Zhuangzi 2.4 (Part 2) Speaking is not just blowing breath

夫言非吹也。言者有言，其所言者特未定也。果有言邪？其未嘗有言邪？其以為異於鷇音，亦有辯乎，其無辯乎？

道惡乎隱而有真偽？

言惡乎隱而有是非？

道惡乎往而不存？

言惡乎存而不可？

道隱於小成，言隱於榮華。

故有儒、墨之是非，以是其所非，而非其所是。欲是其所非而非其所是，則莫若以明。

Speaking is not just blowing breath. One who speaks has speech, but that which is spoken is especially unfixed. Is the result having speech? Or has one not yet tasted having words? [1] They regard (it) as different from the chirping of little birds, but is there a distinction, or is there no distinction?

Dao: how is it concealed but there is true and false?

Speaking: how is it concealed but there is affirmation and negation?

Dao: how does it go (forth) and not remain? [*]

Speaking: how can it remain and not be? [*]

Dao is obscured in small completions (小成).

Speech is obscured in flowery embellishment.

And so we have the affirmations and negations of the Confucians and the Mohists, affirming what the other negates, and negating what the other affirms. Desiring to affirm what is negated and to negate what is affirmed, this method is not like using clarity.

[1] 存 is associated with depositing and storing up; it can also refer to holding office. This could suggest a pun: “notice how Dao goes out and does not hoard riches like officials holding office.”

[2] 可 is associated with permissibility but usually accompanies a verb. For example《論語：學而》三年無改於父之道，可謂孝矣 “Three years without changing from the path of the father, may be called filial!” In this translation I follow the text and omit a verb. I play 可 against 存 in the same line and the idea of meaning being lost in flowery embellishment: “We keep building up words, but there is nothing here!”

[3] This could be “has yet to experience having speech,” but “has yet to taste words” is too savory to pass up.

特 tè special, unique

嘗cháng taste, try; experience; ever, once

異 yì different; other, another

鷇 kòu fledgling birds

 

隱 yǐn hide, conceal; hidden, secret

真 zhēn real, actual, true, genuine

偽 wěi artificial; deceitful; false, fake

是 shì affirmation

非 fēi negation

往 wǎng go; towards

存 cún exist, live; store up; remain

 

榮 róng glorify, luxuriate; flourishing; honor, glory

華 huá magnificent; splendid; flowery

榮華 rónghuá [plants] blooming, flourishing; glorious, splendid      

 

儒 Rú Confucianism

墨 Mò Mohism