There was something featureless yet complete, born before heaven and earth; Silent - amorphous - it stood alone and unchanging. We may regard it as the mother of heaven and earth. Not knowing its name, I style it the “Way.” If forced to give it a name, I would call it “great.” Being great implies flowing ever onward, Flowing ever onward implies far-reaching, Far-reaching implies reversal. The Way is great, Heaven is great, Earth is great, The king, too, is great. Within the realm there are four greats, and the king is one among them. Man patterns himself on earth, Earth patterns itself on heaven, Heaven patterns itself on the Way, The Way patterns itself on nature.