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，
長短相較，
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。

Perceive all under the sky as beautiful,
then there’s ugliness.

Perceive all as good,
then there’s bad. 

Being & non-being create each other.
Difficult & easy support each other.
Long & short define each other.
High & low depend on each other.
Before & after follow each other. 

Therefore sages act without doing
& teach without saying.
Ten-thousand things arise & they let them come;
Ten-thousand things disappear & they let them go.

They create but don’t possess, succeed but don’t expect.

Work is done, then forgotten.
Therefore it doesn’t die.