04道德经英译本85种-第25章

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　　If　you　desire　to　realize　the　potentialities　of　your　indescribable　original　nature；　how　can　you　insist　that　some　selected　aspect　of　your　personality　is　really　superior　to　that　original　nature？
　　If　you　are　required　to　govern　others；　ought　you　not　be　able　to　guide　them　by　example；　rather　than　by　forcing　your　will　upon　them？
　　If　Nature's　way　is　a　joint　process　of　initiation　and　completion；　sowing　and　reaping；　producing　and　consuming；　can　you　rightly　demand　that　you　deserve　always　to　play　the　role　of　the　consumer？
　　If　you　desire　to　know　the　nature　of　the　various　kinds　of　things；　must　you　meddle　with　them；　experiment　with　them；　try　to　change　them；　in　order　to　find　out？
　　Nature　procreates　all　things　and　then　devotes　itself　to　caring　for　them；　Just　as　parents　give　birth　to　children　without　keeping　them　as　slaves。　It　willingly　gives　life；　without　first　asking　whether　the　creatures　will　repay　for　its　services。　It　provides　a　pattern　to　follow；　without　requiring　anyone　to　follow　it。　This　is　the　secret　of　intelligent　activity。

　　11

　　Every　positive　involves　its　negative　or　opposing　factor；　for　example：　In　order　to　turn　a　wheel；　although　thirty　spokes　must　revolve；　the　axle　must　remain　motionless；　so　both　the　moving　and　the　non…moving　are　needed　to　produce　revolution。
　　In　order　to　mold　a　vase；　although　one　must　use　clay；　he　must　also　provide　a　hollow　space　of　empty　clay；　so　both　clay　and　the　absence　of　clay　are　required　to　produce　a　vessel。
　　In　order　to　build　a　house；　although　we　must　establish　solid　walls；　we　must　also　provide　doors　and　windows；　so　both　the　impenetrable　and　penetrable　are　essential　to　a　useful　building。
　　Therefore；　we　profit　equally　by　the　positive　and　negative　ingredients　in　each　situation。

　　12

　　Interest　in　the　varieties　of　colour　diverts　the　eye　from　regarding　the　thing　which　is　coloured。　Attention　to　the　differences　between　sounds　distracts　the　ear　from　consideration　for　the　source　of　the　sounds。　Desire　for　enjoyment　of　the　various　flavours　misdirects　the　appetite　from　seeking　foods　which　are　truly　nourishing。
　　Excessive　devotion　to　chasing　about　and　pursuing　things　agitates　the　mind　with　insane　excitement。　Greed　for　riches　ensnares　one's　efforts　to　pursue　his　healthier　motives。
　　The　intelligent　man　is　concerned　about　his　genuine　needs　and　avoids　being　confused　by　dazzling　appearances。　He　wisely　distinguishes　one　from　the　other。

　　13

　　Pride　and　shame　cause　us　much　fearful　anxiety。　But　our　inner　peace　and　distress　should　be　our　primary　concerns。
　　Why　do　pride　and　shame　cause　us　so　much　fearful　anxiety？　Because：　Pride　attaches　undue　importance　to　the　superiority　of　one's　status　in　the　eyes　of　others；　And　shame　is　fear　of　humiliation　at　one's　inferior　status　in　the　estimation　of　others。　When　one　sets　his　heart　on　being　highly　esteemed；　and　achieves　such　rating；　then　he　is　automatically　involved　in　fear　of　losing　his　status。　Then　protection　of　his　status　appears　to　be　his　most　important　need。　And　humiliation　seems　the　worst　of　all　evils。　This　is　the　reason　why　pride　and　shames　cause　us　so　much　fearful　anxiety。
　　Why　should　our　inner　peace　and　distress　be　our　primary　concerns？　Because：　The　inner　self　is　our　true　self；　so　in　order　to　realize　our　true　self；　we　must　be　willing　to　live　without　being　dependent　upon　the　opinions　of　others。　When　we　are　completely　self…sufficient；　then　we　can　have　no　fear　of　disesteem。
　　He　who　wisely　devotes　himself　to　being　self…sufficient；　and　therefore　does　not　depend　for　his　happiness　upon　external　ratings　by　others；　is　the　one　best　able　to　set　an　example　for；　and　to　teach　and　govern；　others。

　　14

　　Since　what　is　ultimate　in　Nature　cannot　be　seen　with　one's　eyes；　it　is　spoken　of　as　invisible。　Since　it　cannot　be　heard　with　one's　ears；　it　is　called　inaudible。　Since　it　cannot　be　grasped　in　one's　hands；　it　is　thought　of　as　intangible
　　But　not　even　all　these　three　together　can　adequately　describe　it。　Nature　did　not　originate　in　beginnings；　and　will　not　reach　its　goal　in　endings。　Rather　it　acts　unceasingly；　without　either　absolute　beginnings　or　final　endings。　If　we　cannot　describe　it　intelligibly；　this　is　because　it　is　beyond　our　understanding。
　　Nature　is　the　formless　source　of　all　forms；　and　yet　it　remains　unaffected　by　its　forms。　Thus　it　appears　to　us　as　if　mysterious。
　　No　matter　how　closely　we　scrutinize　its　coming　toward　us；　we　cannot　discover　a　beginning。　No　matter　how　long　we　pursue　it；　we　never　find　its　end。
　　One　must　comprehend　the　way　in　which　the　original　Nature　itself　operates；　if　he　wishes　to　control　present　conditions。　That　is；　he　should　study　the　ultimate　source　itself。　This　is　the　way　to　understand　how　Nature　behaves。

　　15

　　In　primitive　times；　intelligent　men　had　an　intuitively　penetrating　grasp　of　reality　which　could　not　be　stated　in　words。
　　Since　their　instinctive　beliefs　have　not　been　recorded　for　us；　we　can　only　infer　them　from　old　sayings　which　have　come　down　to　us。　Regarding　caution　when　crossing　a　stream　in　winter：　the　more　nervous　you　are；　the　more　likely　you　are　to　slip　and　fall：　Regarding　suspicion　of　enemies；　the　more　you　fear　others；　the　more　the　will　be　afraid　of　you：　Regarding　courtesy　as　a　guest：　the　longer　you　stay；　the　more　you　become　indebted　to　your　host。
　　Regarding　melting　ice：　the　more　you　do　to　prevent　it　from　melting；　the　quicker　it　melts。　Regarding　making　furniture：　the　more　you　carve　the　wood；　the　weaker　it　gets。　Regarding　digging　ditches：　the　steeper　you　slope　their　sides；　the　sooner　they　will　wash　down。　Regarding　muddy　water：　The　more　you　try　to　stir　the　dirt　out　of　it；　the　murkier　it　gets。
　　What；　then；　should　we　do　in　order　to　clear　the　muddy　water？　Leave　it　alone　and　the　dirt　will　settle　out　by　itself。　What；　then；　must　we　do　in　order　to　achieve　contentment？　Let　each　thing　act　according　to　its　own　nature；　and　it　will　eventually　come　to　rest　in　its　own　way。
　　Those　who　fully　comprehend　the　true　nature　of　existence　do　not　try　to　push　things　to　excess。　And　because　they　do　not　try　to　push　things　to　excess；　they　are　able　to　satisfy　their　needs　repeatedly　without　exhausting　themselves。

　　16

　　In　order　to　arrive　at　complete　contentment；　restrain　your　ambitions。
　　For　everything　which　comes　into　being　eventually　returns　again　to　the　source　from　which　it　came。　Each　thing　which　grows　and　develops　to　the　fullness　of　its　own　nature　completes　its　course　by　declining　again　in　a　manner　inherently　determined　by　its　own　nature。
　　Completing　its　life　is　as　inevitable　as　that　each　thing　shall　have　its　own　goal。　Each　thing　having　its　own　goal　is　necessary　to　the　nature　of　things。
　　He　who　knows　that　this　is　the　ultimate　nature　of　things　is　intelligent；　he　who　does　not　is　not。　Being　intelligent；　he　knows　that　each　has　a　nature　which　is　able　to　take　care　of　itself。　Knowing　this；　he　is　willing　that　each　thing　follow　its　own　course。　Being　willing　to　let　each　thing　follow　its　own　course；　he　is　gracious。　Being　gracious；　he　is　like　the　source　which　graciously　gives　life　to　all。　Being　like　the　gracious　source　of　all；　he　embodies　Nature's　way　within　his　own　being。　And　in　thus　embodying　Nature's　way　within　himself；　he　embodies　its　perpetually　recurrent　principles　within　himself。
　　And　so；　regardless　of　what　happens　to　his　body；　there　is　somethng　about　him　which　goes　on　forever。

　　17

　　The　most　intelligent　leaders　bring　about　results　without　making　those　controlled　realize　that　they　are　being　influenced。　The　less　intelligent　seek　to　motivate　others　by　appeals　to　loyalty；　honour；　self…interest；　and　flattery。　Those　still　less　intelligent　employ　fear　by　making　their　followers　think　they　will　not　receive　their　rewards。　The　worst　try　to　force　others　to　improve　by　condemning　their　conduct。
　　But　since；　if　leaders　do　not　trust　their　followers　then　their　followers　will　not　trust　the　leaders；　The　intelligent　leader　will　be　careful　not　to　speak　as　if　he　doubted　or　distrusted　his　follower's　ability　to　do　the　job　suitably。
　　When　the　work　is　done；　and　as　he　wanted　it　done；　he　will　be　happy　if　the　followers　say：　〃This　is　just　the　way　we　wanted　it。〃

　　18

　　When　people　try　to　improve　upon；　and　thus　deviate　from；　the　way　Nature　itse