1
春三月，此謂發陳。天地俱生，萬物以榮。夜臥早起，廣步於庭，被髮緩形，以使志生，生而勿殺，予而勿奪，賞而勿罰，此春氣之應，養生之道也。逆之則傷肝，夏為寒變，奉長者少。
春三月，此谓发陈。天地俱生，万物以荣。夜卧早起，广步于庭，被发缓形，以使志生，生而勿杀，予而勿夺，赏而勿罚，此春气之应，养生之道也。逆之则伤肝，夏为寒变，奉长者少。
chūn sān yuè, cǐ wèi fā chén. tiān dì jù shēng, wàn wù yǐ róng. yè wò zǎo qǐ, guǎng bù yú tíng, pī fà huǎn xíng, yǐ shǐ zhì shēng, shēng ér wù shā, yǔ ér wù duó, shǎng ér wù fá, cǐ chūn qì zhī yìng, yǎng shēng zhī dào yě. nì zhī zé shāng gān, xià wéi hán biàn, fèng zhǎng zhě shǎo.
In the three months of spring this is called issuing and spreading out (發陳). Heaven and earth are giving birth together; the myriad things flourish by it. Retire at night and rise early; walk abroad in the courtyard; let the hair loose and slacken the body, that the will may grow. Give life and do not kill; bestow and do not take away; reward and do not punish. This answers to the qi of spring; it is the way of nurturing life. To go against it harms the liver, and in summer one has cold transformations — there is little left to serve growth.
2
夏三月，此謂蕃秀。天地氣交，萬物華實。夜臥早起，無厭於日，使志無怒，使華英成秀，使氣得泄，若所愛在外，此夏氣之應，養長之道也。逆之則傷心，秋為痎瘧，奉收者少，冬至重病。
夏三月，此谓蕃秀。天地气交，万物华实。夜卧早起，无厌于日，使志无怒，使华英成秀，使气得泄，若所爱在外，此夏气之应，养长之道也。逆之则伤心，秋为痎疟，奉收者少，冬至重病。
xià sān yuè, cǐ wèi fán xiù. tiān dì qì jiāo, wàn wù huá shí. yè wò zǎo qǐ, wú yàn yú rì, shǐ zhì wú nù, shǐ huá yīng chéng xiù, shǐ qì dé xiè, ruò suǒ ài zài wài, cǐ xià qì zhī yìng, yǎng zhǎng zhī dào yě. nì zhī zé shāng xīn, qiū wéi jiē nüè, fèng shōu zhě shǎo, dōng zhì zhòng bìng.
In the three months of summer this is called luxuriant flowering (蕃秀). The qi of heaven and earth intermingle; the myriad things flower and set fruit. Retire at night and rise early; do not weary of the sun; keep the will free of anger; let the flowering come to fullness; let the qi obtain release, as though what one loved were outside oneself. This answers to the qi of summer; it is the way of nurturing growth. To go against it harms the heart, and in autumn one has periodic agues — there is little left to serve harvest, and at the winter solstice, grave illness.
3
秋三月，此謂容平。天氣以急，地氣以明。早臥早起，與雞俱興，使志安寧，以緩秋刑，收斂神氣，使秋氣平，無外其志，使肺氣清，此秋氣之應，養收之道也。逆之則傷肺，冬為飱泄，奉藏者少。
秋三月，此谓容平。天气以急，地气以明。早卧早起，与鸡俱兴，使志安宁，以缓秋刑，收敛神气，使秋气平，无外其志，使肺气清，此秋气之应，养收之道也。逆之则伤肺，冬为飧泄，奉藏者少。
qiū sān yuè, cǐ wèi róng píng. tiān qì yǐ jí, dì qì yǐ míng. zǎo wò zǎo qǐ, yǔ jī jù xīng, shǐ zhì ān níng, yǐ huǎn qiū xíng, shōu liǎn shén qì, shǐ qiū qì píng, wú wài qí zhì, shǐ fèi qì qīng, cǐ qiū qì zhī yìng, yǎng shōu zhī dào yě. nì zhī zé shāng fèi, dōng wéi sūn xiè, fèng cáng zhě shǎo.
In the three months of autumn this is called holding and levelling (容平). The qi of heaven turns sharp, the qi of earth turns clear. Retire early and rise early, rising with the chickens; let the will be at peace and settled, to soften autumn’s execution; gather in the spirit-qi, that the autumn qi may be level; let not the will go outward, that the lung qi may be clear. This answers to the qi of autumn; it is the way of nurturing harvest. To go against it harms the lung, and in winter one has unformed diarrhea — there is little left to serve storage.
4
冬三月，此謂閉藏。水冰地坼，無擾乎陽。早臥晚起，必待日光，使志若伏若匿，若有私意，若已有得，去寒就溫，無泄皮膚，使氣亟奪，此冬氣之應，養藏之道也。逆之則傷腎，春為痿厥，奉生者少。
冬三月，此谓闭藏。水冰地坼，无扰乎阳。早卧晚起，必待日光，使志若伏若匿，若有私意，若已有得，去寒就温，无泄皮肤，使气亟夺，此冬气之应，养藏之道也。逆之则伤肾，春为痿厥，奉生者少。
dōng sān yuè, cǐ wèi bì cáng. shuǐ bīng dì chè, wú rǎo hū yáng. zǎo wò wǎn qǐ, bì dài rì guāng, shǐ zhì ruò fú ruò nì, ruò yǒu sī yì, ruò yǐ yǒu dé, qù hán jiù wēn, wú xiè pí fū, shǐ qì jí duó, cǐ dōng qì zhī yìng, yǎng cáng zhī dào yě. nì zhī zé shāng shèn, chūn wéi wěi jué, fèng shēng zhě shǎo.
In the three months of winter this is called closing and storing (閉藏). The water freezes and the earth cracks; do not disturb the yang. Retire early and rise late, waiting always for the sunlight; let the will be as though crouching, as though concealed, as though holding a private intent, as though having already gained something. Leave the cold and go toward warmth; let not the skin discharge, lest the qi be snatched away again and again. This answers to the qi of winter; it is the way of nurturing storage. To go against it harms the kidney, and in spring one has withering and reversal — there is little left to serve birth.
5
天氣，清淨光明者也，藏德不止，故不下也。天明則日月不明，邪害空竅，陽氣者閉塞，地氣者冒明，雲霧不精，則上應白露不下。交通不表，萬物命故不施，不施則名木多死。惡氣不發，風雨不節，白露不下，則菀稾不榮。賊風數至，暴雨數起，天地四時不相保，與道相失，則未央絕滅。唯聖人從之，故身無奇病，萬物不失，生氣不竭。
天气，清净光明者也，藏德不止，故不下也。天明则日月不明，邪害空窍，阳气者闭塞，地气者冒明，云雾不精，则上应白露不下。交通不表，万物命故不施，不施则名木多死。恶气不发，风雨不节，白露不下，则菀槁不荣。贼风数至，暴雨数起，天地四时不相保，与道相失，则未央绝灭。唯圣人从之，故身无奇病，万物不失，生气不竭。
tiān qì, qīng jìng guāng míng zhě yě, cáng dé bù zhǐ, gù bù xià yě. tiān míng zé rì yuè bù míng, xié hài kōng qiào, yáng qì zhě bì sè, dì qì zhě mào míng, yún wù bù jīng, zé shàng yìng bái lù bù xià. jiāo tōng bù biǎo, wàn wù mìng gù bù shī, bù shī zé míng mù duō sǐ. è qì bù fā, fēng yǔ bù jié, bái lù bù xià, zé wǎn gǎo bù róng. zéi fēng shuò zhì, bào yǔ shuò qǐ, tiān dì sì shí bù xiāng bǎo, yǔ dào xiāng shī, zé wèi yāng jué miè. wéi shèng rén cóng zhī, gù shēn wú qí bìng, wàn wù bù shī, shēng qì bù jié.
The qi of heaven is pure, still and luminous; its stored virtue never ceases, and therefore it does not come down. Were heaven itself to shine, sun and moon would give no light, and what is deviant would harm the hollow openings. The yang qi is blocked and shut in; the qi of earth covers over the light. When cloud and mist are not distilled, the white dew that answers from above does not fall. When the two do not communicate and make manifest, the mandate of the myriad things is not bestowed; not bestowed, even the great trees die in number. If the bad qi does not disperse, if wind and rain keep no measure, if the white dew does not fall, then the rank growth withers and does not flourish. Thieving winds arrive again and again, violent rains rise again and again; heaven, earth and the four seasons no longer guarantee one another, and lose the Way — then things are cut off before their middle. Only the sage follows it, and therefore his person has no strange illness; the myriad things are not lost; the qi of life is not spent.
6
逆春氣，則少陽不生，肝氣內變。逆夏氣，則太陽不長，心氣內洞。逆秋氣，則太陰不收，肺氣焦滿。逆冬氣，則少陰不藏，腎氣獨沈。
逆春气，则少阳不生，肝气内变。逆夏气，则太阳不长，心气内洞。逆秋气，则太阴不收，肺气焦满。逆冬气，则少阴不藏，肾气独沉。
nì chūn qì, zé shào yáng bù shēng, gān qì nèi biàn. nì xià qì, zé tài yáng bù zhǎng, xīn qì nèi dòng. nì qiū qì, zé tài yīn bù shōu, fèi qì jiāo mǎn. nì dōng qì, zé shào yīn bù cáng, shèn qì dú chén.
Going against the qi of spring, lesser yang does not generate and the liver qi changes within. Going against the qi of summer, greater yang does not grow and the heart qi is hollow within. Going against the qi of autumn, greater yin does not gather in and the lung qi is scorched and full. Going against the qi of winter, lesser yin does not store and the kidney qi sinks alone.
7
夫四時陰陽者，萬物之根本也。所以聖人春夏養陽，秋冬養陰，以從其根，故與萬物沈浮於生長之門。逆其根，則伐其本，壞其真矣。
夫四时阴阳者，万物之根本也。所以圣人春夏养阳，秋冬养阴，以从其根，故与万物沉浮于生长之门。逆其根，则伐其本，坏其真矣。
fú sì shí yīn yáng zhě, wàn wù zhī gēn běn yě. suǒ yǐ shèng rén chūn xià yǎng yáng, qiū dōng yǎng yīn, yǐ cóng qí gēn, gù yǔ wàn wù chén fú yú shēng zhǎng zhī mén. nì qí gēn, zé fá qí běn, huài qí zhēn yǐ.
Now the yin and yang of the four seasons is the root and trunk of the myriad things. Therefore the sage nourishes yang in spring and summer and nourishes yin in autumn and winter, following thereby the root — and so he sinks and floats with the myriad things at the gate of growth. To go against the root is to fell the trunk and ruin the true.
8
故陰陽四時者，萬物之終始也，死生之本也，逆之則災害生，從之則苛疾不起，是謂得道。道者，聖人行之，愚者佩之。從陰陽則生，逆之則死，從之則治，逆之則亂。反順為逆，是謂內格。
故阴阳四时者，万物之终始也，死生之本也，逆之则灾害生，从之则苛疾不起，是谓得道。道者，圣人行之，愚者佩之。从阴阳则生，逆之则死，从之则治，逆之则乱。反顺为逆，是谓内格。
gù yīn yáng sì shí zhě, wàn wù zhī zhōng shǐ yě, sǐ shēng zhī běn yě, nì zhī zé zāi hài shēng, cóng zhī zé kē jí bù qǐ, shì wèi dé dào. dào zhě, shèng rén xíng zhī, yú zhě pèi zhī. cóng yīn yáng zé shēng, nì zhī zé sǐ, cóng zhī zé zhì, nì zhī zé luàn. fǎn shùn wéi nì, shì wèi nèi gé.
Thus the yin and yang of the four seasons is the ending and beginning of the myriad things, the root of death and of life. To go against it, calamity and harm arise; to follow it, even grievous illness does not arise. This is called getting the Way. As for the Way: the sage puts it into practice; the fool wears it as a pendant. Following yin and yang, one lives; going against it, one dies. Follow it and there is order; go against it and there is disorder. To turn compliance into opposition is called inner obstruction.
9
是故聖人不治已病，治未病，不治已亂，治未亂，此之謂也。夫病已成而後藥之，亂已成而後治之，譬猶渴而穿井，鬭而鑄錐，不亦晚乎。
是故圣人不治已病，治未病，不治已乱，治未乱，此之谓也。夫病已成而后药之，乱已成而后治之，譬犹渴而穿井，斗而铸锥，不亦晚乎。
shì gù shèng rén bù zhì yǐ bìng, zhì wèi bìng, bù zhì yǐ luàn, zhì wèi luàn, cǐ zhī wèi yě. fú bìng yǐ chéng ér hòu yào zhī, luàn yǐ chéng ér hòu zhì zhī, pì yóu kě ér chuān jǐng, dòu ér zhù zhuī, bù yì wǎn hū.
Therefore the sage does not treat those already ill — he treats illness before it is there; he does not govern disorder already broken out — he governs it before it comes. This is what that means. For once the illness has formed and only then to dose it, once disorder has formed and only then to govern it, is like digging a well when one is already thirsty, or casting a spear when the fighting has begun — is that not too late?