04道德经英译本85种-第66章
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The high…standing man hardly ever shows offthe has some supreme powers or prowess deep inside himself。 He keeps suchpowers; and in this way he really owns virtue。
The man of low virtue is hardly losing virtue;and so he is devoid of virtue。 The man of low virtue can lose sight ofsome virtue by never losing sight of it。 Rather low or indecent power〃can't get rid of the appearance of being some power'; 'There's no scoffed;angrily sulking Messiah power''。
No one thinks a man of highest calibre acts。No one thinks he ever acts with ulterior motives。
The man of low virtue acts from himself;and very often with an ulterior motive … and is so regarded …
The man of super…kindness also acts; butwith no irksome; ulterior motives。 But all folks never think the supermanacts。
The man of superior justice acts but hasno ulterior motive to do so; and maybe with an ulterior motive; as he whois best in ritual acts not merely acts。 (Yes; when) the man of superiormorality acts and finds no response; he rolls up his sleeves and stretcheshis arms or advances upon them to force it on others。
So:
Only when dao is lost does 'said' virtuearise。 When 'spoken…of' virtue is lost; only then does 'a parade of' kindhumanity rise。 Such good kindness is lost; then (comes some sort of orendorsement of) just moral: When humanist riches deep inside are lost;only then comes 'conform; outer…directed' normal righteousness。 When righteousnessis lost; only then propriety pops up。
'And now it stands up: Boss…given; endorsed'morality can be the thinning out of loyalty and honesty of heart and thestart of chaos。'Inner; hearty' morality lost; then propriety or semi…ritual。So 'much' ritual endorsement could be the mere husk of loyalty and promise…keeping。'And so; all in all;' good; seemly propriety is a superficial expressionof loyalty and faithfulness; and the start of chaos or disorder。
Those who are the first to know; let wordsof dao flower; and in the end it's an origin of folly。 From this the greator noble man dwells in the solid; heavy and thick (base); and not in thesuperficial or thinned (end)。 Yes; he dwells in reality; which is a fruit;and not in the show of appearances; or flowering (expression)。
Therefore he rejects the one and acceptsthe other。
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There were those in old times who graspedand were possessed of the one:
The heaven was much clarified by attainingit。
Likewise; the earth got stable or calm bythe same 'rotating' measure; and demon spirits or gods were spiritualised;became divine。
The valley likewise became full; the abyssreplenished。
By staying in the one; all creatures livedand grew。
By staying in some basic unity; 'Russian'princes and dukes became the ennobled of the people … That was how eachbecame so。
Barons and princes direct their people 'insome ways'。 It's some inner fabric of unified wholeness that sees to it。
'Man…felt' heaven could soon split open withoutfundamental clarity。 Without basic clarity; heavens might become torn。
Without resting; steady stability; the earthmight quake and tip over。
Without spiritual power; the gods might witherand crumble;
Without being filled; the valleys might crackand run dry。
If the myriad things had not thus lived andgrown all would end without the life…giving sustenance of power。 Withoutthe ennobling power; the honourable kings and barons in high places; eventhe directors of their people; might stumble; some overthrown。
So the humble is the stem upon which the mightygrows。 Yes; humble oneness is the basis for all honour。 So even the exaltedones depend upon the lowly for their base。 That could be 'one reason' why'Russian' princes and dukes call themselves the orphaned;〃 the lonely one;〃the unworthy;〃 or the truly ill…provided。 Is it not true then that they'to some extent' depend upon common man for support; or on hard ruler mightrooting itself upon humility?
Just enumerate all the parts of a chariot。and you still have no 'unified construct; no' chariot
So 'learn to' rumble like rocks rather thanjingle like jade。
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Reversion is the action of dao。 In dao theonly motion is a return;
and the one useful quality is named soft'or polite' gentleness; So polite or weak gentleness 'or humility' is thefunction of dao。
The creatures and things of this world comefrom being。 And being from not…yet…being。 though all
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When the highest of men hear of dao and truththey put it into practice quite diligently。
When the common types hear of dao; they seemto be in two minds about it; half believing; aware and unaware of some。
When the lowest types hear of dao; they ridiculeor laugh loudly … but if they did not laugh; it would be no dao。
The proverb has it:
The way out into the light often looks dark;one who understands dao seems dull; as dao which is bright appears to bedark。
The dao which goes forward appears to fallbackward; the one who is advanced (in dao) seems to slip backwards; theway that goes ahead often looks as if it went back。
He who works and moves on the even dao 'co…path'seems to go up and down; the least hilly way often looks as if it wentthus; as level dao appears uneven。
Great virtue seems hollow and empty。 Thetruly loftiest might looks like an abyss; superior virtue appears likea valley (hollow)。 Great capability is 'granted to be' hollow。 Yes; theloftiest is something abysmal。
Sheerest white seems blurred; sheer whiteis like tarnished; (most) purity seems like disgrace。
The most sufficing might looks inadequate;far…reaching virtue hardly seems to be enough; and great 'and rustic' characterappears to be not enough 'but it's all the same'。
The 'organising' might that stands most firmseems flimsy。 Solid character looks infirm; and solid virtue unsteady。
Whats in its natural; pure state looks faded:True substance looks changeable; and pure worth seems dirtied。
The largest square has no corners: greatspace has no corners。
The greatest capacities develop latest; andgreat talent could be slow to mature; as they say: The greatest vesseltakes the longest to finish。 The great tool and talent is slow to finish(or mature)。 Great tools do slow work。 Great inside talent takes long toripen。
Great music is far from course; 'at times'rare; it could be hard to get; or hardly heard。
Great; hidden form has neither shape norcontour; as great here means of dao; 'which is thought up as' hidden andwithout (overtly sounded) name。
Now; dao backs all things financially; daoalone skilfully provides for all … it supports all things and advances'some' to perfection。 Well dao…lent power could bring us (some degree of)fulfilment。 Skilled; able dao…lending (of some majesty and power) couldbring 'Christian' fulfilment。
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Dao gave birth to the one; the one gave birthsuccessively to two things; three things; up the everything; everybodyand the whole world we know。
The ten thousand things carry the yin assome back or behind; and hug the yang in front。 Through the blending ofthe pervading principles as some abstract union; and by a further blending'designing' the material force (ki) they can gain 'sound' harmony。 Andso the union in harmony gets strong 'and defences'。
In other words; living beings can't turntheir backs to the shade 'such as cooling yin' without having the sun ontheir bellies 'it could be invigorating yang'; and it's on such (yin…yang)blending of so…called breaths that 'most' harmony depends。
Most people hate to be diagnosed as lonely;unworthy; orphaned; needy; ill…provided。 Yet princes and dukes style themselvesso; and call themselves by these names。
Truly; things are often increased by seekingto diminish them and diminished by seeking to increase them。〃 And sometimesthings are benefited by being taken away from and suffer by being addedto。 And so it often happens that things can gain by losing and lose bygaining。
What others have taught; I teach also:
〃Violent and fierce people hardly die a natural'elegant' death。〃
Yet; show me a man of violence that cameto a good end; and I will take him for my teacher。 I shall make all this