Chapter XLII
(Chapter 42)

Ko Yuen Translation The Veils of the Tao
1.	The Tao formulated the One¹. The One exhaled the Two². The Two were parents of the Three³. The Three were parents of all things⁴. All things pass from Obscurity to Manifestation, inspired harmoniously by the Breath of the Void⁵.
2.	Men do not like to be fatherless, virtueless, unworthy: yet rulers describe themselves by these names. Thus increase bringeth decrease to some, and decrease bringeth increase to others.
3.	Others have taught thus; I consent to it. Violent men and strong die not by natural death. This fact is the foundation of my law.

S. Mitchell Translation

The Tao gives birth to One.
One gives birth to Two.
Two gives birth to Three.
Three gives birth to all things.

All things have their backs to the female
and stand facing the male.
When male and female combine,
all things achieve harmony.

Ordinary men hate solitude.
But the Master makes use of it,
embracing his aloneness, realizing
he is one with the whole universe.

James Legge Translation
1.	The Tao produced One; One produced Two; Two produced Three; Three produced All things. All things leave behind them the Obscurity (out of which they have come), and go forward to embrace the Brightness (into which they have emerged), while they are harmonised by the Breath of Vacancy.
2.	What men dislike is to be orphans, to have little virtue, to be as carriages without naves; and yet these are the designations which kings and princes use for themselves. So it is that some things are increased by being diminished, and others are diminished by being increased.
3.	What other men (thus) teach, I also teach. The violent and strong do not die their natural death. I will make this the basis of my teaching.

GNL not Lao Interpolation

Mind

The Way bears sensation,
Sensation bears memory,
Sensation and memory bear abstraction,
And abstraction bears all the world;
Each thing in the world bears feeling and doing,
And, imbued with mind, harmony with the Way.

As others have taught, so do I teach,
"Who loses harmony opposes nature";
This is the root of my teaching.

Tao Teh King
Main Page

Ko Yuen Commentary
1.	Kether or the First Aethyr. Return to text
2.	Chokmah-Binah or Yin and Yang. Return to text
3.	The second Triad. Return to text
4.	The third Triad and Malkuth. Return to text
5.	The Tao. Return to text

Tao Teh King
Main Page

Chapter XLII (Chapter 42)

Ko Yuen Translation

The Veils of the Tao

S. Mitchell Translation

James Legge Translation

GNL not Lao Interpolation

Mind

Ko Yuen Commentary

Chapter XLII
(Chapter 42)