04道德经英译本85种-第378节
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His works are thus solid and time lasting;
Because all it is done patiently and without struggle。
64
Troubles can be avoided even before arising。
When harmony is maintained beforehand;
Confusion is not able to surface。
By closing the door; the entry is not possible;
A big tree was in its beginning a tiny offshoot;
Thus a great expedition starts with a little step。
The Wise Person is not looking to gain anything;
He does not want glory or reputation。
Thus he cannot loose anything。
This is his living proof of achievements without efforts。
65
Sages from the ancient time taught people the simple life;
Without a simple life; knowledge is indeed useless。
When leaders mislead people;
People will follow by misleading each other。
Thus the fraud becomes the master of everybody。
By knowing this; misery not yet arrived can be avoided。
66
The water of a river follows always down the valley;
The river is thus the master of the valley。
To gain people's hearts; is necessary to serve them;
To lead people; they must be followed。
Thus being above people; the Wise Person
Does not look like an oppressor。
When the Wise Person stands in front of people;
They do not feel as being confronted。
Thus the Wise Person is a living proof of his wisdom;
People around him have the feeling of being protected。
67
Those people following Tao have three main qualities;
Compassion that generates courage;
Caution that generates power;
And modesty that generates influence。
But people's ordinary actions
Are to glorify a false hero。
To obtain power through force and lack of caution;
To acquire influence by the display of pride。
But only the one who is compassionate is a true hero;
Only the cautious one is able to obtain real power;
Only the humble one can truly influence people;
Because he in on the Tao path。
68
Compassion is the best defense。
A good fighter is not afraid and not aggressive;
An efficient conqueror is not involved in heavy fighting;
A true leader does not display his authority in an aggressive way。
The courageous and not…threatening one attracts people;
A good conqueror does not base his gain through violence;
A good leader does not acquire his status through aggressive authority;
Because the path of harmony generate harmony in everything。
69
It is easier to retreat ten meters than to advance one;
Disputes could be solved by being in waiting。
Instead of an aggressive advancement it is better to retreat and wait;
Without displaying power and being aggressive;
Battles could be won。
Do not underestimates your enemy; neither those courageous in battle。
In the beginning aggressiveness seems to win;
But at the end; he who is compassionate wins。
70
There are few in the world following the Wise One
Who lives and acts with simplicity。
The ordinary person hardly understands the way of the Wise;
Although the facts are evident and logic in their manifestations。
By giving respect and honour to the Wise One;
We become part of his wisdom。
Although the Wise One might not have expensive apparel;
He might seem not much important;
But his treasure rests in his heart。
71
Knowing our limits is wisdom;
Not knowing our limits is ignorance。
The Wise One knows his limits;
Thus he knows always what is possible to be done。
72
The Wise One does not act without the inner urge。
He does not interfere with other people affairs;
He takes to arms only in defense。
Although he knows his value very well;
The Wise One does not exalt his personality。
He gives great respect o himself;
But does not expect the same from others。
He lets the course of actions of life to flow;
When they do not touch him in any way。
He intervenes only when actions;
Have significance for his life。
73
A courageous man who does not control himself;
Either kills or is killed。
But a courageous man; himself in control; lives;
The heaven protects the one who does not harm anyone。
The Tao Way is similar;
Being neither opposing nor struggling to go forwards。
Although does not speak out; it gets an answer。
Although does not ask for anything; obtains everything。
Although does not want to achieve anything; all is achieved。
In its immensity; Tao seems to be empty;
But it is like a sieve that follows the laws of matter。
74
The justice system could not rely of death penalty;
Because for those not afraid of death;
Will be entirely inefficient。
When oppression brings death at every occasion;
Who could be afraid of death?
Thus the judges in such a country are not relevant。
75
When leaders become greedy there will be famine。
When leaders follow only the self…interest; people become unruly。
When leaders do kill without a good reason;
People will revolt without fear of death。
76
The human being is born fragile and sensible;
When dying it is inflexible and stiff。
The offshoots are flexible and fragile;
When plant is old; they become stiff and die。
What is strong and stiff is the sign of death;
What is weak; fragile and sensible is the sign of life。
A stiff tree is hard to bend;
When blown by a strong wind is broken。
What is not flexible will die;
What is heavy and stiff falls to the ground;
What is light is carried far away by the wind。
77
The Tao Way is like a stretched bow;
The extremities will lower when the middle rises。
What is in excess diminishes; what is little rises。
The Tao Way takes from where there is excess;
And does add wherever there is shortage。
But the ordinary human way it is such that it;
Takes from where is shortage;
And gives to whoever has already abundance。
How then the mankind could be happy?
But the Wise Person knows that he does not own anything truly;
Whatever surplus he has is given to the people; without expectations。
Working without pride; he is a living proof。
78
Nothing is so flexible like the water although appears to be weak;
But in time could penetrate the hardest rock。
What seems to be light; in time conquers the heavy;
What seems to be weak; in time conquers the strong;
Although these facts look like being known by everyone;
Few people are ready to apply them in life。
The one who is modest is the best leader;
The one who could solve people's problems is the read leader。
79
When laws and rules are too stringent;
People have the natural urge to violate them。
The Wise Person follows his duties without expectations;
Thus his virtue is acknowledged。
He does not take possession of own virtue;
Similarly as nature does; his will is not imposed;
Thus he is on the Way of Tao。
80
In a small community having few people;
To accumulate useless things does not make sense。
To live a simple life is more important。
To know the world; travel is not necessary;
The light of mind could be used instead。
For defense; the display of weapons is not necessary;
They should be kept hidden until needed。
The good relationships with neighbours are vital;
For peace and tranquility to reign。
The Wise People attains thus freedom。
81
The Wise Person is full of honesty his words have substance。
In empty talk the honesty is missing。
Enlightenment does not come because somebody is educated;
Happiness does not come from riches。
The Wise Person does not live for himself;
In doing good actions for others he is satisfied。
The more he gives the more he receives;
Around him there is harmony everywhere;
Being on the Tao Way he is well established in Virtue (Te)。
English_Schmidt_TTK
Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
English by
Schmidt
1
The Tao that can be named is not the absolute Tao。
The name that can be uttered is not the name of the Eternal。
As the unmanifest it is the origin of heaven and earth; manifest it is the mother of all beings。
Whoever free from attachment looks inward with detachment attains the vision of the Unmanifest; whoever is ego…bound and clings to greed sees but the outer show。
The Manifest and the Unmanifest although different in name are one in essence。
This unity is the mystery of the Tao the unfathomable of the primordial ground the starting point of all manifestation。
2
The whole world knows: when beauty tries to be beautiful it changes into ugliness by that very fact。
The whole world knows: when kindness tries to appear kind it changes into unkindness by that very fact。
So close are Being and Non…Being that one arises from the other。
So suddenly easy