U-God

Library

📚Library🔍Search☀️Daily Verse📅Sacred Calendar⭐Bookmarks

Discover

🌍ExploreNew📊TopicsNew⚖️CompareNew📝BlogNew

More

💡About📜Terms
Start Reading for Free

© 2026 U-God Sacred Library

Taoism

Tao Te Ching, Chapter 5

Text

1

Heaven and earth do not act from (the impulse of) any wish to be benevolent; they deal with all things as the dogs of grass are dealt with. The sages do not act from (any wish to be) benevolent; they deal with the people as the dogs of grass are dealt with.

2

May not the space between heaven and earth be compared to a bellows? 'Tis emptied, yet it loses not its power; 'Tis moved again, and sends forth air the more. Much speech to swift exhaustion lead we see; Your inner being guard, and keep it free.

Translation: James Legge, The Tao Teh King (Sacred Books of the East, 1891), public domain.

Tao Te Ching, Chapter 5: Read Free Online