The Source of Tao

The source or origin of Tao is the fourth scripture of the Yellow Emperor. 
It describes the story of creation in sixteen steps. The last eight verses form 
an echo to a time in history when culture must have reached a very high level.

This text seems to fit seamlessly as a kind of preface to the second part of the 
Tao te Ching, which indeed follows this text on the silk found in the grave.


4.1  Emptiness
The beginning made eternal Nothingness 
coincide with the absolute Emptiness
until final Infinity.
Unity of Infinity and Emptiness,
constant unity, nothing more,
a mist of dream
without a light or gloom.


4.2  Nothingness 
The subtle filled measureless,
the Emptiness and Nothingness, 
pure and without motion, glare or glow.
Therefore, no phenomenon can exist 
in empty Nothingness.
No form could yet exist,
the absolute eternal empty Nothingness
still had no name.


4.3  Universe
Heaven could not surround it,
no bearing power for the Earth.
Small until the perfect minimum,
and big until the perfect maximum,
everything was filled inside the four oceans
and surrounded all that was outside.
In the coldness of Yin, it would not decay.
In the heat of Yang, it would not scorch. 


4.4  Creatures 
One single standard, changeless,
fitting on worms and insects,
birds arise from it and fly,
fish arise from it and swim,
wild animals arise from it and walk.
countless creatures arise from it and enter life.
Countless patterns arise from it and reach completion.


4.5  Creation
All people are part of the creation
But, no one knows the name of it
All people are users of creation
but no one sees the form of it.
'The One', that is its designation


4.6  Tao
That is the reason
that the maximum of Tao is that high, 
it is invisible to see,
fathomless so deep, 
so brilliant and so bright, 
that there is no name for it.
It exist as only one, without a second.
but no one of the numerous creatures
can give to Tao orders or commands.


4.7  Existence
Heaven and Earth, receptive and creative,
the four seasons, Son and Moon,
planets, stars, the clouds and veils,
all what crawls and fiddles moves,
all what has a crown and roots,
all things borrow existence from Tao.


4.8  Circle
Therefore, Tao does even not decrease,
and everything returns to it.
Therefore, Tao does even not increase.
It is so solid that it will not break,
and so softly, that it cannot be transformed.
The very smallest thing cannot penetrate in it,
The extremity cannot go beyond.


4.9  Silence
Therefore, it is only the Sage,
who can look at shapeless things, 
who can listen to the silence
and knows how emptiness gets tangible
and after that become a part of – 
and merge with emptiness.


4.10  Perfection
After that, he has an access to the perfection
of the Heaven and the Earth, 
and without distance access to infinity. 
He surrounds it like a lining
but without stuffing it
If one makes Tao typical,
than it is called: 
'To bring yourself to true perfection' 


4.11  Summit
Who has a clear sight
can distinguish by nature the extreme,
and knows what others cannot know,
have at one's disposal 
what others cannot comprehend.
That is called:
'Distinguish the summit and extreme'


4.12   Correct position
Sage kings used this principle
and the world submitted itself to them.
They did not know of preference or aversion,
the way up they used the emptiness
and the Tao motionless
and the people never lost the trail.
The way up empty, downward motionless,
that kept the Tao in correct position.


4.13 ???
They were really able to stay
without desire and were able
to be the body of the nation.
In upward direction
they had really nothing on
through that the countless phenomenons 
reached full deployment.


4.14  Order
They divided all things in correct order
and kept the countless people without fight.
They gave them all the correct names
And the countless beings established of itself.
They neither did choose 
the side  of putting things in order, 
nor the side of disorderliness and idleness.


4.15  Roots
They achieved the immense great,
without exertion for a cause.
They get their part to deepness and refinement
without the need to ask for that.
They gave their powers to the One and only
without the need to cultivate, 
they were part of the roots of Tao,
and with the fewest in their hands
they knew the most.
They had a share in the center of existence,
and by handling of the right
they straightened the curved and slanting.


4.16  Refinement 
First, they learned from 
highest ancient times 
after that from 
the refinement and keen view.
They embraced Tao
and acted to its standard.
They unified the world to One.
They observed that 
in the highest ancient times
and made their means omnipresent,
They searched it in what preceded to Nothing,
and obtained from there all what they needed.