04道德经英译本85种-第205章
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while they live; are supple & delicate
When they are dead; are weathered & tough
And so the hard & inflexible are companions to death
The adaptable & soft are companions to life
This is why the unbending military will not;
in due course; be triumphant
The rigid tree is then struck down
The strong & great belong underneath
The adaptable & soft belong above
77
Heaven has its path
Compare it to the drawing of a bow
What is high comes to be lowered
What is lowly comes to be raised
What has abundance will be diminished
What is incomplete will be added to
Heaven抯 way decreases where there is surplus
And adds to what is insufficient
Humanity抯 path is normally not like this;
Decreasing what is not enough
in order to give to what is excessive
Who can claim an abundance
in order to offer to nature?
Only those who keep the way
This is why wise ones develop but do not expect
Accomplish works but do not linger
They have no ambition to show merit
78
(In all) the world there is nothing
as adaptable & soft as water
Yet of that which attacks the hard & inflexible
Nothing can surpass it
Because there is no way easier than this
The gentle finally overcomes the firm
The adaptable finally overcomes the persistent
There is no one under heaven
who cannot comprehend (this)
(But) no one can practice (it)
So it is that wise ones maintain:
To accept the country抯 soil
May in truth be called mastering the altars of place & grain
To accept the realm抯 misfortunes
Is in truth to serve as sovereign to the world
Straightforward words may seem turned around
79
(When) reconciling a great grievance
There will surely be lingering resentments
(And) how can this be regarded as good?
This is why wise ones will post the greater bond
And will not press upon others
To have character is to look after obligations
To lack character is to look for entitlements
Heaven抯 way has no favorites
But usually sides with the right person
80
Shrink the domain; spread out the people
Let there be tens & hundreds of people with specialties
But unemployed
Let the people feel the weight of death
And not wander far
Though there be boats & wagons
No place to ride them
Though there be armor & weapons
No reason to show them
Let the people return to knotting cords
And counting on these
(To) sweetening their own food
Embroidering their own clothing
Secure in their own homes
Rejoicing in their own customs
Neighboring realms overlook one another
The sounds of each other抯 roosters and dogs are heard
(Yet) the people grow old & die
Without goings & comings between them
81
True words are not embellished
Embellished words are not truthful
To be right is not to be argumentative
To be argumentative is not to be right
To be knowing is not to be sophisticated
To be sophisticated is not to be knowing
Wise ones do not accumulate
Though intending to act on behalf of another
The more they themselves have gained
Though intending to give to another
The more they themselves are increased
Heaven抯 way is to benefit; but without doing harm
The wise ones?way is to work; but without competition
English_Heider_TTK
Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
English by
John Heider; 1985
1
Tao means how: how things happen; how things work。 Tao is the single principle underlying all creation。 Tao is God。
Tao cannot be defined; because it applies to everything。 You cannot define something in terms of itself。
If you can define a principle; it is not Tao。
Tao is a principle。 Creation; on the other hand; is a process。 That is all there is: principle and process; how and what。
All creation unfolds according to Tao。 There is no other way。
Tao cannot be defined; but Tao can be known。 The method is meditation; or being aware of what is happening。 Being aware of what is happening; I begin to see how it is happening。 I begin to sense Tao。
To become aware of what is happening; I must pay attention with an open mind。 I must set aside my personal prejudices of bias。 Prejudiced people see only what fits those prejudices。
The method of meditation works; because principle and process are inseparable。 All process reveals the underlying principle。 This means that I can know Tao。 I can know God。
By knowing Tao; I know how things happen。
2
All behaviour consists of opposites or polarities。 If I do anything more and more; over and over; its polarity will appear。 For example; striving to be beautiful makes a person ugly; and trying too hard to be kind is a form of selfishness。
Any over…determined behaviour produces its opposite:
… An obsession with living suggests worry about dying。
… True simplicity is not easy。
… Is it a long time or a short time since we last met?
… The braggart probably feels small and insecure。
… Who would be first ends up last。
Knowing how polarities work; the wise leader does not push to make things happen; but allows process to unfold on its own。
The leader teaches by example rather than by lecturing others on how they ought to be。
The leader knows that constant interventions will block the group's process。 The leader does not insist that things come out a certain way。
The wise leader does not seek a lot of money or a lot of praise。 Nevertheless; there is plenty of both。
3
The wise leader does not make a show of holiness or pass out grades for good performance。 That would create a climate of success and failure。 Competition and jealousy follow。
Emphasizing material success is the same: those who have a lot become greedy; and those who have little become thieves。
When you reinforce appearances; people scramble to please。
The wise leader pays respectful attention to all behaviour。 Thus the group becomes open to more and more possibilities of behaviour。 People learn a great deal when they are open to everything and not just figuring out what pleases the teacher。
The leader shows that style is no substitute for substance; that knowing certain facts is not more powerful than simple wisdom; that creating an impression is not more potent than acting from one's center。
The students learn that effective action arises out of silence and a clear sense of being。 In this they find a source of peace。 They discover that the person who is down…to…earth can do what needs doing more effectively than the person who is merely busy。
4
Dig as deep as you will; you will never come to a thing called Tao or God。 Tao is not a thing。 Tao is a principle or law。 Tao means how。
All things behave according to Tao; but Tao does not behave。 Tao is never an object or a process。
Tao is the law of all things; of all events。 Tao is the common ground of all creation。
Creation consists of things and events。 All things and events are vibratory。 Vibration consists of opposites or polarities。 Polarities may cooperate with one another; or they may conflict to varying degrees。
All things and events; whether they are cooperative or conflicting; harmonious or turbulent; take their form and become resolved in accordance with Tao。
But Tao is not a vibratory event。 Tao is not; for example; a sound。 Tao has no opposites or polarities。 Tao is one; Tao is unity。
As far as I know; nothing comes before Tao。 Nothing made Tao。 Nothing created God。
5
Natural law is blind; its justice evenhanded。 The consequences of one's behaviour are inescapable。 Being human is no excuse。
The wise leader does not try to protect people from themselves。 The light of awareness shines equally on what is pleasant and what is not pleasant。
People are not better than the rest of creation。 The same principle which underlies human beings underlies everything equally。
Neither is one person or one pe