Translation
Thirty spokes in a wheel share a single hub— | 三十輻共一轂 |
Fitting nothing | |
Into use for a cart | 有車之用 |
Mixing water with clay forms a vessel— | 埏埴以為器 |
Fitting nothing | 當其無 |
Into use for a vessel | 有器之用 |
Chiseling a door and window into a room— | 鑿戶牖以為室 |
Fitting nothing | 當其無 |
Into use for a room | 有室之用 |
Therefore the advantage of something | 故有之以為利 |
Is its use of nothing | 無之以為用 |
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
三十輻， | 三十辐， | Sān shí fú, |
共一轂， | 共一毂， | Gòng yī gǔ, |
當其無， | 当其无， | Dàng qí wú, |
有車之用。 | 有车之用。 | Yǒu chē zhī yòng. |
埏埴以為器， | 埏埴以为器， | Shān zhí yǐ wéi qì, |
當其無， | 当其无， | Dàng qí wú, |
有器之用。 | 有器之用。 | Yǒu qì zhī yòng. |
鑿戶牖以為室， | 凿户牖以为室， | Záo hù yǒu yǐ wéi shì, |
當其無， | 当其无， | Dàng qí wú, |
有室之用。 | 有室之用。 | Yǒu shì zhī yòng. |
故有之以為利， | 故有之以为利， | Gù yǒu zhī yǐ wéi lì |
無之以為用。 | 无之以为用。 | Wú zhī yǐ wéi yòng. |
Literal Translation
三十輻， | Three ten spoke-of-a-wheel [Three ten= thirty] |
共一轂， | In-total/together-with/to-share/altogether one hub-of-a-wheel |
當其無， | When/just/accept/undertake/act-as/suitable/fitting its none/lack/have-none [none/lack= empty space] |
有車之用。 | Have vehicle/cart ’s function/use/usefulness |
埏埴以為器， | To-mix-water-with-clay/boundary/limit soil-with-large-clay-content use/by-means-of/thereby/consider-as as/do/be utensil/vessel/tool [use as = believe, think, consider, be under impression] |
當其無， | When/just/bear/accept/undertake/suitable/fitting its none/lack/have-none |
有器之用。 | Have utensil/vessel/tool ’s function/use/usefulness |
鑿戶牖以為室， | Dig/chisel/pierce/bore-a-hole door/household/family window/to-enlighten/lattice-window use/thereby/by-means-of/consider-as as/do room/home/house/chamber [door window = home, door & window], [use as = believe, think, consider, be under impression] |
當其無， | When/just/bear/accept/undertake/suitable/fitting its none/lack/have-none |
有室之用。 | Have/own/possess room/home/house/chamber ’s function/use/usefulness |
故有之以為利， | Therefore/hence/reason have it/’s use/by-means-of/thereby as/do benefit/advantage/gain [use as = believe, think, consider, be under impression] |
無之以為用。 | Not-have it/’s use/by-means-of as/do useful/use/employ/usefulness [use as= deem as] [use as = believe, think, consider, be under impression] |
Liane Rui of Shanghai, China assisted with the literal character-by-character translation and notes.
Year:
2012
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