04道德经英译本85种-第318章

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　　This　is　similar　to　natural　laws　in　that　the　Tao　also　acts　in　a　balanced　way。　It　tends　to　reduce　whatever　is　too　much；　and　add　to　that　which　is　not　enough。　Thus；　everything　in　the　world　is　constantly　moving　toward　equilibrium。
　　（For　instance；　a　pot　of　hot　water；　if　left　alone；　will　gradually　cool　off。　Just　as　certainly；　ice　cubes　will　melt　and　become　cold　water　that　will；　over　time；　approach　room　temperature。　This　is　the　way　of　the　heavenly　Tao。）
　　The　way　of　people　isn't　quite　like　that。　People　often　act　in　ways　opposite　to　the　balancing　principle　of　the　Tao。　They　cut　down　that　which　is　already　lacking　and　give　to　that　which　already　has　too　much。
　　（We　can　see　an　aspect　of　this　by　noting　that　all　over　the　world；　it　is　the　rule　rather　than　the　exception　that　the　rich　get　richer　while　the　poor　get　poorer。）
　　Who　are　the　ones　that　can　see　this　clearly　and　choose　not　to　follow　the　herd？　Only　those　who　have　the　Tao。　Whenever　they　have　too　much　of　something；　they　offer　the　surplus　to　those　who　do　not　have　enough。
　　In　this　way；　the　Tao　sages　act　in　accordance　with　nature　and　give　in　the　same　way　that　nature　does　…　without　having　expectations；　claiming　credit；　or　feeling　that　they　are　somehow　superior　for　having　given。
　　Just　like　the　Tao；　they　contribute　and　nurture　others　without　needing　to　show　off。　It　makes　no　difference　to　them　if　people　never　find　out　about　the　good　that　they　have　done。　Having　the　Tao　is　its　own　reason　and　justification。
　　Notes
　　The　lines　〃Lower　that　which　is　high　/　Raise　that　which　is　low〃　can　also　be　interpreted　as　what　happens　to　the　bow　when　the　archer　pulls　back：　the　top　of　the　bow　lowers　and　the　bottom　goes　up。
　　The　same　line　of　thought　leads　to　the　idea　that　the　next　two　lines　〃Reduce　that　which　is　excessive　/　Add　to　that　which　is　insufficient〃　refer　to　the　process　of　adjusting　the　length　of　the　bowstring　when　making　the　bow。
　　We　have　chosen　the　classical　interpretation　that　refers　to　aiming　instead；　because　it　is　clear　from　the　first　line　that　the　simile　is　all　about　the　process　of　drawing　open　the　bow　（to　fire　an　arrow）　rather　than　the　process　of　crafting　a　bow。　All　four　lines　refer　to　aiming：　the　archer　adjusts　the　vertical　angle　of　the　arrow　as　well　as　the　amount　of　force　invested　in　it。
　　In　this　chapter　Lao　Tzu　offers　a　penetrating　insight　into　human　nature：　rather　than　moving　toward　balance；　people　often　go　contrary　to　the　Tao　in　unbalancing　their　lives　even　more。
　　For　instance；　note　what　happens　when　people　overindulge。　They　do　not　reduce　the　indulgence　as　they　should。　Instead；　they　feed　it　even　more。　This　is　how　addictions　begin。
　　Also　note　how　people　jump　on　bandwagons　when　it　comes　to　beliefs；　attitudes；　trends　and　fads。　Rather　than　to　think　for　themselves；　they　jump　on　the　bandwagon　because　so　many　other　people　are　already　on　it。
　　78

　　Nothing　in　the　world　is　softer　or　weaker　than　water
　　Yet　nothing　is　better　at　overcoming　the　hard　and　strong
　　This　is　because　nothing　can　replace　it
　　That　the　weak　overcomes　the　strong
　　And　the　soft　overcomes　the　hard
　　Everybody　in　the　world　knows
　　But　cannot　put　into　practice
　　Therefore　sages　say：
　　The　one　who　accepts　the　humiliation　of　the　state
　　Is　called　its　master
　　The　one　who　accepts　the　misfortune　of　the　state
　　Becomes　king　of　the　world
　　The　truth　seems　like　the　opposite　
　　Water　appears　to　be　the　weakest　and　softest　thing　in　the　world。　It　always　conforms　to　the　shape　of　its　container。　Pour　it　into　a　bottle；　it's　a　bottle；　pour　it　into　a　cup；　it's　a　cup。　Water　is　the　ultimate　symbol　of　the　yielding　and　flexible　aspect　of　the　Tao。
　　At　the　same　time；　there　is　also　nothing　better　than　water　at　dissolving　the　hardest　and　most　unyielding　rocks。　We　only　have　to　look　around　to　see　how　water　has　carved　ravines　and　canyons　out　of　mountains　all　over　the　world。　Water　is　the　universal　solvent。　Nothing　can　replace　it。
　　This　observation　of　water　teaches　us　that　despite　a　yielding；　humble　appearance；　the　weak　overcomes　the　strong　and　the　soft　overcomes　the　hard。　This　is　a　principle　that　we　can　all　understand；　but　somehow　cannot　put　into　practice　in　real　life。　We　still　have　a　tendency　to　meet　force　with　force。　When　someone　yells　at　us；　we　yell　back　louder；　when　someone　trespasses　against　us；　we　retaliate　in　full　measure。。。　plus　interest！
　　Thus；　the　sages　teach　us　that　those　who　have　the　strength　to　accept　humiliation　are　extremely　rare。　Such　individuals　possess　the　power　embodied　in　water　…　seemingly　soft　and　weak；　and　yet　able　to　overcome　the　hard　and　strong。　If　they　apply　this　power　to　society；　they　would　achieve　complete　mastery　of　leadership　at　the　national　level。
　　Such　individuals　also　have　the　ability　to　accept　misfortunes。　Like　water；　they　have　the　depth　of　character　to　contain　adversities　and　difficulties。　If　they　apply　this　ability　to　handle　negativity　at　the　national　level；　they　would　achieve　preeminence　on　a　global　scale。
　　Thus；　by　embracing　the　seemingly　weak　and　soft；　one　gains　personal　power。　This　is　a　truth　that；　at　first　glance；　would　appear　to　be　contrary　to　our　expectations！
　　79

　　After　settling　a　great　dispute
　　There　must　be　remaining　resentments
　　How　can　this　be　considered　good？
　　Therefore　the　sage　holds　the　left　part　of　the　contract
　　But　does　not　demand　payment　from　the　other　person
　　Those　who　have　virtue　hold　the　contract
　　Those　without　virtue　hold　the　collections
　　The　Heavenly　Tao　has　no　favorites
　　It　constantly　gives　to　the　kind　people　
　　It　doesn't　matter　how　we　say　〃no　hard　feelings；〃　after　a　bitter　dispute；　there's　bound　to　be　ill…will　and　negative　feelings。　This　cannot　be　a　good　thing。
　　Sages　don't　get　into　disputes　in　the　first　place　because　they　give　to　others　without　expecting　anything　in　return。　It　is　as　if　they　hold　the　left　half　of　the　lending　agreement　…　the　lender's　copy　…　but　do　not　use　it　to　extract　loan　payments　from　the　borrower。
　　Those　who　possess　virtue　are　like　the　sages。　Metaphorically　speaking；　they　also　hold　the　left　half　of　the　lending　agreement。　They　give；　they　do　not　take。
　　Those　who　lack　virtue　are　like　the　tax　collectors。　It　is　as　if　they　hold　the　collections　notice　over　other　people。　They　take　from　everyone　and　give　to　no　one。
　　Given　this　is　the　case；　how　can　it　be　that　generous　souls　prosper　while　misers　seem　to　be　forever　pinching　pennies？　Shouldn't　those　who　only　take　end　up　with　more　than　those　who　only　give？
　　It　is　not　because　the　Tao　plays　favorites　and　treats　giving　people　better。　It　is　because　the　karmic　principle　…　the　Law　of　Cause　and　Effect　…　ensures　that　those　who　give　in　accordance　with　the　Tao　will　always　receive　abundantly。
　　Notes
　　When　the　ancient　Chinese　people　began　building　their　civilization　some　five　thousand　years　ago；　they　found　themselves　in　need　of　a　way　to　keep　track　of　debts。
　　The　method　had　to　somehow　be　proof　against　forgery；　so　less　trustworthy　individuals　wouldn't　borrow　funds　and　then　deny　it　or　claim　a　smaller　amount。　Also；　this　was　back　in　the　days　before　the　invention　of　paper；　so　that　made　the　problem　even　more　difficult。
　　What　they　came　up　with　was　clever。　Lender　and　borrower　would　get　a　piece　of　wood　or　tree　bark；　and　carve　the　record　of　their　transaction　and　agreement　on　it。　Then；　this　contract　would　be　split　apart　in　the　middle。　The　left　part　goes　to　the　lender；　the　right　to　the　borrower。
　　Thus；　the　left　side　of　the　contract　is　the　lender's　proof　that　he　has　a　right　to　demand　payments。　When　the　loan　has　been　paid；　the　lender　gives　the　left　side　to　the　borrower；　thus　making　the　contract　whole。
　　Because　the　tear　in　the　wood　or　bark　is　uneven；　it　serves　as　the　perfect　and　natural　way　to　authenticate。　A　forged　left　side　will　never　be　able　to　match　the　right　side　…　a　brilliant　solution。
　　The　Tao　of　Giving
　　Someone　who　gives　in　accordance　with　the　Tao　observes　the　following　guidelines：
　　1）　Appropriate　amount。　Tao　cultivators　would　not　give　so　much　that　they　damage　their　own　ability　to　continue　giving　in　the　future。　The　important　thing　is　to　be　like　a　small　stream　that　keeps　flowing；　as　opposed　to　an　upended　barrel　that　splashes　water　everywhere　and　has　no　more　to　give