Philosophy
道 德 經
Tao Teh Ching
Manual
德 Teh
Chapter 47
1. Without going outside his door, one understands (all that takes place) under the sky;
without looking out from his window, one sees the Tâo of Heaven. The farther that one goes
out (from himself), the less he knows.
2. Therefore the sages got their knowledge without travelling; gave their (right) names
to things without seeing them; and accomplished their ends without any purpose of doing
so.
四 十 七 章
不 出 戶 , 知 天 下 ;
不 窺 , 見 天 道 。
其 出 彌 遠 , 其 知 彌 近 。
是 以 聖 人 不 行 而 知 , 不 見 而 名 , 不 為 而 成 。
Key Terms
Observations and Comments
Legge Translation Notes
###, 'Surveying what is Far -off.' The chapter is a lesson to men to judge of things according
to their internal conviction of similar things in their own experience. Short as the chapter
is, it is somewhat mystical. The phrase, 'The Tâo' or way of Heaven, occurs in it for the
first time; and it is difficult to lay down its precise meaning. Lâo-dze would seem to teach
that man is a microcosm; and that, if he understand the movements of his own mind, he can
understand the movements of all other minds. There are various readings, of which it is
not necessary to speak.
I have translated par. 2 in the past tense, and perhaps the first should also be translated
so. Most of it is found in Han Ying, preceded by 'formerly' or 'anciently.'