Lao Tsé

Síntese das antíteses

                                             Só temos consciência do belo,
                                             Quando conhecemos o feio.
                                             Só temos consciência do bom,
                                             Quando conhecemos o mau.
                                             Porquanto, o Ser e o Existir
                                             Se engendram mutuamente.
                                             O fácil e o difícil se completam.
                                             O grande e o pequeno são complementares.
                                             O alto e o baixo formam um todo.
                                             O som e o silêncio formam a harmonia.
                                             O passado e o futuro geram o tempo.
                                             Eis porque o sábio age
                                             Pelo não-agir.
                                             E ensina sem falar.
                                             Aceita tudo o que lhe acontece.
                                             Produz tudo e não fica com nada.
                                             O sábio tudo realiza — e nada considera seu.
                                             Tudo faz — e não se apega à sua obra.
                                             Não se prende aos frutos da sua atividade.
                                             Termina a sua obra,
                                             E está sempre no princípio.
                                             E por isso a sua obra prospera.

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The Rise of Relative Opposites

When the people of the Earth all know beauty as beauty,
There arises (the recognition of) ugliness.
When the people of the Earth all know the good as good,
There arises (the recognition of) evil.

Therefore:
Being and non-being interdepend in growth;
Difficult and easy interdepend in completion;
Long and short interdepend in contrast;
High and low interdepend in position;
Tones and voice interdepend in harmony;
Front and behind interdepend in company.

Therefore the Sage:
Manages affairs without action;
Preaches the doctrine without words;
All things take their rise, but he does not turn away from them;
He gives them life, but does not take possession of them;
He acts, but does not appropriate;
Accomplishes, but claims no credit.
It is because he lays claim to no credit
That the credit cannot be taken away from him

Lao Tsé – Tao Te King