04道德经英译本85种-第177章

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　filial　piety　and　paternal　affection。　When　the　state　and　the　clan　are　in　confusion　and　disorder；　we　still　have　the　ideals　of　loyalty　and　faithfulness。

　　19

　　RETURN　TO　SIMPLICITY

　　Abandon　the　show　of　saintliness　and　relinquish　excessive　prudence；　then　people　will　benefit　a　hundredfold。　Abandon　ostentatious　benevolence　and　conspicuous　righteousness；　then　people　will　return　to　the　primal　virtues　of　filial　piety　and　parental　affection。　Abandon　cleverness　and　relinquish　gains；　then　thieves　and　robbers　will　disappear。

　　Here　are　three　fundamentals　on　which　to　depend；　wherein　culture　is　insufficient。　Therefore　let　all　men　hold　to　that　which　is　reliable；　namely；　recognize　simplicity；　cherish　purity；　reduce　one's　possessions；　diminish　one's　desires。

　　20

　　THE　OPPOSITE　OF　THE　COMMONPLACE

　　Avoid　learning　if　you　would　have　no　anxiety。　The　〃yes〃　and　the　〃yea〃　differ　very　little；　but　the　contrast　between　good　and　evil　is　very　great。　That　which　is　not　feared　by　the　people　is　not　worth　fearing。　But；　oh；　the　difference；　the　desolation；　the　vastness；　between　ignorance　and　the　limitless　expression　of　the　Tao。

　　（The　balance　of　this　sonnet　is　devoted　to　showing　the　difference　between　the　careless　state　of　the　common　people　and　his　own　vision　of　the　Tao。　It　is　one　of　the　most　pathetic　expressions　of　human　loneliness；　from　lack　of　appreciation；　ever　written。　It　is　omitted　here　that　it　might　serve　for　the　closing　sonnet　and　valedictory。）

　　21

　　THE　HEART　OF　EMPTINESS

　　All　the　innumerable　forms　of　teh　correspond　to　the　norm　of　Tao；　but　the　nature　of　the　Tao's　activity　is　infinitely　abstract　and　illusive。　Illusive　and　obscure；　indeed；　but　at　its　heart　are　forms　and　types。　Vague　and　illusive；　indeed；　but　at　its　heart　is　all　being。　Unfathomable　and　obscure；　indeed；　but　at　its　heart　is　all　spirit；　and　spirit　is　reality。　At　its　heart　is　truth。

　　From　of　old　its　expression　is　unceasing；　it　has　been　present　at　all　beginnings。　How　do　I　know　that　its　nature　is　thus？　By　this　same　Tao。

　　22

　　INCREASE　BY　HUMILITY

　　At　that　time　the　deficient　will　be　made　perfect；　the　distorted　will　be　straightened；　the　empty　will　be　filled；　the　worn　out　will　be　renewed；　those　having　little　will　obtain　and　those　having　much　will　be　overcome。

　　Therefore　the　wise　man；　embracing　unity　as　he　does；　will　become　the　world's　model。　Not　pushing　himself　forward　he　will　become　enlightened；　not　asserting　himself　he　will　become　distinguished；　not　boasting　of　himself　he　will　acquire　merit；　not　approving　himself　he　will　endure。　Forasmuch　as　he　will　not　quarrel；　the　world　will　not　quarrel　with　him。

　　Is　the　old　saying；　〃The　crooked　shall　be　made　straight；〃　a　false　saying？　Indeed；　no！　They　will　be　perfected　and　return　rejoicing。

　　23

　　EMPTINESS　AND　NOT…DOING　（WU　WEI）

　　Taciturnity　is　natural　to　man。　A　whirlwind　never　outlasts　the　morning；　nor　a　violent　rain　the　day。　What　is　the　cause？　It　is　heaven　and　earth。　If　even　heaven　and　earth　are　not　constant；　much　less　can　man　be。

　　Therefore　he　who　pursues　his　affairs　in　the　spirit　of　Tao　will　become　Tao…like。　He　who　pursues　his　affairs　with　teh；　will　become　teh…like。　He　who　pursues　his　affairs　with　loss；　identifies　himself　with　loss。

　　He　who　identifies　himself　with　Tao；　Tao　rejoices　to　guide。　He　who　identifies　himself　with　teh；　teh　rejoices　to　reward。　And　he　who　identifies　himself　with　loss；　loss　rejoices　to　ruin。

　　If　his　faith　fail；　he　will　receive　no　reward　of　faith。

　　24

　　TROUBLES　AND　MERIT

　　It　is　not　natural　to　stand　on　tiptoe；　or　being　astride　one　does　not　walk。　One　who　displays　himself　is　not　bright；　or　one　who　asserts　himself　cannot　shine。　A　self…approving　man　has　no　merit；　nor　does　one　who　praises　himself　grow。

　　The　relation　of　these　things　（self…display；　self…assertion；　self…approval）　to　Tao　is　the　same　as　offal　is　to　food。　They　are　excrescences　from　the　system；　they　are　detestable；　Tao　does　not　dwell　in　them。

　　25

　　DESCRIBING　THE　MYSTERIOUS

　　There　is　Being　that　is　all…inclusive　and　that　existed　before　Heaven　and　Earth。　Calm；　indeed；　and　incorporeal！　It　is　alone　and　changeless！

　　Everywhere　it　functions　unhindered。　It　thereby　becomes　the　world's　mother。　I　do　not　know　its　nature；　if　I　try　to　characterize　it；　I　will　call　it　Tao。

　　If　forced　to　give　it　a　name；　I　will　call　it　the　Great。　The　Great　is　evasive；　the　evasive　is　the　distant；　the　distant　is　ever　coming　near。　Tao　is　Great。　So　is　Heaven　great；　and　so　is　Earth　and　so　also　is　the　representative　of　Heaven　and　Earth。

　　Man　is　derived　from　nature；　nature　is　derived　from　Heaven；　Heaven　is　derived　from　Tao。　Tao　is　self…derived。

　　26

　　THE　VIRTUE　（TEH）　OF　DIGNITY

　　The　heavy　is　the　root　of　the　light；　the　quiet　is　master　of　motion。　Therefore　the　wise　man　in　all　the　experience　of　the　day　will　not　depart　from　dignity。　Though　he　be　surrounded　with　sights　that　are　magnificent；　he　will　remain　calm　and　unconcerned。

　　How　does　it　come　to　pass　that　the　Emperor；　master　of　ten　thousand　chariots；　has　lost　the　mastery　of　the　Empire？　Because　being　flippant　himself；　he　has　lost　the　respect　of　his　subjects；　being　passionate　himself；　he　has　lost　the　control　of　the　Empire。

　　27

　　THE　FUNCTION　OF　SKILL

　　Good　walkers　leave　no　tracks；　good　speakers　make　no　errors；　good　counters　need　no　abacus；　good　wardens　have　no　need　for　bolts　and　locks　for　no　one　can　get　by　them。　Good　binders　can　dispense　with　rope　and　cord；　yet　none　can　unloose　their　hold。

　　Therefore　the　wise　man　trusting　in　goodness　always　saves　men；　for　there　is　no　outcast　to　him。　Trusting　in　goodness　he　saves　all　things　for　there　is　nothing　valueless　to　him。　This　is　recognizing　concealed　values。

　　Therefore　the　good　man　is　the　instructor　of　the　evil　man；　and　the　evil　man　is　the　good　man's　wealth。　He　who　does　not　esteem　his　instructors　or　value　his　wealth；　though　he　be　otherwise　intelligent；　becomes　confused。　Herein　lies　the　significance　of　spirituality。

　　28

　　RETURNING　TO　SIMPLICITY

　　He　who　knows　his　manhood　and　understands　his　womanhood　becomes　useful　like　the　valleys　of　earth　（which　bring　water）。　Being　like　the　valleys　of　earth；　eternal　vitality　（teh）　will　not　depart　from　him；　he　will　come　again　to　the　nature　of　a　little　child。

　　He　who　knows　his　innocence　and　recognizes　his　sin　becomes　the　world's　model。　Being　a　world's　model；　infinite　teh　will　not　fail；　he　will　return　to　the　Absolute。

　　He　who　knows　the　glory　of　his　nature　and　recognizes　also　his　limitations　becomes　useful　like　the　world's　valleys。　Being　like　the　world's　valleys；　eternal　teh　will　not　fail　him；　he　will　revert　to　simplicity。

　　Radiating　simplicity　he　will　make　of　men　vessels　of　usefulness。　The　wise　man　then　will　employ　them　as　officials　and　chiefs。　A　great　administration　of　such　will　harm　no　one。

　　29

　　NOT　FORCING　THINGS　（WU　WEI）

　　One　who　desires　to　take　and　remake　the　Empire　will　fail。　The　Empire　is　a　divine　thing　that　cannot　be　remade。　He　who　attempts　it　will　only　mar　it。

　　He　who　seeks　to　grasp　it；　will　lose　it。　People　differ；　some　lead；　others　follow；　some　are　ardent；　others　are　formal；　some　are　strong；　others　weak；　some　succeed；　others　fail。　Therefore　the　wise　man　practices　moderation；　he　abandons　pleasure；　extravagance　and　indulgence。

　　30

　　BE　STINGY　OF　WAR

　　When　the　magistrate　follows　Tao；　he　has　no　need　to　resort　to　force　of　arms　to　strengthen　the　Empire；　because　his　business　methods　alone　will　show　good　returns。

　　Briars　and　thorns　grow　rank　where　an　army　camps。　Bad　harvests　are　the　sequence　of　a　great　war。　The　good　ruler　will　be　resolute　and　then　stop；　he　dare　not　take　by　force。　One　should　be　resolute　but　not　boastful；　resolute　but　not　haughty；　resolute　but　not　arrogant；　resolute　but　yielding　when　it　cannot　be　avoided；　resolute　but　he　must　not　resort　to　violence。

　　By　a　resort　to　force；　things　flourish　for　a　time　but　then　decay。　This　is　not　like　the　Tao　and　that　which　is　not　Tao…like　will　soon　cease。

　　31

　　AVOIDING　WAR

　　Even　successful　arms；　among　all　implements；　are　unblessed。　All　men　come　to　detest　them。　Therefore　the　one　who　follows　Tao　does　not　rely　on　them。　Arms　are　o