死生，命也；其有夜旦之常，天也。人之有所不得与，皆物之情也。Life and death are fated; they are as regular as the alternation of day and night, which is the Tao of nature. There are things beyond human control, and this is the nature of all things.
生死是生命的必然过程，它好像昼夜运行不息，符合自然的规律。人是无法干预的，这都符合事物变化的情理。
彼特以天为父，而身犹爱之，而况其卓乎！One regards Heaven as one's father and still loves it with one's whole being. How much more should one revere that which is sublime!
人皆以“天”为生父，而且爱戴它，何况对于卓然独立的大道呢！
人特以有君为愈乎己，而身犹死之，而况其真乎！People consider having a ruler to be better than themselves and are even willing to die for him. How much more should they revere that which is genuine!
世人认为国君的才智、地位超过自己，应为其效忠而牺牲，何况对待卓绝的真人呢！
泉涸，鱼相与处于陆，相呴以湿，相濡以沫，不如相忘于江湖。When the springs dry up, the fish are left stranded on the land, moistening each other with their breath and spittle. But it would be better for them to forget each other in the rivers and lakes.
泉水枯竭了，鱼相互拥挤在陆地上，用呼吸的湿气相互滋润，用唾沫相互沾湿，还不如在江湖里彼此相忘。
与其誉尧而非桀也，不如两忘而化其道。Instead of praising Yao and condemning Jie, it would be better to forget both and be in harmony with the Tao.
与其赞美尧而非议桀，不如把他们都忘掉而与道化而为一。
夫大块载我以形，劳我以生，佚我以老，息我以死。故善吾生者，乃所以善吾死也。The great earth endows me with a body, toils me with life, eases me in old age, and gives me rest in death. Therefore, those who are good at living their lives are also good at facing death.
大地把我的形体托载，并且用生存来劳苦我，用衰老来闲适我，用死亡来安息我。所以，把我的存在看作好事的，也就因此而可以把我的死亡看作是好事。
夫藏舟于壑，藏山于泽，谓之固矣！To hide a boat in a ravine and a mountain in a marsh may seem secure.
将船儿藏在大山沟里，将渔具藏在深水里，可以说是十分牢靠了。
然而夜半有力者负之而走，昧者不知也。藏小大有宜，犹有所循。However, in the middle of the night, a powerful being may carry them away, and the ignorant will not know. Hiding things, whether big or small, may seem appropriate, but there is still something to rely on.
然而半夜里有个大力士把它们连同山谷和河泽一块儿背着跑了，睡梦中的人们还一点儿也不知道。将小东西藏在大东西里是适宜的，不过还是会有丢失。
若夫藏天下于天下而不得所循，是恒物之大情也。As for hiding the whole world within the whole world so that there is nothing to rely on, this is the great truth of eternal things.
假如把天下藏在天下里而不会丢失，这就是事物固有的真实之情。
特犯人之形而犹喜之。若人之形者，万化而未始有极也，其为乐可胜计邪？Merely assuming human form is already a cause for joy. The forms of human beings are subject to countless transformations without end. How could the joys derived from them be counted?
人们只要承受了人的形体便十分欣喜，至于像人的形体的情况，在万千变化中从不曾有过穷尽，那快乐之情难道还能够加以计算吗？
故圣人将游于物之所不得循而皆存。Therefore, the sage will wander in that which things cannot rely on and yet still exist.
所以圣人将生活在各种事物都不会丢失的环境里而与万物共存亡。
善妖善老，善始善终，人犹效之，而况万物之所系而一化之所待乎！Being good at dealing with youth and old age, with beginnings and endings, is something people still imitate. How much more should they revere that on which all things depend and for which a single transformation awaits!
以少为善以老为善，以始为善以终为善，人们尚且加以效法，又何况那万物所联缀、各种变化所依托的“道”呢！
夫道有情有信，无为无形；可传而不可授，可得而不可见；自本自根，未有天地，自古以固存；The Tao has essence and truth, acts without doing and is formless. It can be transmitted but not taught, can be grasped but not seen. It is self-originated and self-rooted. Before the existence of heaven and earth, it has existed since ancient times.
“道”是真实而又确凿可信的，然而它又是无为和无形的；“道”可以感知却不可以口授，可以领悟却不可以面见；“道”自身就是本、就是根，还未出现天地的远古时代“道”就已经存在；
神鬼神帝，生天生地；在太极之先而不为高，在六极之下而不为深，先天地生而不为久，长于上古而不为老。It deifies ghosts and emperors, gives birth to heaven and earth. It is not considered lofty even though it precedes the Great Ultimate, nor is it considered deep even though it is beneath the Six Extremes. It is not considered ancient even though it preceded the birth of heaven and earth, nor is it considered old even though it is older than antiquity.
它引出鬼帝，产生天地；它在太极之上却并不算高，它在六极之下不算深，它先于天地存在还不算久，它长于上古还不算老。
豨韦氏得之，以挈天地；伏戏氏得之，以袭气母；维斗得之，终古不忒；Xiwei obtained it and thereby grasped heaven and earth. Fuxi obtained it and thereby followed the Mother of Qi. The North Star obtained it and has never deviated throughout the ages.
狶韦氏得到它，用来统驭天地；伏羲氏得到它，用来调合元气；北斗星得到它，永远不会改变方位；
日月得之，终古不息；勘坏得之，以袭昆仑；冯夷得之，以游大川；The sun and the moon obtained it and have never ceased throughout the ages. Kanpai obtained it and thereby followed Mount Kunlun. Fengyi obtained it and thereby roamed the great rivers.
太阳和月亮得到它，永远不停息地运行；堪坏得到它，用来入主昆仑山；冯夷得到它，用来巡游大江大河；
肩吾得之，以处大山；黄帝得之，以登云天；颛顼得之，以处玄宫；Jianwu obtained it and thereby dwelt in the great mountains. The Yellow Emperor obtained it and thereby ascended to the clouds. Zhuanxu obtained it and thereby dwelt in the Dark Palace.
肩吾得到它，用来驻守泰山；黄帝得到它，用来登上云天；颛顼得到它，用来居处玄宫；
禺强得之，立乎北极；西王母得之，坐乎少广，莫知其始，莫知其终；Yuqiang obtained it and stood at the North Pole. The Queen Mother of the West obtained it and sat in Shaoguang. No one knows her beginning, nor her end.
禹强得到它，用来立足北极；西王母得到它，用来坐阵少广山。没有人能知道它的开始，也没有人能知道它的终结。
彭祖得之，上及有虞，下及五伯；傅说得之，以相武丁，奄有天下，乘东维、骑箕尾而比于列星。Pengzu obtained it and his lifespan reached from the time of Youyu to the Five Hegemons. Fu Yue obtained it and thereby served as minister to King Wuding, ruling over the whole country, riding on the Eastern Constellation and the Tail of the Winnowing Basket, and being compared to the stars in the sky.
彭祖得到它，从远古的有虞时代一直活到五伯时代；傅说得到它，用来辅佐武丁，统辖整个天下，乘驾东维星，骑坐箕宿和尾宿，而永远排列在星神的行列里。
