04道德经英译本85种-第393章
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If you lack sincerity no one will believe you。
How careful she is with her precious words!
When her work is complete and her job is finished;
Everybody says: 〃We did it!〃
18
When the great Tao perishes
There is jen and justice。
When intelligence is manifest
There is great deception。
When the six relationships are not in harmony
There is filial piety and compassion。
When the country is in chaos
Loyal ministers appear。
19
Get rid of 〃holiness〃 and abandon 〃wisdom〃 and the people will benefita hundredfold。
Get rid of 〃altruism〃 and abandon 〃Justice〃 and the people will returnto filial piety and compassion。
Get rid of cleverness and abandon profit; and thieves and gangsterswill not exist。
Since the above three are merely words; they are not sufficient。
Therefore there must be something to include them all。
See the origin and keep the non…differentiated state。
Lessen selfishness and decrease desire。
20
Get rid of 〃learning〃 and there will be no anxiety。
How much difference is there between 〃yes〃 and 〃no〃?
How far removed from each other are 〃good〃 and 〃evil〃?
Yet what the people are in awe of cannot be disregarded。
I am scattered; never having been in a comfortable center。
All the people enjoy themselves; as if they are at the festival ofthe great sacrifice;
Or climbing the Spring Platform。
I alone remain; not yet having shown myself。
Like an infant who has not yet laughed。
Weary; like one despairing of no home to return to。
All the people enjoy extra
While I have left everything behind。
I am ignorant of the minds of others。
So dull!
While average people are clear and bright; I alone am obscure。
Average people know everything。
To me alone all seems covered。
So flat!
Like the ocean。
Blowing around!
It seems there is no place to rest。
Everybody has a goal in mind。
I alone am as ignorant as a bumpkin。
I alone differ from people。
I enjoy being nourished by the mother。
21
The form of great virtue is something that only the Tao can follow。
The Tao as a 〃thing〃 is only vague and obscure。
How obscure! How vague! In it there is form。
How vague! How obscure! In it are things。
How deep! How dark! In it there is an essence。
The essence is so realtherein is belief。
From the present to antiquity; its name has never left it; so we canexamine all origins。
How do I know the form of all origins?
By this。
22
The imperfect is completed。
The crooked is straightened。
The empty is filled。
The old is renewed。
With few there is attainment。
With much there is confusion。
Therefore the sage grasps the one and becomes the model for all。
She does not show herself; and therefore is apparent。
She does not affirm herself; and therefore is acknowledged。
She does not boast and therefore has merit。
She does not strive and is therefore successful。
It is exactly because she does not contend; that nobody can contendwith her。
How could the ancient saying; 〃The imperfect is completed〃 be regardedas empty talk?
Believe in the complete and return to it。
23
To speak little is natural。
Therefore a gale does not blow a whole morning
Nor does a downpour last a whole day。
Who does these things? Heaven and Earth。
If even Heaven and Earth cannot force perfect continuity
How can people expect to?
Therefore there is such a thing as aligning one's actions with the Tao。
If you accord with the Tao you become one with it。
If you accord with virtue you become one with it。
If you accord with loss you become one with it。
The Tao accepts this accordance gladly。
Virtue accepts this accordance gladly。
Loss also accepts accordance gladly。
If you are untrustworthy; people will not trust you。
24
Standing on tiptoe; you are unsteady。
Straddle…legged; you cannot go。
If you show yourself; you will not be seen。
If you affirm yourself; you will not shine。
If you boast; you will have no merit。
If you promote yourself; you will have no success。
Those who abide in the Tao call these
Leftover food and wasted action
And all things dislike them。
Therefore the person of the Tao does not act like this。
25
There is something that is perfect in its disorder
Which is born before Heaven and Earth。
So silent and desolate! It establishes itself without renewal。
Functions universally without lapse。
We can regard it as the Mother of Everything。
I don't know its name。
Hence; when forced to name it; I call it 〃Tao。〃
When forced to categorize it; I call it 〃great。〃
Greatness entails transcendence。
Transcendence entails going…far。
Going…far entails return。
Hence; Tao is great; Heaven is great; the Earth is great
And the human is also great。
Within our realm there are four greatnesses and the human being is oneof them。
Human beings follow the Earth。
Earth follows Heaven
Heaven follows the Tao
The Tao follows the way things are。
26
Heaviness is the root of lightness。
Composure is the ruler of instability。
Therefore the sage travels all day
Without putting down his heavy load。
Though there may be spectacles to see
He easily passes them by。
This being so
How could the ruler of a large state
Be so concerned with himself as to ignore the people?
If you take them lightly you will lose your roots。
If you are unstable; you will lose your rulership。
27
A good traveler leaves no tracks。
Good speech lacks faultfinding。
A good counter needs no calculator。
A well…shut door will stay closed without a latch。
Skillful fastening will stay tied without knots。
It is in this manner that the sage is always skillful in elevating people。
Therefore she does not discard anybody。
She is always skillful in helping things
Therefore she does not discard anything。
This is called 〃the actualization of her luminosity。〃
Hence; the good are the teachers of the not…so…good。
And the not…so…good are the charges of the good。
Not valuing your teacher or not loving your students:
Even if you are smart; you are gravely in error。
This is called Essential Subtlety。
28
Know the Masculine; cleave to the Feminine
Be the valley for everyone。
Being the valley for everyone
You are always in virtue without lapse
And you return to infancy。
Know the White; cleave to the Black
Be a model for everyone。
Being the model for everyone
You are always in virtue and free from error
You return to limitlessness。
Know Glory but cleave to Humiliation
Be the valley for everyone。
When your constancy in virtue is complete
You return to the state of the 〃uncarved block。〃
The block is cut into implements。
The sage uses them to fulfill roles。
Therefore the great tailor does not cut。
29
If you want to grab the world and run it
I can see that you will not succeed。
The world is a spiritual vessel; which can't be controlled。
Manipulators mess things up。
Grabbers lose it。 Therefore:
Sometimes you lead
Sometimes you follow
Sometimes you are stifled
Sometimes you breathe easy
Sometimes you are strong
Sometimes you are weak
Sometimes you destroy
And sometimes you are destroyed。
Hence; the sage shuns excess
Shuns grandiosity
Shuns arrogance。
30
If you used the Tao as a principle for ruling
You would not dominate the people by military force。
What goes around comes around。
Where the general has camped
Thorns and brambles grow。
In the wake of a great army
Come years of famine。
If you know what you are doing
You will do what is necessary and st