太極者,無極而生,動靜之機,陰陽之母也。tài jí zhě, wú jí ér shēng, dòng jìng zhī jī, yīn yáng zhī mǔ yě.
動之則分,靜之則合。Dòng zhī zé fēn, jìng zhī zé hé
無過不及,隨曲就伸。Wúguòbùjí, suí qū jiù shēn
人剛我柔謂之走,我順人背謂之粘。rén gāng wǒ róu wèi zhī zǒu, wǒ shùn rén bèi wèi zhī zhān
DW:T’ai-chi [The Great Ultimate] is born from Wu-chi and is mother of yin and yang.
In motion they separate; in stillness they become one.
Avoid both excess and insufficiency; extend when the opponent bends and bend when he extends.
The opponent is hard while I am soft. This is yielding. I am yielding while the opponent is resistant. This is adhering.
LS: taiji, being born of Wuju, is the mother of yin and yang.
In movement it differentiates; in stillness it consolidates.
It is without excess or insufficiency. Follow, bend, then extend.
When the other is hard, and I am soft, this is called yielding. I go along with the other. This is called adhering.
BD: Taiji is born from wuji: it is mother of yin and yang
If it moves, it divides; if it is at rest, it unites
Not overpassing, not falling short. Let bend, then extend.
My opponenti s hard (gang), I am soft; this is called yielding (zou). I go along with (shun), my opponent goes against (bei); this is called “sticking” (nian)