1
昔在黃帝，生而神靈，弱而能言，幼而徇齊，長而敦敏，成而登天。
昔在黄帝，生而神灵，弱而能言，幼而徇齐，长而敦敏，成而登天。
xī zài huáng dì, shēng ér shén líng, ruò ér néng yán, yòu ér xùn qí, zhǎng ér dūn mǐn, chéng ér dēng tiān.
Of old there was the Yellow Emperor: born with a numinous acuity, speaking while still in infancy, quick and perceptive as a child, earnest and diligent as he grew — and, his work complete, ascending to heaven.
2
乃問於天師曰：余聞上古之人，春秋皆度百歲，而動作不衰；今時之人，年半百而動作皆衰者，時世異耶？人將失之耶？
乃问于天师曰：余闻上古之人，春秋皆度百岁，而动作不衰；今时之人，年半百而动作皆衰者，时世异耶？人将失之耶？
nǎi wèn yú tiān shī yuē: yú wén shàng gǔ zhī rén, chūn qiū jiē dù bǎi suì, ér dòng zuò bù shuāi; jīn shí zhī rén, nián bàn bǎi ér dòng zuò jiē shuāi zhě, shí shì yì yé? rén jiāng shī zhī yé?
He asked the Heavenly Master: “I have heard that the people of high antiquity all passed a hundred springs and autumns, and their movements did not weaken. People of the present, at fifty, already weaken in their movements. Is the age at fault, or have people lost the way?”
3
岐伯對曰：上古之人，其知道者，法於陰陽，和於術數，食飲有節，起居有常，不妄作勞，故能形與神俱，而盡終其天年，度百歲乃去。
岐伯对曰：上古之人，其知道者，法于阴阳，和于术数，食饮有节，起居有常，不妄作劳，故能形与神俱，而尽终其天年，度百岁乃去。
qí bó duì yuē: shàng gǔ zhī rén, qí zhī dào zhě, fǎ yú yīn yáng, hé yú shù shù, shí yǐn yǒu jié, qǐ jū yǒu cháng, bù wàng zuò láo, gù néng xíng yǔ shén jù, ér jìn zhōng qí tiān nián, dù bǎi suì nǎi qù.
Qi Bo answered: “The people of high antiquity who knew the Way took yin and yang as their pattern and lived in harmony with the computed arts. They ate and drank with measure, rose and rested with regularity, and did not labor recklessly. Thus they kept form and spirit together, lived out the years heaven allotted, and passed away only after a hundred.”
4
今時之人不然也，以酒為漿，以妄為常，醉以入房，以欲竭其精，以耗散其真，不知持滿，不時御神，務快其心，逆於生樂，起居無節，故半百而衰也。
今时之人不然也，以酒为浆，以妄为常，醉以入房，以欲竭其精，以耗散其真，不知持满，不时御神，务快其心，逆于生乐，起居无节，故半百而衰也。
jīn shí zhī rén bù rán yě, yǐ jiǔ wéi jiāng, yǐ wàng wéi cháng, zuì yǐ rù fáng, yǐ yù jié qí jīng, yǐ hào sàn qí zhēn, bù zhī chí mǎn, bù shí yù shén, wù kuài qí xīn, nì yú shēng lè, qǐ jū wú jié, gù bàn bǎi ér shuāi yě.
“People of today are not so. They take wine for water, take recklessness for the norm, enter the bedchamber drunk, exhaust their essence in desire, scatter their true endowment in waste. They do not know how to guard fullness, do not govern the spirit in season, and bend only to please the heart — set against the joys of life, rising and resting without measure. Hence they begin to fail at fifty.”
5
夫上古聖人之教下也，虛邪賊風，避之有時，恬惔虛無，真氣從之，精神內守，病安從來。是以志閒而少欲，心安而不懼，形勞而不倦，氣從以順，各從其欲，皆得所願。故美其食，任其服，樂其俗，高下不相慕，其民故曰樸。是以嗜欲不能勞其目，淫邪不能惑其心，愚智賢不肖不懼於物，故合於道。所以能年皆度百歲而動作不衰者，以其德全不危也。
夫上古圣人之教下也，虚邪贼风，避之有时，恬淡虚无，真气从之，精神内守，病安从来。是以志闲而少欲，心安而不惧，形劳而不倦，气从以顺，各从其欲，皆得所愿。故美其食，任其服，乐其俗，高下不相慕，其民故曰朴。是以嗜欲不能劳其目，淫邪不能惑其心，愚智贤不肖不惧于物，故合于道。所以能年皆度百岁而动作不衰者，以其德全不危也。
fū shàng gǔ shèng rén zhī jiào xià yě, xū xié zéi fēng, bì zhī yǒu shí, tián dàn xū wú, zhēn qì cóng zhī, jīng shén nèi shǒu, bìng ān cóng lái. shì yǐ zhì xián ér shǎo yù, xīn ān ér bù jù, xíng láo ér bù juàn, qì cóng yǐ shùn, gè cóng qí yù, jiē dé suǒ yuàn. gù měi qí shí, rèn qí fú, lè qí sú, gāo xià bù xiāng mù, qí mín gù yuē pǔ. shì yǐ shì yù bù néng láo qí mù, yín xié bù néng huò qí xīn, yú zhì xián bù xiāo bù jù yú wù, gù hé yú dào. suǒ yǐ néng nián jiē dù bǎi suì ér dòng zuò bù shuāi zhě, yǐ qí dé quán bù wēi yě.
“Now, the teaching the sages of high antiquity gave to those below them: shun the deficient evils and thieving winds in their season; keep the heart tranquil and serene, empty and without craving — then true qi will follow, essence and spirit kept within, and whence would illness come? So their wills were at ease and desires few, hearts at peace and without fear, bodies laboring yet not wearied, qi following and smooth. Each followed his own desire, and each obtained his wish. Their food seemed fine to them, their clothing sufficient, their customs a delight; high and low did not envy one another — such people were called uncarved. Craving could not weary their eyes, wantonness could not confuse their hearts; fool and sage, worthy and unworthy alike, feared no thing outside them — for they were joined to the Way. And so they all lived past a hundred years with movements unweakened: their virtue was whole, and therefore they were not imperiled.”
6
帝曰：人年老而無子者，材力盡邪，將天數然也。岐伯曰：女子七歲，腎氣盛，齒更髮長；二七而天癸至，任脈通，太衝脈盛，月事以時下，故有子；三七，腎氣平均，故真牙生而長極；四七，筋骨堅，髮長極，身體盛壯；五七，陽明脈衰，面始焦，髮始墮；六七，三陽脈衰於上，面皆焦，髮始白；七七，任脈虛，太衝脈衰少，天癸竭，地道不通，故形壞而無子也。
帝曰：人年老而无子者，材力尽邪，将天数然也。岐伯曰：女子七岁，肾气盛，齿更发长；二七而天癸至，任脉通，太冲脉盛，月事以时下，故有子；三七，肾气平均，故真牙生而长极；四七，筋骨坚，发长极，身体盛壮；五七，阳明脉衰，面始焦，发始堕；六七，三阳脉衰于上，面皆焦，发始白；七七，任脉虚，太冲脉衰少，天癸竭，地道不通，故形坏而无子也。
dì yuē: rén nián lǎo ér wú zǐ zhě, cái lì jìn xié, jiāng tiān shù rán yě. qí bó yuē: nǚ zǐ qī suì, shèn qì shèng, chǐ gēng fà zhǎng; èr qī ér tiān guǐ zhì, rèn mài tōng, tài chōng mài shèng, yuè shì yǐ shí xià, gù yǒu zǐ; sān qī, shèn qì píng jūn, gù zhēn yá shēng ér zhǎng jí; sì qī, jīn gǔ jiān, fà zhǎng jí, shēn tǐ shèng zhuàng; wǔ qī, yáng míng mài shuāi, miàn shǐ jiāo, fà shǐ duò; liù qī, sān yáng mài shuāi yú shàng, miàn jiē jiāo, fà shǐ bái; qī qī, rèn mài xū, tài chōng mài shuāi shǎo, tiān guǐ jié, dì dào bù tōng, gù xíng huài ér wú zǐ yě.
The Emperor said: “When people grow old and have no children, is their material force spent, or is it the number of heaven?” Qi Bo said: “At seven, a girl’s kidney qi flourishes: her teeth change and her hair grows long. At two sevens, the heavenly water arrives: the conception vessel opens, the great surge vessel flourishes, and the menses descend in season — hence she can bear children. At three sevens, kidney qi is evenly full; the wisdom teeth emerge and growth reaches its utmost. At four sevens, sinew and bone are firm, the hair at its longest, the body in full strength. At five sevens, the yang-bright vessel declines: the face begins to parch, the hair to fall. At six sevens, the three yang vessels decline above: the face all parched, the hair beginning to whiten. At seven sevens, the conception vessel is empty, the great surge vessel faint, the heavenly water exhausted; the way of earth no longer passes through — the form is worn, and she bears no children.”