Daodejing Chapter 42: the origin of the myriad things
The Dao gave birth
To the one.
The one gave birth
To the two.
The two gave birth
To the three.
The three gave birth
To the myriad things.
Carry Yin on their backs,
And embrace Yang in their arms,
To harmonise these two vital forces.
There is nothing people hate more
Than being orphaned,
Abandoned, and destitute.
Yet kings and princes
Call themselves these names.
Less can be more,
More can be less.
What others teach,
I also teach.
The violent do not die
A natural death.
This is the guiding principle
Of my teaching.
「道生一，一生二，二生三，三生萬物；萬物負陰而抱陽，沖氣以為和。人之所惡，唯孤寡不穀，而王公以為稱；故物或損之而益，或益之而損；人之所教，我亦教之。強梁者不得其死，吾將以為教父。」