Verbatim Translation:
- gu shen bu si,
valley spirit not die,
shi wei xuan pin.
this called deep female.
xuan pin zhil men.
deep female this door.
shi wei tian di gen.
this called heaven earth source.
mian mian ruo cun.
endless endless like exist.
yong zhil bu qin.
use this not effort.
Translations:
Sanderson Beck, 1996
The spirit of the valley never dies.
It is called the mystical female.
The door of the mystical female
is the root of heaven and earth.
It seems to be continuously within us.
Use it, and it will never fail.
Tim Chilcott, 2005
The spirit of the valley never dies.
It is called the deep and hidden feminine.
The opening to the deep and hidden feminine
is called the root of heaven and earth.Lingering like gossamer, it always seems to be.
Using it will never wear it out.
Aalar Fex, 2006
The valley spirit un-dying
Is called the mystic female.
The opening of the mystic female
Is called the root of Heaven and Earth.
It endlessly, ceaselessly seems to exist.Use it inattentively.
John Heider, 1985
Can you learn to become open and receptive, quiet and without desires or the need to do something?
Being open and receptive is called Yin, the feminine, or the valley.
Imagine that there is a pond in this valley.When no fears or desires stir the surface of the pond, the water forms a perfect mirror.
In this mirror, you can see the reflection of Tao.You can see God and you can see creation.
Go into the valley, be still, and watch the pond.Go as often as you wish.
Your silence will grow.
The pond will never run dry.
The valley, the pond, and Tao are all within you.
Kwok, Palmer, Ramsay, 1993
The Tao is the breath that never dies.
It is a Mother to All Creation.
It is the root and ground of everysoul
- the fountain of Heaven and Earth, laid open.
Endless source, endless river
River of no shape, river of no water
Drifting invisibly from place to place… it never ends and it never fails.
Tolbert McCarroll, 1982
The valley spirit never dies.
It is the unknown first mother,
whose gate is the root
from which grew heaven and earth.
It is dimly seen, yet always present.
Draw from it all you wish;
it will never run dry.
Herman Ould, 1946
The Spirit of the Valley is undying:
It is the Mysterious Mother.
The Doorway of the Mysterious Mother is the root from which grew Heaven and Earth.
And this Spirit endures unceasingly:
Nourishing and conserving unceasingly,
Without effort,
Itself inexhaustible.
Roderic & Amy M. Sorrell, 2003
The Mystery Woman: The spirit of the world
The Valley Spirit never dies.
She is called the Mystery Woman.The gate of the Mystery Woman is called
the Root of Heaven and Earth.Effortlessly, she seems to have existed forever.
John WorldPeace, 1997
The manifestations of Infinity never cease manifesting.
Infinity is the primal creator, the oneness of male and female.
Infinity is the gate though which heaven and earth manifested.
It is invisible to the senses, yet totally permeates all things.
It is inexhaustible and eternally available for any purpose.
