Line by Line - Verse 52, Lines 4-5

When one knows that he is his mother's child, and proceeds to guard (the qualities of) the mother that belong to him, to the end of his life he will be free from all peril.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Knowing the sons, yet remaining in touch with the mother,
Brings freedom from the fear of death.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

Knowing her children
Still holding on to the mother
Live without danger all through life
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

If you know the children
and remember the mother,
you have nothing to fear in your life.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

If we accept to the notion that all things originate from and return to one source, then death loses its frightening hold on our imagination. This is not to suggest that we will meet our physical death with open arms -- since no one can know what the next step might entail -- but the sense of going home can put our mind more at ease.

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