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04道德经英译本85种-第350部分

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  Therefore the Sage; wishing to rule over the people;
  Must use humble words before them;
  And wishing to lead the people;
  He must keep himself behind them。

  Thus the Sage rules over the people; and they do not feel oppressed;
  He leads the people; and they do not feel obstructed。

  Therefore all beneath Heaven support him and do not tire of him。
  Because he does not compete; no one can compete with him。

  67

  All under Heaven say that my Tao is great and resembles nothing。?br》 Because it is great; it resembles nothing。
  If it did resemble anything; it would a long time ago have become small。

  There are three treasures which I keep and value。
  The first is compassion;
  The second is frugality;
  And the third is not daring to be ahead of others。
  Being compassionate; one can be courageous。
  Being frugal; one can be generous。
  Not daring to be ahead of others; one can lead the world。

  But nowadays; there are those who abandon compassion; yet wish to be courageous;
  They reject frugality; yet wish to be generous;
  They forsake not daring to be ahead of others; yet wish to lead the world。
  Their downfall is certain。

  Being compassionate; one will win in attack and be strong in defence。
  By giving compassion; Heaven provides and protects。? 
  1。 i。e。 the Tao cannot be compared to or likened to any of the things normally experienced。
  2。 This line is ambiguous between 慔eaven is compassionate in providing and protecting?and 慣he way that Heaven provides and protects is by making men compassionate? (See Feng and English; 1973; and Lau; 1963; for the latter interpretation; and Chan; 1969; and Ch抲; 1985; for the former。)
  68

  He who makes a good soldier is not violent。
  He who makes a good fighter is not angry。
  He who makes a good conqueror does not compete。?br》 He who is skilful in making the best use of people; places himself under them。

  This is called the Virtue of not competing。
  This is called making use of people。
  This is called matching the sublimity of Heaven。? 
  1。 i。e。 he overcomes his enemies without the need to fight them。
  2。 i。e。 accomplishing things; like Heaven; without striving。
  69

  The strategists have a saying:
  慖 dare not take the offensive; but would rather take the defensive。?br》 慖 dare not advance an inch; but would rather retreat a foot。?br》 
  This is called marching without moving;
  Rolling up one抯 sleeve without showing one抯 arm;
  Defeating an enemy without confrontation;
  Being armed without weapons。

  No misfortune is greater than underestimating an enemy。
  Underestimating my enemy almost makes me lose my treasures。?br》 
  Therefore; when two sides takes arms against each other;
  It is the side with the most reluctance which wins。 
  1。 Strictly; 慖 dare not be the host; but would rather be the guest。?That is; the host; being at home; must take the initiative; and is in this sense active whereas the guest takes the passive role。
  2。 Wang Pi says that these three treasures are those mentioned in Chapter 67。 Underestimating one抯 enemy; one runs the risk of resorting to force; doing this is to 憀ose the treasures? (See P。 J。 Lin 1977; 127)
  70

  Even though my words are easy to understand and easy to put into practice;
  No one in the world really knows them or lives by them。

  My words have their origin; and my actions receive their impetus; in the source of all things。
  If this is not understood; then I am not understood。

  Because so few understand my words; they are prized so highly。
  Therefore; the Sage appears wearing coarse clothing; concealing the true treasure in his heart。

  71

  To know that you do not know; this is best。
  Not to know; whilst thinking that one does know; this is to be flawed。
  Recognising this defect as a defect
  Is the way to be free of the defect。
  The Sage is not flawed
  Because he recognises the flaw as a flaw。
  Therefore he is flawless。? 
  1。 I follow Henricks (1990; 168) who remarks; 慉lthough ping 'in this chapter' does mean 揹isease??here it is best translated; I feel; as 揻law?(or 揻ault?or 揹efect?。?/span》
  72

  Unless the people stand in awe of the authority over them;
  A greater authority will soon take over。?br》 
  Let them manage their own domestic affairs for themselves;
  Let them work according to their own dispositions。
  If you do not oppress them; they will not be oppressed。?br》 
  Therefore; the Sage knows himself
  But does not reveal himself。
  He respects himself
  Without being arrogant。
  Thus he discards one and chooses the other。 
  1。 or The people may not stand in awe of their ruler抯 authority; But an authority greater than this 'Heaven or Tao' will bring them to an end they deserve。
  2。 i。e。 if the people are not oppressed; and are left to conduct their affairs for themselves; they will not resist or resent the authority of the state。
  73

  He who is courageous in taking action is soon killed。
  He who is courageous in remaining passive keeps his life。
  Of the two kinds of courage; one is harmful and the other is advantageous。
  Who knows why Heaven disapproves of one kind?
  Even the Sage is unsure how to answer this。

  The Way of Heaven accomplishes without competing;
  Without declaring its will it receives a response;
  Without summoning; things come to it of their own accord;
  It accomplishes slowly; with well…laid plans。

  The net of Heaven is vast;
  And though its mesh is very wide;
  Nothing can slip through。

  74

  If the people are not afraid to die;
  How can you threaten them with death?

  If the people are kept in constant fear of death;
  And if it were possible to arrest and put to death the law…breakers;
  Who would dare do this??br》 
  It is the master executioner?who does the killing。
  To assume the role of the master executioner and do the killing for oneself
  Is like carving wood for oneself
  Instead of leaving it to the master carpenter。
  Those who carve wood for themselves
  Instead of leaving it to the master carpenter
  Rarely escape without cutting their own hands。 
  1。 There is an ambiguity here between 慦ho would dare break the law??and 慦ho would dare put to death the law…breakers??In the light of 74c; the latter interpretation seems to make more sense。
  2。 i。e。 Heaven。
  75

  If the people go hungry
  It is because the rulers take too much in taxes。
  This is why they go hungry。

  If the people prove difficult to rule
  It is because the rulers interfere too much。?br》 This is why they prove difficult to rule。

  If the people take death too lightly
  It is because they are engrossed in seeking life抯 pleasures。
  This is why the people take death too lightly。

  It is only by ceasing to seek after life抯 pleasures that one will find life pleasurable。 
  1。 i。e。 they are trying to do too many things; and are not following the Taoist way of non…action。
  76

  When living; a man is supple and soft;
  But dead; he is hard and stiff。
  The myriad creatures; including grass and trees; when living; are pliant and frail;
  But dead; they are withered and dry。

  Therefore the hard and the stiff are disciples of death;
  Whilst the supple and the soft are disciples of life。

  An inflexible army cannot win。
  A tree that cannot bend will break。

  The hard and inflexible take the lower position。
  The soft and weak take the higher position。? 
  1。 i。e。 hard and inflexible is inferior to soft and weak。
  77

  The Way of Heaven is like the drawing of a bow。
  What is high is brought lower; and what is low is brought higher。?br》 What is too long is shortened;
  What is too short is lengthened。?br》 
  The Way of Heaven is to take away from what is excessive
  And to replenish what is deficient。
  But the Way of Man is different:
  It takes away from those who have little;
  And gives to those who already have plenty。
  Who is able to offer the world whatever he has in excess?
  Only the man of Tao。

  Therefore the Sage works without claiming reward;
  Accomplishes without taking credit。
  He has no desire to display his excellence。 
  1。 i。e。 when the string of a bow is drawn back; the top of the bow; as it bends; is pulled down (to some extent) and the bottom of the bow is pulled up。 This simile is meant to illustrate the way Heaven makes things equal; and evens things out。
  2。 The simile is continued by referring to the string of the bow。 If it is too long it must be shortened; and vice versa。
  78

  Under Heaven; nothing is softer and weaker than water。
  Yet nothing is better for attacking the hard and the strong。
  There is no better substitute。

  All under Heaven know that the weak overcomes the strong
  And the soft overcomes the hard。
  Yet there are none who practise this。

  Therefore the Sage says:
  He who takes upon himself the disgrace of the country
  Is fit to be lord of the land。
  He who takes upon himself the misfortunes of the country
  Is fit to be king of the empire。

  True words seem paradoxical。

  79

  When a bad grudge is settled;
  Some enmity is bound to remain。
  How can this be considered acceptable?

  Therefore the Sage keeps to his side of the contract
  But does not hold the other party to their promise。
  He who has Virtue will honour the contract;
  Whilst he who is without Virtue expects others to meet their obligations。
  It is the Way of Heaven to be impartial;
  It stays always with the good man。

  80

  The smaller the country; the fewer the people。?br》 Even though they have machines which can do the work of ten; or a hundred men; they are never used。
  The people take death seriously; so do not travel far。?br》 Even though they have boats and carriages; no one rides in them。
  Even though they have armour and weapons; no one displays them。

  Let the peop
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