04道德经英译本85种-第52节
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32
Existence is infinite； not to be defined；
And； though it seem but a bit of wood in your hand； to carve as you please；
It is not to be lightly played with and laid down。
When rulers adhered to the way of life；
They were upheld by natural loyalty：
Heaven and earth were joined and made fertile；
Life was a freshness of rain；
Subject to none；
Free to all。
But men of culture came； with their grades and their distinctions；
And as soon as such differences had been devised
No one knew where to end them；
Though the one who does know the end of all such differences
Is the sound man：
Existence
Might be likened to the course
Of many rivers reaching the one sea。
33
Knowledge studies others；
Wisdom is self…known；
Muscle masters brothers；
Self…mastery is bone；
Content need never borrow；
Ambition wanders blind：
Vitality cleaves to the marrow
Leaving death behind。
34
Bountiful life； letting anyone attend；
Making no distinction between left or right。
Feeding everyone； refusing no one；
Has not provided this bounty to show how much it owns；
Has not fed and clad its guests with any thought of claim；
And； because it lacks the twist
Of mind or body in what it has done；
The guile of head or hands；
Is not always respected by a guest。
Others appreciate welcome from the perfect host
Who； barely appearing to exist；
Exists the most。
35
If the sign of life is in your face
He who responds to it
Will feel secure and fit
As when； in a friendly place；
Sure of hearty care；
A traveler gladly waits。
Though it may not taste like food
And he may not see the fare
Or hear a sound of plates；
How endless it is and how good！
36
He who feels punctured
Must once have been a bubble；
He who feels unarmed
Must have carried arms；
He who feels belittled
Must have been consequential；
He who feel5 deprived
Must have had privilege；
Whereas a man with insight
Knows that to keep under is to endure。
What happens to a fish pulled out of a pond？
Or to an implement of state pulled out of a scabbard？
Unseen； they survive。
37
The way to use life is to do nothing through acting；
The way to use life is to do everything through being。
When a leader knows this；
His land naturally goes straight。
And the world's passion to stray from straightness
Is checked at the core
By the simple unnamable cleanness
Through which men cease from coveting；
And to a land where men cease from coveting
Peace comes of course。
38
A man of sure fitness； without making a point of his fitness；
Stays fit；
A man of unsure fitness； assuming an appearance of fitness；
Becomes unfit。
The man of sure fitness never makes an act of it
Nor considers what it may profit him；
The man of unsure fitness makes an act of it
And considers what it may profit him。
However a man with a kind heart proceed；
He forgets what it may profit him；
However a man with a just mind proceed；
He remembers what it may profit him；
However a man of conventional conduct proceed； if he be not complied with
Out goes his fist to enforce compliance。
Here is what happens：
Losing the way of life； men rely first on their fitness；
Losing fitness； they turn to kindness；
Losing kindness； they turn to justness；
Losing justness； they turn to convention。
Conventions are fealty and honesty gone to waste；
They are the entrance of disorder。
False teachers of life use flowery words
And start nonsense。
The man of stamina stays with the root
Below the tapering；
Stays with the fruit
Beyond the flowering：
He has his no and he has his yes。
39
The wholeness of life has； from of old； been made manifest in its parts：
Clarity has been made manifest in heaven；
Firmness in earth；
Purity in the spirit；
In the valley conception；
In the river procreation；
And so in a leader ate the people made manifest
For wholeness of use。
But for clarity heaven would be veiled；
But for firmness earth would have crumbled；
But for purity spirit would have fumbled；
But for conception the valley would have failed；
But for procreation the river have run dry；
So； save for the people； a leader shall die：
Always the low carry the high
On a root for growing by。
What can stand lofty with no low foundation？
No wonder leaders of a land profess
Their stature and their station
To be servitude and lowliness！
If rim and spoke and hub were not；
Where would be the chariot？
Who will prefer the jingle of jade pendants if
He once has heard stone growing in a cliff！
40
Life on its way returns into a mist；
Its quickness is its quietness again：
Existence of this world of things and men
Renews their never needing to exist。
41
Men of stamina； knowing the way of life；
Steadily keep to it；
Unstable men； knowing the way of life；
Keep to it or not according to occasion；
Stupid men； knowing the way of life
And having once laughed at it； laugh again the louder。
If you need to be sure which way is right； you can tell by their laughing at it。
They fling the old charges：
'A wick without oil；'
'For every step forward a step or two back。'
To such laughers a level road looks steep；
Top seems bottom；
'White appears black；
'Enough is a lack；'
Endurance is a weakness；
Simplicity a faded flower。
But eternity is his who goes straight round the circle；
Foundation is his who can feel beyond touch；
Harmony is his who can hear beyond sound；
Pattern is his who can see beyond shape：
Life is his who can tell beyond words
Fulfillment of the unfulfilled。
42
Life； when it came to be；
Bore one； then two； then three
Elements of things；
And thus the three began
…Heaven and earth and man…
To balance happenings：
Cool night behind； warm day ahead；
For the living； for the dead。
Though a commoner be loth to say
That he is only common clay；
Kings and princes often state
How humbly they are leading；
Because in true succeeding
High and low correlate。
It is an ancient thought；
Which many men have taught；
That he who over…reaches
And tries to live by force
Shall die thereby of course；
And is what my own heart teaches。
43
As the soft yield of water cleaves obstinate stone；
So to yield with life solves the insoluble：
To yield； I have learned； is to come back again。
But this unworded lesson；
This easy example；
Is lost upon men。
44
Which means more to you；
You or your renown？
Which brings more to you；
You or what you own？
And which would cost you more
If it were gone？
The niggard pays；
The miser loses。
The least ashamed of men
Goes back if he chooses：
He knows both ways；
He starts again。
45
A man's work； however finished it seem；
Continues as long as he live；
A man； however perfect he seem；
Is needed as long as he live：
As long as truth appears falsity；
The seer a fool；
The prophet a dumb lout；
If you want to keep warm keep stirring about；
Keep still if you want to keep cool；
And in all the world one day no doubt
Your way shall be the rule。
46
In a land where the way of life is understood
Race…horses are led back to serve the field；
In a land where the way of life is not understood
War…horses are bred on the autumn yield。
Owning is the entanglement；
Wanting is the bewilderment；
Taking is the presentiment：
Only he who contains content
Remains content。
47
There is no need to run outside
For better seeing；
Nor to peer from a window。 Rather abide
At the center of your being；
For the more you leave it； the less you learn。
Search your heart and see
If he is wise who takes each turn：
The way to do is to be。
48
A man anxious for knowledge adds more to himself every minute；
A man acquiring life loses himself in it；
Has less and less to bear in mind；
Less and less to do；
Because life； he finds； is well inclined；
Including himself too。
Often a man sways the world like a wind
But not by deed；
And if there appear to you to be need
Of motion to sway it； it has left you behind。
49
A sound man's heart is not shut within itself
But is open to other people's hearts：
I find good people good；
And I find bad people good
If l am good enough；
I trust men of their word；
And I trust liars
If I am true enough；
I feel the heart…heats of others
Above my own
If I am enough of a father；
Enough
