04道德经英译本85种-第12章

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　　And　the　scientists　will　be　played　off　the　field
　　When　people　won抰　labour　anymore
　　All　will　live　in　peace

　　4

　　That　which　maintains　the　Creation
　　Is　like　an　empty　barrel　that抯　inexhaustible
　　It　is　like　a　fathomless　emptiness；　filling　the　whole　Creation
　　Its　sharpness　brings　about　curves
　　Its　angles　dissolve
　　It　dims　its　light
　　It　restrains　its　touch
　　How　pure　and　calm　it　stays；　like　deep　waters
　　I　don抰　know　its　origin
　　It　seems　like　it　is　even　older　than　that　by　which　it　is　brought　forth

　　5

　　The　Creation　does　not　pretend　to　be　friendly
　　It　treats　all　things　impartially
　　One　who　is　wise　doesn抰　act　friendly
　　All　people　are　equal　to　him
　　The　Universe　is　like　bellows
　　Although　empty；　it　fills　continuously
　　The　harder　it　works；　the　more　it　brings　forth
　　The　more　you　talk　about　it；　the　wearier　you　get
　　Therefore；　you'd　better　stick　to　what　really　matters

　　6

　　The　spirit　of　depth　never　dies
　　People　sometimes　call　it　the　Great　Mother
　　The　gate　through　which　she　breathes
　　Is　the　foundation　of　Creation
　　It　appears　to　be　everlasting
　　When　you　rely　on　that；　life　will　be　effortless

　　7

　　The　Universe　is　everlasting
　　The　reason　why　it　is　everlasting
　　Is　because　it　doesn抰　exist　for　itself
　　Therefore　it　can　last
　　Therefore　a　wise　man　behaves　as　the　least
　　And　because　he　is　least；　he　is　the　greatest
　　He　is　detached　and　therefore　he　is　safe
　　Couldn抰　it　be　possible　that　he　is　perfect；
　　Just　because　he　is　disinterested？

　　8

　　A　perfect　human　being　is　like　the　water
　　That　benefits　all　things　and　competes　with　nothing
　　It　stays　in　places　which　others　despise
　　But　in　this　way　it　follows　its　origin
　　In　his　heart　the　wise　cherishes　simplicity
　　In　contact　with　others　he　is　amiable
　　In　his　words　he　is　reliable
　　In　his　leading　he　is　peaceful
　　In　what　he　does　he　is　competent
　　He　does　everything　at　the　moment　it　needs　to　be　done
　　He　won抰　fight
　　And　therefore　he　is　impeccable

　　9

　　It　is　better　to　carry　an　empty　barrel　than　a　full　one
　　Sharpen　a　knife　until　it　is　razor…sharp　and　it　won抰　last　long
　　When　a　house　is　filled　with　valuables；　it　is　impossible　to　guard
　　When　wealth　and　ambition　make　one　arrogant；　it　will　lead　to　a　fall
　　When　fame　and　success　menace　you；　pull　back
　　That抯　the　only　road　to　true　bliss

　　10

　　Can　you　empty　your　head　and　lastingly　lose　yourself　in　Creation？
　　Can　you　live　up　to　your　nature　and　become　like　a　child？
　　Can　you　purify　the　doors　of　perception　and　see　clearly　again？
　　Can　you　love　your　fellow　man　and　serve　mankind　disinterestedly？
　　Can　you　go　in　and　out　of　the　narrow　gate　without　any　effort？
　　Can　you　be　in　the　world　without　being　possessed　by　it？
　　Can　you　realize　that　you　can抰　know　anything　and　therefore　understand　everything？
　　Nature　brings　forth　everything　and　feeds　everything
　　She　brings　forth　but　possesses　nothing
　　She　does　everything　disinterestedly　and　asks　for　nothing
　　She　leads　but　demands　nothing
　　That　is　what　people　call　the　incomprehensibility　of　Nature

　　11

　　Thirty　spokes　unite　within　the　nave
　　But　the　wheel　is　only　useful　because　of　the　cavity　inside　the　nave
　　Clay　is　kneaded　into　vases
　　But　the　utility　is　determined　by　the　cavity
　　When　building　a　house　they　leave　blank　spots　in　the　walls　for　doors　and　windows
　　But　the　utility　of　the　house　depends　on　the　cavity　inside
　　Therefore；　that　which　exists　is　useful
　　But　the　cavity　makes　it　possible

　　12

　　All　those　artificial　colours　blind　people抯　eyes
　　All　that　man…made　music　deafens　people's　ears
　　All　those　various　flavours　dull　our　taste
　　Horse　races　and　hunting　drive　people　crazy
　　The　desire　for　scarce　goods
　　Hinders　people　from　going　on　the　straight　and　simple　path
　　Therefore　the　wise　finds　his　satisfaction
　　In　feeding　himself　and　then　he　won抰　exhaust　his　eyes
　　Therefore　he　does　this　and　leaves　that

　　13

　　Watch　out　for　gratitude　and　criticism
　　Honour　and　misfortune　are　as　disastrous　as　having　character
　　What　does　that　say？
　　Watch　out　for　gratitude　and　criticism？
　　Watch　out　for　gratitude；　because　it　originates　from　submission
　　Watch　out　for　criticism；　because　it　comes　from　superior　power
　　Therefore；　watch　out　for　gratitude　and　criticism
　　What　does　it　mean　that　honour　and　misfortune　are　as　bad　as　having　character？
　　Disasters　come　over　us　because　we抳e　got　something　to　lose
　　If　we　had　nothing　to　lose；　which　disasters　could　still　strike　us？
　　Therefore：　to　him　who　considers　himself　just　as　worthy　as　the　world；
　　Mankind　can　entrust　the　world
　　And　to　him　who　loves　himself　and　the　world　just　as　unconditionally；
　　Mankind　can　entrust　the　care　for　the　world

　　14

　　We　look　at　it　but　we　do　not　see　it　and　we　call　it　the　invisible
　　We　listen　to　it　but　don抰　hear　it　and　we　call　it　the　inaudible
　　We　grope　at　it　but　never　touch　it　and　we　call　it　the　untouchable
　　The　invisible；　the　inaudible　and　the　untouchable　come　together　in　one
　　There　is　no　light　when　it　rises
　　There　is　no　darkness　when　it　descends
　　Continuously；　constantly；　but　it　cannot　be　put　into　words
　　And　it　returns　to　nothing
　　This　is　what　they　call　the　form　of　the　formless；　the　image　of　the　invisible
　　People　call　it　indefinite　and　impalpable
　　You　won抰　see　it　from　the　front
　　You　won抰　see　it　from　behind
　　One　who　lives　after　their　original　conscience；　lives　in　the　present
　　And　understands　everything　that　has　ever　been
　　That　is　living　according　to　nature

　　15

　　The　wise　of　old　were　profound　and　acute
　　People　thought　of　them　as　unfathomable　
　　Because　they　where　unfathomable；　I抣l　try　to　sketch　their　way　of　living：
　　They　seemed　cautious；　like　people　who　cross　a　wintry　river
　　They　seemed　irresolute；　as　if　danger　was　threatening　everywhere
　　They　seemed　dignified；　as　if　they　where　guests
　　They　seemed　natural；　like　raw　wood
　　They　seemed　empty；　like　a　valley
　　They　seemed　opaque；　like　muddy　water　
　　How　can　one　make　muddy　water　clear？
　　Stagnation　will　settle　the　mud　down　and　the　water　will　become　clear
　　Let　everything　happen　as　it　happens　and　you　will　come　to　rest
　　The　head　of　the　wise　is　empty；　he　does　not　search　for　anything　and　expects　nothing
　　He　is　empty；　everlasting；　youthful　and　not　caught　in　time
　　He　is　perfect

　　16

　　One　who　has　an　empty　head　is　satisfied；　One　who　is　satisfied　has　an　empty　head
　　All　creatures　exert　and　come　to　rest
　　All　plants　grow　to　maturity　and　come　to　rest
　　That　final　rest　is　what抯　called　being　done；　completion
　　Returning　to　nature　is　what抯　called　eternal　life
　　Living　in　the　present　is　called　being　enlightened　
　　One　who　is　not　enlightened　lives　in　confusion　and　misery
　　One　who　lives　according　to　his　nature　understands　everything　and　is　forbearing
　　One　who　is　forbearing　is　righteous
　　One　who　is　righteous　is　royal
　　One　who　is　royal　is　divine
　　One　who　is　divine　knows　oneself
　　One　who　knows　oneself　has　eternal　life
　　One　who　has　eternal　life　is　not　afraid　to　die

　　17

　　Of　the　wise　of　old；　people　only　knew　that　they　existed
　　Later　on　they　loved　them　and　admired　them
　　Thereafter　they　got　scared　of　them
　　And　finally　the　wise　were　seen　as　despicable
　　One　who　can抰　trust　oneself；　can抰　trust　another
　　How　cautious　were　the　first　with　their　words
　　They　proceeded　so　cautiously　that　when　they　where　done
　　The　people　thought　they　did　it　themselves

　　18

　　When　people　deviate　from　their　nature
　　Friendliness　and　righteousness　became　merits　to　be　earned
　　Knowledge　and　cleverness　came　into　being　and　lying　started　to　rule
　　Relatives　came　into　conflict　with　each　other　and　loving　each　other　became　a　duty
　　Cause　when　mankind　and　families　get　confused
　　Allegiance　becomes　an　order

　　19

　　Dispose　yourself　of　worldly　knowledge　and　cleverness
　　And　it　will　only　be　good　for　mankind
　　Stop　pretending　to　be　nice　a