04道德经英译本85种-第288章

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　　（Conceived　of　as）　having　no　name；　it　is　the　Originator　of　heaven　and　earth；　（conceived　of　as）　having　a　name；　it　is　the　Mother　of　all　things。

　　Always　without　desire　we　must　be　found；　If　its　deep　mystery　we　would　sound；　But　if　desire　always　within　us　be；　Its　outer　fringe　is　all　that　we　shall　see。

　　Under　these　two　aspects；　it　is　really　the　same；　but　as　development　takes　place；　it　receives　the　different　names。　Together　we　call　them　the　Mystery。　Where　the　Mystery　is　the　deepest　is　the　gate　of　all　that　is　subtle　and　wonderful。

　　2

　　All　in　the　world　know　the　beauty　of　the　beautiful；　and　in　doing　this　they　have　（the　idea　of）　what　ugliness　is；　they　all　know　the　skill　of　the　skilful；　and　in　doing　this　they　have　（the　idea　of）　what　the　want　of　skill　is。

　　So　it　is　that　existence　and　non…existence　give　birth　the　one　to　（the　idea　of）　the　other；　that　difficulty　and　ease　produce　the　one　（the　idea　of）　the　other；　that　length　and　shortness　fashion　out　the　one　the　figure　of　the　other；　that　（the　ideas　of）　height　and　lowness　arise　from　the　contrast　of　the　one　with　the　other；　that　the　musical　notes　and　tones　become　harmonious　through　the　relation　of　one　with　another；　and　that　being　before　and　behind　give　the　idea　of　one　following　another。　

　　Therefore　the　sage　manages　affairs　without　doing　anything；　and　conveys　his　instructions　without　the　use　of　speech。

　　All　things　spring　up；　and　there　is　not　one　which　declines　to　show　itself；　they　grow；　and　there　is　no　claim　made　for　their　ownership；　they　go　through　their　processes；　and　there　is　no　expectation　（of　a　reward　for　the　results）。　The　work　is　accomplished；　and　there　is　no　resting　in　it　（as　an　achievement）。

　　The　work　is　done；　but　how　no　one　can　see；
　　'Tis　this　that　makes　the　power　not　cease　to　be。

　　3

　　Not　to　value　and　employ　men　of　superior　ability　is　the　way　to　keep　the　people　from　rivalry　among　themselves；　not　to　prize　articles　which　are　difficult　to　procure　is　the　way　to　keep　them　from　becoming　thieves；　not　to　show　them　what　is　likely　to　excite　their　desires　is　the　way　to　keep　their　minds　from　disorder。

　　Therefore　the　sage；　in　the　exercise　of　his　government；　empties　their　minds；　fills　their　bellies；　weakens　their　wills；　and　strengthens　their　bones。

　　He　constantly　（tries　to）　keep　them　without　knowledge　and　without　desire；　and　where　there　are　those　who　have　knowledge；　to　keep　them　from　presuming　to　act　（on　it）。　When　there　is　this　abstinence　from　action；　good　order　is　universal。

　　4

　　The　Tao　is　（like）　the　emptiness　of　a　vessel；　and　in　our　employment　of　it　we　must　be　on　our　guard　against　all　fulness。　How　deep　and　unfathomable　it　is；　as　if　it　were　the　Honoured　Ancestor　of　all　things！

　　We　should　blunt　our　sharp　points；　and　unravel　the　complications　of　things；　we　should　attemper　our　brightness；　and　bring　ourselves　into　agreement　with　the　obscurity　of　others。　How　pure　and　still　the　Tao　is；　as　if　it　would　ever　so　continue！

　　I　do　not　know　whose　son　it　is。　It　might　appear　to　have　been　before　God。

　　5

　　Heaven　and　earth　do　not　act　from　（the　impulse　of）　any　wish　to　be　benevolent；　they　deal　with　all　things　as　the　dogs　of　grass　are　dealt　with。　The　sages　do　not　act　from　（any　wish　to　be）　benevolent；　they　deal　with　the　people　as　the　dogs　of　grass　are　dealt　with。

　　May　not　the　space　between　heaven　and　earth　be　compared　to　a　bellows？

　　'Tis　emptied；　yet　it　loses　not　its　power；
　　'Tis　moved　again；　and　sends　forth　air　the　more。
　　Much　speech　to　swift　exhaustion　lead　we　see；
　　Your　inner　being　guard；　and　keep　it　free。

　　6

　　The　valley　spirit　dies　not；　aye　the　same；
　　The　female　mystery　thus　do　we　name。
　　Its　gate；　from　which　at　first　they　issued　forth；
　　Is　called　the　root　from　which　grew　heaven　and　earth。

　　Long　and　unbroken　does　its　power　remain；
　　Used　gently；　and　without　the　touch　of　pain。

　　7

　　Heaven　is　long…enduring　and　earth　continues　long。　The　reason　why　heaven　and　earth　are　able　to　endure　and　continue　thus　long　is　because　they　do　not　live　of；　or　for；　themselves。　This　is　how　they　are　able　to　continue　and　endure。

　　Therefore　the　sage　puts　his　own　person　last；　and　yet　it　is　found　in　the　foremost　place；　he　treats　his　person　as　if　it　were　foreign　to　him；　and　yet　that　person　is　preserved。　Is　it　not　because　he　has　no　personal　and　private　ends；　that　therefore　such　ends　are　realised？

　　8

　　The　highest　excellence　is　like　（that　of）　water。　The　excellence　of　water　appears　in　its　benefiting　all　things；　and　in　its　occupying；　without　striving　（to　the　contrary）；　the　low　place　which　all　men　dislike。　Hence　（its　way）　is　near　to　（that　of）　the　Tao。

　　The　excellence　of　a　residence　is　in　（the　suitability　of）　the　place；　that　of　the　mind　is　in　abysmal　stillness；　that　of　associations　is　in　their　being　with　the　virtuous；　that　of　government　is　in　its　securing　good　order；　that　of　（the　conduct　of）　affairs　is　in　its　ability；　and　that　of　（the　initiation　of）　any　movement　is　in　its　timeliness。

　　And　when　（one　with　the　highest　excellence）　does　not　wrangle　（about　his　low　position）；　no　one　finds　fault　with　him。

　　9

　　It　is　better　to　leave　a　vessel　unfilled；　than　to　attempt　to　carry　it　when　it　is　full。　If　you　keep　feeling　a　point　that　has　been　sharpened；　the　point　cannot　long　preserve　its　sharpness。

　　When　gold　and　jade　fill　the　hall；　their　possessor　cannot　keep　them　safe。　When　wealth　and　honours　lead　to　arrogancy；　this　brings　its　evil　on　itself。　When　the　work　is　done；　and　one's　name　is　becoming　distinguished；　to　withdraw　into　obscurity　is　the　way　of　Heaven。

　　10

　　When　the　intelligent　and　animal　souls　are　held　together　in　one　embrace；　they　can　be　kept　from　separating。　When　one　gives　undivided　attention　to　the　（vital）　breath；　and　brings　it　to　the　utmost　degree　of　pliancy；　he　can　become　as　a　（tender）　babe。　When　he　has　cleansed　away　the　most　mysterious　sights　（of　his　imagination）；　he　can　become　without　a　flaw。

　　In　loving　the　people　and　ruling　the　state；　cannot　he　proceed　without　any　（purpose　of）　action？　In　the　opening　and　shutting　of　his　gates　of　heaven；　cannot　he　do　so　as　a　female　bird？　While　his　intelligence　reaches　in　every　direction；　cannot　he　（appear　to）　be　without　knowledge？

　　（The　Tao）　produces　（all　things）　and　nourishes　them；　it　produces　them　and　does　not　claim　them　as　its　own；　it　does　all；　and　yet　does　not　boast　of　it；　it　presides　over　all；　and　yet　does　not　control　them。　This　is　what　is　called　'The　mysterious　Quality'　（of　the　Tao）。

　　11

　　The　thirty　spokes　unite　in　the　one　nave；　but　it　is　on　the　empty　space　（for　the　axle）；　that　the　use　of　the　wheel　depends。　Clay　is　fashioned　into　vessels；　but　it　is　on　their　empty　hollowness；　that　their　use　depends。　The　door　and　windows　are　cut　out　（from　the　walls）　to　form　an　apartment；　but　it　is　on　the　empty　space　（within）；　that　its　use　depends。　Therefore；　what　has　a　（positive）　existence　serves　for　profitable　adaptation；　and　what　has　not　that　for　（actual）　usefulness。

　　12

　　Colour's　five　hues　from　th'　eyes　their　sight　will　take；
　　Music's　five　notes　the　ears　as　deaf　can　make；
　　The　flavours　five　deprive　the　mouth　of　taste；
　　The　chariot　course；　and　the　wild　hunting　waste
　　Make　mad　the　mind；　and　objects　rare　and　strange；
　　Sought　for；　men's　conduct　will　to　evil　change。

　　Therefore　the　sage　seeks　to　satisfy　（the　craving　of）　the　belly；　and　not　the　（insatiable　longing　of　the）　eyes。　He　puts　from　him　the　latter；　and　prefers　to　seek　the　former。

　　13

　　Favour　and　disgrace　would　seem　equally　to　be　feared；　honour　and　great　calamity；　to　be　regarded　as　personal　conditions　（of　the　same　kind）。

　　What　is　meant　by　speaking　thus　of　favour　and　disgrace？　Disgrace　is　being　in　a　low　position　（after　the　enjoyment　of　favour）。　The　getting　that　（favour）　leads　to　the　apprehension　（of　losing　it）；　and　the　losing　it　leads　to　the　fear　of　（still　greater　calamity）：this　is　what　is　meant　by　saying　that　favour　and　disgrace　would　seem　equally　to　be　feared。

　　And　what　is　meant　by　saying　that　honour　and　great　calamity　are　to　be　（similarly）　regarded　as　personal　conditions？　What　makes　me　liable　to　great　calamity　is　my　having　the　body　（which　I　call　myself）；　if　I　had　not　the　bo