04道德经英译本85种-第215章
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This is called the formless form;
The substanceless image。
This is called the subtle and indistinct。
Follow it and you won't see its back;
Greet it and you won't see its head。
Hold on to the Way of the present?br》 To manage the things of the present;
And to know the ancient beginning。
This is called the beginning of the thread of the Way。
15
The one who was skilled at practicing the Way in antiquity;
Was subtle and profound; mysterious and penetratingly wise。
His depth cannot be known。
It is only because he cannot be known
That therefore were I forced to describe him I'd say:
Hesitant was he! Like someone crossing a river in winter。
Undecided was he! As though in fear of his neighbors on all four sides。
Solemn and polite was he! Like a guest。
Scattered and dispersed was he! Like an ice as it melts
Genuine; unformed was he! Like uncarved wood。
Merged; undifferentiated was he! Like muddy water。
Broad and expansive was he! Like a valley。
If you take muddy water and still it; it gradually becomes clear。
If you bring something to rest in order to move it; it gradually comes alive。
The one who preserved this Way does not desire to be full;
Therefore he can wear out with no need to be renewed。
16
Take emptiness to the limit;
Maintain tranquility in the center。
The ten thousand things梥ide…by…side they arise;
And by this I see their return。
Things 'come forth' in great numbers;
Each one returns to its root。
This is called tranquility。
〃Tranquility〃桾his means to return to your fate。
To return to your fate is to be constant;
To know the constant is to be wise。
Not to know the constant is to be reckless and wild;
If you're reckless and wild; your actions will lead to misfortune。
To know the constant is to be all…embracing;
To be all…embracing is to be impartial;
To be impartial is to be kingly;
To be kingly is to be 'like' Heaven;
To be 'like' Heaven is to be 'one with' the Dao;
If you're 'one with' the Dao; to the end of your days you'll suffer no harm。
17
With the highest 'kind of rulers'; those below simply know they exist。
With those one step down梩hey love and praise them。
With those one further step down梩hey fear them。
And with those at the bottom梩hey ridicule and insult them。
When trust is insufficient; there will be no trust 'in them'。
Hesitant; undecided! Like this is his respect for speaking。
18
Therefore; when the Great Way is rejected; it is then that we have the virtues of humanity and righteousness;
When knowledge and wisdom appear; it is then that there is great hypocrisy;
When the six relations are not in harmony; it is then that we have filial piety and compassion;
And when the country is in chaos and confusion; it is then that there are virtuous officials。
19
Eliminate sageliness; throw away knowledge;
And the people will benefit a hundredfold。
Eliminate humanity; throw away righteousness;
And the people will return to filial piety and compassion。
Eliminate craftiness; throw away profit;
Then we will have no robbers and thieves。
These three sayings?br》 Regard as a text are not yet complete。
Thus; we must see to it that they have the following appended:
Manifest plainness and embrace the genuine;
Lessen self…interest and make few your desires;
Eliminate learning and have no undue concern。
20
Agreement and angry rejection;
How great is the difference between them?
Beautiful and ugly;
What's it like梩he difference between them?
The one who is feared by others;
Must also because of this fear other men。
Wild; unrestrained! It will never come to an end!
The multitudes are peaceful and happy;
Like climbing a terrace in springtime to feast at the tai…lao sacrifice。
But I'm tranquil and quiet梟ot yet having given any sign。
Like a child who has not yet smiled。
Tired and exhausted梐s though I have no place to return。
The multitudes all have a surplus。
'I alone seem to be lacking。'
Mine is the mind of a fool梚gnorant and stupid!
The common people see things clearly;
I alone am in the dark。
The common people discriminate and make fine distinctions;
I alone am muddled and confused。
Formless am I! Like the ocean;
Shapeless am I! As though I have nothing in which I can rest。
The masses all have their reasons 'for acting';
I alone am stupid and obstinate like a rustic。
But my desires alone differ from those of others?br》 For I value drawing sustenance from the Mother。
21
The character of great virtue follows alone from the Way。
As for the nature of the Way梚t's shapeless and formless。
Formless! Shapeless! Inside there are images。
Shapeless! Formless! Inside there are things。
Hidden! Obscure! Inside there are essences。
These essences are very real;
Inside them is the proof。
From the present back to the past;
Its name has never gone away。
It is by this that we comply with the father of the multitude 'of things'。
How do I know that the father of the multitude is so?
By this。
22
Bent over; you'll be preserved whole;
When twisted; you'll be upright;
When hollowed out; you'll be full;
When worn out; you'll be renewed;
When you have little; you'll attain 'much';
With much; you'll be confused。
Therefore the Sage holds on to the One and in this way becomes the shepherd of the world。
He does not show himself off; therefore he becomes prominent。
He does not put himself on display; therefore he brightly shines。
He does not brag about himself; therefore he receives credit。
He does not praise his own deeds; therefore he can long endure。
It is only because he does not compete that; therefore; no one is able to compete with him。
The so…called 〃Bent over you'll be preserved whole〃 of the ancients
Was an expression that was really close to it!
Truly 〃wholeness〃 will belong to him。
23
To rarely speak梥uch is 'the way of' Nature。
Fierce winds don't last the whole morning;
Torrential rains don't last the whole day。
Who makes these things?
If even Heaven and Earth can't make these last long?br》 How much the more is this true for man?!
Therefore; one who devotes himself to the Way is one with the Way;
One who 'devotes himself to' Virtue is one with that Virtue;
And one who 'devotes himself to' losing is one with that loss。
To the one who is one with Virtue; the Way also gives Virtue;
While for the one who is one with his loss; the Way also disregards him。
24
One who boasts is not established;
One who shows himself off does not become prominent;
One who puts himself on display does not brightly shine;
One who brags about himself gests no credit;
One who praises himself does not long endure。
In the Way; such things are called:
〃Surplus food and redundant action。〃
And with things梩here are those who hate them。
Therefore; the one with the Way in them does not dwell。
25
There was something formed out of chaos;
That was born before Heaven and Earth。
Quiet and Still! Pure and deep!
It stands on its own and does not change。
It can be regarded as the mother of Heaven and Earth。
I do not yet know its name:
I 〃style〃 it 〃the Way。〃
Were I forced to give it a name; I would call it 〃the Great。〃
〃Great〃 means 〃to depart〃;
〃To depart〃 means 〃to be far away〃;
And 〃to be far away〃 means 〃to return。〃
The Way is great;
Heaven is great;
Earth is great;
And the king is also great。
In the country there are four greats; and the king occupies one place among them。
Man models himself on the Earth;
The Earth models itself on Heaven;
Heaven models itself on the Way;
And the Way models itself on that which is so on