Individual symbols are interpreted only when they either don’t make as much sense literally, or the resulting sentence would be awkward in English. In some cases, if a symbol means two English words that both seem to fit equally well, they are combined into one phrase, such as “heart/mind” for 心 (see the next section), or 玄 which can mean “mystery”, “profound”, “deep”, or “dark”, and is consistently translated as “deep and mysterious” or “deep mystery”, depending on the context. The above goals hopefully help minimize, but cannot eliminate, translator bias. The problem is that each Chinese symbol still has several meanings, and the translator must pick just one for each symbol (step 3) to create an English sentence that makes sense (step 4). It is impossible to avoid translator bias here because the translator must choose what makes sense or feels right to them, in both word meanings and overall grammar. For example, there is a line in chapter 58 : 禍 兮 福 之 所 倚 where 兮 can mean “good fortune” or “happiness” and 禍 can mean “misfortune” or “disaster”, but by reflection with 兮 could also be interpreted as “unhappiness”. 倚 can mean “lean on”, “rely on”, or “depend on”, so all of these are valid translations : Misfortune is that which good fortune leans on. Misfortune is that which good fortune relies on. Misfortune is that which good fortune depends on. Unhappiness is that which happiness leans on. Unhappiness is that which happiness relies on. Unhappiness is that which happiness depends on. Beyond the differences between using “fortune” (less personal : what happens to you) versus “happiness” (more personal : how you feel), there are also subtle differences : saying that one “relies” on the other is different than saying that they mutually support each other (as possibly indicated by the sentence following this one, not shown here). Unlike the previous example, where the different translations for each symbol are more-or-less related, sometimes the choice the translator makes can affect the overall meaning or even the emotional impact of the sentence. In chapter 20, there is a line : 我 獨 若 遺 in which the last symbol can be variously translated into : I alone seem lost. I alone seem to have lost everything. I alone seem to have been left behind. I alone seem to be forgotten. Each of which says a completely different thing. And in chapter 46, there is a line : 罪 莫 大 於 可 欲 where the first symbol can mean any of : “sin”, “crime”, “vice”, or “fault”, so (ignoring options for the other symbols), all of these are valid : There is no sin greater than the capacity for desire. There is no crime greater than the capacity for desire. There is no vice greater than the capacity for desire. There is no fault greater than the capacity for desire.