五章

　　天地不仁，以万物为刍狗；圣人不仁，以百姓为刍狗。天地之间，其犹橐龠
乎？虚而不屈，动而愈出。多闻数穷，不如守中。

Chapter 5. Nature

Nature is not kind;

It treats all things impartially.

The Sage is not kind,

And treats all people impartially.

Nature is like a bellows,

Empty, yet never ceasing its supply.

The more it moves, the more it yields;

So the sage draws upon experience

And cannot be exhausted.