Line by Line - Verse 16, Line 13

In that likeness to heaven he possesses the Tao.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Being divine, you will be at one with the Tao.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Heaven is Tao
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

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

So much of what fills our heads is hyperbole and hubris. Like a spider, we spin cobwebs around and through this concept of self; it can become so tangled that it is tantamount to being trapped in a jungle. We cut and hack, but we find ourselves imprisoned in a vast overgrowth of our creation.

The sage is someone who pushes through the muck to come out on the other side. Once free of the tentacles of desire, expectation and striving, the wise meet the emptiness of the Grand mystery with an open heart. For me, this is where the few transcend the supposed separation between life and death, being and nonbeing.

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