chapter 1
The Tao that can be told ofIs not the Absolute Tao;The Names that can be givenAre not Absolute Names.
The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth;The Named is the Mother of All Things.
Therefore:Oftentimes, one strips oneself of passionIn order to see the Secret of Life;Oftentimes, one regards life with passion,In order to see its manifest forms.
These two (the Secret and its manifestations)Are (in their nature) the same;They are given different namesWhen they become manifest.
They may both be called the Cosmic Mystery:Reaching from the Mystery into the Deeper MysteryIs the Gate to the Secret of All Life.