A translation of 道德经 (tao-te-ching or dao-de-jing) into another language (or even the same language) represent a particular understanding of 道德经。道德经 is like the "Mirror of Erised" in Harry Potter movie. When we try to understand/translate 道德经, it shows the inner understanding of the world from each one of us. This is why there are so many different translations of 道德经, and each translation is very different from other translations, representing the translator's world view. (You may want to search all different translations on the Web.)

The following is my translation, representing my world view.

道德经:

道可道非常道。

名可名非常名。

無名天地之始；

有名萬物之母。

故常無欲以觀其妙；

常有欲以觀其徼。

此兩者同出而異名同謂之玄。

玄之又玄衆妙之門。

English translation:

The Dao that can be stated cannot be the eternal Dao.

The Name that can be given cannot be the eternal Name.

The nameless nonbeing is the origin of universe;

The named being is the mother of all observed things.

Within nonbeing, we enjoy the mystery of the universe.

Among being, we observe the richness of the world.

Nonbeing and being are two aspects of the same mystery.

From nonbeing to being and from being to nonbeing is the gateway to all understanding.

中文翻译：

能描写的“道”，不是永恒的“道”。（能用语言和数学来描写的真理，不是绝对真理）

能表达的事物，不是所有的事物。（总有连名字还没有的新事物）

不可洞察的（“无”），是宇宙的起源。

可以体验的（“有”），组成我们所观察到的世界。

在“无”之中，我们品赏宇宙的奥妙。（太虚品妙境）

在“有”之中，我们观察世界的精彩。（心在虚实间）

“无”和“有”是“太虚”的两个方面。

从“无”到“有”，从“有”到“无”，是通向理解宇宙的密门。

结论：

道德经（一部分）是关于“科学理论”的理论。

这里，我想借道德经，来分享发展科学，作科研的心态，心得。

附录：

真空弦网理论中的“道”：

太虚幻境小精灵      磁腰电头漫天星
拨弦弹出七彩光      张网织就五色锦
非无非有无生有      亦幻亦真幻成真
七十二变非神通      万物之母天地根

见 http://blog.sciencenet.cn/blog-1116346-736093.html