道德经·第一章 The Daodejing, Chapter One
Traditionally attributed to Laozi 老子 · Zhou, Warring States text
The complete first chapter on speaking, naming, desire and the source of things.
道可道，非常道；名可名，非常名。 dào kě dào, fēi cháng dào; míng kě míng, fēi cháng míng.
A Way that can be spoken is not the constant Way; a name that can be named is not a constant name.
无名，天地之始；有名，万物之母。 wú míng, tiān dì zhī shǐ; yǒu míng, wàn wù zhī mǔ.
The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth; the named is the mother of all things.
故常无欲，以观其妙；常有欲，以观其徼。 gù cháng wú yù, yǐ guān qí miào; cháng yǒu yù, yǐ guān qí jiào.
So, always without desire, observe its subtle workings; always with desire, observe its limits.
此两者，同出而异名，同谓之玄。 cǐ liǎng zhě, tóng chū ér yì míng, tóng wèi zhī xuán.
These two emerge together yet have different names; together they are called profound.
玄之又玄，众妙之门。 xuán zhī yòu xuán, zhòng miào zhī mén.
Profound and further profound: the gateway to all subtle workings.