Can the soul embrace one, and does not separate? Can the aura be conce

能為 · Néng Wéi

Classical Chinese Text

载营魄抱一，能无离乎？专气致柔，能如婴儿乎？涤除玄鉴，能无疵乎？爱民治国，能无为乎？天门开阖，能为雌乎？明白四达，能无知乎？
生之畜之，生而不有，为而不恃，长而不宰，是谓玄德①。

Translation & Meaning

Can the soul embrace one, and does not separate? Can the aura be concentrated, to be (as pure) as a newborn infant's? Can the mirror (of heart) be cleaned, to become spotless? In the caring and governance of people and country, can inaction (Wu Wei) be practiced? The heaven’s gate (sensory organs) open and close, can the feminine (calmness) be kept ? Even with a mind full of knowledge, can you stay unknowing ?

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 载 (zǎi): classical character (zǎi)
  • 营 (yíng): classical character (yíng)
  • 魄 (pò): classical character (pò)
  • 抱 (bào): classical character (bào)
  • 一 (yī): classical character (yī)
  • 能 (néng): fruitful / capacity / ability
  • 无 (wú): formless void / non-being / without
  • 离 (lí): classical character (lí)
  • 乎 (hū): classical character (hū)
  • 专 (zhuān): classical character (zhuān)
  • 气 (qì): classical character (qì)
  • 致 (zhì): classical character (zhì)
  • 柔 (róu): classical character (róu)
  • 如 (rú): classical character (rú)
  • 婴 (yīng): classical character (yīng)
  • 儿 (ér): classical character (ér)
  • 涤 (dí): classical character (dí)
  • 除 (chú): classical character (chú)
  • 玄 (xuán): mystery / fathomless depth
  • 鉴 (jiàn): classical character (jiàn)
  • 疵 (cī): classical character (cī)
  • 爱 (ài): classical character (ài)
  • 民 (mín): classical character (mín)
  • 治 (zhì): govern / bring order / rule
  • 国 (guó): classical character (guó)
  • 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
  • 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
  • 门 (mén): gateway / portal of reality
  • 开 (kāi): classical character (kāi)
  • 阖 (hé): classical character (hé)
  • 雌 (cí): classical character (cí)
  • 明 (míng): classical character (míng)
  • 白 (bái): classical character (bái)
  • 四 (sì): classical character (sì)
  • 达 (dá): classical character (dá)
  • 知 (zhī): know / distinguish / recognize
  • 生 (shēng): give birth to / arise
  • 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
  • 畜 (chù): classical character (chù)
  • 而 (ér): yet / and / but
  • 不 (bù): not / un- / without
  • 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
  • 恃 (shì): classical character (shì)
  • 长 (cháng): long / enduring / grow
  • 宰 (zǎi): classical character (zǎi)
  • 是 (shì): this / therefore
  • 谓 (wèi): called / named / designated
  • 德 (dé): Intrinsic Virtue / inner power