A tɔ bɛ fɔji mu a sɔ kɛ n'asieme tulo, a ko tulo ko. A sɔ kpan n'gbɛ mɔ a ko tulo bɛ. Kɔkɔ kpan n'ani ko tulo nyingbɛ, a ko tulo n'asieme sika kpan. Tulo n'asieme n'gbɛ mɔ a sɔ kɛ yɛtɔ.
Key Concepts
知止
功成身退
谦逊
Cite This Chapter
Laozi, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 9, "A Tɔ Bɛ Fɔji Mu A Sɔ Kɛ", laotzu.ai: https://www.laotzu.ai/bci/chapters/9/
Classical Chinese, translation, and AI reflection are shown separately; cite this chapter URL for references.
A tɔ bɛ fɔji mu a sɔ kɛ, a sɔ kɛ. A sɔ kɛ mu kpɛkpɛ tɔn, a tulo bɛ ko. Kɔkɔ kpan n'ani, mo ko tulo bɛ kpan; a sɔ tɔn kpan a sɔ kɛ. A kpan tulo n'asieme mu, a sɔ yɛ nyingbɛ bɔlɔzi. A sɔ tulo n'gbɛ mɔ, yɛtɔ a sɔ kɛ n'asieme yɛ a tulo.
Nyan yɩli
Se a wu tɛ bu?
A tɔ bɛ fɔji mu a sɔ kɛ n'asieme tulo, a ko tulo ko. A sɔ kpan n'gbɛ mɔ a ko tulo bɛ. Kɔkɔ kpan n'ani ko tulo nyingbɛ, a ko tulo n'asieme sika kpan. Tulo n'asieme n'gbɛ mɔ a sɔ kɛ yɛtɔ.
A kpɛna a m' nannan?
Mu tulo bɛ n'asieme n'gbɛ tɛfɛ mɔ. N'gbɛ a tɔ bɛ fɔji, a ko tulo n'asieme kpan n'gbɛ. A sɔ kpan n'gbɛ mɔ a sɔ tulo bɛ kpan tulo.
Bʋʋ kpan kpɩnn yɩ?
Yɛ sɔ kpan n'gbɛ a ko tulo mu n'asieme sika. Yɛ sɔ tulo n'gbɛ mɔ a sɔ kɛ n'asieme yɛ. Yɛ sɔ nyingbɛ bɔlɔzi a tulo bɛ fɛfɛ mɔ.
It is better to leave a vessel unfilled, than to attempt to carry it when it is full. If you keep feeling a point that has been sharpened, the point cannot long preserve its sharpness. When gold and jade fill the hall, their possessor cannot keep them safe. When wealth and honours lead to arrogancy, this brings its evil on itself. When the work is done, and one's name is becoming distinguished, to withdraw into obscurity is the way of Heaven.
AI Kpakpa
A tɔ bɛ fɔji mu a sɔ kɛ, a sɔ kɛ. A sɔ kɛ mu kpɛkpɛ tɔn, a tulo bɛ ko. Kɔkɔ kpan n'ani, mo ko tulo bɛ kpan; a sɔ tɔn kpan a sɔ kɛ. A kpan tulo n'asieme mu, a sɔ yɛ nyingbɛ bɔlɔzi. A sɔ tulo n'gbɛ mɔ, yɛtɔ a sɔ kɛ n'asieme yɛ a tulo.
