04道德经英译本85种-第13节

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　　They　act　decently；　but　they　are　not　decent
　　Civilization　is　just　a　thin　crust　across　unfaithfulness　and　dishonesty
　　It　is　also　the　source　of　disorder　and　chaos
　　A　wise　man　never　hides　behind　a　mask
　　He　trusts　what抯　inside　of　him；　not　in　appearances
　　Therefore　he　rejects　appearance　and　embraces　the　essence

　　39

　　About　the　men　of　old　that　had　reached　perfection
　　We　know　that　they　felt　one　with　the　whole　creation
　　That　they　saw　the　earth　not　as　chaos　but　as　a　unity
　　That　they　felt　like　gods　and　spiritual　beings
　　That　emptiness　was　no　longer　empty；　but　filled
　　And　they　saw　that　the　whole　creation　was　inspired
　　Thanks　to　their　wholeness　the　world　returned　to　its　original　order
　　For　one　who　doesn抰　see　clearly；　the　creation　is　splintered
　　For　one　who　places　oneself　outside　nature；　the　earth　is　chaos
　　One　who　doesn抰　experience　oneself　as　divine　anymore；　feels　powerless
　　One　who　does　not　experience　one's　perfection　anymore；　feels　empty
　　People　who　deny　their　true　nature；　go　to　rack　and　ruin
　　Therefore　they　say：
　　Humility　is　the　source　of　truthfulness
　　Smallness　the　source　of　grandeur
　　One　who　feels　elevated　over　ones　fellow　men
　　Isn抰　right；　is　unworthy　and　small
　　After　all；　they　climbed　up　high　over　other　people抯　backs
　　Therefore　their　richness　is　poverty
　　And　their　gold　just　tinsel

　　40

　　One　who　deviates　from　the　right　and　simple　road
　　Will　be　pulled　towards　it　again
　　This　occurs　with　a　mild　touch
　　The　whole　creation　comes　into　existence
　　The　existing　out　of　the　unnameable　unexisting

　　41

　　When　the　most　sincere　hear　about　the　road　to　self…knowledge；
　　They　will　devote　themselves　to　bringing　it　into　practice
　　When　the　fairly　sincere　hear　about　the　road　to　self…knowledge
　　They　will　only　get　out　of　it　what　suits　their　purposes
　　When　the　hardened　hear　about　the　road　to　self…knowledge
　　They　will　roar　with　laughter
　　If　they　didn抰　roar；　it　would　not　be　true
　　Therefore　there　are　some　aphorisms　to　it：
　　The　road　to　light　appears　to　be　dark
　　Going　forward　sometimes　feels　like　going　back
　　The　way　to　the　simple　road　is　a　hard　way　to　take
　　But　also：
　　The　greatest　personality　turns　out　to　be　vain
　　The　purest　white　turns　out　to　be　grey
　　The　most　righteous　proves　to　be　unfair
　　Kindness　seems　but　a　thin　layer
　　With　the　truth　one　can　go　in　all　directions
　　Like　a　square　circle
　　Like　an　inexhaustible　barrel
　　Like　singing　without　words
　　Like　a　sculpture　with　no　shadow
　　In　that　way　the　road　is　hidden　and　not　captured　in　words
　　Only　the　road　to　self…knowledge　has　a　beginning　and　an　end

　　42

　　The　unspeakable　gives　birth　to　one
　　One　to　a　second
　　And　out　of　the　second　arises　the　third
　　The　third　brings　the　whole　creation　to　life
　　Everything　is　carried　by　the　dark　and　comes　to　light
　　The　breath　of　Emptiness　creates　order
　　People　hate　to　be　alone；　unimportant　and　useless
　　And　yet　that　is　what　a　true　man　takes　pleasure　in
　　One　who　becomes　smaller；　becomes　bigger
　　One　who　becomes　bigger；　becomes　smaller
　　I　only　tell　what　everybody　already　knows：
　　One　who　lives　in　a　complicated　way；　dies　in　a　complicated　way
　　That　is　what　it抯　all　about

　　43

　　The　softest　is　stronger　than　the　very　hardest
　　That　which　makes　everything　be　what　it　is；　penetrates　everything
　　Therefore　I　know　that　it抯　wise　to　leave　and　not　do　anything
　　That　one　doesn抰　need　lessons　for　it
　　That　of　all　doings；　leaving　is　where　true　happiness　lies
　　In　this　world　only　a　few　understand　this

　　44

　　What　comes　first；　life　or　status？
　　What抯　more　important　to　you；　yourself　or　your　possessions？
　　What抯　worse；　having　or　losing？
　　One　who　wants　a　lot　pays　a　high　price
　　One　who　has　a　lot；　has　a　lot　to　lose
　　But　one　who　is　satisfied　knows　neither　fear　nor　disgrace
　　And　one　who　has　stopped　playing　a　part　in　the　game　will　never　be　afraid　again　and　will　live　happily　ever　after

　　45

　　Perfection　seems　unfinished　to　this　world
　　But　it　never　perishes
　　Fullness　is　empty　to　the　world
　　But　it抯　inexhaustible
　　That　which　is　correct；　is　incorrect　to　the　world
　　Wisdom　seems　foolish　to　the　world
　　Telling　the　truth　a　disgrace
　　Like　movement　chases　away　coldness
　　And　rest　cools　down
　　Purity　and　calmness　show　one　the　right　direction

　　46

　　If　men　lived　by　their　nature
　　Horses　would　gallop　in　the　open　air
　　But　since　men　got　civilized
　　Battle　horses　standing　at　the　frontier
　　There　is　no　bigger　curse　than　dissatisfaction
　　Nothing　more　disastrous　than　being　discontent　with　life
　　Nothing　more　fatal　than　being　eager　for　possessions
　　One　who　knows　the　peace　of　satisfaction；　is　always　satisfied

　　47

　　Without　leaving　my　house；　I　understand　the　whole　world
　　Without　looking　outside；　I　see　the　perfect　order
　　The　more　you　know；　the　less　you抣l　understand
　　One　who　is　wise　doesn抰　need　to　travel
　　He　understands　without　looking
　　Does　nothing　but　achieves　everything

　　48

　　Gathering　knowledge　makes　life　more　complicated　each　time　one　gathers
　　Gathering　wisdom　makes　life　easier　each　time　one　gathers
　　Each　time；　more　and　more　simple　until　simplicity　is　reached
　　Just　by　leaving；　one　man　can　achieve　everything
　　One　who　wants　nothing　anymore；　doesn抰　feel　the　need　to　do　a　thing；　has　conquered　oneself
　　One　who　wants　a　lot　has　to　do　a　lot　and　is　as　a　slave　to　oneself

　　49

　　A　wise　man　has　no　opinion　at　all
　　Therefore　he　can　easily　put　himself　in　someone　else抯　position
　　He　accepts　everybody　and　everything　for　what　it　is
　　In　spite　of　any　behaviour
　　He　trusts　the　honest　and　the　unfair
　　And　naturally　they　become　fair…minded
　　He　trusts　the　reliable　and　the　unreliable
　　And　naturally　all　will　become　reliable
　　A　wise　man　feels　one　with　all　people
　　They　are　all　just　as　precious　to　him
　　They　look　and　listen　to　him
　　And　all　are　as　children　to　him

　　50

　　Humans　come　and　go
　　Their　bodies　as　the　seat　of　life
　　Their　bodies　as　the　seat　of　death
　　Humans　get　old　and　decay
　　Why　is　that？
　　It抯　because　they　are　already　dead；　but　think　that　they抮e　living
　　There　have　been　stories　told　and　written　about　people　who　had　found　true　life
　　And　wandered　around　the　earth　
　　Not　afraid　of　tigers　or　rhinos
　　Those　who　avoided　weapons　and　violence
　　And　lived　in　harmony　with　all　creatures
　　Therefore　no　creature　felt　threatened　by　them
　　And　no　weapon　could　harm　them
　　Why　is　that？
　　Because　they　were　only　living
　　And　that's　where　there　is　no　room　for　death

　　51

　　The　Unspeakable　makes　all　things　appear
　　The　active　force　determines　their　nature
　　Their　nature　determines　their　shape
　　The　circumstance　determines　their　final　appearance
　　Therefore　all　creatures；
　　With　the　exception　of　erring　mankind；　honour　the　Unspeakable
　　And　live　according　to　their　natures
　　This　is　all　a　natural　process
　　And　nobody　rewards　them　for　it
　　The　Unspeakable　makes　them　live；　feeds　them；　makes　them　grow
　　Fulfils　them；　gives　them　peace；　supports　and　guards　them
　　It　makes　them　live；　but　never　forces　them
　　It　takes　them　along　the　stream　of　life；　but　does　not　possess
　　It　makes　mature；　but　does　not　control
　　That　is　an　unfathomable　mystery

　　52

　　The　world　sprouts　from　something
　　People　could　call　it　the　mother　of　the　world
　　When　one　knows　that　mother；　one　knows　her　child
　　One　who　becomes　like　that　child　again；　will　know　the　mother
　　And　for　the　rest　of　his　life　nothing　can　harm　him　ever　again
　　He　won抰　criticize　anyone　and　lets　no　one　influence　him
　　And　his　life　will　be　without　worries
　　But　one　who　condemns　others　and　whose　interests　concern　only　himself
　　Will　be　full　of　worries　the　rest　of　his　life
　　One　that　sees　a　gleam　of　light　in　darkness　sees　the　light　at　the　end　of　the　tunnel
　　Holding　on　to　that　gleam　of　light　requires　strength
　　One　who　follows　that　light；　turns　back　to　the　original　light
　　Then　all　danger　is　gone
　　And　you抣l　live　the　eternal　life

　　53

　　When　I　possess　True　Knowledge
　　I　will　stroll　on　the　right　and　simple　road
　　I　will　avoid　side　paths
　　Because　the　straight　road　is　easy　to　walk
　　But　most　people　love　the　narrow　side　paths
　　The　residences　of　the　rich　are　neat　and　clean
　　But　the　fields　of　the　poor　are　filled　with　weeds
　　And　their　granaries　are　empty
　　The　elite　wear　generously…decorated　and　expensive　clothes
　　Sharp　swords　hang　on　their　waists
　　They　stuff　and　they　swill
　　They　lose　themselves　in　possession　and　wealth
　　They　flaunt　their　stolen　gear
　　Now；　isn抰　that　conscienceless？

　　54

　　One　who　is　rooted　in　this　unfair　world；
　　Won抰　be　easy　to　unsettle
　　One　who　holds　on　to　that　world；　can抰　let　go
　　Therefore　their　children　will　suffer　until　the　third　and　fourth　generation
　　But　one　who　follows　his　conscience
　　Will　lead　an　impeccable　life
　　One　who　takes　care　that　his　fellow　men　follo