04道德经英译本85种-第141部分

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le　in　ignorance　to　keep　them　satisfied　and　those　who　have　knowledge　he　restrains　from　evil。　If　he；　himself；　practices　restraint　then　everything　is　in　quietness。

　　4

　　The　Tao　appears　to　be　emptiness　but　it　is　never　exhausted。　Oh；　it　is　profound！　It　appears　to　have　preceded　everything。　It　dulls　its　own　sharpness；　unravels　its　own　fetters；　softens　its　own　brightness；　identifies　itself　with　its　own　dust。

　　Oh；　it　is　tranquil！　It　appears　infinite；　I　do　not　know　from　what　it　proceeds。　It　even　appears　to　be　antecedent　to　the　Lord。

　　5

　　Heaven　and　earth　are　not　like　humans；　they　are　impartial。　They　regard　all　things　as　insignificant；　as　though　they　were　playthings　made　of　straw。　The　wise　man　is　also　impartial。　To　him　all　men　are　alike　and　unimportant。　The　space　between　heaven　and　earth　is　like　a　bellows；　it　is　empty　but　does　not　collapse；　it　moves　and　more　and　more　issues。　A　gossip　is　soon　empty；　it　is　doubtful　if　he　can　be　impartial。

　　6

　　The　Spirit　of　the　perennial　spring　is　said　to　be　immortal；　she　is　called　the　Mysterious　One。　The　Mysterious　One　is　typical　of　the　source　of　heaven　and　earth。　It　is　continually　and　endlessly　issuing　and　without　effort。

　　7

　　Heaven　is　eternal；　earth　is　lasting。　The　reason　why　heaven　and　earth　are　eternal　and　lasting　is　because　they　do　not　live　for　themselves；　that　is　the　reason　they　will　ever　endure。

　　Therefore　the　wise　man　will　keep　his　personality　out　of　sight　and　because　of　so　doing　he　will　become　notable。　He　subordinates　his　personality　and　therefore　it　is　preserved。

　　Is　it　not　because　he　is　disinterested；　that　his　own　interests　are　conserved？

　　8

　　True　goodness　is　like　water；　in　that　it　benefits　everything　and　harms　nothing。　Like　water　it　ever　seeks　the　lowest　place；　the　place　that　all　others　avoid。　It　is　closely　kin　to　the　Tao。

　　For　a　dwelling　it　chooses　the　quiet　meadow；　for　a　heart　the　circling　eddy。　In　generosity　it　is　kind；　in　speech　it　is　sincere；　in　authority　it　is　order；　in　affairs　it　is　ability；　in　movement　it　is　rhythm。

　　Inasmuch　as　it　is　always　peaceable　it　is　never　rebuked。

　　9

　　Continuing　to　fill　a　pail　after　it　is　full　the　water　will　be　wasted。　Continuing　to　grind　an　axe　after　it　is　sharp　will　soon　wear　it　away。

　　Who　can　protect　a　public　hall　crowded　with　gold　and　jewels？　The　pride　of　wealth　and　position　brings　about　their　own　misfortune。　To　win　true　merit；　to　preserve　just　fame；　the　personality　must　be　retiring。　This　is　the　heavenly　Tao。

　　10

　　WHAT　IS　POSSIBLE

　　By　patience　the　animal　spirits　can　be　disciplined。　By　self…control　one　can　unify　the　character。　By　close　attention　to　the　will；　compelling　gentleness；　one　can　become　like　a　little　child。　By　purifying　the　subconscious　desires　one　may　be　without　fault。　In　ruling　his　country；　if　the　wise　magistrate　loves　his　people；　he　can　avoid　compulsion。

　　In　measuring　out　rewards；　the　wise　magistrate　will　act　like　a　mother　bird。　While　sharply　penetrating　into　every　corner；　he　may　appear　to　be　unsuspecting。　While　quickening　and　feeding　his　people；　he　will　be　producing　but　without　pride　of　ownership。　He　will　benefit　but　without　claim　of　reward。　He　will　persuade；　but　not　compel　by　force。　This　is　teh；　the　profoundest　virtue。

　　11

　　THE　VALUE　OF　NON…EXISTENCE

　　Although　the　wheel　has　thirty　spokes　its　utility　lies　in　the　emptiness　of　the　hub。　The　jar　is　made　by　kneading　clay；　but　its　usefulness　consists　in　its　capacity。　A　room　is　made　by　cutting　out　windows　and　doors　through　the　walls；　but　the　space　the　walls　contain　measures　the　room's　value。

　　In　the　same　way　matter　is　necessary　to　form；　but　the　value　of　reality　lies　in　its　immateriality。

　　（Or　thus：　a　material　body　is　necessary　to　existence；　but　the　value　of　a　life　is　measured　by　its　immaterial　soul。）

　　12

　　AVOIDING　DESIRE

　　An　excess　of　light　blinds　the　human　eye；　an　excess　of　noise　ruins　the　ear；　an　excess　of　condiments　deadens　the　taste。　The　effect　of　too　much　horse　racing　and　hunting　is　bad；　and　the　lure　of　hidden　treasure　tempts　one　to　do　evil。

　　Therefore　the　wise　man　attends　to　the　inner　significance　of　things　and　does　not　concern　himself　with　outward　appearances。　Therefore　he　ignores　matter　and　seeks　the　spirit。

　　13

　　LOATHING　SHAME

　　Favor　and　disgrace　are　alike　to　be　feared；　just　as　too　great　care　or　anxiety　are　bad　for　the　body。

　　Why　are　favor　and　disgrace　alike　to　be　feared？　To　be　favored　is　humiliating；　to　obtain　it　is　as　much　to　be　dreaded　as　to　lose　it。　To　lose　favor　is　to　be　in　disgrace　and　of　course　is　to　be　dreaded。

　　Why　are　excessive　care　and　great　anxiety　alike　bad　for　one？　The　very　reason　I　have　anxiety　is　because　I　have　a　body。　If　I　have　not　body　why　would　I　be　anxious？

　　Therefore　if　he　who　administers　the　empire；　esteems　it　as　his　own　body；　then　he　is　worthy　to　be　trusted　with　the　empire。

　　14

　　IN　PRAISE　OF　THE　PROFOUND

　　It　is　unseen　because　it　is　colorless；　it　is　unheard　because　it　is　soundless；　when　seeking　to　grasp　it；　it　eludes　one；　because　it　is　incorporeal。

　　Because　of　these　qualities　it　cannot　be　examined；　and　yet　they　form　an　essential　unity。　Superficially　it　appears　abstruse；　but　in　its　depths　it　is　not　obscure。　It　has　been　nameless　forever！　It　appears　and　then　disappears。　It　is　what　is　known　as　the　form　of　the　formless；　the　image　of　the　imageless。　It　is　called　the　transcendental；　its　face　（or　destiny）　cannot　be　seen　in　front；　or　its　back　（or　origin）　behind。

　　But　by　holding　fast　to　the　Tao　of　the　ancients；　the　wise　man　may　understand　the　present；　because　he　knows　the　origin　of　the　past。　This　is　the　clue　to　the　Tao。

　　15

　　THAT　WHICH　REVEALS　TEH

　　In　olden　times　the　ones　who　were　considered　worthy　to　be　called　masters　were　subtle；　spiritual；　profound；　wise。　Their　thoughts　could　not　be　easily　understood。

　　Since　they　were　hard　to　understand　I　will　try　to　make　them　clear。　They　were　cautious　like　men　wading　a　river　in　winter。　They　were　reluctant　like　men　who　feared　their　neighbors。　They　were　reserved　like　guests　in　the　presence　of　their　host。　They　were　elusive　like　ice　at　the　point　of　melting。　They　were　like　unseasoned　wood。　They　were　like　a　valley　between　high　mountains。　They　were　obscure　like　troubled　waters。　（They　were　cautious　because　they　were　conscious　of　the　deeper　meanings　of　life　and　its　possibilities。）

　　We　can　clarify　troubled　waters　by　slowly　quieting　them。　We　can　bring　the　unconscious　to　life　by　slowly　moving　them。　But　he　who　has　the　secret　of　the　Tao　does　not　desire　for　more。　Being　content；　he　is　able　to　mature　without　desire　to　be　newly　fashioned。

　　16

　　RETURNING　TO　THE　SOURCE

　　Seek　to　attain　an　open　mind　（the　summit　of　vacuity）。　Seek　composure　（the　essence　of　tranquillity）。

　　All　things　are　in　process；　rising　and　returning。　Plants　come　to　blossom；　but　only　to　return　to　the　root。　Returning　to　the　root　is　like　seeking　tranquillity；　it　is　moving　towards　its　destiny。　To　move　toward　destiny　is　like　eternity。　To　know　eternity　is　enlightenment；　and　not　to　recognize　eternity　brings　disorder　and　evil。

　　Knowing　eternity　makes　one　comprehensive；　comprehension　makes　one　broadminded；　breadth　of　vision　brings　nobility；　nobility　is　like　heaven。

　　The　heavenly　is　like　Tao。　Tao　is　the　Eternal。　The　decay　of　the　body　is　not　to　be　feared。

　　17

　　SIMPLICITY　OF　HABIT

　　When　great　men　rule；　subjects　know　little　of　their　existence。　Rulers　who　are　less　great　win　the　affection　and　praise　of　their　subjects。　A　common　ruler　is　feared　by　his　subjects；　and　an　unworthy　ruler　is　despised。

　　When　a　ruler　lacks　faith；　you　may　seek　in　vain　for　it　among　his　subjects。

　　How　carefully　a　wise　ruler　chooses　his　words。　He　performs　deeds；　and　accumulates　merit！　Under　such　a　ruler　the　people　think　they　are　ruling　themselves。

　　18

　　THE　PALLIATION　OF　THE　INFERIOR

　　When　the　great　Tao　is　lost　sight　of；　we　still　have　the　idea　of　benevolence　and　righteousness。　Prudence　and　wisdom　come　to　mind　when　we　see　great　hypocrisy。　When　relatives　are！　unfriendly；　we　still　have　the　teachings　of　filial　piety　and　paternal　affection。　When　the　state　and　the　clan　are　in　confusion　and　disorder；　we　still　have　the　ideals　of　loyalty　and　faithfulness。

　　19

　　RETURN　TO　SIMPLICITY

　　Abandon　the　show　of　saintliness　and　relinquish　excessive　prudence；　then　people　will　benefit　a　hundredfold。　Abandon　ostentatious　benevolence　and　conspicuous　righteousness；　then　people　will　return　to　the　primal　virtues　of　filial　piety　and　parental　affection。　Abandon　cleverness　and　relinquish　gains；　then　thieves　and　robbers　will　disappear。

　　Here　are　three　fundamentals　on　which　to　depend；　wherein　culture　is　insufficient。　Therefore　let　all　men　hold　to　that　which　is　reliable；　namely；　recognize　simplicity；　cherish　purity；　reduce　one's　possessions；　diminish　one's　desires。

　　20

　　THE　OPPOSITE　OF　THE　COMMONPLACE

　　Avoid　learning　if　you　would　have　no　anxiety。　The　〃yes〃　and　the　〃yea〃　differ　very　little；　but　the　contrast　between　good　and　evil　is　very　great。　That　which　is　not　feared　by　the　people　is　not　worth　fearing。　But；　oh；　the　difference；　the　desolation；　the　vastness；　between　ignorance　and　the　limitless　expression　of　the　Tao。

　　（The　balance　of　this　sonnet　is　devoted　to　showing　the　difference　between　the　careless　state　of　the　common　people　and　his　own　vision　of　the　Tao。　It　is　one　of　the　most　pathetic　expressions　of　human　loneliness；　from　lack　of　appreciation；　ever　written。　It　is　omitted　here　that　it　might　serve　for　the　closing　sonnet　and　valedictory。）

　　21

　　THE　HEART　OF　EMPTINESS

　　All　the　innumerable　forms　of　teh　correspond　to　the　norm　of　Tao；　but　the　nature　of　the　Tao's　activity　is　infinitely　abstract　and　illusive。　Illusive　and　obscure；　indeed；　but　at　its　heart　are　forms　and　types。　Vague　and　illusive；　indeed；　but　at　its　heart　is　all　being。　Unfathomable　and　obscure；　indeed；　but　at　its　heart　is　all　spirit；　and　spirit　is　reality。　At　its　heart　is　truth。

　　From　of　old　its　expression　is　unceasing；　it　has　been　present　at　all　beginnings。　How　do　I　know　that　its　nature　is　thus？　By　this　same　Tao。

　　22

　　INCREASE　BY　HUMILITY

　　At　that　time　the　deficient　will　be　made　perfect；　the