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第422节

04道德经英译本85种-第422节

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  18

  When the great Tao is lost; spring forth benevolence and righteousness。
  When wisdom and sagacity arise; there are great hypocrites。
  When family relations are no longer harmonious; we have filial children and devoted parents。
  When a nation is in confusion and disorder; patriots are recognized。 Where Tao is; equilibrium is。 When Tao is lost; out come all the differences of things。

  19

  Do away with sageness and eject wisdom; and the people will be more benefited a hundred times。
  Do away with learning; and grief will not be known。 Do away with benevolence and eject righteousness; and the people will return to filial duty and parental love。
  Do away with artifice and eject gains; and there will be no robbers and thieves。
  These four; if we consider them as culture; are not sufficient。
  Therefore let there be what the people can resort to: Appear in plainness and hold to simplicity; Restrain selfishness and curtail desires。

  20

  Between yea and nay; how much difference is there? Between good and evil; how much difference is there?
  What are feared by others we must fear; Vastly are they unlimited!
  The people in general are as happy as if enjoying a great feast。 Or; as going up a tower in spring。 I alone am tranquil; and have made no signs; Like a baby who is yet unable to smile; Forlorn as if I had no home to go to。
  Others all have more than enough; And I alone seem to be in want。 Possibly mine is the mind of a fool; Which is so ignorant!
  The vulgar are bright; And I alone seem to be dull。 The vulgar are discriminative; and I alone seem blunt。 I am negligent as if being obscure; Drifting; as if being attached to nothing。
  The people in general all have something to do; And I alone seem to be impractical and awkward。 I alone am different from others。 But I value seeking sustenance from the Mother。 To know the eternal is to be enlightened。 Not to know the eternal is to act blindly and court disaster。

  21

  The great virtue as manifested is but following Tao。
  Tao is a thing that is both invisible and intangible。 Intangible and invisible; yet there are forms in it; Invisible and intangible; yet there is substance in it; Subtle and obscure; there is essence in it; This essence being invariably true; there is faith in it。
  From of old till now; it has never lost its (nameless) name; Through which the origin of all things has passed。
  How do I know that it is so with the origin of all things? By this (Tao)。

  22

  'Be humble; and you will remain entire。' Be bent; and you will remain straight。 Be vacant; and you will remain full。 Be worn; and you will remain new。 He who has little will receive。 He who has much will be embarrassed。
  Therefore the Sage keeps to One and becomes the standard for the world。
  He does not display himself; therefore he shines。 He does not approve himself; therefore he is noted。 He does not praise himself; therefore he has merit。 He does not glory in himself; therefore he excels。
  And because he does not compete; therefore no one in the world can compete with him。
  The ancient saying 'Be humble and you will remain entire'… Can this be regarded as mere empty words? Indeed he shall return home entire。

  23

  To be sparing of words is natural。 A violent wind cannot last a whole morning; pelting rain cannot last a whole day。
  Who have made these things but heaven and earth? Inasmuch as heaven and earth cannot last forever; how can man?
  He who engages himself in Tao is identified with Tao。 He who engages himself in virtue is identified with virtue。 He who engages himself in abandonment is identified with abandonment。
  Identified with Tao he will be well received by Tao。 Identified with virtue he will be well received by virtue。 Identified with abandonment he will be well received by abandonment。

  24

  A man on tiptoe cannot stand firm; A man astride cannot walk on;
  A man who displays himself cannot shine; A man who approves himself cannot be noted;
  A man who praises himself cannot have merit; A man who glories in himself cannot excel:
  These; when compared with Tao; are…called; 'Excess in food and overdoing action。' Even in other things; mostly; they are rejected; Therefore the man of Tao does not stay with them。

  25

  There is a thing inherent and natural; Which existed before heaven and earth。 Motionless and fathomless; It stands alone … and never changes; It pervades everywhere and never becomes exhausted。 It may be regarded as the Mother of the Universe。
  I do not know its name。 If I am forced to give it a name; I call it Tao; and I name it as supreme。
  Supreme means going on; Going on means going far; Going far means returning。
  Therefore Tao is supreme; heaven is supreme; earth is supreme; and man is also supreme; There are in the universe four things supreme; and man is one of them。
  Man follows the laws of earth; Earth follows the laws of heaven; Heaven follows the laws of Tao; Tao follows the laws of its intrinsic nature。

  26

  Heaviness is the basis of lightness; Calmness is the controlling power of hastiness。
  Therefore the Sage; though traveling all day long; Never separates from his baggage…wagon; Though surrounded with magnificent sights; He lives in tranquillity。
  How is it; then; that a king of ten thousand chariots Should conduct himself so lightly in the empire?
  To be light is to lose the basis; To be hasty is to lose the controlling power。

  27

  A good traveler leaves no track; A good speaker leaves no error; A good reckoner needs no counter;
  A good closer needs no bars or bolts; And yet it is impossible to open after him。 A good fastener needs no cords or knots; And yet it is impossible to untie after him。
  Even if men be bad; why should they be rejected? Therefore the Sage is always a good saviour of men; And no man is rejected; He is a good saviour of things; And nothing is rejected: This is called double enlightenment。
  Therefore good men are had men's instructors; And bad men are good men's materials。
  Those who do not esteem their instructors; And those who do not love their materials; Though expedient; are in fact greatly confused。 This is essential subtlety。

  28

  He who knows the masculine and yet keeps to the feminine Will become a channel drawing all the world towards it; Being a channel of the world; he will not be severed from the eternal virtue; And then he can return again to the state of infancy。
  He who knows the white and yet keeps to the black Will become the standard of the world; Being the standard of the world; with him eternal virtue will never falter; And then he can return again to the absolute。
  He who knows honour and yet keeps to humility Will become a valley that receives all the world into it; Being a valley of the world; with him eternal virtue Will be complete; And then he can return again to wholeness。
  Wholeness; when divided; will make vessels of utility; These when employed by the Sage will become officials and chiefs。 However; for a great function no discrimination is needed。

  29

  When a man is to take the world over and shape it; I see that he must be obliged to do it。
  For the world is a divine vessel: It cannot be shaped; Nor can it be insisted upon。 He who shapes it damages it; He who insists upon it loses it。
  Therefore the Sage does not shape it; so he does not damage it; 'He does not insist upon it; so be does not lose it。 'For; among all things; some go ahead; while others lag behind; Some keep their mouth shut; while others give forth puffs; Some are strong; while others are weak; Some are on the cart; while others fall off。
  Therefore the Sage avoids excess; extravagance and indulgence。

  30

  He who assists a ruler of men with Tao does not force the world with arms。
  For the actions of arms will be well requited; where armies have been quartered brambles and thorns grow。 Great wars are for certain followed by years of scarcity。
  He aims only at carrying out relief; and does not venture to force his power upon others。
  When relief is done; he will not be assuming; He will not be boastful; he will not be proud; And he will think that he was obliged to do it。 So it comes that relief is done without resorting to force。
  When things come to the summit of their vigour; they begin to grow old。 This is against Tao。 What is against Tao will soon come to an end。

  31

  So far as arms are concerned; they are implements of ill…omen。 They are not implements for the man of Tao。
  The man of Tao when dwelling at home makes the left as the place of honour; and when using arms makes the right as the place of honour。
  He uses them only when he cannot avoid it。
  In his conquests he takes no delight。 If he take delight in them; it would mean that he enjoys in the slaughter of men。 He who takes delight in the slaughter of men cannot have his will done in the world。

  32

  When for the first time applied to function; it was named。 In as much as names are given; one should also know where to stop。 Knowing where to stop on

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