04道德经英译本85种-第87章
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Those who are enlightened are always good at tending things;
leaving not a thing behind。
This is known as 慺ollowing the Light。?br》
The good are teachers of the bad;
the bad provide the lesson for the good。
Not to value one抯 teacher;
nor to care for one抯 lessons;
may seem very clever but reveals great delusion。
This is an essential teaching of the DAO。
28
To know the male yet hold fast to the female
is to be a channel for the world。
If you are a channel for the world;
you are never separated from the path of DE
and so become just like a child again。
To know the white yet hold fast to the black
is to be a model for the world。
If you are a model for the world;
you never deviate from the path of DE
and so return again to what is infinite。
To know honour yet hold fast to humility
is to be a valley to the world。
If you are a valley to the world;
the DE will be enough;
you will return to the primal simplicity of uncarved wood。
When the uncarved block is broken up;
it is shaped into useful tools。
In the hands of those who are enlightened;
these tools become judges who endure。
The finest rulers do not mutilate。
29
If you try to seize the world
and shape it as you want;
I tell you that you won抰 succeed。
The world is a sacred vessel;
and nothing can be done to it。
Tamper with it; and you will ruin it;
lay hold of it; and you will lose it。
In everything; you sometimes lead and sometimes follow。
You sometimes breathe gently and sometimes breathe hard。
You are sometimes strong and sometimes weak。
You sometimes overcome and sometimes are destroyed。
Those who are enlightened avoid extremes;
avoid extravagance;
avoid excess。
30
Whoever rules a people according to the DAO
will not use force against the world。
Such things soon turn on themselves。
Where armies once encamped;
thorns and brambles grow。
In the wake of mighty battles;
famines always follow。
Good commanders realise their aims; then stop。
They do not try then to intimidate。
They are resolved; but are not arrogant;
they are resolved; but do not boast;
they are resolved; but are not proud;
they are resolved; but in a natural way;
they are resolved; but do not overpower。
Whatever uses force will then decay;
for this is not an action of the DAO。
Whatever goes against the DAO
will soon come to an end。
31
Even fine weapons are instruments of evil;
loathed by everything。
Whoever follows the DAO spurns them。
When wise rulers are at home; they value the left and restful side;
but when they are at war; they value the right and active side。
Yet weapons are instruments of evil
and not the instruments that wise rulers use。
Only when essential will they resort to them。
Peace and quiet are best of all
and victory is no delight。
To delight in victory is to delight in people抯 slaughter;
and whoever so delights will never gain
what they desire in the world。
In joyful times; the left side is preferred;
in mournful times; the right。
A second…in…command stands on the left;
a general upon the right;
this means a funeral is taking place。
When multitudes of people are killed; they should be mourned;
so that the victory itself becomes a funeral。
32
The DAO is forever nameless。
The simple; uncarved block of wood is small;
yet nothing in the world can master it。
If kings and lords would follow it;
all things would honour them。
Heaven and earth would join in harmony;
sweet rain would fall;
and people would find harmony; unenforced。
As soon as there are rules
the naming of things begins。
But when naming things begins;
we ought to know where it should stop。
When we know where it should stop;
we shall be free of danger。
The DAO is to the world
what great rivers and oceans
are to rivulets and streams。
33
Those who understand others are intelligent;
but those who understand themselves have true enlightenment。
Those who master others are strong;
but those who master what they are themselves have true power。
Those who know when they have had enough are rich;
those who persevere have inner strength;
those who stay where they belong endure;
those who die but are remembered gain immortality。
34
The great DAO flows everywhere
and reaches all things whether left or right。
Everything that lives depends on it;
and it does not refuse them life。
It accomplishes its purposes
but makes no claim to credit。
It clothes and feeds all living things
but does not want to master them。
Forever free from all desire; it might be called 憈he Little?
and yet all living things return to it as home。
It does not want to master them;
and so it should be called 憈he Great?
Because it never strives for greatness;
it achieves the great。
35
Grasp the image of the Great and the world will come to you;
will come unharmed
in overwhelming happiness。
Music and fine food may make a traveller pause;
yet words about the DAO
may seem bland and flavourless。
If you look for it; it is imperceptible。
If you listen for it; it is inaudible。
If you use it; it is inexhaustible。
36
If you want to shrink something;
you first must stretch it out。
If you want to weaken something;
you first must strengthen it。
If you want to abandon something;
you first must establish it。
If you want to take something;
you first must give it。
This is called the mystery of enlightenment。
The soft and weak will overcome the hard and strong。
Just as fish should not be taken from the deep;
a country抯 weapons
should not be shown to anyone。
37
The DAO never acts; yet nothing is not done。
If rulers could hold fast to it;
all things upon the earth
would be transformed spontaneously。
If transformation should waken old desires;
they would be calmed by the nameless; uncarved block。
The nameless; uncarved block
is but freedom from desire。
Freedom from desire brings stillness; harmony;
and all the world is naturally at peace。
38
The greatest DE is not conscious of the DE;
and so is truly DE。
The lowest DE is always conscious of the DE;
and so is truly without DE。
The highest DE never acts;
yet nothing is not done。
The lowest DE is for ever acting;
yet everything remains undone。
Those of greatest kindliness act without ulterior intent。
Those of greatest rectitude act with ulterior intent。
Those of greatest propriety act; but when no one responds;
they bear their arms and use brute force。
When the DAO is lost; DE remains。
When DE is lost; kindheartedness remains。
When kindheartedness is lost; morality remains。
When morality is lost; only etiquette is left。
Etiquette is the veneer of loyalty and good faith
and the beginning of disaster。
Foresight is a flowery trapping of the DAO
and the beginning of folly。
Great people set their minds upon the substance; not the surface;
on the fruit and not the flower。
They reject the one and accept the other。
39
From ancient times; these things have attained a oneness with the DAO:
heaven attains oneness and becomes clear;
earth attains oneness and becomes serene;
spirits attain oneness and become strong;
valleys attain oneness and become full;
all things attain oneness and become alive;
rulers attain oneness and become just。
It is oneness that makes them what they are。
Without clarity; heaven would split;
without serenity; earth would sink;
without strength; spirits would dissolve;
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