The Tao is hidden in plainness

He who holds the principles of the Great Dao will draw all under heaven to him. When they gather without harming each other, peace and prosperity prevail. Music and delicacies may tempt travelers to pause, yet the Dao, when spoken, seems bland and flavorless. It cannot be seen by the eye, nor heard by the ear, yet its application is inexhaustible.

(This passage comes from Chapter 35 of the Tao Te Ching. By contrasting worldly sensory pleasures with the essence of the Dao, it illustrates how the Dao, though seemingly plain, embodies boundless power. Here, "Great Form" (大象) symbolizes the Dao itself, "music and delicacies" (乐与饵) represent worldly temptations, and "inexhaustible" (不足既) emphasizes the Dao's eternal and limitless nature.)

Key Notes:
1. 大象: Translated as "Great Form" (alternatively "Great Image"), it metaphorically denotes the Dao's fundamental essence.
2. 乐与饵: Rendered as "music and delicacies" to preserve cultural symbolism while clarifying their role as worldly distractions.
3. 不足既: Interpreted as "inexhaustible" to convey the Dao's infinite utility, avoiding literal translations like "insufficient to exhaust."
4. Maintained the paradoxical tone of the original (e.g., "bland yet inexhaustible") to reflect Laozi's philosophical style.
5. Added contextual annotations to bridge cultural and philosophical nuances for English readers.