Line by Line - Verse 76, Line 1

Man at his birth is supple and weak;
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

A man is born gentle and weak.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

While alive, the body is soft and pliant
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

A baby's body is soft and gentle.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

Think of this line in terms of plants. In the spring and early summer, a garden comes alive. Plants shoot up. Flowers bloom. Runners race off in all directions.

When the wind blows, the plants bend in the direction of the breeze. When the wind dies down, they spring back to their former position. In essence, each one is vital and flexible.

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