太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > 04道德经英译本85种 >

第146节

04道德经英译本85种-第146节

小说: 04道德经英译本85种 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



  28

  Whoever is manly and strong; yet gentle of deeds; becomes the streamof the world; remains in steadfast virtue and returns to nature like achild。 Whoever feels in himself the Light and fights Darkness becomes asymbol for the World。 Whoever becomes a symbol for the world; steadfastin virtue; returns to the very substance of Being。 Whoever feels his ownHeight still lives in humility; becomes like a fertile valley。 Whoeverbecomes a valley of the world; is of eternal virtue and returns to thevery substance of Being。 Man is like uncut timber; only intuitive insightbrings about perfection。 The Sage in his virtue is the first in his community。A true ruler has no need of aggression。?br》
  29

  Whoever wishes to rise by conquest will fail。 The true goal in lifeis spiritual and can not be conquered by force。 The aggressor destroysit。 The conqueror loses it。 Mankind is forever in change; Some run ahead;soon they fall back。 Some are powerful; soon they weaken。 Some are fiery;soon they are cold。 Some are victorious; soon defeated。 The Sage is notmoved by earthly ambitions; he avoids self aggrandizement; he avoids selfelevation。?br》
  30

  Whoever advises the ruler in the spirit of Tao will avoid rule by forceof arms: force begets force。 Where armies are arrayed against each other;grow thistle and thorn。 Wars are the parents of hunger and misery。 TheSage wants peace; nothing else; he aspires never for conquest。 He is victoriousin restraint; victorious with arrogance; victorious without presumption;victorious without demonstration and offense。 Whoever seeks military adventureswill perish in them。 Such is the fate of rapaciousness。 Such is the fateof materialism。?br》
  31

  Victorious in restraint; victorious with arrogance; victorious withoutpresumption; victorious without demonstration and offense。 Whoever seeksmilitary adventures will perish in them。 Such is the fate of rapaciousness。Now arms; however beautiful; are instruments of evil omen; hateful; itmay be said; to all creatures。 Therefore they who have the Tao do not liketo employ them。 The superior man ordinarily considers the left hand themost honourable place; but in time of war the right hand。 Those sharp weaponsare instruments of evil omen; and not the instruments of the superior man;…heuses them only on the compulsion of necessity。 Calm and repose are whathe prizes; victory (by force of arms) is to him undesirable。 To considerthis desirable would be to delight in the slaughter of men; and he whodelights in the slaughter of men cannot get his will in the kingdom。 Onoccasions of festivity to be on the left hand is the prized position; onoccasions of mourning; the right hand。 The second in command of the armyhas his place on the left; the general commanding in chief has his on theright;…his place; that is; is assigned to him as in the rites of mourning。He who has killed multitudes of men should weep for them with the bitterestgrief; and the victor in battle has his place (rightly) according to thoserites。?br》
  32

  The Tao; considered as unchanging; has no name。 Though in its primordialsimplicity it may be small; the whole world dares not deal with (one embodying)it as a minister。 If a feudal prince or the king could guard and hold it;all would spontaneously submit themselves to him。 Heaven and Earth (underits guidance) unite together and send down the sweet dew; which; withoutthe directions of men; reaches equally everywhere as of its own accord。As soon as it proceeds to action; it has a name。 When it once has thatname; (men) can know to rest in it。 When they know to rest in it; theycan be free from all risk of failure and error。 The relation of the Taoto all the world is like that of the great rivers and seas to the streamsfrom the valleys。?br》
  33

  He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent。He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty。He who is satisfied with his lot is rich; he who goes on acting with energyhas a (firm) will。
  He who does not fail in the requirements of his position; continueslong; he who dies and yet does not perish; has longevity。?br》
  34

  All…pervading is the Great Tao! It may be found on the left hand andon the right。 All things depend on it for their production; which it givesto them; not one refusing obedience to it。 When it gives to them; not onerefusing obedience to it。 When its work is accomplished; it does not claimthe name of having done it。 It clothes all things as with a garment; andmakes no assumption of being their lord;…it may be named in the smallestthings。 All things return (to their root and disappear); and do not knowthat it is it which presides over their doing so;…it may be named in thegreatest things。 Hence the sage is able (in the same way) to accomplishhis great achievements。 It is through his not making himself great thathe can accomplish them。?br》
  35

  To him who holds in his hands the Great Image (of the invisible Tao);the whole world repairs。 Men resort to him; and receive no hurt; but (find)rest; peace; and the feeling of ease。
  Music and dainties will make the passing guest stop (for a time)。
  But though the Tao as it comes from the mouth; seems insipid and hasno flavour; though it seems not worth being looked at or listened to; theuse of it is inexhaustible。?br》
  36

  When one is about to take an inspiration; he is sure to make a (previous)expiration; when he is going to weaken another; he will first strengthenhim; when he is going to overthrow another; he will first have raised himup; when he is going to despoil another; he will first have made giftsto him:…this is called 'hiding the light (of his procedure)。' The softovercomes the hard; and the weak the strong。 Fishes should not be takenfrom the deep; instruments for the profit of a state should not be shownto the people。

  37

  The tao in its regular course does nothing (for the sake of doing it); and so there is nothing which it does not do。 If princes and kings were able to maintain it; all things would of themselves be transformed by them。 If this transformation became to me an object of desire; I would express the desire by the nameless simplicity。

  Simplicity without a name。 Is free from all external aim。 With no desire; at rest and still; All things go right as of their will。

  38

  (Those who) possessed in highest degree the attributes (of the Tao)did not (seek) to show them; and therefore they possessed them (in fullestmeasure)。 (Those who) possessed in a lower degree those attributes (soughthow) not to lose them; and therefore they did not possess them (in fullestmeasure)。 (Those who) possessed in the highest degree those attributesdid nothing (with a purpose); and had no need to do anything。 (Those who)possessed them in a lower degree were (always) doing; and had need to beso doing。 (Those who) possessed the highest benevolence were (always seeking)to carry it out; and had no need to be doing so。 (Those who) possessedthe highest righteousness were (always seeking) to carry it out; and hadneed to be so doing。 (Those who) possessed the highest (sense of) proprietywere (always seeking) to carry it out; and had need to be so doing。 (Thosewho) possessed the highest (sense of) propriety were (always seeking) toshow it; and when men did not respond to it; they bared the arm and marchedup to them。 Thus it was that when the Tao was lost; its attributes appeared;when its attributes were lost; benevolence appeared; when benevolence waslost; the proprieties appeared。 Now propriety is the attenuated form ofleal…heartedness and good faith; and is also the commencement of disorder;swift apprehension is (only) a flower of the Tao; and is the beginningof stupidity。 Thus it is that the Great man abides by what is solid andeschews what is flimsy; dwells with the fruit and not with the flower。It is thus that he puts away the one and makes choice of the other。

  '*Note: 'leal…heartedness' = loyal…heartedness。'?br》
  39

  The things which from of old have got the One (the Tao) are
  Heaven which by it is bright and pure; Earth rendered thereby firmand sure; Spirits with powers by it supplied; Valleys kept full throughtheir void; All creatures which through it do live; Princes and kings whofrom it get The model which to all they give。
  All these are the results of the one (Tao)。
  If heaven were not thus pure; it soon would rend; If earth were notthus sure; 'twould break and bend; Without these powers; the spirits soonwould fail; If not so filled; the drought would parch each vale; Withoutthat life; creatures would pass away; Princes and kings; without that moralsway; However grand and high; would all decay。
  Thus it is that dignity finds its (firm) root in its (previous) meanness;and what is lofty finds its stability in the lowness (from which it rises)。Hence princes and kings call themselves 'Orphans;' 'Men of small virtue;'and as 'Carriages without a nave。' Is not this an acknowledgment that intheir considering themselves mean they see the foundation of their dignity?So it is that in the enumeration of the different parts of a carriage wedo not come on hat makes it answer the ends of a carriage。 T

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 1 2

你可能喜欢的