道四 - Tao Chapter 04

道沖 而用之又弗盈也

渊呵 似万物之宗

挫其锐 解其纷 和其光 同其尘

湛呵 似或存

吾不知其谁之子也 象帝之先

（泉水）沿着水道（泉眼）向上涌流，使用着水道而不充满水道。 那打着漩涡水口的样子（道），就像万物从中创生一般。水流消磨石块的锋锐；梳理水草的纷扰（不打结）；调和耀眼的光芒；把尘垢混同在一起。（参考洗衣机） 那水流清澈透明的样子（水），使得水的存在若隐若现。我不知道水的（源头）从哪里来，应该先有水再有水道，那是在“道”出现之前就存在了（明一者皇，察道者帝，通德者王）。

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(A spring) flows upward along the watercourse (the spring eye), using the watercourse without filling it.

The appearance of the water (the Tao) that spins in eddies, is like the way in which all things are created from it. The water flows and wears away sharp edges of rocks; it smooths out the tangles of water plants; it harmonizes the dazzling light; it mixes together dirt and sediment. (Like a washing machine)

The appearance of the water that is clear and transparent, makes the water's existence seem to appear and disappear. I do not know where the water (source) comes from, it should be that the water existed before the watercourse, that was before the "Tao" appeared.