大上 下知有之 其次親譽之 其次畏之 其下母之
[da4] [shang4] [xia4] [zhi1] [you3] [zhi1] [qi2] [ci4] [qin1] [yu4] [zhi1] [qi2] [ci4] [wei4] [zhi1] [qi2] [xia4] [mu3] [zhi1]
The highest, those below [only] know [of] them; those after, are close and praise them; those after, fear and respect them; those after, are their mother
太上，下不知有之﹔其次，親而譽之﹔其次，畏之﹔其次，侮之。
[tai4] [shang4]， [xia4] [bu4] [zhi1] [you3] [zhi1]﹔ [qi2] [ci4]， [qin1] [er2] [yu4] [zhi1]﹔ [qi2] [ci4]， [wei4] [zhi1]﹔ [qi2] [ci4]， [wu3] [zhi1]。
The highest, those below do not know [of] them; those after, are close and praise them; those after, fear and respect them; those after, hate them
On the surface, these two sections are largely different, but they end up being very similar with different implications. The first translation creates a cycle, the highest are high because they are in line with the Dao, those after know them, but those after are close to them in ways and praise them (with the implication of distance), and those after begin to fear them, and finally those after mother them. This is to say that we go in cycles from those which are enlightened to the Dao, to those who only know of them, to those who revere them, to those who fear but respect them, to those who are their mother. This is a shift from the highest point, slowly becoming more and more distant until those who are enlightened by the Dao are born again when it seems furthest away.
The second translation is less of a cycle and more of a wave. The highest are followed by those who do not know them followed by those who are close and praise them who followed by those who fear and respect them followed by those who hate them. The cycle rises and falls with shifts between the generations. There is the implication in this of a shift away from the Dao, though if that were true, this entire book would be pointless.
Times of peace lead to times of weakness. Times of enlightenment lead to times of ignorance. The cycle plays out over and over again. There are ups and downs, growth, stagnation, death, then rebirth. Ultimately, the Dao is something which ebbs and flows and it is up to us to follow it.
大~太
信不足 案有不信 猶呵 其貴言也
[xin4] [bu4] [zu2] [an4] [you3] [bu4] [xin4] [you2] [a1] [qi2] [gui4] [yan2] [ye3]
[If] trust is not enough, therefore, [one] will not have trust, this way, one values [their] words
信不足焉，有不信焉。悠兮其貴言。
[xin4] [bu4] [zu2] [yan1]， [you3] [bu4] [xin4] [yan1]。 [you1] [xi1] [qi2] [gui4] [yan2]。
[If] trust is not enough, [one] will not have trust, longingly, one values [their] words
If trust is not enough, one will not be trusted. The first translation implies that one should be aware of this in order to truly value their words (or what they say), while the second has a more regretful tone. They say basically the same, but with a slightly shifted perspective, one of cause and effect, one of regret. You must be trustworthy to have trust, if you can’t trust, you won’t be trusted.
成功遂事 而百省謂我自然
[cheng2] [gong1] [sui4] [shi4] [er2] [bai3] [sheng3] [wei4] [wo3] [zi4] [ran2]
When success is had and [the] work is complete, the hundred provinces [all of the provinces] will say “I am [following] natural [nature]”
功成事遂，百姓皆謂：「我自然」。
[gong1] [cheng2] [shi4] [sui4]， [bai3] [xing4] [jie1] [wei4]：「 [wo3] [zi4] [ran2] 」。
When success is had and [the] work is complete, the [common] people will say “I am [following] natural [nature]”
Even if certain parts of the translation look a bit bleak, this section brings everything back up. Even though the cycle hits a low, eventually, when success is achieved and the great work is complete, even the common people will accept their innate naturalness and follow nature. When one achieves the Dao, one brings the rest of the world with them.