04道德经英译本85种-第79节
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It is said that whoever excels in preserving their life
can wander through the land
and not meet tiger or wild buffalo；
can cross a battlefield
and not wear armour。
In them； a buffalo will find no place to thrust its horn；
a tiger no place to sink its claws；
a weapon no place to lodge its blade。
Why is this so？ Because for them； there is no realm of death。
51
The DAO gives life to everything；
DE nurtures it；
the world of matter gives it shape；
circumstances make it complete。
So everything that is reveres the DAO
and honours DE。
But the DAO is revered and DE honoured；
not because of a command； but naturally。
So the DAO gives life to everything；
and DE nurtures it；
raises it； and brings it up；
matures and completes it；
feeds and shelters it。
To give life without possessing；
to act without expecting gratitude；
to foster growth without controlling it …
this is called the secret DE。
52
The world has a beginning；
which can be called the mother of the world。
Know the mother；
and you will know the child。
Know the child；
then go back and hold fast to the mother；
and until the end of life； you will not meet with harm。
Block up all the openings； *
bolt firm all the doors；
and throughout your life； you will never be exhausted。Unblock the openings；
be busy with your affairs；
and throughout your life； you will never be redeemed。
To see the small is called enlightenment。
To hold to gentleness is called strength。
Use the light to go home to enlightenment；
and you will be saved from harm。
This is known as following the changeless。
* se qui dui： block up all the openings
dui has the meaning of 憁outh/opening/passage/aperture/hole？ and in this context refers to the physical and metaphorical openings through which the senses operate。 Dui is paralleled in the next line by men （gate/door）； a similar image of the passage…way of the senses。
53
Had I the smallest grain of understanding；
I would follow the great DAO；
my only fear would be to stray from it。
The great DAO is very smooth and straight；
and yet some people prefer the by…roads。
The royal court is kept immaculate；
and yet the fields are overgrown with weeds
and the granaries are empty。
They're dressed in finery；
with fine swords at their side；
they gorge themselves on food and drink；
and have more wealth by far than they can use。
This is the arrogance of thieves。 *
What could be further from the DAO？
* shi wei dao yu： this is the arrogance of thieves
there is a pun here on the word dao （or tao）； which can mean 憆obber？or 憈hief？ as well as the unnameable 慦ay？ The play on words occurs on three other occasions in the text （sections 3； 19 and 57）； though arguably with a lesser emphasis than here。
54
What is firmly planted cannot be uprooted；
what is firmly held cannot slip loose。
Your children and your grand…children
will worship it for generations without end。
Cultivate the DE within yourself
and the DE will be genuine。
Cultivate it in your family
and the DE will overflow。
Cultivate it in your village
and the DE will long endure。
Cultivate it in your country
and the DE will then spread wide。
Cultivate it in the world
and the DE will be everywhere。
Look at yourself as a self；
your family as a family；
your village as a village；
your country as a country；
your world as a world。
How do I know the world is like this？
By means of it。 *
* yi ci： by means of it
see section 21 above。
55
Whoever is filled with DE
is like a new…born child。
Wasps and scorpions will not sting it；
snakes and serpents will not bite it；
wild animals will not attack it；
birds of prey will not swoop down on it。
Its bones are soft； its muscles weak；
and yet its grip is firm。
It does not know of male and female union
and yet its organ stirs；
its vital energy is at its height。
It cries throughout the day
and yet is never hoarse；
its harmony is at its height。
To know harmony is to know the eternal。
To know the eternal is to know enlightenment。
To speed the growth of life is an omen of disaster； *
to control the breath by will…power is to overstrain it；
to grow too much is to decay。
All this is against the DAO
and whatever is against the DAO soon dies。
* xiang： an omen of disaster
xiang is particularly ambiguous character； since it can also mean the exact opposite of 慸isaster？ 慴lessing/good omen/propitious/beneficial？ All depends upon how the three characters immediately preceding （yi sheng yue） are translated。 If positively （for example； 憈o increase life？ 憈hat which is beneficial to life？ 慽mprovement in health？； the obvious choice of apposition is 慽s a blessing？ But if the characters are rendered negatively （憈o force the growth of things？ 憈o hasten life抯 growth unnaturally？ 憈o benefit one抯 own life？； then 慸isaster？is the equally obvious conclusion。 I view xiang in this latter light； since the immediately following lines focus upon different kinds of excess； which are viewed negatively； and which are explicitly said to be 慳gainst the DAO？
56
Those who know do not speak of it；
those who speak do not know of it。
Those who know
keep their mouths closed；
shut all the doors； *
blunt every sharpness；
untangle the knots；
soften the glare；
become one with the dust；
and enter the mystery of oneness。
They can be neither courted nor shunned；
they can be neither helped nor harmed；
they can be neither honoured nor disgraced。
They are the most treasured people upon the earth。
* men： doors
as in section 51 above； men has metaphorical rather than literal force； indicating the doors or gates through which the senses operate。
57
Be straightforward in governing the nation；
be cunning in waging a war。
Conquer the world by not interfering。
How do I know that this should be so？
Because
the more taboos and restrictions；
the poorer the people become；
the sharper the weapons；
the more fear in the land；
the more cunningness；
the more abnormal the events；
the more laws；
the greater the number of thieves。
Those who are enlightened say：
I do not act；
and people are transformed naturally；
I welcome stillness；
and people do what is right naturally；
I do not interfere；
and people prosper naturally；
I am without desire；
and people return to what is simple naturally。
58
When government is subdued and light；
people are simple and pure。
When government is sharp and prying；
people are cunning and mean。
It is on misfortune that good fortune rests；
it is in good fortune that misfortune hides。
Who knows the turning point； or where the standard lies？
The normal changes into abnormality；
the good changes into monstrosity。
Long indeed have people been confused。
Those who are enlightened
have sharp edges but do not cut；
have corners but do not jab；
are straight and true but do not over…reach；
shine radiantly but do not blind。
59
In governing the people and in serving heaven；
nothing surpasses moderation。
To be moderate
is to follow the DAO from early on；
to follow the DAO from early on
is to be filled to the brim with DE；
to be filled to the brim with DE
is to overcome all things；
to overcome all things
is to know all things are possible。
Whoever knows all things are possible
is fit to rule a country；
whoever guards a country as a mother would
will long endure。
This is called the DAO of deep roots and firm foundations；
a vision that is everlasting。
60
Governing a nation is like frying a small fish。
If the nation is governed according to the DAO；
dark spirits lose their power。
Not that the spirits lose their power
but that they do not harm the people。
Not only that they do not harm the people
but that those who are enlightened do not harm them either。 *
If neither of them harms the other；
the DE in them will be united and restored。
* sheng ren yi bu shang ren： those who are enlightened do not harm them either
a problematic rendering； since it raises the question； 憌hy should those who are enlightened ever be considered to harm people in the first place？？The difficulty of answering this point has led some translators to follow 憈hose who are enlightened？with a passive rather than an active voice： 憈hose who are enlightened are not harmed either or are protected also？ Why such a statement should be made at this point； though； is equally unclear。
61
A great country is like low…lying land
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