04道德经英译本85种-第543章

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　　The　greatest　chaos　was　once　orderly
　　The　tallest　tree　was　once　a　hidden　seed
　　The　tallest　tower　a　pile　of　dirt
　　The　longest　journey；　but　one　step；　then　another

　　Those　who　act；　ruin；　those　who　cling；　lose
　　Things　always　seem　to　fall　apart　just　at　completion
　　Because　you　think　they're　done；　and　act　carelessly
　　So　the　taoist　never　acts；　never　clings；　never　tries　to　complete
　　He　is　as　aware　at　the　end　as　at　the　beginning

　　Though　she　could　bring　all　things　into　perfect　harmony
　　She　doesn't；　because　she　knows　what's　enough

　　65

　　The　ancient　leaders　who　followed　the　way
　　Were　not　trying　to　enlighten　the　people
　　But　instead　to　give　them　no　cause　to　have　knowledge
　　If　you　use　knowledge　to　rule　you　will　be　accused　of　thievery
　　Of　protecting　one　against　the　interests　of　another
　　And　everyone　will　want　to　know　the　laws　to　protect　themselves
　　Avoid　this；　and　your　actions　will　be　closer　to　the　way

　　If　you　keep　this　always　in　mind　and　practice　it
　　You　will　lead　a　virtuous　state
　　The　effects　of　this　are　subtle　and　far　reaching
　　And　will　always　bring　the　people　back

　　66

　　A　river　makes　a　valley　lush　and　fertile　because　it's　content　to　settleto　the　lowest　place
　　All　things　can　draw　what　they　need　from　it；　without　drowning　in　it
　　To　be　a　leader；　then；　you　must　sink　and　be　still
　　And　let　the　people　gather　around　you
　　You　must　follow　the　contours　of　people's　hearts
　　And　spill　into　their　lives　as　little　as　possible
　　When　you　are　quiet；　the　people　will　not　see　you　as　a　weight　on　theirshoulders
　　When　you　keep　to　your　banks；　the　people　will　not　be　threatened　by　you
　　There　will　be　no　reason　to　build　dykes　or　damns　to　limit　your　power
　　And　the　people　will　delight　in　your　presence

　　67

　　The　whole　world　hears　these　words　and　says　they　are　beautiful；　but　oversimplified
　　But　it's　precisely　because　they're　simple　that　they　can　be　great
　　If　they　tried　to　be　detailed　and　precise；　what　use　would　they　be？

　　There　are　only　three　compasses　to　steer　by；？treasure　them
　　Compassion；　frugality；　and　genuineness
　　Compassion　leads　to　courage
　　But　courage　without　compassion　is　pure　violence
　　Frugality　leads　to　affluence
　　But　affluence　without　frugality　is　pure　extravagance
　　Genuineness　brings　honor　and　respect
　　But　honor　and　respect　gained　hypocritically　is　pure　disaster

　　Attack　with　these　qualities　and　you'll　never　lose
　　Defend　with　them；　and　you'll　never　fall
　　Whoever　wraps　himself　in　the　tao
　　Finds　in　it　a　shield　and　a　sanctuary　that　will　never　fail

　　68

　　Therefore　a　good　leader；　like　a　good　soldier
　　Sees　no　need　to　flaunt　her　might
　　Never　lets　his　passions　sway　him　out　of　balance
　　Allows　her　opponents　to　overextend　themselves
　　And　in　all　things　places　himself　below　others

　　If　you　don't　compete；　then　you're　dealing　with　men　correctly
　　And　the　tao；　in　all　its　antiquity；　is　on　your　side

　　69

　　Consider　the　phrases　'discretion　is　the　better　part　of　valor'
　　And　'fall　back　a　foot　rather　than　struggle　for　an　inch'
　　Moving　forward　sometimes　means　stepping　backwards
　　Strength　sometimes　means　letting　yourself　be　weak
　　Hold　to　your　center　or　any　weapon　is　useless
　　Be　open　to　all；　and　let　opponents　come　to　you

　　It's　arrogance　that　leads　you　to　think　no　one　can　defeat　you
　　And　arrogance　can　only　lead　to　tragedy　for　one　or　the　other
　　If　you　have　to　fight；　you'll　do　better　to　forget　about　the　victory
　　And　strive；　instead；　to　contain　everyone's　loses

　　70

　　These　words　are　easy　to　remember　and　easy　to　practice
　　Yet　few　remember　them　when　they　are　needed；　and　fewer　practice　them
　　This　is　because　these　words　are　rooted　in　principles　that　go　beyondwords
　　Saying　them　is　not　enough
　　For　those　few　who　practice　them；　though；　they　are　of　great　value
　　They　may　look　plain；　but　they　lead　to　the　wealth　of　the　heart

　　71

　　People　are　odd
　　They　think　they　know　what　they　don't
　　They　think　they　don't　know　what　they　do
　　Excellence　does　not　come；　however；　from　knowing　everything　or　knowingnothing
　　But　merely　from　knowing　that　you　don't　know

　　72

　　When　people　don't　fear　your　power；　then　you　have　found　true　power
　　You　can　only　constrain　people　by　making　them　fear　you
　　Limit　their　actions　and　their　potentials　by　making　them　fear　the　consequences
　　But　if　they　fear　like　this　they　will　feel　cheated　and　be　discontent

　　Know　where　you　want　to　the　nation　to　go；　but　don't　worry　about　how　toget　there
　　Know　your　worth；　but　let　others　find　it　for　themselves

　　73

　　There　are　two　kinds　of　bravery
　　That　which　takes　death　lightly　and　that　which　takes　life　seriously
　　Where　one　needs　to　be　brave　either　will　suffice
　　But　they　are　not　both　in　line　with　the　tao

　　The　tao　honors　what　can　win　without　belligerence
　　What　can　respond　without　speaking
　　For　such；　everything　needed　comes　on　its　own　without　being　called
　　Everything　desired　is　achieved　without　being　planned

　　It　pays　to　remember　that　the　tao　casts　its　net　far　and　wide
　　Its　cord　may　look　flimsy　and　its　mesh　coarse；　but　nothing　escapes　it

　　74

　　If　people　were　content　with　their　own　deaths
　　You　could　not　use　force　on　them；？they　would　be　immune
　　But　this　is　not　the　way　the　world　is

　　If　you　threaten　them　with　death　to　make　them　behave
　　You　must　assign　someone　to　kill　them；　or　do　it　yourself
　　Who；　then；　kills：？you；　or　the　executioner；　or　the　state？
　　Someone　must　take　the　responsibility

　　Whoever　is　responsible　for　death　has　put　his　way　above　the　tao
　　Yet　though　he　can　end　a　life；　the　tao　will　by　its　nature　find　a　wayto　return
　　Any　sane　man　would　find　in　that　cause　for　worry

　　75

　　The　more　the　leader　fills　his　coffers；　the　more　people　go　hungry
　　The　more　he　rules　on　this　or　that；　the　more　people　are　discontent

　　People　who　avidly　seek　to　experience　life　take　death　lightly
　　Those　who　do　not　try　to　live　life　to　its　fullest　are　truly　alive

　　76

　　When　people　are　born　they　are　supple　and　soft
　　When　they　die　they　are　stiff　and　hard
　　What　is　full　of　life　is　lithe　and　moist　and　resilient
　　What　is　drained　of　it　is　brittle；　withered；　dry
　　The　former　are　the　marks　of　life
　　While　the　latter　are　the　marks　of　death
　　If　a　soldier　is　stiff；　whether　with　fear　or　pride；　he　will　be　defeated
　　If　a　tree　is　stiff；　it　will　fall　to　the　next　wind
　　If　you　become　stiff　to　raise　yourself　above　others；　you　will　fall
　　Let　yourself　fall；　be　supple　and　responsive；　and　you　will　be　lifted

　　77

　　The　way　is　like　the　bending　of　a　bow
　　To　achieve　its　ends　the　top　must　bend　down　and　the　bottom　rise　up
　　It　takes　from　that　which　has　much；　adds　to　that　which　has　little
　　And　keeps　a　still；　quiet　center

　　Men；　however；　always　seek　to　add　more；　regardless　of　their　place
　　How　can　anything　be　accomplished　that　way？
　　The　taoist　way　is　to　pull　the　bowstring　and　let　it　go
　　Accomplish　the　task　and　move　on　to　the　next
　　Doing　is　profit　enough

　　78

　　There　is　nothing　softer　and　more　yielding　than　water
　　Yet　nothing　hard　and　rigid　can　withstand　it
　　Everyone　knows　this
　　That　water　can　defeat　the　unyielding；　that　the　weak　can　overcome　thestrong
　　Yet　no　one　is　willing　to　put　it　into　practice

　　If　you　would　be　a　leader；　you　must　claim　every　disgrace　of　the　state
　　Take　all　the　offenses　of　the　state　as　your　own　burden
　　How　can　you　be　honored　if　you　run　from　dishonor？

　　79

　　If　you　have　to　make　things　bitter　to　get　them　settled；the　bitternesswill　remain
　　The　taoist；　then；　holds　the　debt　but　doesn't　demand　repayment
　　Thus；　when　he　is　repaid；　the　debt　is　forgotten
　　Fail　that；　and　you　will　be　treated　like　a　tax　collector
　　And　known　as　such　even　by　those　who　owe　you　nothing

　　The　tao　plays　no　favorites
　　It　supplies　all　who　act　with　virtue

　　80

　　If　the　tao　held　sway；　nations　would　be　small　and　people　few
　　There　might　be　weapons　enough；　but　no　one　would　use　them　or　d