| roots | pinyin, English |
| 歹台 | dâi evil, tái terrace |
| synonyms | |
| 敗 | bài : spoil |
| 弊 | bì° : corrupted |
| 害 | hài : harm |
| 滅 | mìe : extinguished |
| 傷 | shäng : hurt |
| 殃 | yäng¹ : ruin |
| danger (avoid, free from/of, not in) | WO, PC, L1, WC, AL, DH, DL, PI, AH, WW |
| harm (preserved from, suffer no) | LY, GR, AWb, RH, GR |
| exempt from all danger of decay | JLa |
| (im)peril (free from all) | JLb, VM |
| destroyed | AW |
| safe and whole | W1a |
| incur no risk | W1b |
| the Tao will never pass away | FEa |
| freedom from the fear of death | FEb |
| the end | C1a |
| falls short | C1b |
| becoming exhausted | EC |
| trouble | RP |
| prevails | DCa |
| avoid mistakes | DCb |
| deeds may be forgotten | JSa |
| and all her creation will be your guide | JSb |
| die | CMa |
| die without pain | CMb |
16: MWD-A has 'dai 怠 laziness' for 'dai'. 52: MWD-B has 'tai 佁' for 'dai'.
For translational discrepancies between these two lines, see essay on 身.
| danger (free from) | JL (of being exhausted), WC |
| endanger itself | WO |
| it suffereth not | JL |
| unfailing | AW |
| without fail | LY, W1 |
| does not weary | L1 |
| Ever present and in motion | FE |
| inexhaustible | C1 |
| [omits] | RH, VM |
| without becoming exhausted | EC |
| without limit | AL |
| unharmed | RP |
| It is moving around endlessly | DC |
| without fail | DH |
| Circulating and ceaseless | DL |
| cannot be exhausted | JS |
| without lapse | CM |
| never resting | GR |
| is never at a loss | PI |
| is never idle | WW |
| is always safe [at home] | WW alt |
| [it does not pause] | AH |
Omitted from GD and MWD.
| in no danger | WO, LG |
| avoids danger | PC, AW, DL, CM, AH |
| May be exempt from danger | LY |
| is to preserve ourselves from danger | W1 |
| one can be free from danger | L1 |
| that one can be free from danger | WC |
| is how to stay out of danger | PI |
| lives in this world without danger | JS |
| that | you will not tread on dangerous ground | WW |
| one can avoid harm | GR |
| in this way you'll come to no harm | RH |
| averts trouble | FE |
| one is never exhausted | C1, EC |
| one thereby avoids peril | VM |
| [And to knowing when to sto] | AL |
| can avoid over regulation | DC |
| free from all risk of failure and error | JL |
GD has 'zhì² 智 cleverness' for 'zhï¹ 知'. HSG has 'zhï 之' for '止'. GD, MWD, and FY have 'sûo 所' for '可'. MWD-A is missing all but '所以不'.
| danger | WO, LY, L1, WC, C1, DC, DH, DL, PI, AH, LG |
| harm | AW, AL, GR, RH |
| (im-)perils | W1, VM, CM |
| trouble | FE, RP |
| blame | JL |
| vitiation | PC |
| exhausted | EC |
| stand on shaky ground | WW |
MWD-B missing line.