Tao Te Ching, Verse 1

Verse One

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The Tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named
is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the beginning
of heaven and Earth.
The named is the mother
of the ten thousand things.
Ever desireless
one can see the mystery.
Ever desiring
one sees the manifestations.
These two
spring from the same source
but differ in name;
this appears as darkness.
Darkness within darkness.
The gate to all mystery.

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Translation by Gia Fu Fang