04道德经英译本85种-第247节
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impossible; then no telling the limit no telling the limit; then one can possess the state。
One who possesses the Mother of the state can last a long time。
This means having deep roots and strong foundations; the Way of 'lasting life; good eyesight into old age'。
60
Governing a large state is like cooking a small fish。
Rule the world by Tao then ghosts will not take to haunting。
It is not that the ghosts will not haunt their haunting will cause no hurt to humankind。 (It's not only that their haunting will not hurt humankind; the Wise Person also does not cause hurt to them。
These two do not hurt each other。) Yes; Te unifies and restores。
61
The great state is a low and easy woman for the world the one the Whole world unites with。 Femininity always overcomes Masculinity; by Stillness; in Stillness it takes the low place。
Yes: A great state; by putting itself lower than the smaller state; will win out over the smaller state。 A small state; by putting itself lower than the great state; will win out over the great state。
Yes: One puts itself lower so it will win out; if the other gets lower; then it will win。
(A great state has no further desire than to embrace and protect other states。 A small state has no further desire than to enter and serve other states。
So both get what they want) The greatest should be the lowest。
62
Tao is the honoured center for the thousands of things。 The treasure of the good what protects the not good。
Elegant words can buy and sell fine conduct gets people promoted。 People who are not good; why are they rejected?
Yes: When they are enthroning the Son of Heaven or installing the Three Ministers … although they are presenting in tribute jade medallions out in front of four…horse teams; this cannot compare to sitting and setting forth this Tao。
What was the reason that the ancients treasured this Tao? is it not said: 〃By it the seeker obtains by it the guilty escapes。〃 Yes: It is the Treasure of the World。
63
Be a Non Doer work at Not Working acquire a taste for that which has no taste。
Treat small things as though they were great treat few things as though they were many。 〃Reward what is injurious; with kind Te。〃
Plan difficult things focussing on the easy parts do great things focussing on the small details。
Difficult tasks in the world always begin from what is easy great tasks in the world always begin from what is small。
And so the Wise Person: Does not 'do great things' and so is able to fulfill his greatness。
Yes: Light agreement is never very trustworthy considering everything easy makes everything difficult。
And so the Wise Person: Treats things as difficult; and in the end has no difficulty。
64
When sitting still; they are easy to hold down no omens yet; it is easy to plan when fragile; they are easy to break when small; they are easy to scatter。
Work on it when it isn't yet put it in order when it is not yet disordered。
A tree you can barely get your arms around; grows from a tiny shoot a nine…story tower begins as a heap of earth a thousand…mile journey begins under your feet。
Working ruins; grasping loses。 And so the Wise Person: Does not work; so does not ruin does not grasp; so does not lose。
Men often ruin their affairs on the eve of success; because they are not as prudent at the end as in the beginning。 The wise man wills what others do not will; and values not things rare。 He learns what others learn not; and gathers up what they despise。
And so the Wise Person: Desires to be desireless does not prize goods hard to come by learns to be un…leaned turns back to the place all others have gone on from。 So as to help along the naturalness of the thousands of things with out presuming to be a Worker。
65
Those Excellent at doing Tao in ancient times … it was not to enlighten the people; but to keep them stupid。
The difficulty in governing the people … because of their knowledge。 Yes: By 〃Knowledge!〃 govern the state … a crime against the state。 By 〃Ignorance!〃 govern the state … a boon to the state。
Always: To understand these two lines; is also to understand the Ideal Pattern。 Always: To understand the Ideal Pattern; is to have mysterious Te。
Mysterious Te is deep; far…reaching; in opposition to things … only afterward comes the Great Harmony。
66
The Yang…tze and the ocean: How are they able to be Kings of the hundred streams? Because they excel at being low … this is how they are able to be Kings of the hundred streams。
And so: Wishing to be high above the people; you must by your speech put yourself at the bottom Wishing to be out in front of the people; you must put your self in the last place。
And so; the Wise Person: Stands above; but the people are not weighed down stands out in front; but the people are not harmed and so the world delights in praising him; and does not tire。
Because of his not contending no one in the world can contend with him。
67
Everyone in the world says of me: 'great … but doesn't seem normal。' It's just 'greatness' … that's why it does not seem normal。 If I were normal; I'd have been of little worth for a long time now。
I have three treasures; I protect and keep hold of them。 The first is called 'gentleness' the second is called 'frugality' the third is called 'not presuming to act like leader of the world。'
Gentle; so able to be bold frugal; so able to be lavish not presuming to act like leader of the world; so able to become head of a government。
Now: To be bold without being gentle to be lavish without being frugal to act like leader without putting oneself last: This is death。
Yes; gentleness: 〃Attack with it and you will win defend with it and you will stand firm。〃 When Heaven wants to rescue someone; it surrounds him with a wall of gentleness。
68
The best soldier is not warlike the best fighter shows no anger
the one best at defeating the enemy does not engage him the one best at managing people puts himself below them。
This is the Te of not contending this is the power to manage people。 This is being the Counterpart of Heaven equalling the very best of the ancients。
69
Military men have a saying: 〃I do not presume to act as master; I act as guest I do not presume to advance an inch; I retreat a foot。〃
This is like 〃going forward without going forward rolling up the sleeves but baring no arm attacking without showing hostility drawing with no sword。〃
Nothing brings greater disaster than the motto: 〃The enemy is nothing。〃 Thinking; 〃the enemy is nothing〃: close to losing my Treasure。
Yes; when they cross weapons and attack each other the one in mourning will win。
70
My words are very easy to understand; very easy to practice。 No one in the world can understand; No one can practice them。
The words have an ancestor the practice has a master。 They just do not understand and so they do not understand me。 (So few understand me … a rare treasure indeed。)
And so the Wise Person: Dressed in shabby clothes; jade under his shirt。
71
〃Aware but not aware of it: a high thing。〃 Not aware but aware of it: sick of this。 Simply sick of the sickness … and so no longer sick。
The Wise Person's lack of this sickness: He became sick of being sick; and so he's no longer sick。
72
When the people are not in awe of your majesty then great majesty has been achieved。
Do not restrict where they can live do not tire them out by taxing what they live on。 Simply do not tire them and they will not tire of you。
And so; the Wise Person: Knows himself does not make a show of himself。 Loves himself does not exalt himself。 Yes; he leaves 'that' aside; and attends to 'this。'
73
〃One who shows bravery by being daring will get killed one who shows bravery by not being daring will survive。'
But in both these cases: 〃Sometimes it helps; sometimes it harms。〃 〃What Heaven picks to hate … who knows the reason?〃 And so the Wise Person: Treats things as difficult。
Heaven's Way: Not contending; but excels at overcoming not speaking; but excels in getting answers not summoning; but people come of themselves lax; but excels at organization。
Heaven's net is very wide … loosely woven; but it lets nothing slip by。
74
〃The people are always lacking in the fear of death。〃 Then why frighten them with death?
Supposing the people always had the fear of death; and we could catch law breakers and kill them … who would dare?
There is always The Executioner … he does the killing。 Doing the killing in The Executioner's place; this is like 〃doing the cutting in the master carpenter's place。〃 One who cuts in the master carpenter's place … seldom it is he does not cut his hand。
75
'The people are starving。' It is because those high up eat too much tax grain; this is why they are starving。
'The people are hard to govern。' It is because there is Working among those high up; this is why they are hard to govern。
'The people take death lightly。' It is because they pursue a