04道德经英译本85种-第22部分

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　　Since　weapons　have　a　negative　value；　the　intelligent　man　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　them　if　he　can。　But　when　he　is　forced　to　use　them；　he　does　so　with　reluctance　and　restraint。
　　He　does　not　admire　conquest。　For　whoever　desires　to　conquer　desires　to　kill。　And　whoever　delights　in　murder；　cannot　inherit　the　earth。
　　When　things　go　well；　we　signify　this　by　honouring　the　position　on　the　left。　When　ills　prevail；　we　symbolize　this　by　giving　precedence　to　the　position　on　the　right。　In　military　parades；　the　second　in　command；　who　is　ordered　to　give　orders；　takes　his　place　on　the　left；　While　the　first　in　command；　who　by　himself　undertakes　to　give　orders；　takes　the　right　hand　position。　There　is　a　significant　similarity　between　fighting　and　funerals。
　　Just　as　the　slaughter　of　many　people　should　be　accomplished　by　weeping　and　mourning；　So　the　positions　in　a　victory　parade　should　properly　parallel　those　in　a　funeral　procession。

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　　Nature　is　always　indeterminable。　Although；　in　its　original　simplicity；　it　may　appear　to　be　helpless；　no　one　else　can　tell　it　what　to　do。
　　If　legislators　and　administrators　could　keep　this　in　mind；　everybody　would　obey　their　laws　without　enforcement。
　　When　opposites　supplement　each　other；　everything　is　harmonious。　Without　compulsion；　each　supports　the　other。
　　But　when　boundaries　between　opposites　appear；　then　the　boundary　lines　are　marked　out。　Once　one　begins　to　differentiate　between　one　thing　and　another；　how　will　we　know　where　to　stop？　To　know　when　to　stop　making　distinctions　is　to　be　free　from　error。
　　The　true　relationship　of　every　determinate　thing　to　Nature　is　reintegrative；　like　all　the　rivers　and　rivulets　ever　running　to　their　ocean。

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　　He　who　knows　much　about　others　may　be　learned；　but　he　who　understands　himself　is　more　intelligent。
　　He　who　controls　others　may　be　powerful；　but　he　who　has　mastered　himself　is　mightier　still。
　　He　who　receives　his　happiness　from　others　may　be　rich；　but　he　who　whose　contentment　is　self…willed　has　inexhaustible　wealth。
　　He　who　occupies　a　place　provided　for　him　by　others　may　live　a　long　life；　but　he　who　dwells　in　his　own　self…contained　place；　even　though　he　decays；　is　eternal。

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　　Ultimate　reality　is　all…pervasive；　it　is　immanent　everywhere。
　　All　other　things　owe　their　existence　to　it　and　draw　their　sustenance　from　it；　without　anyone　being　refused。　Having　created　and　and　nurtured　them；　it　does　not　demand　title　to　them。　Even　though　it　has　provided　for　all；　it　refuses　to　dominate　over　a　single　one。
　　Since　it　asks　nothing　in　return　for　its　services；　it　may　appear　as　of　little　worth。
　　But　all　things　return　home　to　it　again；　even　though　they　do　not　know　that　they　are　being　called　home。　Therefore　it　may　be　thought　of　as　ultimate。
　　Since　it　never　claims　ultimacy　for　itself；　it　is；　by　that　very　fact；　ultimate　indeed。

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　　He　who　grasps　the　ultimate　structure　of　reality　draws　everyone　to　him。　They　approach　him　without　being　harmed；　but　find　security；　satisfaction；　and　contentment。
　　Particular　goods　of　various　kinds　attract　the　interests　of　men　as　they　travel　through　life。
　　But　the　all…pervasive　way　of　Nature　attracts　no　attention　to　itself　（for　its　true　nature　is　not　found　to　be　in　particulars）。　Even　though　it　is　present　in　the　mouth；　it　remains　untasted。　Even　though　it　is　embedded　in　all　objects；　it　remains　unseen。　Even　though　it　permeates　sound；　it　remains　unheard。　Yet；　no　matter　how　much　we　use　it；　it　can　never　be　exhausted。

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　　The　purpose　of　contracting　（returning　to　Nature）　is　served　by　expanding　（emerging　out　of　Nature　in　the　first　place）。　The　purpose　of　weakening　（subsiding　or　satisfying　of　desire）　is　served　by　strengthening　（arousing　the　will　to　live）。　The　purpose　of　decline　（of　individual　self…assertion）　is　served　by　arising　（of　individuality）。　The　purpose　of　taking　away　（culminating　or　perfecting　life）　is　served　by　being　given　（ie。；　〃the　last　of　life　for　which　the　first　was　made〃）。
　　This　is　the　most　penetrating　insight　into　the　way　of　life。　The　giving　in　or　finishing　always　triumphs　over　the　starting　out。
　　Just　as　a　fish　should　not　be　taken　out　of　water；　So　a　sword　should　never　be　taken　from　its　scabbard。

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　　Nature　never　acts；　yet　it　activates　everything。
　　If　legislators　and　administrators　would　behave　likewise；　each　thing　would　develop　in　accordance　with　its　own　nature。　Just　as；　when　things　develop；　those　which　become　passionate　are　restrained　by　that　passionless　one　which　activates　them；
　　So　the　way　to　restrain　men's　passions　is　by　dispassionate　restraint。　And　thus　all　passions　will　subside。

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　　Intelligent　control　appears　as　uncontrol　or　freedom。　And　for　that　reason　it　is　genuinely　intelligent　control。　Unintelligent　control　appears　as　external　domination。　And　for　that　reason　it　is　really　unintelligent　control。
　　Intelligent　control　exerts　influence　without　appearing　to　do　so。　Unintelligent　control　tries　to　influence　by　making　a　show　of　it。
　　The　generous　giver　gives　because　he　wants　to　give。　The　dutiful　giver　gives　because　he　wants　to　receive。　Whenever　a　regulation　is　imposed　from　above；　it　is　not　willingly　obeyed。　Then　effort　is　used　to　enforce　it。
　　But　when　Nature's　spontaneous　activity　disappears；　then　intelligent　action　is　called　for。　But　when　intelligent　action　is　unavailable；　then　intuitive　generosity　may　be　appealed　to。　But　when　intuitive　sympathy　is　lacking；　principles　of　morality　may　be　invoked。　But　where　morality　is　ineffective；　laws　are　enacted。
　　But　where　law　is　enforced；　spontaneous　and　sincere　loyalty　declines；　and　disintegration　of　the　harmonious　society　sets　in。　Thus　valuing　law　as　an　end　in　itself　results　in　minimizing　fidelity　to　Nature　itself。　Knowledge　of　law　appears　at　once　as　a　flowering　of　Nature's　way　and　as　the　source　of　error。
　　Therefore　the　intelligent　man　adheres　to　the　genuine　and　discards　the　superficial。　He　keeps　the　fruit　rather　than　the　flower；　Naturally　preferring　the　one　to　the　other。

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　　There　are　things　that　have　always　maintained　their　own　self…activity。　The　tendency　to　initiate　is；　by　its　self…activity；　obviously　self…originating。　The　tendency　towards　completion　is；　by　its　self…activity；　always　self…perfection。　The　tendency　to　maintain　integrity；　by　its　self…activity；　sustains　integrity。　The　tendency　to　oppose　is；　by　its　self…activity；　sufficient　for　all　opposition。
　　It　is　by　self…activity　that　all　things　fulfill　themselves。　So　it　is　by　self…activity　that　the　world　is　governed。　Such　is　the　extent　of　self…activity。
　　If　the　tendency　to　initiate　were　not　clearly　such；　it　would　be　ineffective。　If　the　tendency　toward　completion　were　not　dependable；　things　would　be　chaotic。　If　the　tendency　to　maintain　integrity　were　not　persistent；　things　would　disintegrate。　If　the　tendency　toward　opposition　were　not　sustained；　vitality　would　disappear。
　　If　there　were　no　self…activity；　life　would　cease。　If　self　activity　did　not　govern；　then　disruption　would　set　in。
　　The　esteemed　must　depend　upon　others　for　their　esteem；　whereas　the　unesteemed　are　self…sufficient。　The　high　must　depend　on　the　low　for　its　foundations；　whereas　the　low　serves　as　its　own　foundation。
　　Therefore　intelligent　leaders　consider　themselves　as　independent；　self…sufficient；　and　unesteemed。　For；　must　not　the　unesteemed　be　the　basis　for　the　esteemed？
　　Therefore　the　unesteemed　are　the　ultimate　in　esteem。
　　One　cannot　be　outstanding　when　he　is　alone；　and　he　should　not　try　to　be　so　when　he　is　with　others。

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　　Nature　alternates　dynamically。　When　it　completes　what　it　is　doing；　then　it　starts　all　over　again。
　　All　that　is　springs　from　such　alternation。

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　　When　the　intelligent　man　hears　about　Nature's　alternating　ways；　he　seeks　to　embody　it　within　himself。　The　mediocre　man　sometimes　accepts　it　and　sometimes　does　not。
　　Unintelligent　men　scoff　at　it。　Yet　this　very　scoffing　at　intelligence　itself　exemplifies　Nature's　way　of　alternation。
　　This　is　the　reason　for　the　old　sayings：　Nature's　brightest　day　fades　into　night。　Nature's　most　luxuriant　growth　ages　toward　decay。　Nature's　smoothest　plain　erodes　itself　away　into　rough　terrain。
　　Nature's　most　harmonious　adjustment　generates　conflict。　Nature's　most　beautiful　objects　grow　dim　and　ugly。　Nature's　greatest　prize　soon　becomes　despised。　Nature's　strongest　power　eventually　weakens。　Nature's　soundest　supports　gradually　rot　away。　Nature's　squarest　corners　soon　become　rounded。　Nature's　grandest　structures　sooner　or　later　are　destroyed。　Nature's　loudest　sounds　are　finally　silenced。
　　Hence；　Nature；　although　beyond　comprehension　and　description；　Knows　how　to　bring　about；　alternately；　all　initiating　and　completing。

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　　Nature　first　begets　one　thing。　The　one　thing　begets　another。　The　two　produce　a　third。　In　this　way；　all　things　are　begotten。
　　Why？　Because　all　things　are　impregnated　by　two　alternating　tendencies；　the　tendency　towards　completion　and　the　tendency　towards　initiation；　which　acting　together；　complement　each　other。
　　Most　men　dislike　to　be　considered　of　no　account；　lowly；　unworthy。　Yet　intelligent　leaders　call　themselves　thus。
　　For　people　are　admired　for　their　humility　and　despised　for　their　pride。
　　There　are　many　other　ways　of　illustrating　what　I　am　teaching：　〃Extremists　reach　untimely　ends。〃　This　saying　may　be　taken　as　a　good　example。

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　　That　which　is　most　yielding　eventually　overcomes　what　is　most　resistant。　That　which　is　not　becomes　that　which　is。　Acting　without　coercing　or　being　coerced　is　best。
　　Guiding　by　example　rather　than　by　words　is　most　successful。　Such　simple　truths　are　so　hard　to　understand。

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　　Esteem　by　others　or　self…esteem；　which　is　better？　To　value　things　or　to　value　yourself；　which　is　better？　To　have　more　or　to　have　less；　which　is　worse？
　　The　more　you　have；　the　more　you　have　to　lose。　The　more　you　value　things；　the　less　you　value　your　self。　The　more　you　depend　on　others　for　esteem；　the　less　you　are　self…sufficient。
　　He　who　knows　how　to　discriminate　wisely　avoids　danger；　And　continues　safely　on　his　way。

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　　What　is　most　complete　is　still　incomplete：　Yet　it　is　as　complete　as　it　can　be。　That　which　has　a