04道德经英译本85种-第11节

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　　He　won抰　fight
　　And　therefore　he　is　impeccable

　　9

　　It　is　better　to　carry　an　empty　barrel　than　a　full　one
　　Sharpen　a　knife　until　it　is　razor…sharp　and　it　won抰　last　long
　　When　a　house　is　filled　with　valuables；　it　is　impossible　to　guard
　　When　wealth　and　ambition　make　one　arrogant；　it　will　lead　to　a　fall
　　When　fame　and　success　menace　you；　pull　back
　　That抯　the　only　road　to　true　bliss

　　10

　　Can　you　empty　your　head　and　lastingly　lose　yourself　in　Creation？
　　Can　you　live　up　to　your　nature　and　become　like　a　child？
　　Can　you　purify　the　doors　of　perception　and　see　clearly　again？
　　Can　you　love　your　fellow　man　and　serve　mankind　disinterestedly？
　　Can　you　go　in　and　out　of　the　narrow　gate　without　any　effort？
　　Can　you　be　in　the　world　without　being　possessed　by　it？
　　Can　you　realize　that　you　can抰　know　anything　and　therefore　understand　everything？
　　Nature　brings　forth　everything　and　feeds　everything
　　She　brings　forth　but　possesses　nothing
　　She　does　everything　disinterestedly　and　asks　for　nothing
　　She　leads　but　demands　nothing
　　That　is　what　people　call　the　incomprehensibility　of　Nature

　　11

　　Thirty　spokes　unite　within　the　nave
　　But　the　wheel　is　only　useful　because　of　the　cavity　inside　the　nave
　　Clay　is　kneaded　into　vases
　　But　the　utility　is　determined　by　the　cavity
　　When　building　a　house　they　leave　blank　spots　in　the　walls　for　doors　and　windows
　　But　the　utility　of　the　house　depends　on　the　cavity　inside
　　Therefore；　that　which　exists　is　useful
　　But　the　cavity　makes　it　possible

　　12

　　All　those　artificial　colours　blind　people抯　eyes
　　All　that　man…made　music　deafens　people's　ears
　　All　those　various　flavours　dull　our　taste
　　Horse　races　and　hunting　drive　people　crazy
　　The　desire　for　scarce　goods
　　Hinders　people　from　going　on　the　straight　and　simple　path
　　Therefore　the　wise　finds　his　satisfaction
　　In　feeding　himself　and　then　he　won抰　exhaust　his　eyes
　　Therefore　he　does　this　and　leaves　that

　　13

　　Watch　out　for　gratitude　and　criticism
　　Honour　and　misfortune　are　as　disastrous　as　having　character
　　What　does　that　say？
　　Watch　out　for　gratitude　and　criticism？
　　Watch　out　for　gratitude；　because　it　originates　from　submission
　　Watch　out　for　criticism；　because　it　comes　from　superior　power
　　Therefore；　watch　out　for　gratitude　and　criticism
　　What　does　it　mean　that　honour　and　misfortune　are　as　bad　as　having　character？
　　Disasters　come　over　us　because　we抳e　got　something　to　lose
　　If　we　had　nothing　to　lose；　which　disasters　could　still　strike　us？
　　Therefore：　to　him　who　considers　himself　just　as　worthy　as　the　world；
　　Mankind　can　entrust　the　world
　　And　to　him　who　loves　himself　and　the　world　just　as　unconditionally；
　　Mankind　can　entrust　the　care　for　the　world

　　14

　　We　look　at　it　but　we　do　not　see　it　and　we　call　it　the　invisible
　　We　listen　to　it　but　don抰　hear　it　and　we　call　it　the　inaudible
　　We　grope　at　it　but　never　touch　it　and　we　call　it　the　untouchable
　　The　invisible；　the　inaudible　and　the　untouchable　come　together　in　one
　　There　is　no　light　when　it　rises
　　There　is　no　darkness　when　it　descends
　　Continuously；　constantly；　but　it　cannot　be　put　into　words
　　And　it　returns　to　nothing
　　This　is　what　they　call　the　form　of　the　formless；　the　image　of　the　invisible
　　People　call　it　indefinite　and　impalpable
　　You　won抰　see　it　from　the　front
　　You　won抰　see　it　from　behind
　　One　who　lives　after　their　original　conscience；　lives　in　the　present
　　And　understands　everything　that　has　ever　been
　　That　is　living　according　to　nature

　　15

　　The　wise　of　old　were　profound　and　acute
　　People　thought　of　them　as　unfathomable　
　　Because　they　where　unfathomable；　I抣l　try　to　sketch　their　way　of　living：
　　They　seemed　cautious；　like　people　who　cross　a　wintry　river
　　They　seemed　irresolute；　as　if　danger　was　threatening　everywhere
　　They　seemed　dignified；　as　if　they　where　guests
　　They　seemed　natural；　like　raw　wood
　　They　seemed　empty；　like　a　valley
　　They　seemed　opaque；　like　muddy　water　
　　How　can　one　make　muddy　water　clear？
　　Stagnation　will　settle　the　mud　down　and　the　water　will　become　clear
　　Let　everything　happen　as　it　happens　and　you　will　come　to　rest
　　The　head　of　the　wise　is　empty；　he　does　not　search　for　anything　and　expects　nothing
　　He　is　empty；　everlasting；　youthful　and　not　caught　in　time
　　He　is　perfect

　　16

　　One　who　has　an　empty　head　is　satisfied；　One　who　is　satisfied　has　an　empty　head
　　All　creatures　exert　and　come　to　rest
　　All　plants　grow　to　maturity　and　come　to　rest
　　That　final　rest　is　what抯　called　being　done；　completion
　　Returning　to　nature　is　what抯　called　eternal　life
　　Living　in　the　present　is　called　being　enlightened　
　　One　who　is　not　enlightened　lives　in　confusion　and　misery
　　One　who　lives　according　to　his　nature　understands　everything　and　is　forbearing
　　One　who　is　forbearing　is　righteous
　　One　who　is　righteous　is　royal
　　One　who　is　royal　is　divine
　　One　who　is　divine　knows　oneself
　　One　who　knows　oneself　has　eternal　life
　　One　who　has　eternal　life　is　not　afraid　to　die

　　17

　　Of　the　wise　of　old；　people　only　knew　that　they　existed
　　Later　on　they　loved　them　and　admired　them
　　Thereafter　they　got　scared　of　them
　　And　finally　the　wise　were　seen　as　despicable
　　One　who　can抰　trust　oneself；　can抰　trust　another
　　How　cautious　were　the　first　with　their　words
　　They　proceeded　so　cautiously　that　when　they　where　done
　　The　people　thought　they　did　it　themselves

　　18

　　When　people　deviate　from　their　nature
　　Friendliness　and　righteousness　became　merits　to　be　earned
　　Knowledge　and　cleverness　came　into　being　and　lying　started　to　rule
　　Relatives　came　into　conflict　with　each　other　and　loving　each　other　became　a　duty
　　Cause　when　mankind　and　families　get　confused
　　Allegiance　becomes　an　order

　　19

　　Dispose　yourself　of　worldly　knowledge　and　cleverness
　　And　it　will　only　be　good　for　mankind
　　Stop　pretending　to　be　nice　and　fair；　but　be　it
　　Then　people　will　love　each　other　unconditionally
　　Dispose　yourself　of　the　work　of　your　hands　and　stop　serving　your　self…interest
　　And　there　will　be　no　thieves　or　robbers　anymore
　　But　these　three　things　won抰　be　enough
　　What　it抯　really　about　is　turning　back　to　simplicity
　　Giving　up　your　selfishness　and　not　wishing　for　anything

　　20

　　When　you　unlearn　what　you　have　learned；　you　will　be　free　from　worries
　　We抳e　learned　that　there　is　but　little　difference　between　yes　and　yes　；　but
　　That　there　is　a　big　difference　between　good　and　evil
　　That　we　have　to　be　scared　of　what　others　are　scared　of
　　What　an　endless　pack　of　bullshit
　　Everybody　is　restless　and　excited　like　they　are　watching　a　soccer　game
　　Only　I　am　at　rest　and　unwound　and　I　don抰　have　to　do　those　things　and　like　a　child；　I　want　nothing
　　I'm　not　attached　to　anything　and　don抰　have　to　go　anywhere　in　particular
　　The　others　already　have　so　much　and　still　they　want　more
　　Only　I　seem　to　have　lost　everything
　　They　think　I抦　crazy　and　confused
　　People　seem　to　be　bright　and　clever
　　And　think　that　I　am　naive　and　foolish
　　It　looks　like　I　blow　with　the　wind　and　don抰　seem　to　find　rest　anywhere
　　The　others　seem　to　know　so　much
　　And　in　their　eyes　I　am　nothing　but　a　boor
　　I　am　only　different　because　I　live　according　to　my　nature

　　21

　　A　righteous　and　blissful　life　is　approachable　only　when　you　follow　your　conscience
　　The　conscience　is　invisible　and　impalpable。　How　can　you　follow　it？
　　It　speaks　through　images；　like　shadows　in　the　dark
　　But　how　faintly　and　obscurely
　　The　conscience　is　hidden　but　it　carries　the　essentials　of　everything　inside
　　The　true　life…force　shelters　itself　inside　conscience
　　Everything　people　know　deeply　inside　is　stowed　within　the　conscience
　　It　has　always　been　there　since　the　beginning；　with　many　different　names
　　The　conscience　separates　truth　from　lie
　　How　do　I　know　all　this？
　　My　conscience　has　told　me　that　it's　so

　　22

　　Dissension　becomes　unity
　　The　impure　becomes　pure
　　The　voids　shall　be　filled
　　The　old　becomes　new
　　One　who　has　nothing；　receives　everything
　　One　who　has　a　lot；　receives　nothing
　　One　who　is　wise　cherishes　simplicity　and　in　this　way　he　is　an　example　to　the　world
　　He　is　modest　and　therefore　he　excels
　　He　doesn抰　have　to　prove　himself　and　that抯　why　people　trust　his　words
　　He　has　nothing　to　defend　and　therefore　he　is　invulnerable
　　So　the　aphorism　of　the　wise　of　old　揟he　imperfect　becomes　perfect？is　true
　　The　perfect　considers　the　world　as　his　home

　　23

　　One　who　knows　oneself　doesn抰　need　a　lot　of　words
　　A　whirlwind　doesn抰　last　all　morning
　　A　shower　doesn抰　last　a　whole　day
　　Where　do　wind　and　rain　come　from？
　　They　sprout　from　nature
　　If　nature　doesn抰　endure　its　rains　and　storms
　　Then　why　should　a　human　being　have　to　talk　so　much？
　　So　the　One　who　follows　his　conscience；　coincides　with　his　conscien