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德 Teh
Chapter 40

1. The movement of the Tâo
  By contraries proceeds;
And weakness marks the course
  Of Tâo's mighty deeds.

2. All things under heaven sprang from It as existing (and named); that existence sprang from It as non-existent (and not named).

四 十 章

反 者 道 之 動 , 弱 者 道 之 用 。
天 下 万 物 生 於 有 , 有 生 於 無 。

Notes

###, 'Dispensing with the Use (of Means);'—with their use, that is, as it appears to us. The subject of the brief chapter is the action of the Tâo by contraries, leading to a result the opposite of what existed previously, and by means which might seem calculated to produce a contrary result.

In translating par. 2 1 have followed Ziâo Hung, who finds the key to it in ch. 1. Having a name, the Tâo is 'the Mother of all things;' having no name, it is 'the Originator of Heaven and Earth.' But here is the teaching of Lâo-dze:—'If Tâo seems to be before God,' Tâo itself sprang from nothing.