Line by Line - Verse 14, Lines 6-7

Its upper part is not bright, and its lower part is not obscure.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

From above it is not bright; From below it is not dark:
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Above it, not bright Below it, not dark
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

(No corresponding line)
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

That which cannot be seen yields no contrast. It would be like trying to describe the color and hue of a warm summer breeze or a cold winter wind.

In fact, when referencing the underlying essence of existence, one really can't speak of above OR below. The primary element that makes all things possible is beyond dimension. It inherently must be pervasive.

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