04道德经英译本85种-第156节

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　　And　most　of　all　would　he　find　himself　in　sympathy　with　the　teacher　of　Nazareth。　At　almost　every　Sonnet；　one　thinks　of　some　corresponding　expression　of　Jesus；　who　had　a　very　similar　conception　of　God；　but　who　recognized　in　Him　that　personal　element　of　Love　which　made　God　not　only　Creative　Principle　but　Heavenly　Father。

　　Laotzu's　vision　of　the　virile　harmony；　goodness；　and　Spirituality　of　the　Tao　was　what　Jesus　saw　as　the　Fatherhood　of　God；　self…expressing　his　love…nature　endlessly　in　all　creative　effort；　and；　through　universal　intuition；　endlessly　drawing　his　creation　back　to　himself　in　grateful　and　humble　affection。　Laotzu　saw　in　a　glass　darkly　what　Jesus　saw　face　to　face　in　all　his　glory；　the　Divine　Tao；　God　as　creative　and　redemptive　Love。

　　As　you　read　these　verses；　forget　the　words　and　phrases；　poor　material　and　poor　workmanship　at　best；　look　through　them　for　the　soul　of　Laotzu。　It　is　there　revealed；　but　so　imperfectly　that　it　is　only　an　apparition　of　a　soul。　But　if　by　it；　vague　as　it　is；　you　come　to　love　Laotzu；　you　will　catch　beyond　him　fleeting　glimpses　of　the　splendid　visions　that　so　possessed　his　soul；　visions　of　Infinite　Goodness；　Humility　and　Beauty　radiating　from　the　Heart　of　creation。

　　DWIGHT　GODDARD。

　　ALL　WE　KNOW　ABOUT　LAOTZU

　　SZE　MA…CH扞EN　（136…85　B。C。）　wrote　that　Laotzu　was　born　of　the　Li　family　of　Ch抲…jen　Village；　Li　County；　Wu　Province；　Ch抲　State。　His　proper　name　was　Err；　his　official　name　was　Poh…yang；　his　posthumous　title　was　Yueh…tan。　He　held　the　position　of　custodian　of　the　secret　archives　of　the　State　of　Cheu。

　　Confucius　went　to　Cheu　to　consult　Laotzu　about　certain　ceremonials；　Laotzu　told　him：　〃The　bones　of　these　sages；　concerning　whom　you　inquire；　have　long　since　decayed；　only　their　teachings　remain。　If　a　superior　man　is　understood　by　his　age；　he　rises　to　honor；　but　not　being　understood；　his　name　is　like　a　vagrant　seed　blown　about　by　the　wind。　I　have　heard　it　said　that　a　good　merchant　conceals　his　treasures；　as　though　his　warehouses　were　empty。　The　sage　of　highest　worth　assumes　a　countenance　and　outward　mien　as　though　he　were　stupid。　Put　aside　your　haughty　airs；　your　many　needs；　affected　robes　and　exaggerated　importance。　These　add　no　real　value　to　your　person。　That　is　my　advice　to　you；　and　it　is　all　I　have　to　offer。〃

　　Confucius　departed　and　when　he　later　described　to　his　students　his　visit　to　Laotzu；　he　said：　〃I　understand　about　the　habits　of　birds；　how　they　can　fly；　how　fish　can　swim；　and　animals　run。　For　the　running　we　can　make　snares；　for　the　swimming　we　can　make　nets；　for　the　flying　we　can　make　arrows。　But　for　the　dragon；　I　cannot　know　how　he　ascends　on　the　winds　and　clouds　to　heaven。　I　have　just　seen　Laotzu。　Can　it　be　said；　he　is　as　difficult　to　understand　as　the　dragon？　He　teaches　the　vitality　of　Tao。　His　doctrine　appears　to　lead　one　to　aspire　after　self…effacement　and　obscurity。〃

　　Laotzu　lived　in　Cheu　for　a　long　time；　he　prophesied　the　decay　of　that　state　and　in　consequence　was　obliged　to　depart；　and　went　to　the　frontier。　The　officer　at　the　border　post　was　Yin…hi；　who　said　to　Laotzu；　〃If　you　are　going　to　leave　us；　will　you　not　write　a　book　by　which　we　may　remember　you？〃　Thereupon　Laotzu　wrote　a　book　of　sonnets　in　two　parts；　comprising　in　all　about　five　thousand　characters。　In　this　book　he　discussed　his　conception　of　the　Vitality　of　the　Tao。　He　left　this　book　with　the　soldier；　and　departed；　no　one　knows　whither。　

　　1

　　The　Tao　that　can　be　understood　cannot　be　the　primal；　or　cosmic；　Tao；　just　as　an　idea　that　can　be　expressed　in　words　cannot　be　the　infinite　idea。

　　And　yet　this　ineffable　Tao　was　the　source　of　all　spirit　and　matter；　and　being　expressed　was　the　mother　of　all　created　things。

　　Therefore　not　to　desire　the　things　of　sense　is　to　know　the　freedom　of　spirituality；　and　to　desire　is　to　learn　the　limitation　of　matter。　These　two　things　spirit　and　matter；　so　different　in　nature；　have　the　same　origin。　This　unity　of　origin　is　the　mystery　of　mysteries；　but　it　is　the　gateway　to　spirituality。

　　2

　　When　every　one　recognizes　beauty　to　be　only　a　masquerade；　then　it　is　simply　ugliness。　In　the　same　way　goodness；　if　it　is　not　sincere；　is　not　goodness。　So　existence　and　non…existence　are　incompatible。　The　difficult　and　easy　are　mutually　opposites。　Just　as　the　long　and　the　short；　the　high　and　the　low；　the　loud　and　soft；　the　before　and　the　behind；　are　all　opposites　and　each　reveals　the　other。

　　Therefore　the　wise　man　is　not　conspicuous　in　his　affairs　or　given　to　much　talking。　Though　troubles　arise　he　is　not　irritated。　He　produces　but　does　not　own；　he　acts　but　claims　no　merit；　he　builds　but　does　not　dwell　therein；　and　because　he　does　not　dwell　therein　he　never　departs。

　　3

　　Neglecting　to　praise　the　worthy　deters　people　from　emulating　them；　just　as　not　prizing　rare　treasures　deters　a　man　from　becoming　a　thief；　or　ignoring　the　things　which　awaken　desire　keeps　the　heart　at　rest。

　　Therefore　the　wise　ruler　does　not　suggest　unnecessary　things；　but　seeks　to　satisfy　the　minds　of　his　people。　He　seeks　to　allay　appetites　but　strengthen　bones。　He　ever　tries　by　keeping　people　in　ignorance　to　keep　them　satisfied　and　those　who　have　knowledge　he　restrains　from　evil。　If　he；　himself；　practices　restraint　then　everything　is　in　quietness。

　　4

　　The　Tao　appears　to　be　emptiness　but　it　is　never　exhausted。　Oh；　it　is　profound！　It　appears　to　have　preceded　everything。　It　dulls　its　own　sharpness；　unravels　its　own　fetters；　softens　its　own　brightness；　identifies　itself　with　its　own　dust。

　　Oh；　it　is　tranquil！　It　appears　infinite；　I　do　not　know　from　what　it　proceeds。　It　even　appears　to　be　antecedent　to　the　Lord。

　　5

　　Heaven　and　earth　are　not　like　humans；　they　are　impartial。　They　regard　all　things　as　insignificant；　as　though　they　were　playthings　made　of　straw。　The　wise　man　is　also　impartial。　To　him　all　men　are　alike　and　unimportant。　The　space　between　heaven　and　earth　is　like　a　bellows；　it　is　empty　but　does　not　collapse；　it　moves　and　more　and　more　issues。　A　gossip　is　soon　empty；　it　is　doubtful　if　he　can　be　impartial。

　　6

　　The　Spirit　of　the　perennial　spring　is　said　to　be　immortal；　she　is　called　the　Mysterious　One。　The　Mysterious　One　is　typical　of　the　source　of　heaven　and　earth。　It　is　continually　and　endlessly　issuing　and　without　effort。

　　7

　　Heaven　is　eternal；　earth　is　lasting。　The　reason　why　heaven　and　earth　are　eternal　and　lasting　is　because　they　do　not　live　for　themselves；　that　is　the　reason　they　will　ever　endure。

　　Therefore　the　wise　man　will　keep　his　personality　out　of　sight　and　because　of　so　doing　he　will　become　notable。　He　subordinates　his　personality　and　therefore　it　is　preserved。

　　Is　it　not　because　he　is　disinterested；　that　his　own　interests　are　conserved？

　　8

　　True　goodness　is　like　water；　in　that　it　benefits　everything　and　harms　nothing。　Like　water　it　ever　seeks　the　lowest　place；　the　place　that　all　others　avoid。　It　is　closely　kin　to　the　Tao。

　　For　a　dwelling　it　chooses　the　quiet　meadow；　for　a　heart　the　circling　eddy。　In　generosity　it　is　kind；　in　speech　it　is　sincere；　in　authority　it　is　order；　in　affairs　it　is　ability；　in　movement　it　is　rhythm。

　　Inasmuch　as　it　is　always　peaceable　it　is　never　rebuked。

　　9

　　Continuing　to　fill　a　pail　after　it　is　full　the　water　will　be　wasted。　Continuing　to　grind　an　axe　after　it　is　sharp　will　soon　wear　it　away。

　　Who　can　protect　a　public　hall　crowded　with　gold　and　jewels？　The　pride　of　wealth　and　position　brings　about　their　own　misfortune。　To　win　true　merit；　to　preserve　just　fame；　the　personality　must　be　retiring。　This　is　the　heavenly　Tao。

　　10

　　WHAT　IS　POSSIBLE

　　By　patience　the　animal　spirits　can　be　disciplined。　By　self…control　one　can　unify　the　character。　By　close　attention　to　the　will；　compelling　gentleness；　one　can　become　like　a　little　child。　By　purifying　the　subconscious　desires　one　may　be　without　fault。　In　ruling　his　country；　if　the　wise　magistrate　loves　his　people；　he　can　avoid　compulsion。

　　In　measuring　out　rewards；　the　wise　magistrate　will　act　like　a　mother　bird。　While　sharply　penetrating　into　every　corner；　he　may　appear　to　be　unsuspecting。　While　quickening　and　feeding　his　people；　he　will　be　producing　but　without　pride　of　ownership。　He　will　benefit　but　without　claim　of　reward。　He　will　persuade；　but　not　compel　by　force。　This　is　teh；　the　profoundest　virtue。

　　11

　　THE　VALUE　OF　NON…EXISTENCE

　　Although　the　wheel　has　thirty　spokes　its　utility　lies　in　the　emptiness　of　the　hub。　The　jar　is　made　by　kneading　clay；　but　its　usefulness　consists　in　its　capacity。　A　room　is　made　by　cutting　out　windows　and　doors　through　the　walls；　but　the　space　the　walls　contain　measures　the　room's　value。

　　In　the　same　way　matter　is　necessary　to　form；　but　the　value　of　reality　lies　in　its　immateriality。

　　（Or　thus：　a　material　body　is　necessary　to　existence；　but　the　value　of　a　life　is　measured　by　its　immaterial　soul。）

　　12

　　AVOIDING　DESIRE

　　An　excess　of　light　blinds　the　human　eye；　an　excess　of　noise　ruins　the　ear；　an　excess　of　condiments　deadens　the　taste。　The　effect　of　too　much　horse　racing　and　hunting　is　bad；　and　the　lure　of　hidden　treasure　tempts　one　to　do　evil。

　　Therefor