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第428节

04道德经英译本85种-第428节

小说: 04道德经英译本85种 字数: 每页4000字

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  and deeds of filial piety and devoted
  parenthood replace natural instincts。
  … Civil disorder prevails and loyal politicians
  become models of dutiful behavior。

  19

  SIMPLICITY

  Discard and abandon formalized wisdom and knowledge;
  And hundredfold benefits accrue。

  Discard and abandon conventionalized righteousness; duty and morality;
  And be graced with natural harmony。

  Discard and abandon cunning skills … legalized profiteering;
  And robbery as well as deception disappear

  These three; of themselves insufficient …
  Consider then;
  … Original simplicity。
  … Unadorned nature。
  … Selflessness。
  … Limited desire。

  20

  POOR ME ?

  End the study of pretentiousness and surface formality;
  And much sorrow; trouble and nuisance will cease。

  The distinctions between yes and no; good and evil;
  Between what people fear and fail to fear:
  … Are often semantic。
  … Are often contradictory。
  … Are often false。
  … Are often superficial。

  While many may be content …
  Partaking of party and feast;
  Viewing the land from a…high in the springtime;
  I alone am inert; without animation;
  Like an infant who has yet to learn to smile。
  Alas ! I am alone; with nowhere to go。
  While others appear to have abundant possessions and grace;
  I alone appear to have nothing。
  I feel inferior; foolish and left out。
  While others are clear; bright and confident;
  I alone feel muddled; dull and confused。
  While others look lively; penetrating and self assured;
  I alone feel depressed; aimlessly adrift in sea
  Blown by the winds on an ever changing course
  While others seemingly have a purpose;
  I alone feel awkward。

  Wherein am I so different?
  I alone value drawing my sustenance from the
  mysterious Mother of Nature。

  21

  ESSENCE OF TAO

  From Tao alone; follows Te;
  The absolute manifestation of virtue。
  The Tao; tho' so evasive; elusive; intangible …
  Subtly within it; deep and obscure;
  … Appear images; forms; entities。
  … Appear the mystical essence。
  The essence … so subtle; yet so real。
  From the beginning of time it mysteriously
  manifests itself; Providing a fleeting sense of primal power。
  How else may Te be known but through this
  essence of the Tao ?

  22

  YIELDING 

  The yielding bend but do not break;
  Overcoming all; they are preserved whole。
  Being bent; permits straightening。
  Being empty and hollow; permits filling。
  Being torn; tattered and depleted; permits renewal。
  Having little; permits gain and possession。
  Having much; permits confusion。
  Therefore the Sage embraces unity。
  Holding fast to the absolute oneness;
  Manifests this as an example to the world。
  Not flaunting himself; He becomes luminous to all。
  Not bestowing himself with self…importance; He becomes both prominent and illustrious。
  Not boasting of himself; He receives both recognition and credit。
  Disdaining pride; His works endure。
  Not striving to contend nor compete;
  He attracts no contention … no competition
  Thus; the Sage confirms …
  To yield is to overcome; to preserve whole。
  To yield is to gain All Things。

  23

  ADMONITIONS

  Nature is inaudible; yet it speaks distinctly …
  A fierce storm lasts less than a morning;
  Rain normally less than a day。
  These; being of nature and short in duration;
  Thus should the duration of violence in man
  be no greater than these。

  Hence: One who follows Tao; becomes one with Tao。
  One who follows Te; becomes one with Te。
  One who separates from Tao and Te;
  becomes one with separation。

  And:
  When one adheres to Tao; Tao adheres to him
  When one adheres to Te; Te adheres to him。
  When one adheres to separation; Separation adheres to him。
  Separating from faith in one's own nature;
  Is to lose understanding of the true nature
  of heaven and earth。

  24

  THE IMPERFECT

  Standing on 〃tip toe〃; one stands not firmly。
  Straining in stride; one cannot walk far。
  Flaunting of deeds; one is unfavorably noticed。
  Being self…righteous; one is not respected。
  Boasting of self; one's merit is unrecognized。
  Glorifying of self; one loses the opportunity for greatness。
  From the viewpoint of Tao
  These represent imperfect Te;
  Valued as are filth or disease。

  Thus: Those who value the Tao may permit
  themselves to avoid these things。

  25

  OF HUMANITY; HEAVEN; EARTH AND TAO

  Being formless; yet mysteriously complete:
  … Existing for all time。
  … Silent without substance。
  … Standing alone; changing not。
  … Pervading all and unfailing。
  … Regarded as the Mother of all there is。
  Not having a name; I call it the Tao。
  If needing to identify its nature by granting it a name;
  Call it 〃The Great〃。
  Being great it flows; extending itself endlessly。
  Thus flowing; it is called far…reaching。
  Being far…reaching; it ultimately returns
  whence it started。

  Accordingly;
  Just as Tao is great … the ultimate essence;
  So; heaven is great … the creative essence; Clear and pure。
  Earth is great … the receptive essence; Massive and stable。
  Humanity is great … the harmonious essence;
  Intelligent and sensitive。

  Note then; that humanity is one of the four great essences。
  While humanity is conditioned by earthly essence;
  And earth is conditioned by heavenly essence;
  And heaven is conditioned by the essence of Tao;
  The Tao; conforms to its own nature。

  26

  HEAVY AND LIGHT CHARACTER

  As heaviness of character; honesty and generosity
  Are the root of lightness; frivolity and quick wit。
  So motion and activity spring from
  Serenity; tranquility and quietude。

  Thus the Sage:
  Even while traveling and moving about all day;
  Never loses his poise;
  Departs; not from his true nature。
  Tho' presented with magnificence; beauty;
  grace; glory; honor; splendor; and comfort;
  He remains calm; leisurely;
  quiet and dispassionate。

  The leader with great responsibility;
  Conducting himself with frivolity;
  Imperils himself; and he will fail。
  Exercising hasty restless action;
  He will lose mastery over himself。

  27

  THE PERFECT

  Running perfectly; Neither track nor trace is seen。
  Speaking perfectly; Neither slip nor flaw。
  Calculating perfectly; Neither tally nor counter is needed。
  The perfect door; needing neither bolt nor bar; Cannot be opened。
  The perfect knot; needing neither rope nor twine
  Cannot be untied。

  Thus the Sage; Perfect in helping humankind; No one is rejected nor abandoned。
  Perfect in caring for All Things; Nothing is laid waste nor discarded。
  In so doing; cunningly secures knowledge of the laws of nature;
  And uses this knowledge in a Wu…Wei manner

  Therefore:
  As the perfect is the teacher of the imperfect;
  The imperfect is a valuable experience for the perfect。
  Either teacher … either student;
  Not honoring the teacher;
  Not loving and caring for the student;
  Though learned and wise;
  Is deluded and deceived。

  Such is the subtle mystery。

  28

  YIN POWER

  She …
  Knowing the Yang; yet keeping to the Yin;
  Like a valley stream receives All Things under the heavens。
  Never departing from the eternal Te;
  Returns to the innocence of childhood。

  She …
  Knowing whiteness; lightness and glory; yet;
  Keeping to blackness; darkness and humility;
  becomes an example to the world。
  Never deviating from the eternal Te;
  Returns to the ultimate mysterious
  primordial essence。

  She …
  Knowing honor and glory; yet;
  Keeping to obscurity and humility;
  becomes the receptive valley of the world。
  Being proficient in the eternal Te;
  Returns; as to an uncarved block。

  As uncarved wood is cut …
  The Tao is transformed into myriad things。
  The Sage; in using it; attains awesome power。
  A truly wise ruler is a careful carver;
  Ruling as sparsely and carefully
  as she carves。

  29

  FOLLY OF HARD CONTROL

  Those who would conquer the world by making humankind and events
  conform to their desire;
  Never succeed …
  For the sovereignty of the world is
  subtle; sacred; spiritual。

  Tampering with it; shaping or changing it;
  Harms; mars; spoils and destroys it。
  Reaching for it; grabbing or grasping at it;
  It is gone … lost。

  There exists constant alternation …
  Advance … Retreat
  Blowing Hot … Blowing Cold
  Strength … Weakness
  Rise … Fall
  The Sage; therefore; avoids all extremes;
  extravagances and excesses。

  30

  USE OF FORCE

  The wise leader of people; in following ;the Tao;
  Conquers without using force of arms;
  For it is in the nature of direct force to rebound
  … violence beg

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