04道德经英译本85种-第198章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
Using this: Sages occupy the upper position and the people are notimportant。
Occupy the prior position and the people are not harmed。
Using this: the social world happily promotes and does not resent。
It's because he does not dispute。
So in the social world; nothing disputes with him。
67
Three Treasures
Everyone in the social world calls my guide 'great'
It's like not resembling。
In general only being great hence like not resembling。
If it resembled; it would long since have been small!
I have three treasures。 I grasp and preserve them。
The first is called 'charity' the second 'frugality' and the thirdnot presuming to deem…act coming before the social world。
Charity; hence one can be brave。
Frugal; hence one can be magnanimous。
Not presuming to deem…act coming before the social world; hence onecan to fulfill the artifactual role of an elder。
Moderns abandon charity and are still brave。
Abandon frugality and are still liberal。
Abandon following and still put themselves in front。
Dead already!
Using charity in battle; one is victorious。
If involved in preserving then inherent nature will save it。 Use charityto defend it。
68
Coinciding with Nature
Those who are good champions don't battle。
Those who are good at war don't get angry。
Those who are good at defeating the enemy don't engage them。
Those who are good at using people deem it as a something beneath them。
This is called virtuosity at not contending。
This is called the power of using people。
This is called on a par with naturethe apex of antiquity。
69
Profound Use
There are slogans for using armies。
〃I don't presume to deem…act as lord and deem…act as guest。
Don't presume to advance an inch and withdraw a foot。〃
This is called 〃carrying out not carrying out。
Bearing non…existent arms;
Throwing against non…existent enemies。
Controlling non…existing armies。〃
No disaster is greater than taking an enemy lightly。
Taking an enemy lightly almost brings my treasures to grief。
Inherently; opposing armies strengthen each other。
Grieving then wins。
70
Difficulty in Knowing How
My words are profoundly easy to know。
Profoundly easy to perform。
In the social world none are able to know or to perform。
Language has an ancestor and social affairs have a ruler。
In general only lacking know…howthis counts as my know…how。
If those who know me are rare then things of mine are valuable。
Using this: Sages wrap precious jade in burlap。
71
Know…how as a disease
Knowing not to know is better。
Not knowing to know is a defect。
In general; in only 'defecting' defects; using this is not to 'defect。'
Sages do not 'defect' because they 'defect' defects。
For this reason they do not 'defect。'
72
Self…love
If the people do not fear authority then great authority has arrived。
Don't toy around with things they are at home with。
Don't despise things that contribute to their livelihood。
In general; only if you don't despise 'them'; using this 'they' willnot despise 'you'。
Using this: Sages start from what they know to do not from what theysee。
Start from love not from value。
So they choose this and reject that。
73
Employing Deeming
If one is courageously presumptuous; thenkilling。
If one is courageously non…presumptuous; thenliving。
These pairings : one benefits; one harms。
That which nature despises; who knows its cause?
Using this; sages make it even more difficult。
The natural guide does not contend and yet is good at winning。
Does not discourse and yet skillfully responds。
Does not call and yet comes of itself。
Insensate and yet good at planning。
The natural net is all encompassing。
It is loose and yet nothing is lost。
74
Controlling Feelings
When the people are not afraid off death
For what reason would you use death to frighten them?
If you cause the people to constant fear of death
And yet those who deem: act deviantly; we take; hold and kill them;
who will dare do it?
Should we constant having a professional executor do the killing?
To delegate a professional executor for killing;
Is this called 〃delegating the great carpenter to chop〃?
Those who delegate the great carpenter to chop are few。
It doesn't hurt his hand。
75
The Destructiveness of Envy
Starvation among the people comes from how much taxes…in…kind thoseabove them 'eat'。
From this: they starve。
The difficulty in governing people comes from those above them takingdeeming…action。
From this: they are difficult to govern。
People take death lightly because those above them seek life's richness。
From this they take death lightly。
In general: only those who don't deem…act using 'life' these areworthies at valuing life。
76
Strength's Warning Signs。
The human living state is soft and pliable。
The dead state is hard and rigid。
The alive state of the ten…thousand natural kinds grass and woodissoft and crisp。
Their dead state is hard and dry。
So things that are hard and rigid accompany death。
Things that are soft and pliable accompany life。
So if troops are strong they do not triumph。
When wood is stiff; it makes weapons。
When strength is great; its place is down。
When soft and pliable; its place is up。
77
The Natural Guide
The guide of nature: Is it not like a taut bow?
That which is high; represses them。
That which is low; raise them up。
That which has abundance; pare it back。
That which is insufficient; add to it。
The guide of nature is to pare back abundance and add to the insufficient。
If it's the guide of humans then it's not like that。
It injures that which is not sufficient and piles it on that whichhas abundance。
Who can have abundance and use it to pile it on the social world?
Only one who has a guide。
Using this: Sages Deem…act and don't rely on anything。
His work is accomplished and he doesn't locate it。
This is his not desiring the apprehending of worthies。
78
Recognizing Fidelity
In the social world; nothing is softer or more pliant than water。
And yet when it attacks firm; rigid things; none of them is able towin。
This is due to their lacking that with which to metamorphose it。
That the pliant wins over the rigid; the soft wins over the hard;
In the social world; no one fails to know。
'Yet' no one is able to execute。
Using this: Sages say; 〃Taking the soil of a state; this is calledruler of the world's grain alters。
Taking the non…auspicious state; this is being deemed the king of thesocial world。〃
Rectified language is like its opposite。
79
Recognizing Agreements
Settling a massive resentment
Necessarily some resentment will be left…over。
How can such be deemed as worth?
Using this: Sages grasp the left side of the agreement。
And don't demand from others。
Have virtuosity in supervising agreements。
Lack virtuosity in supervising taxation。
The natural guide has no kin。
It constants being with worthy people。
80
Primitivist Independence
'Small' the state and 'few' the people。
Bring about that having artifacts by the tens and hundreds yet theywon't use them。
Bring it about that the people 〃weight〃 death and don't venture far。
Although they have boats and chariots; they don't have reasons to ridein them。
Although they have armour and weapons; they don't have reasons to marshallthem。
Bring it about that humans revert to knotting string and use that。
〃Sweet' their food; 〃beautiful' their clothing。
'Peaceful' their neighborhoods; 'pleasant' their customs。
Nearby states can see each other。
And hear the sounds of each other's chickens and dogs。
The peoples reach old ag