04道德经英译本85种-第25节

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ts　self…activity；　obviously　self…originating。　The　tendency　towards　completion　is；　by　its　self…activity；　always　self…perfection。　The　tendency　to　maintain　integrity；　by　its　self…activity；　sustains　integrity。　The　tendency　to　oppose　is；　by　its　self…activity；　sufficient　for　all　opposition。
　　It　is　by　self…activity　that　all　things　fulfill　themselves。　So　it　is　by　self…activity　that　the　world　is　governed。　Such　is　the　extent　of　self…activity。
　　If　the　tendency　to　initiate　were　not　clearly　such；　it　would　be　ineffective。　If　the　tendency　toward　completion　were　not　dependable；　things　would　be　chaotic。　If　the　tendency　to　maintain　integrity　were　not　persistent；　things　would　disintegrate。　If　the　tendency　toward　opposition　were　not　sustained；　vitality　would　disappear。
　　If　there　were　no　self…activity；　life　would　cease。　If　self　activity　did　not　govern；　then　disruption　would　set　in。
　　The　esteemed　must　depend　upon　others　for　their　esteem；　whereas　the　unesteemed　are　self…sufficient。　The　high　must　depend　on　the　low　for　its　foundations；　whereas　the　low　serves　as　its　own　foundation。
　　Therefore　intelligent　leaders　consider　themselves　as　independent；　self…sufficient；　and　unesteemed。　For；　must　not　the　unesteemed　be　the　basis　for　the　esteemed？
　　Therefore　the　unesteemed　are　the　ultimate　in　esteem。
　　One　cannot　be　outstanding　when　he　is　alone；　and　he　should　not　try　to　be　so　when　he　is　with　others。

　　40

　　Nature　alternates　dynamically。　When　it　completes　what　it　is　doing；　then　it　starts　all　over　again。
　　All　that　is　springs　from　such　alternation。

　　41

　　When　the　intelligent　man　hears　about　Nature's　alternating　ways；　he　seeks　to　embody　it　within　himself。　The　mediocre　man　sometimes　accepts　it　and　sometimes　does　not。
　　Unintelligent　men　scoff　at　it。　Yet　this　very　scoffing　at　intelligence　itself　exemplifies　Nature's　way　of　alternation。
　　This　is　the　reason　for　the　old　sayings：　Nature's　brightest　day　fades　into　night。　Nature's　most　luxuriant　growth　ages　toward　decay。　Nature's　smoothest　plain　erodes　itself　away　into　rough　terrain。
　　Nature's　most　harmonious　adjustment　generates　conflict。　Nature's　most　beautiful　objects　grow　dim　and　ugly。　Nature's　greatest　prize　soon　becomes　despised。　Nature's　strongest　power　eventually　weakens。　Nature's　soundest　supports　gradually　rot　away。　Nature's　squarest　corners　soon　become　rounded。　Nature's　grandest　structures　sooner　or　later　are　destroyed。　Nature's　loudest　sounds　are　finally　silenced。
　　Hence；　Nature；　although　beyond　comprehension　and　description；　Knows　how　to　bring　about；　alternately；　all　initiating　and　completing。

　　42

　　Nature　first　begets　one　thing。　The　one　thing　begets　another。　The　two　produce　a　third。　In　this　way；　all　things　are　begotten。
　　Why？　Because　all　things　are　impregnated　by　two　alternating　tendencies；　the　tendency　towards　completion　and　the　tendency　towards　initiation；　which　acting　together；　complement　each　other。
　　Most　men　dislike　to　be　considered　of　no　account；　lowly；　unworthy。　Yet　intelligent　leaders　call　themselves　thus。
　　For　people　are　admired　for　their　humility　and　despised　for　their　pride。
　　There　are　many　other　ways　of　illustrating　what　I　am　teaching：　〃Extremists　reach　untimely　ends。〃　This　saying　may　be　taken　as　a　good　example。

　　43

　　That　which　is　most　yielding　eventually　overcomes　what　is　most　resistant。　That　which　is　not　becomes　that　which　is。　Acting　without　coercing　or　being　coerced　is　best。
　　Guiding　by　example　rather　than　by　words　is　most　successful。　Such　simple　truths　are　so　hard　to　understand。

　　44

　　Esteem　by　others　or　self…esteem；　which　is　better？　To　value　things　or　to　value　yourself；　which　is　better？　To　have　more　or　to　have　less；　which　is　worse？
　　The　more　you　have；　the　more　you　have　to　lose。　The　more　you　value　things；　the　less　you　value　your　self。　The　more　you　depend　on　others　for　esteem；　the　less　you　are　self…sufficient。
　　He　who　knows　how　to　discriminate　wisely　avoids　danger；　And　continues　safely　on　his　way。

　　45

　　What　is　most　complete　is　still　incomplete：　Yet　it　is　as　complete　as　it　can　be。　That　which　has　achieved　the　most；　still　has　the　whole　of　its　future　yet　to　be　achieved：　Hence　it　will　not　stop　achieving。
　　Make　a　thing　as　straight　as　possible；　Yet　it　is　still　crooked　or　will　become　crooked。　Acquire　the　greatest　skill；　And　there　will　still　be　endless　skill　to　be　acquired。　Develop　the　greatest　power　of　expression；　And　there　will　be　much　that　is　unexpressed　and　inexpressible。
　　The　same　may　be　said　about　activity　and　passivity　and　cold　and　heat。　Only　he　who　fully　accepts　these　alternations　is　the　best　guide　for　all　to　follow。

　　46

　　When　what　is　natural　prevails　in　human　affairs；　horses　forced　to　train　for　racing　are　returned　to　the　fertile　pastures。　When　artificiality　prevails　in　human　affairs；　horses　are　trained　for　war　and　are　restricted　to　walled　enclosures。
　　There　is　no　greater　evil　than　desiring　to　change　others　…　（to　take　from　or　give　to　others　what　they　do　not；　of　their　own　accord；　want　to　give　or　take）。　There　is　no　greater　misfortune　than　desiring　to　change　oneself　…　being　discontented　with　one's　lot。　There　is　no　greater　vice　than　desiring　to　change　things　…　（to　possess；　control；　or　reconstruct　their　natures）。
　　Only　he　who　is　satisfied　with　whatever　satisfactions　his　own　nature　provides　for　him　is　truly　satisfied。

　　47

　　Without　going　out…of…doors；　one　can　know　all　he　needs　to　know。　Without　even　looking　out　of　his　window；　one　can　grasp　the　nature　of　everything。　Without　going　beyond　his　own　nature；　one　can　achieve　ultimate　wisdom。
　　Therefore　the　intelligent　man　knows　all　he　needs　to　know　without　going　away；　And　he　sees　all　he　needs　to　see　without　looking　elsewhere；　And　does　all　he　needs　to　do　without　undue　exertion。

　　48

　　While　day　by　day　the　overzealous　student　stores　up　facts　for　future　use；　He　who　has　learned　to　trust　nature　finds　need　for　ever　fewer　external　directions。
　　He　will　discard　formula　after　formula；　until　he　reaches　the　conclusion：　Let　Nature　take　its　course。　By　letting　each　thing　act　in　accordance　with　its　own　nature；　everything　that　needs　to　be　done　gets　done。
　　The　best　way　to　manage　anything　is　by　making　use　of　its　own　nature；　For　a　thing　cannot　function　properly　when　its　own　nature　has　been　disrupted。

　　49

　　The　intelligent　man　is　not　willful。　He　accepts　what　others　will　for　themselves　as　his　will　for　them。
　　Those　who　appear　as　good；　he　accepts；　And　those　who　appear　as　bad；　he　accepts；　For　Nature　accepts　both。
　　Those　who　appear　faithful；　he　accepts；　And　those　who　appear　unfaithful；　he　accepts；　For　Nature　accepts　both。
　　The　intelligent　man　treats　every　kind　of　nature　impartially；　And　will　good　to　one　as　much　as　the　another。　All　people　admire　the　intelligent　man；　Because　he　regards　them　all　as　a　mother　regards　her　children。

　　50

　　It　is　natural　for　man　to　be　born　and　to　die。　And　it　it　natural　for　each　of　his　parts　to　be　born　and　to　die　and　to　evolve　through　its　life　cycle。
　　Why　do　men　become　so　perturbed　and　anxious　to　prolong　the　life　of　each　part　when　endangered？　The　truth　is　that　whatever　is　natural　is　good。
　　Since　it　is　natural　for　man　to　dies　anyway；　being　assisted　by　horn　or　claw　or　spear　in　bringing　about　his　death　in　no　way　endangers　his　nature。
　　No　wild　buffalo　horn　can　change　the　course　of　Nature。　No　tiger's　claw　can　act　unnaturally。　No　soldier's　spear　can　go　against　Nature。　Why？　Because　death　is　natural；　but　Nature　cannot　die。

　　51

　　Nature　produces　things；　and　intelligence　guides　them。　Although　different　in　kind；　each　thing　has　its　own　self…sufficient　intelligence　to　guide　it。　Nothing　can　fail　to　emulate　Nature　and　intelligence　by　embodying　them　within　its　own　life。　Such　emulation　is　not　demanded；　but　occurs　of　its　own　accord。
　　Nature　originates　and　suckles；　rears　and　develops；　protects　and　provides　for；　and　guides　and　perfects　all　things。
　　Whatever　is　produced；　Nature　accepts　it　for　what　it　is。　However　it　behaves；　Nature　lets　it　follow　its　own　way。　Whatever　its　fortune；　Nature　injects　no　external　interference。　Such　is　Nature's　marvelous　sagacity。

　　52

　　Nature；　because　it　has　mothered　all；　may　be　regarded　as　Mother　Nature。
　　He　who　understands　Mother　Nature；　understands　her　children。　But　to　avoid　the　children's　mistakes；　one　should　follow　close　to　Mother　Nature　herself；　If　throughout　his　life　he　desires　a　safe　guide。
　　If　one　remains　silent　and　keeps　to　himself；　he　will　not　fail　to　fulfill　his　life；
　　But　is　he　gives　advice　and　meddles　in　others'　affairs；　he　invites　trouble。
　　If　you　see　what　is　small　as　it　sees　itself；　And　accept　what　is　weak　for　what　strength　it　has；　and　use　what　is　dim　for　the　light　it　gives；　Then　all　will　go　well。
　　This　is　called　acting　naturally。

　　53

　　Let　us　be　intelligent　and　follow　Nature　itself。　Let　us　not　stray。
　　Nature's　way　is　simple　and　easy；　but　men　prefer　the　intricate　and　artificial。
　　When　they　congregate　in　artistically　engineered　cities；　and　neglect　their　farms；　their　food　supply　is　cut　off。
　　When　they　bedeck　themselves　with　ornaments　and　weapons；　and　display　their　fancy　foods　and　rich　properties；　they　thereby　invite　thievery。　This　is　actin