<span class="chinese-post-title">十一</span> Chapter 11 from the <span class="chinese-post-title">道德經</span> Dào​dé​jīng

十一

>三十輻，共一轂，
當其無，
有車之用。

埏埴以為器，
當其無，
有器之用。

鑿戶牖以為室，
當其無，
有室之用。

故有之以為利，
無之以為用。

老子

"The thirty spokes unite in the one nave;
but it is on the empty space (for the axle),
that the use of the wheel depends.

Clay is fashioned into vessels;
but it is on their empty hollowness,
that their use depends.

The door and windows are cut out (from the walls) to form an apartment;
but it is on the empty space (within),
that its use depends.

Therefore, what has a (positive) existence serves for profitable adaptation,
and what has not that for (actual) usefulness."

Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project