第二章

天下皆知美之為美 斯惡已
皆知善之為善 斯不善已
故有無相生
難易相成
長短相形
高下相傾
音聲相和
前後相隨
是以聖人
處無為之事
行不言之教
萬物作焉而不辭
生而不有
為而不恃
功成而弗居
夫唯弗居
是以不去

Chapter 2
When the world knows beauty as beauty, ugliness arises
When it knows good as good, evil arises
Thus being and non-being produce each other
Difficult and easy bring about each other
Long and short reveal each other
High and low support each other
Music and voice harmonize each other
Front and back follow each other
Therefore the sages:
Manage the work of detached actions
Conduct the teaching of no words
They work with myriad things but do not control
They create but do not possess
They act but do not presume
They succeed but do not dwell on success
It is because they do not dwell on success
That it never goes away

Crows cawing early,
Mourning doves call, "who, who, who"-
in the afternoon.

Derek Lin's translation, Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained published by SkyLight Paths.

第一章
道可道 非常道
名可名 非常名
無名天地之始
有名萬物之母
故常無欲 以觀其妙
常有欲 以觀其徼
此兩者 同出而異名
同謂之玄
玄之又玄 眾妙之門

Chapter 1
The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named is not the eternal name
The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth
The named is the mother of myriad things
Thus, constantly without desire, one observes its essence
Constantly with desire, one observes its manifestations
These two emerge together but differ in name
The unity is said to be the mystery
Mystery of mysteries, the door to all wonders

Conceptions let go, 
organizing after flood -
opportunity.

In like a lion,
out like a wolf in sheep's clothes,
March into April.

Snow slanting sideways,
spring equinox nor'easter,
all is whitening.

The mid-March storm blows
blossom petals or snowflakes -
swirling in the air?

Regulus rising,
yew bushes pollinating,
spring drawing nearer.