Chapter 41

上士聞道，勤而行之；
中士聞道，若存若亡；
下士聞道，大笑之。
不笑不足以為道。
故建言有之：明道若昧；
進道若退；
夷道若纇；
上德若谷；
大白若辱；
廣德若不足；
建德若偷；
質真若渝；
大方無隅；
大器晚成；
大音希聲；
大象無形；
道隱無名。
夫唯道，善貸且成。

When the highest sort of man hears of the Way, he works hard to practice it;
when the middling sort hears of the Way, he half keeps it and half loses it;
when the lowest sort hears of the Way, he laughs out loud at it.
If he did not laugh, it would not be the Way.
So the established sayings have it: the bright Way seems dark;
the Way forward seems to go back;
the level Way seems rough;
high virtue seems a valley;
the purest white seems soiled;
broad virtue seems lacking;
steadfast virtue seems idle;
true substance seems to change;
the great square has no corners;
the great vessel is finished late;
the great note is hushed;
the great image has no form;
the Way is hidden and has no name.
Only the Way is good at lending and at bringing to completion.