至虛 極也 守靜 督也 萬物旁作 吾以觀其復也 天物雲雲 各復歸於其根
[zhi4] [xu1] [ji2] [ye3] [shou3] [jing4] [du1] [ye3] [wan4] [wu4] [pang2] [zuo4] [wu2] [yi3] [guan1] [qi2] [fu4] [ye3] [tian1] [wu4] [yun2] [yun2] [ge4] [fu4] [gui1] [yu2] [qi2] [gen1]
Reach [attain] emptiness, to an extreme degree, maintain calmness, to the utmost, the Ten Thousand Things work side-by-side, I observe their repeating [repetition] [by this], the things of heaven become sprawling [many and disordered], each returns back to its source
致虛極，守靜篤，萬物並作，吾以觀復。夫物芸芸，各復歸其根。
[zhi4] [xu1] [ji2]， [shou3] [jing4] [du3]， [wan4] [wu4] [bing4] [zuo4]， [wu2] [yi3] [guan1] [fu4]。 [fu2] [wu4] [yun2] [yun2]， [ge4] [fu4] [gui1] [qi2] [gen1]。
Reach [attain] extreme emptiness, maintain the utmost calmness, the Ten Thousand Things work in unison, [thus] I observe their repeating [repetition], these things [the Ten Thousand Things] grow and flourish [and multiply constantly], each returns back to its source
The top translation for the first 8 characters on the top is more of a poetic delivery which is a bit rough to translate into plain text. It falls in line exactly with the second (first 8 characters in the second translation), just with a more dramatic delivery. This type of delivery can lead to a little bit of confusion depending on exactly how it is read in some instances, so it feels like this was changed just for the sake of clarity.
We follow on with a discussion about the Ten Thousand Things. These sections have slightly different implications. The first “side-by-side” has more the feel of together but not necessarily entirely in unison, while the second is truly in unison. The difference here is that the first is more along the lines of they have converged on unison or grown into unison without the specific intent rather than being defined by that state. “I observe their repeating” is the statement that this cycle is not just a single, one-off thing. This is the natural order of things.
The last section diverges a bit, but could partially be explained by a mistaken character as well. We can read this as either “these things” pointing at the Ten Thousand Things previously referenced, or the things under heaven, then something along the lines of either sprawling, or flourishing and fertile before returning back to their source. The difference in characters is a brush stroke being a little low. The second part uses different characters, but borrowed characters and alternative characters are very common in earlier periods. Things come and go churning in and out of existence as existence either sprawls or flourishes out. Sprawl requires extreme growth which can be good or bad depending on what kind of growth. This could point to either that the heavens, and the gods and other ascended beings are immune to this rapid change, for better or for worse between translations, or it’s just a slightly different phrasing.
督~篤
曰靜 靜是謂復命 復命常也 知常明也 不知常 茫茫作兇 知常容 容乃公
[yue1] [jing4] [jing4] [shi4] [wei4] [fu4] [ming4] [fu4] [ming4] [chang2] [ye3] [zhi1] [chang2] [ming2] [ye3] [bu4] [zhi1] [chang2] [mang2] [mang2] [zuo4] [xiong1] [zhi1] [chang2] [rong2] [rong2] [nai3] [gong1]
To speak of calmness, calmness is called returning to the natural way [lit. fate], returning to the natural way [lit. fate] is constant, to know constancy is to understand, to not know constancy, this is a massive [vast, boundless] misfortune, to know constancy is [to know] tolerance, tolerance leads to nobility [public office]
歸根曰靜，靜曰復命。復命曰常，知常曰明。不知常，妄作凶。知常容，容乃公。
[gui1] [gen1] [yue1] [jing4]， [jing4] [yue1] [fu4] [ming4]。 [fu4] [ming4] [yue1] [chang2]， [zhi1] [chang2] [yue1] [ming2]。 [bu4] [zhi1] [chang2]， [wang4] [zuo4] [xiong1]。 [zhi1] [chang2] [rong2]， [rong2] [nai3] [gong1]。
To return to the root is called calmness, calmness is called returning to the natural way [lit. fate], return to the natural way [lit. fate] is called constant, to know constancy is to understand, to not know constancy, is to stumble on an ignorant misfortune, to know constancy is [to know] tolerance, tolerance leads to nobility [public office]
Calmness is a calmness of heart, mind, and soul. This is the way to return to the natural way of things. The natural way of things is constant and the one universal truth. To know the constancy of the universe is to understand nature and the natural progression of the universe. To not recognize this pattern is a grave error which is horrible misfortune and suffering. Knowing constancy is the way to know tolerance. When one knows that the natural way is a constant force trying to correct the flow of nature, how could one not be tolerant as the pushing and pulling of fate is just the flow of nature rather than some personal affront?
This tolerance leads to the concept of nobility or public office, not necessarily in the sense of literally, but in the ability to become the ideal for those, a just ruler who is noble. Tolerance can be argued to lead to justness and a lack of bias. By being tolerant, one is able to see the reason behind something which is either frustrating or annoying without being lost in the emotion of the moment. Nobility (which arguably was effectively a public office position) and public office require one to be calm and reserved in tense situations or else everything falls apart.
公乃王 王乃天 天乃道 道乃久 歿身不殆
[gong1] [nai3] [wang2] [wang4] [nai3] [tian1] [tian1] [nai3] [dao4] [dao4] [nai3] [jiu3] [mo4] [shen1] [bu4] [dai4]
Nobility [public office] leads to kingship, kingship leads to Heaven, Heaven leads to the Dao, the Dao leads to eternity, death of the body is not dangerous
公乃王，王乃天，天乃道，道乃久，沒身不殆。
[gong1] [nai3] [wang4]， [wang4] [nai3] [tian1]， [tian1] [nai3] [dao4]， [dao4] [nai3] [jiu3]， [mo4] [shen1] [bu4] [dai4]。
Nobility [public office] leads to kingship, kingship leads to Heaven, Heaven leads to the Dao, the Dao leads to eternity, death of the body is not dangerous
This leadership and nobility leads to kingship. The king is granted their rule by Heaven per the Mandate of Heaven (this is mentioned in Chapter 9 to a degree). Heaven, or the Mandate of Heaven, leads to the Dao, and the Dao leads to eternity, where death is not actually the end or a truly dangerous event anymore. By following the natural order of things, one grows into following the Dao which grants one immortality of a sorts. This could be taken as enlightenment or even transcendence.