begets dissonance with both the path and
its characteristics
it is at this point you will be separated from the
middle position
you will be lost between heaven and earth
COMMENTARY
1 MIND: Demonstrations of clever thinking or pedantic intellectualism, for its own sake, are forms of materialism that disrupts authentic intuitive comprehension of life and the Tao.
2 BODY: Moderate speech in tone, volume and content does not disrupt the connection to the Tao Source.
3 BODY: Speech that is loud, aggressive, irrational, or intrusive disrupts the connection to the Tao Source of both the speaker and the listener.
4-5 BODY: Intrusive speech damages the health of the bodymind, specifically the kidneys and the dantien (lower Heaven).
6 BODY and HEART: To the Taoist, the universe is a fundamentally optimistic and loving place. In archaic Taoist language, the word "Tao" has a host of meanings, including nature, speech, love, woras, action, and silence, among others.
7-8 BODY and HEART: The authentic Too is heard in silence, felt in solitude, and seen in stillness.
9 MIND: Tao nature, in this case, is the power of creativity and the human drive to create. Taoists see mankind as the creative force on the planet. This drive to create sustains and holds all of nature together.
Without humanity expressing itself creatively, the heavens and the earth would cease to exist. There is a natural cycle to creative pursuits that must include periods of rest and repose.
10 MIND: Nourishing qi energy comes to us as a result of a natural balance that hinges upon our perception of our place and purpose in the universe.
11-12 MIND: If you see yourself as explained in stanzas 9 and 10, your individual path to the Tao Source will manifest mystically.
13 HEART and BODY: If the Taoist Cultivator follows the path as it is mystically revealed then the Tao Way of Life will shape and change them. It is important to note that Taoists strive to meet life as it comes and on its terms, rather than forcing it to conform to their own preconceived plans and ideas.
14 HEART and BODY: An authentic life is one guided by the Tao Source. Nothing of worth can be accomplished without a connection to the Tao Source.
15 HEART and BODY: Confusion and disorder are anathema to the Taoist Cultivator whose job it is to observe the rhythm and flow of life.
16-18 HEART and BODY: This alignment is philosophic, energetic, intellectual, physical, and behavioral. The middle place is a reaffirmation of the optimal posture of humanity. This position forms the linchpin that holds all of existence together.