Line by Line - Verse 51, Line 3

They receive their forms according to the nature of each,
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

They are formed from matter.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Things shape them
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

They are influenced
by the other living things around them,
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

John Donne wrote, "No man is an island." Every form in this realm of existence (and maybe beyond) is influenced by its environment. It helps to shape who we are and what we might become.

Part of this environment is the mysterious something that some call Tao. It permeates every breath we take and every thought we think. It molds us. It shapes us. It provides the contours of life and the silhouette of death.

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