Tao gives them life. Te nurtures them.
| Index | Chinese | Pinyin | Literal | Idiomatic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 道 | dao | Tao | Tao |
| 2 | 生 | sheng | gives life | gives life |
| 3 | 之 | zhi | them | gives them life. |
| 4 | 德 | de | Te | Te |
| 5 | 畜 | xu | nurtures | nurtures |
| 6 | 之 | zhi | them | them. |
| 7 | 物 | wu | ||
| 8 | 形 | |||
| 9 | 之 | zhi | ||
| 10 | 勢 | shi | ||
| 11 | 成 | cheng | ||
| 12 | 之 | zhi | ||
| 13 | 是 | shi | ||
| 14 | 以 | yi | ||
| 15 | 萬 | wan | ||
| 16 | 物 | wu | ||
| 17 | 莫 | mo | ||
| 18 | 不 | bu | ||
| 19 | 尊 | zun | ||
| 20 | 道 | dao | ||
| 21 | 而 | er | ||
| 22 | 貴 | gui | ||
| 23 | 德 | de | ||
| 24 | 道 | dao | ||
| 25 | 之 | zhi | ||
| 26 | 尊 | zun | ||
| 27 | 德 | de | ||
| 28 | 之 | zhi | ||
| 29 | 貴 | gui | ||
| 30 | 夫 | fu | ||
| 31 | 莫 | mo | ||
| 32 | 之 | zhi | ||
| 33 | 命 | ming | ||
| 34 | 而 | er | ||
| 35 | 常 | chang | ||
| 36 | 自 | zi | ||
| 37 | 然 | ran | ||
| 38 | 故 | gu | ||
| 39 | 道 | dao | ||
| 40 | 生 | sheng | ||
| 41 | 之 | zhi | ||
| 42 | 德 | de | ||
| 43 | 出 | chu | ||
| 44 | 之 | zhi | ||
| 45 | 長 | chang | ||
| 46 | 之 | zhi | ||
| 47 | 育 | yu | ||
| 48 | 之 | zhi | ||
| 49 | 亭 | ting | ||
| 50 | 之 | zhi | ||
| 51 | 毒 | du | ||
| 52 | 之 | zhi | ||
| 53 | 養 | yang | ||
| 54 | 之 | zhi | ||
| 55 | 覆 | fu | ||
| 56 | 之 | zhi | ||
| 57 | 生 | sheng | ||
| 58 | 而 | er | ||
| 59 | 不 | bu | ||
| 60 | 有 | you | ||
| 61 | 為 | wei | ||
| 62 | 而 | er | ||
| 63 | 不 | bu | ||
| 64 | 恃 | shi | ||
| 65 | 長 | chang | ||
| 66 | 而 | er | ||
| 67 | 不 | bu | ||
| 68 | 宰 | zai | ||
| 69 | 是 | shi | ||
| 70 | 謂 | wei | ||
| 71 | 玄 | xuan | ||
| 72 | 德 | de |