04道德经英译本85种-第11部分

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　　I　cannot　describe　it；　but　I　just　call　it　Tao
　　If　I　have　to　interpret　it　；　I　would　name　it　揟he　Universe？br》　With　that　Universe　I　mean　that　which　extends　itself　everywhere
　　The　infinitely　extending　and　returning
　　Therefore　the　creative　is　great　and　the　creation　great　and　so　is　a　wise　man
　　So　there　is　a　trinity　of　greatnesses　and　one　of　them　is　the　true　human　being
　　A　true　human　being　follows　his　nature；　nature　and　all　its　eternally　unchanging　laws
　　The　laws　of　nature　are　the　eternal　order　of　the　Universe
　　The　order　of　the　Universe　is　well…founded　by　the　Unnameable

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　　Heavy　is　the　source　of　that　which　is　light
　　The　unmoved　mover　is　the　origin　of　all　movement
　　Therefore　a　true　human　being　can　be　in　motion　all　day
　　Not　because　it　is　him　moving　himself
　　But　because　he　just　floats　on　life
　　Like　a　spectator　he　enjoys　the　wonderful　and　sparkling　creation
　　Why　should　he；　as　the　centre　of　the　world；
　　Consider　himself　minor　to　that　world？
　　One　who　knows　his　grandeur；　comes　loose　of　the　world
　　One　who　wanders　restlessly　in　that　world；　has　lost　oneself

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　　A　true　traveller　never　takes　a　beaten　road
　　A　true　speaker　has　an　answer　to　every　question
　　A　true　researcher　has　solved　all　problems
　　A　story　that　holds　water　needs　no　confirmation
　　Nobody　can　refute　a　watertight　story
　　One　who　sees　how　perfectly　everything　is　connected　with　everything
　　Needs　no　theories　or　opinions；　and　no　one　can　bring　him　to　doubt
　　That抯　why　a　true　human　being　is　a　teacher　of　others
　　And　he　loves　his　fellow　men　unconditionally
　　Therefore　he　is　shepherd　of　the　whole　creation
　　And　respects　every　thing　that　lives　and　grows
　　People　call　this：　揟he　light　that　has　become　human？br》　Therefore　a　true　human　being　is　a　mirror　for　the　untrue
　　And　it抯　his　task　to　point　out　their　imperfections
　　One　who　is　scared　to　take　a　look　at　oneself　and　does　not　love　oneself
　　Might　know　a　lot　of　things；　but　he　is　blind
　　It　seems　odd；　but　it抯　true

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　　One　who　knows　his　strength　and　yet　stays　mild；　is　the　least
　　Whoever　is　the　least；　is　balanced　like　the　open…minded　child　he　once　was
　　One　who　has　fathomed　the　lie　is　an　example　for　the　world
　　One　who　became　human　again　is　an　example　for　the　world
　　One　knowing　oneself；　is　a　knowing　among　the　ignorant
　　One　who　has　returned　to　his　original　purity；　realizes　his　grandeur
　　One　who　has　abandoned　his　origin；　becomes　civilized
　　To　the　wise　man　they　act　like　actors

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　　One　who　thinks　he　is　capable　of　improving　Creation；　will　not　succeed
　　Creation　is　perfect　and　cannot　be　corrected
　　One　who　intervenes　in　nature；　will　only　destroy　nature
　　One　who　tries　to　control　nature；　will　lose　to　nature
　　Because　everything　is　what　it　is　and　everything　happens　as　it　happens
　　At　times　it　is　warm　and　then　it　is　cold
　　At　times　there　are　storms　and　then　it抯　calm
　　There　is　growth　and　then　there　is　lying　down
　　A　wise　man　lets　himself　flow　along　with　the　streams　of　life

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　　One　who　advocates　a　righteous　world；　uses　no　violence
　　Because　One　who　uses　violence；　provokes　violence
　　And　where　discord　rules　there　is　chaos
　　And　after　times　of　conflict　lean　years　will　follow
　　The　righteous　one　does　what　he　can　and　forces　nothing
　　Is　not　proud　about　what　he　achieves
　　Does　not　brag　about　what　he　achieves
　　Does　not　boast　about　what　he　achieves
　　He　only　does　what　he　does　because　that抯　all　he　can　do
　　And　he　never　uses　power　or　violence
　　Civilizations　which　have　reached　their　peaks
　　Usher　in　their　decay
　　Civilizations　are　unnatural
　　And　what抯　unnatural；　will　perish

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　　How　ingenious　weaponry　may　seem　to　be；　though　it　will　always　be　disastrous　rubbish
　　Everybody　hates　it
　　A　righteous　man　saves　himself　from　it
　　While　a　true　man　will　not　soil　his　hands　with　it
　　A　fighter　grabs　for　it
　　Weapons　are　not　good　for　meek　people
　　They　bring　nothing　but　trouble
　　One　who　is　wise　will　never　ever　use　a　weapon
　　Because　peace　and　quietness　are　more　precious　to　him
　　He　doesn抰　enjoy　victory
　　Because　one　who　enjoys　victory
　　Enjoys　his　fellow　men　getting　killed
　　And　one　who　enjoys　their　fellow　men　getting　killed
　　Will　never　find　peace　in　oneself
　　Prosperity　is　considered　as　a　personal　merit
　　Misfortune　on　the　other　hand　is　considered　as　an　ironic　freak
　　Victory　is　the　merit　of　men
　　And　defeat　the　blame　of　the　commander
　　But　victory　and　defeat　only　brings　losers

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　　The　Unspeakable　is　eternal　and　is　not　to　be　spoken　of　in　words
　　Just　like　a　rough　piece　of　wood；　it抯　not　useful　to　anyone
　　If　leaders　were　an　example　of　true　living
　　Everyone　would　join　his　true　nature　at　the　same　time
　　The　heavens　would　dew　and　the　clouds　rain　justice
　　And　without　human　intervening
　　That　altogether　would　benefit　every　single　thing　that　lives　beneath　the　firmament
　　But　when　discord　is　born
　　Everything　must　have　a　name
　　Keep　in　mind　that　when　everything　has　a　name；
　　You抣l　have　to　stop　all　that
　　Because　one　who　stops　will　bounce　off　danger
　　Compared　to　the　twisted　tributaries　of　mistake
　　The　straight　and　simple　road　is　like　a　powerful　stream

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　　One　who　sees　trough　the　other　is　clever
　　One　knowing　oneself　is　wise
　　One　who　conquers　the　other　is　powerful
　　One　conquering　oneself　is　inviolable
　　One　who　is　satisfied　is　rich
　　One　that　wants　a　lot　is　busy　all　the　time
　　One　who　stays　oneself；　is　a　four…square　fellow　

　　One　who　dies　before　dying；　lives　in　the　present　forever

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　　That　which　makes　everything　exist；　is　present　everywhere
　　It　spreads　itself　throughout　the　entire　Creation
　　Everything　owes　its　existence　to　It；　everything　to　its　own　nature
　　It　gives　everything　for　nothing
　　It　cherishes　and　guards　everything　and　everyone；　but　expects　nothing　in　return
　　Because　It　does　not　wish　for　anything；　It　seems　to　be　important
　　It　makes　everything　appear　and　disappear　again
　　But　Itself　is　eternal
　　Therefore　the　one　who　is　wise　is　modest
　　And　because　he　is　modest；
　　His　actions　are　grand

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　　For　one　who　beholds　the　perfect　arrangement　of　things
　　Everything　falls　in　its　rightful　place
　　Nothing　can　harm　him；　and　rest　and　peace　will　fall　to　him
　　Along　the　way　there　are　travellers　who　yield　music　and　feasts
　　Because　the　road　to　self…knowledge　is　acrid　and　unpleasant
　　Not　pleasant　to　face
　　Painful　to　hear
　　But　giving　an　inexhaustible　strength

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　　Only　what抯　stretched　out　can　be　pulled　together
　　Only　what抯　fortified　can　be　weakened
　　Only　what抯　increased　can　be　decreased
　　Only　one　who　has；　can　lose
　　That　must　be　clear
　　Soft　overcomes　hard
　　Weak　overcomes　strong
　　Fishes　belong　in　water
　　Weapons　have　to　be　destroyed

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　　The　Eternal　Creating　does　nothing
　　And　yet　it　does　everything
　　If　leaders　would　give　in　to　it
　　The　aspect　of　the　world　would　change　of　itself
　　But　since　people　have　so　much　to　wish　for
　　Only　I　can　be　an　example
　　The　example　of　true　simplicity
　　And　when　the　people　decide　to　follow　me
　　The　whole　world　will　be　in　peace

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　　True　virtues　are　not　from　this　world；
　　Therefore　they　are　true　virtues
　　The　so…called　搗irtues？in　this　world
　　Serve　only　self…interest
　　Therefore　those　are　not　true　virtues
　　One　who　only　serves　the　general　interest；　is　truthfully　adequate
　　One　who　is　called　charitable　in　this　world；
　　Expects　thankfulness　in　return
　　One　who　is　called　honest　in　this　world；
　　Has　a　hidden　agenda
　　Those　who　have　been　adapted　to　this　world
　　Demand　that　others　do　the　same
　　And　if　not　they　threaten　you　and　get　angry
　　Therefore；　when　people　stray　from　the　straight　and　simple　road
　　Then　they　start　to　act　virtuously；　but　they　are　not　virtuous
　　They　pretend　to　be　honest；　but　they　are　not　fair
　　They　act　decently；　but　they　are　not　decent
　　Civilization　is　just　a　thin　crust　across　unfaithfulness　and　dishonesty
　　It　is　also　the　source　of　disorder　and　chaos
　　A　wise　man　never　hides　behind　a　mask
　　He　trusts　what抯　inside　of　him；　not　in　appearances
　　Therefore　he　rejects　appearance　and　embraces　the　essence

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　　About　the　men　of　old　that　had　reached　perfection
　　We　know　that　they　felt　one　with　the　whole　creation
　　That　they　saw　the　earth　not　as　chaos　but　as　a　unity
　　That　they　felt　like　gods　and　spiritual　beings
　　That　emptiness　was　no　longer　empty；　but　filled
　　And　they　saw　that　the　whole　creation　was　inspired
　　Thanks　to　their　wholeness　the　world　returned　to　its　original　order
　　For　one　who　doesn抰　see　clearly；　the　creation　is　splintered
　　For　one　who　places　oneself　outside　nature；　the　earth　is　chaos
　　One　who　doesn抰　experience　oneself　as　divine　anymore；　feels　powerless
　　One　who　does　not　experience　one's　perfection　anymore；　feels　empty
　　People　who　deny　their　true　nature；　go　to　rack　and　ruin
　　Therefore　they　say：
　　Humility　is　the　source　of　truthfulness
　　Smallness　the　source　of　grandeur
　　One　who　feels　elevated　over　ones　fellow　men
　　Isn抰　right；　is　unworthy　and　small
　　After　all；　they　climbed　up　high　over　other　people抯　backs
　　Therefore　their　richness　is　poverty
　　And　their　gold　just　tinsel

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　　One　who　deviates　from　the　right　and　simple　road
　　Will　be　pulled　towards　it　again
　　This　occurs　with　a　mild　touch
　　The　whole　creation　comes　into　existence
　　The　existing　out　of　the　unnameable　unexisting

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　　When　the　most　sincere　hear　about　the　road　to　self…knowledge；
　　They　will　devote　themselves　to　bringing　it　into　practice
　　When　the　fairly　sincere　hear　about　the　road　to　self…knowledge
　　They　will　only　get　out　of　it　what　suits　their　purposes
　　When　the　hardened　hear　about　the　road　to　self…knowledge
　　They　will　roar　with　laughter
　　If　they　didn抰　roar；　it　would　not　be　true
　　Therefore　there　are　some　aphorisms　to　it：
　　The　road　to　light　appears　to　be　dark
　　Going　forward　sometime