Translations really do prove that words don’t cut it. Part of my spiritual practice is to take what I need and leave the rest, knowing it will come back around or evaporate. I have been through several translations of this chapter and it became evident to me that each reflected the eye, ear and sensibility of the translator – and in the case of this chapter those perceptions seemed to vary widely, and even conflict, as evidenced in the first lines of the above two works.

I will follow the same path here and provide my own “fulsome talk” and “longwinded speech” until I am exhausted and remember it is better to walk centered on the middle path in silence, to walk in the breath of Heaven and Earth.

Tao Te Ching, Chapter 5  (Reflected)

Heaven and Earth are One. Nothing is between them.

Heaven and Earth breathe, and ten thousand living things come forth.

Everything is in the living breath of Heaven and Earth.

The ten thousand things mean nothing to Heaven and Earth.

It is breath. It is living.

It has no meaning.

It is Being.

—

Humanity sees meaning in ten thousand things.

Humanity builds ten thousand inanimate facsimiles of Being.

An idol of clay and straw, a golden calf, a crown of words.

Humanity forgets to breathe with Heaven and Earth.

The sage knows this.

—

There is nothing between Heaven and Earth.

Walk, don’t talk.

Breathe. 

And laugh, too. Laughing is a sort of “speed breathing” as far as I can tell.