04道德经英译本85种-第428节
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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