《04道德经英译本85种》

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04道德经英译本85种- 第71部分


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  Restlessness defeats the cold;
  but stillness overcomes the heat。

  Serenity and calmness set the standard for the world。

  46

  When the world lives in accord with DAO;
  galloping horses fertilise the fields。
  When the world ignores the DAO;
  horses for war breed in the countryside。

  There is no greater curse than discontent;
  no crueller curse than gaining your desires。
  Know when enough is enough;
  and you'll always have enough。

  47

  Without stepping outside your door;
  you can know the world。
  Without looking out of your window;
  you can see heaven。

  The further you go; the less you will know。
  So those who are enlightened know without going;
  understand without seeing;
  accomplish without acting。

  48

  Students of knowledge learn more each day;
  students of the DAO do less each day。
  Less and less is done until non…action is achieved。
  When nothing is done;
  there is nothing that is left undone。

  To win the world; you must not interfere;
  if you interfere; you will never win the world。

  49

  Those who are enlightened have no fixed heart or mind。
  The hearts and minds of ordinary people
  become their heart and mind。

  Those who are good they treat as good;
  those who are not good they also treat as good。
  This is the true DE。
  Those who are sincere they treat as sincere;
  those who are not sincere they also treat as sincere。
  This is the true DE。

  Those who are enlightened live in the world harmoniously;
  blending heart and mind into the world。
  The people fix their eyes and ears on them。
  To those who are enlightened; all are children。

  50

  Between their birth and death;
  a third of people will be followers of life;
  a third will be followers of death;
  and a third will be just passing from life to death。
  Why? Because they cling to life too much。

  It is said that whoever excels in preserving their life
  can wander through the land
  and not meet tiger or wild buffalo;
  can cross a battlefield
  and not wear armour。
  In them; a buffalo will find no place to thrust its horn;
  a tiger no place to sink its claws;
  a weapon no place to lodge its blade。

  Why is this so? Because for them; there is no realm of death。

  51

  The DAO gives life to everything;
  DE nurtures it;
  the world of matter gives it shape;
  circumstances make it complete。

  So everything that is reveres the DAO
  and honours DE。
  But the DAO is revered and DE honoured;
  not because of a command; but naturally。

  So the DAO gives life to everything;
  and DE nurtures it;
  raises it; and brings it up;
  matures and completes it;
  feeds and shelters it。

  To give life without possessing;
  to act without expecting gratitude;
  to foster growth without controlling it …
  this is called the secret DE。

  52

  The world has a beginning;
  which can be called the mother of the world。
  Know the mother;
  and you will know the child。
  Know the child;
  then go back and hold fast to the mother;
  and until the end of life; you will not meet with harm。

  Block up all the openings; *
  bolt firm all the doors;
  and throughout your life; you will never be exhausted。Unblock the openings;
  be busy with your affairs;
  and throughout your life; you will never be redeemed。

  To see the small is called enlightenment。
  To hold to gentleness is called strength。
  Use the light to go home to enlightenment;
  and you will be saved from harm。

  This is known as following the changeless。 
  * se qui dui: block up all the openings

  dui has the meaning of 憁outh/opening/passage/aperture/hole? and in this context refers to the physical and metaphorical openings through which the senses operate。 Dui is paralleled in the next line by men (gate/door); a similar image of the passage…way of the senses。
  53

  Had I the smallest grain of understanding;
  I would follow the great DAO;
  my only fear would be to stray from it。

  The great DAO is very smooth and straight;
  and yet some people prefer the by…roads。

  The royal court is kept immaculate;
  and yet the fields are overgrown with weeds
  and the granaries are empty。
  They're dressed in finery;
  with fine swords at their side;
  they gorge themselves on food and drink;
  and have more wealth by far than they can use。

  This is the arrogance of thieves。 *
  What could be further from the DAO? 
  * shi wei dao yu: this is the arrogance of thieves

  there is a pun here on the word dao (or tao); which can mean 憆obber?or 憈hief? as well as the unnameable 慦ay? The play on words occurs on three other occasions in the text (sections 3; 19 and 57); though arguably with a lesser emphasis than here。
  54

  What is firmly planted cannot be uprooted;
  what is firmly held cannot slip loose。
  Your children and your grand…children
  will worship it for generations without end。

  Cultivate the DE within yourself
  and the DE will be genuine。
  Cultivate it in your family
  and the DE will overflow。
  Cultivate it in your village
  and the DE will long endure。
  Cultivate it in your country
  and the DE will then spread wide。
  Cultivate it in the world
  and the DE will be everywhere。

  Look at yourself as a self;
  your family as a family;
  your village as a village;
  your country as a country;
  your world as a world。

  How do I know the world is like this?
  By means of it。 * 
  * yi ci: by means of it

  see section 21 above。
  55

  Whoever is filled with DE
  is like a new…born child。

  Wasps and scorpions will not sting it;
  snakes and serpents will not bite it;
  wild animals will not attack it;
  birds of prey will not swoop down on it。

  Its bones are soft; its muscles weak;
  and yet its grip is firm。
  It does not know of male and female union
  and yet its organ stirs;
  its vital energy is at its height。
  It cries throughout the day
  and yet is never hoarse;
  its harmony is at its height。

  To know harmony is to know the eternal。
  To know the eternal is to know enlightenment。

  To speed the growth of life is an omen of disaster; *
  to control the breath by will…power is to overstrain it; 
  to grow too much is to decay。

  All this is against the DAO
  and whatever is against the DAO soon dies。 
  * xiang: an omen of disaster 

  xiang is particularly ambiguous character; since it can also mean the exact opposite of 慸isaster? 慴lessing/good omen/propitious/beneficial? All depends upon how the three characters immediately preceding (yi sheng yue) are translated。 If positively (for example; 憈o increase life? 憈hat which is beneficial to life? 慽mprovement in health?; the obvious choice of apposition is 慽s a blessing? But if the characters are rendered negatively (憈o force the growth of things? 憈o hasten life抯 growth unnaturally? 憈o benefit one抯 own life?; then 慸isaster?is the equally obvious conclusion。 I view xiang in this latter light; since the immediately following lines focus upon different kinds of excess; which are viewed negatively; and which are explicitly said to be 慳gainst the DAO?
  56

  Those who know do not speak of it;
  those who speak do not know of it。

  Those who know
  keep their mouths closed;
  shut all the doors; *
  blunt every sharpness;
  untangle the knots;
  soften the glare;
  become one with the dust;
  and enter the mystery of oneness。

  They can be neither courted nor shunned;
  they can be neither helped nor harmed;
  they can be neither honoured nor disgraced。

  They are the most treasured people upon the earth。 
  * men: doors

  as in section 51 above; men has metaphorical rather than literal force; indicating the doors or gates through which the senses operate。
  57

  Be straightforward in governing the nation;
  be cunning in waging a war。
  Conquer the world by not interfering。

  How do I know that this should be so?
  Because
  the more taboos and restrictions;
  the poorer the people become;
  the sharper the weapons;
  the more fear in the land;
  the more cunningness;
  the more abnormal the events;
  the more laws;
  the greater the number of thieves。

  Those who are enlightened say:
  I do not act;
  and people are transformed naturally;
  I welcome stillness;
  and people do what is right naturally;
  I do not interfere;
  and people prosper naturally;
  I am without desire;
  and people return to what is simple naturally。

  58

  When government is subdued and light;
  people are simple and pure。
  When government is sharp and prying;
  people are cunning and mean。

  It is on misfortune that good fortune rests;
  it is in good fortune that misfortune hides。
  Who knows the turning point; or where the standard lies?

  The normal changes into abnormality;
  the good changes into monstrosity。
  Long indeed have people been confused。

  Those who are enlightened
  have sharp edges but do not cut;
  have corners but do not jab;
  are straight and true but do not over…reach;
  shine radiantly but do not blind。

  59

  In governing the people and in serving heaven;
  nothing surpasses moderation。

  To be moderate
  is to follow the DAO from early on;
  to follow the DAO from early on
  is to be filled to the brim with DE;
  to be filled to the brim with DE
  is to overcome all things;
  to overcome all things
  is to know all things are possible。

  Whoever knows all things are possible
  is fit to rule a country;
  whoever guards a country as a mother would
  will long endure。

  This is called the DAO of deep roots and firm foundations;
  a vision that is everlasting。

  60

  Governing a nation is like frying a sm
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