04道德经英译本85种-第340章

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　　61

　　The　Tao　of　Statecraft

　　A　great　nation　is　one　to　which　the　streams　descend。　It　is　the　meeting　place；　the　female　of　the　world。　Quiet；　passive；　overcoming　the　male　ba　humble　submission。

　　A　great　nation　lowers　itself　to　the　smaller　and　thus　wins　the　smaller　nation；　a　smaller　nation　lowers　itself　beneath　the　greater　and　thus　wins　the　greater　nation。　So；　some　lower　themselves　to　win　others；　some　are　already　low；　and　therefore　win　others。

　　A　great　nation　wants　more　people；　a　small　nation　wants　more　room。　When　both　are　dedicated　to　these　ends；　the　greater　nation　should　humbly　yield。

　　62

　　Tao　is　at　the　source　of　everything：　treasure　for　the　good；　refuge　for　the　bad。　Fine　words　can　be　sold；　fine　deeds　can　be　but　a　show。　Why；　then；　refuge　the　bad？

　　Therefore；　at　the　crowning　of　the　emperor　or　at　the　appointment　of　the　three　ministers；　rather　than　present　gifts　of　jade　and　hourses；　present　the　gift　of　Tao。

　　Why　did　the　ancients　value　Tao　so？　Did　they　not　say　the　seeker　shall　find　it；　the　sinner　shall　find　it　and　be　forgiven？　So　is　it　the　treasure　of　the　world。

　　63

　　Achieve　serenity。　Work　passively。　Taste　the　flavorless。　Large　or　small；　many　or　few；　exchange　love　for　hatred。

　　Undertake　the　difficult　while　it　is　still　simple；　undertake　the　great　while　it　is　still　minor。　The　problems　in　the　world　must　be　solved　while　they　are　easy；　the　great　while　they　are　minor。　The　truly　wise　find　greatness　by　undertaking　nothing　great。

　　A　promise　lightly　made　is　often　difficult　to　keep。　Whoever　makes　light　of　things　encounters　many　problems。　The　truly　wise　know　that　things　are　difficult　and　therefore　meet　with　no　difficulties。

　　64

　　What　is　not　moving　is　easily　held。　What　has　not　happened　is　easily　planned。　What　is　brittle　is　easily　broken。　What　is　tiny　is　easily　dispersed。　Deal　with　a　problem　before　it　arises；　exercise　control　before　confusion　exists。

　　A　tree　with　an　arm…girth　of　trunk　grows　from　a　tiny　spout；　a　nine…stoied　terrace　arises　from　a　heap　of　dirt；　a　thousand…mile　journey　begins　with　the　first　step。

　　Action　spoils；　reaching　loses。　The　truly　wise　are　not　active。　Thus　they　do　not　spoil　things。　Do　not　reach　so　do　not　lose。　Things　are　often　spoiled　very　close　to　completion。
　　Be　as　careful　at　completion　as　you　were　at　the　beginning。

　　Thus　the　truly　wise　want　the　unwanted　and　do　not　prize　what　is　rare。　Study　what　is　unstudied　and　preserve　what　is　lost。　Assist　in　the　course　of　nature　but　never　interfere　in　it。

　　65

　　Simplicity　an　Ancient　Standard

　　The　ancient　followers　of　Tao　did　not　use　it　to　increase　knowledge；　but　rather　to　preserve　simplicity。　People　are　difficult　to　govern　when　there　is　too　much　knowledge。　Whoever　rules　a　country　by　furthering　knowledge　is　that　nation抯　curse。　Whoever　rules　a　country　by　furthering　simplicity　is　that　nation抯　blessing。　To　know　these　two　principles　is　to　know　the　ancient　standard。　To　know　the　ancient　standard　is　to　possess　Teh　of　a　certainty。　Teh　is　deep　and　vast　as　infinity。　It　returns　us　to　primal　peace。

　　66

　　To　Lead　Appear　to　Follow

　　Why　do　rivers　and　seas　have　dominion　over　lowlands？　Because　the　one　lowers　itself　to　the　other。　To　be　elevated　by　the　people；　speak　like　their　inferior。　To　lead　the　people；　walk　behind　them。　Thus　the　truly　wise　are　above；　but　people　do　not　feel　their　weight。　They　walk　in　front；　but　people　do　not　feel　blocked。　The　whole　world　respects　and　never　grows　tired　of　such　leadership。　Because　the　truly　wise　are　not　aggressive；　no　one　is　aggressive　toward　them。

　　67

　　The　world　says：　擳ao　is　great　but　seems　so　foolish！？It　seems　foolish　because　it　is　great。　If　it　did　not　seem　so　foolish　it　would　have　long　since　lost　its　value。

　　I　have　three　treasures。　Guard　them　and　keep　them　safe！　The　first　is　love　without　which　nothing　is　possible。　The　second　is　moderation　which　is　to　know　the　Mystic　Balance。　The　third　is　humility；　to　know　that　you　have　come　from　nothing　and　that　you　return　to　nothing。　Without　these　there　is　no　hope。

　　Love　conquers　all。　There　is　no　defense　against　it。　Tao　arms　with　love　those　it　would　protect。

　　68

　　Victory　in　Tao

　　The　most　skilled　soldier　is　not　aggressive；　the　most　proficient　fighter　never　loses　control；　the　most　victorious　commander　does　not　bicker；　the　most　efficient　leader　is　humble　before　all。　This　is　the　virtue　of　serenity。　This　is　the　mastery　of　life。　This　is　matching　Teh　to　Tao。

　　69

　　Tao　Strategy

　　Ancient　military　strategists　said：　擨　would　rather　be　invaded　than　be　the　invader；　I　would　rather　retreat　one　foot　than　advance　one　inch。？br》　
　　This　means　not　marching　in　formation；　not　appering　prepared；　with　sleeves　up；　not　charging　in　frontal　assault；　not　arming　with　elaborate　weapons。

　　There　is　no　more　fateful　catastrophe　than　to　understimate　the　enemy。　To　underestimate　the　enemy　is　to　run　the　risk　of　losing　treasures。　Thus；　when　evenly　matched　armies　battle；　the　passive；　recessive　one　is　the　victor。

　　70

　　My　teachings　are　easily　understood　and　are　readily　put　into　practice　yet　everyone　does　not　understand　them；　everyone　does　not　practice　them。

　　Words　have　specific　meanings；　actions　have　specific　causes。　Not　being　specific；　people　do　not　understand　me。　Being　misunderstood；　I　understand。　Understanding；　true　knowledge　is　mine。　In　this　way；　the　truly　wise　wear　common　clothes　and　carry　their　jewels　in　their　hearts。

　　71

　　On　Intelligence

　　To　know　what　you　do　not　know　is　best。　He　who　thinks　he　knows　what　he　does　not　know　is　sick　in　mind。

　　One　who　sees　this　for　what　it　is　is　not　sick　in　mind。

　　The　followers　of　Tao　are　not　sick　in　mind　because　they　know　this。

　　72

　　Lead　Humbly　But　Surely

　　When　the　people　do　not　fear　absolute　rule；　greater　fear　will　yet　descend　on　them。

　　Do　not　give　them　cramped　quarters；　do　not　make　sacrifice　of　their　children。　If　you　do　not　dislike　them　you　will　not　be　disliked　yourself。　The　truly　wise　know　themselves　but　do　not　flaunt　themselves。　The　truly　wise　love　themselves　but　do　not　take　pride　in　themselves。　Therefore；　they　reject　the　one　and　accept　the　other。

　　73

　　One　of　courage；　with　audacity；　will　kill。　One　of　courage；　but　gentle；　spares　life。　From　these　two　kinds　of　courage　arise　harm　and　benefit。　Even　if　Tao　dislikes　certain　people；　who　can　say　why？　The　truly　wise　regard　this　as　a　most　difficult　question。　Tao　does　not　content　but　it　surely　wins。　It　does　not　speak　but　it　surely　responds。　It　does　not　command　but　things　come　of　themselves。　It　is　empty　yet　contains　the　Master　Plan。　The　net　of　Tao　is　all…encompassing；　its　meshes　are　wide；　yet　nothing　is　lost。

　　74

　　Capital　Punishment

　　If　the　people　do　not　fear　death；　why　threaten　them　with　it？　If　the　people　do　fear　death；　and　if　the　unlawful　be　killed；　who　would　dare　to　execute　them？　Only　the　Supreme　Executioner　kills。　To　take　his　place　is　to　set　an　unskilled　man　to　wield　the　hatchet　of　a　master　carpenter：　he　rarely　escapes　chopping　off　his　own　hand！

　　75

　　Rule　Without　Interfering

　　The　people　starve　when　rulers　impose　heavy　taxes。　That　is　why　people　starve。

　　The　people　are　rebellious　when　rulers　meddle　in　their　affairs。　That　is　why　people　are　rebellious。

　　The　people　do　not　fear　death　when　they　fight　for　a　better　life。　That　is　why　they　do　not　fear　death。

　　Those　who　do　not　interfere　with　life　receive　genuine　value　from　it。

　　76

　　When　living；　man　is　supple　and　yielding；　when　dead；　man　is　hard　and　stiff。　When　living；　all　animals　and　plants　are　soft　and　pliant；　when　dead；　they　are　withered　and　brittle。　Thus　being　inflexible　and　unyielding　is　part　of　dying；　being　flexible　and　yielding　is　part　of　living。

　　Thus；　a　headstrong　legion　will　lose　in　war　just　as　an　unyielding　tree　will　snap　under　the　axe。　The　place　of　the　strong　is　below；　the　place　of　the　gentle　is　above。

　　77

　　Is　not　Tao　like　a　drawn　bow？　The　highest　part　is　lowered；　the　lowest　part　is　raised；　overall　length　is　shortened；　overall　depth　is　lengthened。

　　So　Tao　lowers　the　highest　and　raises　the　lowest。　But　the　Tao　of　man　increases　the　high　and　decreases　the　low。

　　Who　can　take　f