Imagine something nebulous
here before heaven and earth.
Still and silent,
alone, unchanging.
Perhaps the mother of all.
I do not know its name.
I call it the Way.
Forced to label it,
I say it is great.
Great because it is ever-flowing,
ever flowing it goes far,
and going far it returns.
The Way is great,
heaven is great,
earth is great,
humanity is great.
Four greatnesses,
and humanity is one.
People follow earth,
earth follows heaven,
and heaven follows the Way.
The Way follows itself.