04道德经英译本85种-第472章

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　　The　wife　always　through　quietude　conquers　her　husband；　and　by　quietude　renders　herself　lowly。

　　Thus　a　great　state　through　lowliness　toward　small　states　will　conquer　the　small　states；　and　small　states　through　lowliness　toward　great　states　will　conquer　great　states。

　　Therefore　some　render　themselves　lowly　for　the　purpose　of　conquering；　others　are　lowly　and　therefore　conquer。

　　A　great　state　desires　no　more　than　to　unite　and　feed　the　people；　a　small　state　desires　no　more　than　to　devote　itself　to　the　service　of　the　people；　but　that　both　may　obtain　their　wishes；　the　greater　one　must　stoop。

　　62

　　Practise　Reason

　　The　man　of　Reason　is　the　ten　thousand　creatures'　refuge；　the　good　man's　wealth；　the　bad　man's　stay。

　　With　beautiful　words　one　can　sell。　With　honest　conduct　one　can　do　still　more　with　the　people。

　　If　a　man　be　bad；　why　should　he　be　thrown　away？　Therefore；　an　emperor　was　elected　and　three　ministers　appointed；　but　better　than　holding　before　one's　face　the　jade　table　＇of　the　ministry＇　and　riding　with　four　horses；　is　sitting　still　and　propounding　the　eternal　Reason。

　　Why　do　the　ancients　prize　this　Reason？　Is　it　not；　say；　because　when　sought　it　is　obtained　and　the　sinner　thereby　can　be　saved？　Therefore　it　is　world…honored。

　　63

　　Consider　Beginnings

　　Assert　non…assertion。

　　Practise　non…practice。

　　Taste　the　tasteless。

　　Make　great　the　small。

　　Make　much　the　little。

　　Requite　hatred　with　virtue。

　　Contemplate　a　difficulty　when　it　is　easy。　Manage　a　great　thing　when　it　is　small。

　　The　world's　most　difficult　undertakings　necessarily　originate　while　easy；　and　the　world's　greatest　undertakings　necessarily　originate　while　small。

　　Therefore　the　holy　man　to　the　end　does　not　venture　to　play　the　great；　and　thus　he　can　accomplish　his　greatness。

　　Rash　promises　surely　lack　faith；　and　many　easy　things　surely　involve　in　many　difficulties。

　　Therefore；　the　holy　man　regards　everything　as　difficult；　and　thus　to　the　end　encounters　no　difficulties。

　　64

　　Mind　the　Insignificant

　　What　is　still　at　rest　is　easily　kept　quiet。　What　has　not　as　yet　appeared　is　easily　prevented。　What　is　still　feeble　is　easily　broken。　What　is　still　scant　is　easily　dispersed。

　　Treat　things　before　they　exist。　Regulate　things　before　disorder　begins。　The　stout　tree　has　originated　from　a　tiny　rootlet。　A　tower　of　nine　stories　is　raised　by　heaping　up　＇bricks　of＇　clay。　A　thousand　miles'　journey　begins　with　a　foot。

　　He　that　makes　mars。　He　that　grasps　loses。

　　The　holy　man　does　not　make；　therefore　he　mars　not。　He　does　not　grasp；　therefore　he　loses　not。　The　people　when　undertaking　an　enterprise　are　always　near　completion；　and　yet　they　fail。

　　Remain　careful　to　the　end　as　in　the　beginning　and　you　will　not　fail　in　your　enterprise。

　　Therefore　the　holy　man　desires　to　be　desireless；　and　does　not　prize　articles　difficult　to　obtain。　He　learns；　not　to　be　learned；　and　seeks　a　home　where　multitudes　of　people　pass　by。

　　He　assists　the　ten　thousand　things　in　their　natural　development；　but　he　does　not　venture　to　interfere。

　　65

　　The　Virtue　of　Simplicity

　　The　ancients　who　were　well　versed　in　Reason　did　not　thereby　enlighten　the　people；　they　intended　thereby　to　make　them　simple…hearted。

　　If　people　are　difficult　to　govern；　it　is　because　they　are　too　smart。　To　govern　the　country　with　smartness　is　the　country's　curse。　To　govern　the　country　without　smartness　is　the　country's　blessing。　He　who　knows　these　two　things　is　also　a　model　＇like　the　ancients＇。　Always　to　know　the　model　is　called　profound　virtue。

　　Spiritual　virtue；　verily；　is　profound。　Verily；　it　is　far…reaching。　Verily；　it　is　to　everything　reverse。　But　then　it　will　procure　great　recognition。

　　66

　　Putting　Oneself　Behind

　　That　rivers　and　oceans　can　of　the　hundred　valleys　be　kings　is　due　to　their　excelling　in　lowliness。　Thus　they　can　of　the　hundred　valleys　be　the　kings。

　　Therefore　the　holy　man；　when　anxious　to　be　above　the　people；　must　in　his　words　keep　underneath　them。　When　anxious　to　lead　the　people；　he　must　with　his　person　keep　behind　them。

　　Therefore　the　holy　man　dwells　above；　but　the　people　are　not　burdened。　He　is　ahead；　but　the　people　suffer　no　harm。

　　Therefore　the　world　rejoices　in　exalting　him　and　does　not　tire。　Because　he　strives　not；　no　one　in　the　world　will　strive　with　him。

　　67

　　The　Three　Treasures

　　All　in　the　world　call　me　great；　but　I　resemble　the　unlikely。　Now　a　man　is　great　only　because　he　resembles　the　unlikely。　Did　he　resemble　the　likely；　how　lasting；　indeed；　would　his　mediocrity　be！

　　1　have　three　treasures　which　I　cherish　and　prize。　The　first　is　called　compassion。　The　second　is　called　economy。　The　third　is　called　not　daring　to　come　to　the　front　in　the　world。

　　The　compassionate　can　be　brave；　the　economical　can　be　generous；　those　who　dare　not　come　to　the　front　in　the　world　can　become　perfect　as　chief　vessels。

　　Now；　if　people　discard　compassion　and　are　brave；　if　they　discard　economy　and　are　generous；　if　they　discard　modesty　and　are　ambitious；　they　will　surely　die。

　　Now；　the　compassionate　will　in　attack　be　victorious；　and　in　defence　firm。　Heaven　when　about　to　save　one　will　with　compassion　protect　him。

　　68

　　Complying　With　Heaven

　　He　who　excels　as　a　warrior　is　not　warlike。　He　who　excels　as　a　fighter　is　not　wrathful。　He　who　excels　in　conquering　the　enemy　does　not　strive。　He　who　excels　in　employing　men　is　lowly。

　　This　is　called　the　virtue　of　not…striving。　This　is　called　utilizing　men's　ability。　This　is　called　complying　with　heaven…since　olden　times　the　highest。

　　69

　　The　Function　of　the　Mysterious

　　A　military　expert　used　to　say：　'I　dare　not　act　as　host　＇who　takes　the　initiative＇　but　act　as　guest　＇with　reserve＇。　I　dare　not　advance　an　inch；　but　I　withdraw　a　foot。〃

　　This　is　called　marching　without　marching；　threatening　without　arms；　charging　without　hostility；　seizing　without　weapons。

　　No　greater　misfortune　than　making　light　of　the　enemy！　When　we　make　light　of　the　enemy；　it　is　almost　as　though　we　had　lost　our　treasure＇compassion＇。

　　Thus；　if　matched　armies　encounter　one　another；　the　one　who　does　so　in　sorrow　is　sure　to　conquer。

　　70

　　Difficult　to　Understand

　　My　words　are　very　easy　to　understand　and　very　easy　to　practise；　but　in　the　world　no　one　can　understand；　no　one　can　practise　them。

　　Words　have　an　ancestor；　Deeds　have　a　master　＇viz。；　Reason＇。　Since　he　is　not　understood；　therefore　I　am　not　understood。　Those　who　understand　me　are　few；　and　thus　I　am　distinguished。

　　Therefore　the　holy　man　wears　wool；　and　hides　in　his　bosom　his　jewels。

　　71

　　The　Disease　of　Knowledge

　　To　know　the　unknowable；　that　is　elevating。　Not　to　know　the　knowable；　that　is　sickness。

　　Only　by　becoming　sick　of　sickness　can　we　be　without　sickness。

　　The　holy　man　is　not　sick。　Because　he　is　sick　of　sickness；　therefore　he　is　not　sick。

　　72

　　Holding　Oneself　Dear

　　If　the　people　do　not　fear　the　dreadful；　the　great　dreadful　will　come；　surely。

　　Let　them　not　deem　their　lives　narrow。　Let　them　not　deem　their　lot　wearisome。　When　it　is　not　deemed　wearisome；　then　it　will　not　be　wearisome。

　　Therefore　the　holy　man　knows　himself　but　does　not　display　himself。　He　holds　himself　dear　but　does　not　honor　himself。　Thus　he　discards　the　latter　and　chooses　the　former。

　　73

　　Daring　to　Act

　　Courage；　if　carried　to　daring；　leads　to　death；　courage；　if　not　carried　to　daring；　leads　to　life。　Either　of　these　two　things　is　sometimes　beneficial；　sometimes　harmful。

　　〃Why　抰　is　by　heaven　rejected；
　　Who　has　the　reason　detected？〃

　　Therefore　the　holy　man　also　regards　it　as　difficult。

　　The　Heavenly　Reason　strives　not；　but　it　is　sure　to　conquer。　It　speaks　not；　but　it　is　sure　to　respond。　It　summons　not；　but　it　comes　of　itself。　It　works　patiently；　but　is　sure　in　its　designs。

　　Heaven's　net　is　vast；　so　vast。　It　is　wide…meshed；　but　it　loses　nothing。

　　74

　　Overcome　Delusion

　　If　the　people　do　not　fear　death；　how　can　they　be　frightened　by　death？　If　we　make　peopl