Manchu/Lesson 14 - Reading 2

Text

Readings from the Dao De Jing (道德经)

Chapter 1

doro be doro oci ojorongge, enteheme doro waka. gebu be gebu oci ojorongge, enteheme gebu waka. gebu akvngge abka na i deribun. gebu bisirengge tumen jaka i fusen. tuttu ofi kemuni gvnin akv i terei ferguwecuke be cincilame, kemuni gvnin bifi terei tube be cincilame, ere juwe hacin serengge, tucin adali seme, geba encu. erebe gemu ferguwecun sembi. ferguwecun dade ferguwecun ohode, geren ferguwecuke i duka kai.

Chapter 2

abkai fejergingge gemu saikan be safi yabure ohode, saikan uthai ehe oho. gemu sain be safi yabure ohode, sain uthai sain akv oho. tuttu ofi bisire akv ishunde banjinambi. mangga ja ishunde mutebumbi. golmin foholon ishunde tuyembumbi. ten fangkala ishunde tuhebumbi. jilgan mudan ishunde acabumbi. juleri amala ishunde dahambi. uttu ofi enduringge niyalma uilen akv i baita be yabume, gisurerakv i tacihiyan be selgiyeme, tumen jaka deribumbime nakarakv, banjimbime bisirakv, arambime akdarakv, gungge mutebumbime teburakv. tere damu teburakv ofi, tuttu ufaraburakv bihebi.

Chapter 4

doro seci kumdu bime baitalara de embici jalundarakv gese. mumin seme tumen jakai da i adali. tere i dacun be monjibufi, tere i burgin be subufi, cesei elden de acabume, cesei toron de uhelere de bolgo seme embici taksire gese. bi ya ci banjire be sarkv. beye ci nendere de dursulembi.

Chapter 5

abka na gosin ararakv, tumen jaka be suitara furgi obufi tuwambi. enduringge niyalma gosin ararakv, tanggv halai irgen be suitara furgi obufi tuwambi. abka na i siden, tere hujuku sihan i adali dere. kumdu bime ikvrakv, hujureci ele tucimbi. labdu gisureci urui yadara anggala, dolo be tuwakiyara de isirakv.

Chapter 11

Sunja boco ofi, niyalmai yasa be derike obumbi. sunja mudan ofi, niyalmai xan be jigeyen obumbi. sunja amtan ofi, niyalmai angga be gabula obumbi. feksime xodome abalame ofi, niyalmai mujilen be sofin akv obumbi. bahara de mangga jaka ofi, niyalmai yabun be silhingga obumbi. uttu ofi enduringge niyalma hefeli i jalin haxambi, yasa i jalin haxarakv. tuttu terebe waliyambi, erebe gaimbi.

Translation

Readings from the Dao De Jing (道德经)

Chapter 1

There are ways but the way is uncharted; There are names but not nature in words; Nameless indeed is the source of creation but things have a mother and she has a name. The secret waits for the insight; Of eyes unclouded by longing; Those who are bound by desire see only the outward container. These two come paired but distinct by their names. Of all things profound, say that their pairing is deepest, the gate to the root of the world.

Chapter 2

Since the world points up beauty as such, there is ugliness too. If goodness is taken as goodness, wickedness enters as well. For is and is-not come together; Hard and easy are complementary; Long and short are relative; High and low are comparative; Pitch and sound make harmony; Before and after are a sequence. Indeed the Wise Man's office is to work by being still; he teaches not by speech but by accomplishment; he does for everything, neglecting none; Their life he gives to all, possessing none; And what he brings to pass depends on no one else. As he succeeds, he takes no credit and just because he does not take it, credit never leaves him.

Chapter 4

The Way is a void, used but never filled: An abyss it is, like an ancestor from which all things come. It blunts sharpness, resolves tangles; It tempers light, subdues turmoil. A deep pool it is, never to run dry! Whose offspring it may be I do not know: It is like a preface to God.

Chapter 5

Is then the world unkind? And does it treat all things like straw dogs used in magic rites? The Wise Man too, is he unkind? And does he treat the folk like straw dogs made to throw away? Between the earth and sky the space is like a bellows, empty but unspent. When moved its gift is copious. Much talk means much exhaustion; better far it is to keep your thoughts!

Chapter 11

Too much colour blinds the eye, Too much music deafens the ear, Too much taste dulls the palate, Too much play maddens the mind, Too much desire tears the heart. In this manner the sage cares for people: He provides for the belly, not for the senses; He ignores abstraction and holds fast to substance.

Notes

Lesson 13 (Reading 1) ---- Contents ---- Lesson 15 (Reading 3)

References

• E Von Zach, "Manchurian translation of Lao-Tzu's Tai-Te-Ching romanized text", The China Review.