04道德经英译本85种-第51节
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Came codes of love and honesty；
Learning came； charity came；
Hypocrisy took charge；
When differences weakened family ties
Came benevolent fathers and dutiful sons；
And when lands were disrupted and misgoverned
Came ministers commended as loyal。
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Rid of formalized wisdom and learning
People would be a hundredfold happier；
Rid of conventionalized duty and honor
People would find their families dear；
Rid of legalized profiteering
People would have no thieves to fear。
These methods of life have failed； all three；
Here is the way； it seems to me：
Set people free；
As deep in their hearts they would like to be；
From private greeds
And wanton needs。
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Leave off fine learning！ End the nuisance
Of saying yes to this and perhaps to that；
Distinctions with how little difference！
Categorical this； categorical that；
What slightest use are they！
If one man leads； another must follow；
How silly that is and how false！
Yet conventional men lead an easy life
With all their days feast days；
A constant spring visit to the Tall Tower；
While I am a simpleton； a do…nothing；
Not big enough yet to raise a hand；
Not grown enough to smile；
A homeless； worthless waif。
Men of the world have a surplus of goods；
While I am left out； owning nothing。
What a booby I must be
Not to know my way round；
What a fool！
The average man is so crisp and so confident
That I ought to be miserable
Going on and on like the sea；
Drifting nowhere。
All these people are making their mark in the world；
While I； pig…headed； awkward；
Different from the rest；
Am only a glorious infant still nursing at the breast。
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The surest test if a man be sane
Is if he accepts life whole； as it is；
Without needing by measure or touch to understand
The measureless untouchable source
Of its images；
The measureless untouchable source
Of its substances；
The source which； while it appears dark emptiness；
Brims with a quick force
Farthest away
And yet nearest at hand
From oldest time unto this day；
Charging its images with origin：
What more need I know of the origin
Than this？
22
'Yield and you need not break：'
Bent you can straighten；
Emptied you can hold；
Torn you can mend；
And as want can reward you
So wealth can bewilder。
Aware of this； a wise man has the simple return
Which other men seek：
Without inflaming himself
He is kindled；
Without explaining himself
Is explained；
Without taking credit
Is accredited；
Laying no claim
Is acclaimed
And； because he does not compete；
Finds peaceful competence。
How true is the old saying；
'Yield and you need not break'！
How completely it comes home！
23
Nature does not have to insist；
Can blow for only half a morning；
Rain for only half a day；
And what are these winds and these rains but natural？
If nature does not have to insist；
Why should man？
It is natural too
That whoever follows the way of life feels alive；
That whoever uses it properly feels well used；
Whereas he who loses the way of life feels lost；
That whoever keeps to the way of life
Feels at home；
Whoever uses it properly
Feels welcome；
Whereas he who uses it improperly
Feels improperly used：
'Fail to honor people；
They fail to honor you。
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Standing tiptoe a man loses balance；
Walking astride he has no pace；
Kindling himself he fails to light；
Acquitting himself he forfeits his hearers；
Admiring himself he does so alone。
Pride has never brought a man greatness
But； according to the way of life；
Brings the ills that make him unfit；
Make him unclean in the eyes of his neighbor；
And a sane man will have none of them。
25
Before creation a prescience existed；
Self…contained； complete；
Formless； voiceless； mateless；
Changeless；
Which yet pervaded itself
With unending motherhood。
Though there can be no name for it；
I have called it 'the way of life。'
Perhaps I should have called it 'the fullness of life；'
Since fullness implies widening into space；
Implies still further widening；
Implies widening until the circle is whole。
In this sense
The way of life is fulfilled；
Heaven is fulfilled；
Earth fulfilled
And a fit man also is fulfilled：
These are the four amplitudes of the universe
And a fit man is one of them：
Man rounding the way of earth；
Earth rounding the way of heaven；
Heaven rounding the way of life
Till the circle is full。
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Gravity is the root of grace；
The mainstay of all speed。
A traveler of true means； whatever the day's pace；
Remembers the provision…van
And； however fine prospect be offered； is a man
With a calm head。
What lord of countless chariots would ride them in vain；
Would make himself fool of the realm；
With pace beyond rein；
Speed beyond helm？
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One may move so well that a foot…print never shows；
Speak so well that the tongue never slips；
Reckon so well that no counter is needed；
Seal an entrance so tight； though using no lock；
That it cannot be opened；
Bind a hold so firm； though using no cord；
That it cannot be untied。
And these are traits not only of a sound man
But of many a man thought to be unsound。
A sound man is good at salvage；
At seeing that nothing is lost。
Having what is called insight；
A good man； before he can help a bad man；
Finds in himself the matter with the bad man。
And whichever teacher
Discounts the lesson
Is as far off the road as the other；
Whatever else he may know。
That is the heart of it。
28
'One who has a man's wings
And a woman's also
Is in himself a womb of the world'
And； being a womb of the world；
Continuously； endlessly；
Gives birth；
One who； preferring light；
Prefers darkness also
Is in himself an image of the world
And； being an image of the world；
Is continuously； endlessly
The dwelling of creation；
One who is highest of men
And humblest also
Is in himself a valley of the world；
And。 being a valley of the world；
Continuously； endlessly
Conducts the one source
From which vessels may be usefully filled；
Servants of the state are such vessels；
To be filled from undiminishing supply。
29
Those who would take over the earth
And shape it to their will
Never； I notice； succeed。
The earth is like a vessel so sacred
That at the mere approach of the profane
It is marred
And when they reach out their fingers it is gone。
For a time in the world some force themselves ahead
And some are left behind；
For a time in the world some make a great noise
And some are held silent；
For a time in the world some are puffed fat
And some are kept hungry；
For a time in the world some push aboard
And some are tipped out：
At no time in the world will a man who is sane
Over…reach himself；
Over…spend himself；
Over…rate himself。
30
One who would guide a leader of men in the uses of life
Will warn him against the use of arms for conquest。
Weapons often turn upon the wielder；
An army's harvest is a waste of thorns；
Conscription of a multitude of men
Drains the next year dry。
A good general； daring to march； dares also to halt；
Will never press his triumph beyond need。
What he must do he does but not for glory；
What he must do he does but not for show；
What he must do he does but not for self；
He has done it because it had to be done；
Not from a hot head。
Let life ripen and then fall；
Force is not the way at all：
Deny the way of life and you are dead。
31
Even the finest arms are an instrument of evil；
A spread of plague；
And the way for a vital man to go is not the way of a soldier。
But in time of war men civilized in peace
Turn from their higher to their lower nature。
Arms are an instrument of evil；
No measure for thoughtful men
Until there fail all other choice
But sad acceptance of it。
Triumph is not beautiful。
He who thinks triumph beautiful
Is one with a will to kill；
And one with a will to kill
Shall never prevail upon the world。
It is a good sign when man's higher nature comes forward；
A bad sign when his lower nature comes forward；
When retainers take charge
And the master stays back
As in the conduct of a funeral。
The death of a multitude is cause for mourning：
Conduct your triumph as a funeral。
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Existence is infinite； not to be defined；
And； though it seem but a bit of wood in your
