04道德经英译本85种-第299节

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　　They　look　alike　because　they　are　both　human；　within　humanity　is　the　key　to　the　door　of　creation。

　　2

　　Whenever　the　most　beautiful　is　perceived；　ugliness　arises；　the　least　beautiful。　Whenever　good　is　perceived；　evil　exists；　its　natural　opposite。

　　Thus；　perception　involves　opposites；　reality　and　fantasy　are　opposing　thoughts；　difficult　and　simple　oppose　in　degree；　long　and　short　oppose　in　distance；　high　and　low　oppose　in　height；　shrill　and　deep　oppose　in　tone；　before　and　after　oppose　in　sequence。

　　The　truly　wise　accept　this　and　they　work　diligently　without　allegiance　to　words。　They　teach　by　doing；　not　by　saying；　are　genuinely　helpful；　not　discriminating；　are　positive；　not　possessive；　do　not　proclaim　their　accomplishments；　and　because　they　do　not　proclaim　them；　credit　for　them　can　never　be　taken　away。

　　3

　　Leaders　Work　Humbly

　　Leaders　should　not　seek　power　or　status；　people　will　not　then　crave　power　or　status。　If　scarce　good　are　not　valued　highly；　people　will　have　no　need　to　steal　them。　If　there　is　nothing　available　to　arouse　passion；　people　will　remain　content　and　satisfied。

　　The　truly　wise　lead　by　instilling　humility　and　open…mindedness；　by　providing　for　fair　livelihoods；　by　discouraging　personal　ambition；　and　by　helping　people　to　be　upright。

　　The　wise　avoid　evil　and　radical　reform；　thus　the　foolish　do　not　obstruct　them。　They　work　serenely；　with　inner　quiet。

　　4

　　Tao　is　a　vast　immeasurable　void。　It　can　be　used　to　infinity；　it　is　truly　inexhaustible。

　　Like　nature；　it　appears　to　be　the　origin　of　everything。　In　it；　conflicts　（sharp　edges）　are　satisfied　（rounded）；　differences　（tangles）　are　resolved　（united）；　observations　（light）　are　clarified　（tempered）；　disturbances　（turmoil）　are　quieted　（submerged）。

　　It　is　like　a　deep；　dark　pool。　I　do　not　know　its　source。　It　is　like　a　prelude　to　nature；　a　preface　to　God。

　　5

　　Nature　is　indifferent　to　life。　It　realizes　everything　is　as　a　straw　dog。　The　truly　wise　are　also　indifferent　to　life。　They　realize　humanity　is　as　a　straw　dog。

　　The　universe　is　like　a　bellows：　empty；　yet　quite　full。　As　it　proceeds；　it　produces。

　　Much　talk；　much　exhaustion。　Keep　your　thoughts　within！

　　6

　　The　concept　of　Yin　is　ever　present。　It　is　the　Mystic　Female　from　whom　the　heavens　and　earth　originate。

　　Constantly；　continuously；　enduring　always。

　　Use　her！

　　7

　　The　heavens　endure；　the　earth　is　very　old。　Why？

　　Because　they　do　not　exist　for　themselves；　they　therefore　have　long　life。

　　The　truly　wise　are　content　to　be　last；　they　are　therefore　first。　They　are　indifferent　to　themselves；　they　are　therefore　self…confident。

　　Perhaps　it　is　because　they　do　not　exist　for　themselves　that　they　find　complete　fulfillment。

　　8

　　The　highest　motive　is　to　be　like　water：　water　is　essential　to　all　life；　yet　it　does　not　demand　a　fee　or　proclaim　its　importance。　Rather；　it　flows　humbly　to　the　lowest　level；　and　in　so　doing　it　is　much　like　Tao。

　　In　the　home　the　truly　wise　love　the　humble　earth；　the　foundation　on　which　the　home　is　built；　in　the　heart　they　love　what　is　genuine；　in　friendship　they　are　compassionate；　in　words　they　are　sincere；　in　government　they　foster　peace　and　good　will；　in　business　they　work　with　quiet　efficiency。

　　Serenity　is　the　goal　of　Tao；　through　it　nothing　is　lost。

　　9

　　There　is　a　danger　in　extremes：　pull　a　bowstring　too　far　and　you　wish　you　had　let　go　before；　hone　a　sword…edge　too　sharp　and　the　edge　will　wear　too　soon；　fill　your　house　with　gold　and　jade　and　you　invite　thieves；　be　proud　and　arrogant　over　good　fortune　and　you　prepare　for　your　own　downfall。

　　When　you　have　reached　your　goal；　be　satisfied　to　go　no　further。　This　is　the　way　of　Tao。

　　10

　　Can　you　control　your　mind　so　that　it　never　strays　from　the　way　of　Tao？

　　Can　you　control　your　breathing　so　that　it　is　soft　and　gentle　like　a　new…born　babe？

　　Can　you　purify　yourself　so　that　you　are　perfect？　Can　you　love　all　the　people；　rule　them；　and　remain　unknown？　And　do　so　without　interference？

　　Can　you　play　the　same　role　always？

　　Give　birth；　provide　nourishment；　do　this　without　being　possessive。　Give　help　without　obligation。　Lead　without　dominating。　This　is　the　Mystic　Virtue　（Teh）。

　　11

　　Thirty　spokes　unite　at　the　hub　but　the　ultimate　use　of　the　wheel　depends　on　the　part　where　nothing　exists。

　　Clay　is　molded　into　a　vessel　but　the　ultimate　use　of　the　vessel　depends　upon　the　part　where　nothing　exists。

　　Doors　and　windows　are　cut　out　of　the　walls　of　a　house　but　the　ultimate　use　of　the　house　depends　upon　the　parts　where　nothing　exists。

　　So；　there　is　advantage　in　using　what　can　be　seen；　what　exists。　And　there　is　also　advantage　in　using　what　cannot　be　seen；　what　is　non…existent。

　　12

　　The　five　colors　blind　the　eye；　the　five　notes　deafen　the　ear；　the　five　tastes　dull　the　tongue。　Reckless　ambition　will　unbalance　the　mind；　striving　for　earthly　good　produces　unhealthy　tension。　Therefore　the　truly　wise　satisfy　the　inner　self　and　ignore　the　external。　They　accept　one　and　avoid　the　other。

　　13

　　It　is　said：　擝oth　good　fortune　and　misfortune　cause　tension。　The　creative　and　the　destructive　exist　equally　in　the　mind。？br》　
　　What　is　ment　by　擥ood　fortune　and　misfortune　cause　tension？　Those　with　good　fortune　are　tense　anticipating　their　gift；　those　with　misfortune　are　tense　lamenting　their　loss。

　　What　is　ment　by　擳he　creative　and　the　destructive　exist　equally　in　the　mind？　Tension　exists　because　we　have　a　mind；　a　self；　with　dual　purposes。　If　we　can　be　selfless；　indifferent　to　the　mind；　how　then　can　tension　exist？

　　Thus；　one　who　views　the　world　as　he　views　himself　is　best　suited　to　govern　the　world；　one　who　loves　humanity　as　he　loves　himself　can　be　entrusted　with　the　world。

　　14

　　Looked　for　it　cannot　be　seen；　it　is　invisible。　Listened　for　it　cannot　be　heard；　it　is　inaudible。　Reached　for　it　cannot　be　touched；　it　is　intangible。　These　three　are　beyond　analysis；　these　three　are　one。

　　It　rises；　like　the　sun；　but　does　not　illuminate；　it　sets；　like　the　sun；　but　does　not　darken。　Without　beginning；　without　end；　infinite；　indefinable。　It　is　the　form　of　the　formless；　it　is　existence　in　non…existence；　it　is　the　greatest　mystery。　Meet　it　and　it　has　no　face；　follow　it　and　it　has　no　back。

　　Hold　close　to　the　ancient　Tao　and　be　master　of　your　present　existence。　Knowing　the　present　you　mirror　the　past。　This　is　the　clue　to　Tao。

　　15

　　The　Tao　of　the　Ancients

　　The　ancient　followers　of　Tao：　so　wise；　so　subtle；　so　profound；　so　deeply　understanding　that　they　were　themselves　misunderstood。　They　must　therefore　be　described：

　　Cautious；　like　crossing　a　stream　in　mid…winter；　observant；　like　moving　in　fear　through　hostile　land；　modest；　retiring　like　ice　beginning　to　melt；　dignified；　like　an　honored　guest；　genuine；　like　natural；　untouched　wood；　receptive；　like　an　inviting；　open　valley；　friendly；　like　muddied　water；　freely　mixing。

　　Who　can　make　sense　of　a　world　like　cloudy　water？　Left　alone　and　still；　it　becomes　clear。　Should　this　stillness　be　maintained？　Moving　hastily　will　surely　cloud　it　again。　How　then　can　one　move　and　not　become　clouded？　Accept　Tao　and　achieve　without　being　selfish；　being　unselfish　one　endures　the　world抯　wear；　and　needs　no　change　of　pace。

　　16

　　Achieve　the　highest　goal　by　being　passive；　hold　close　to　a　state　of　perfect　serenity。

　　Everything　comes　into　existence；　but　observe；　returns　to　its　source。　Thus；　vegetation　flourishes　and　grows；　but　returns　to　the　soil　whence　it　came。

　　Returning　to　the　source　is　serenity；　it　is　to　realize　one抯　destiny。　To　realize　one抯　destiny　is　to　know　the　Eternal　Constant。　To　know　the　Eternal　Constant　is　to　be　enlightened。　To　be　ignorant　of　this　is　blindness　that　begets　evil。

　　Whoever　knows　the　Eternal　Constant　is　open？minded。　Being　open？minded　is　to　be　impartial；　being　impartial　is　to　be　above　nations　and　laws；　being　above　nations　and　laws　is　to　be　in　accord　with　nature；　being　in　accord　with　nature　is　to　be　in　accord　with　Tao；　being　in　accord　with　Tao　is　to　be　eternal。　Although　your　body　dies　and　decays　you　live　forever。

　　17

　　The　Best　Leader

　　As　for　the　best　leaders；　the　people　do　not　notice　their　existence。　The　next　best；　the　people　honor　and　praise。　The　next；　the　people　fear；　and　the　next；　the　people　hate。

　　If　you　have　no　faith　people　will　have　no　faith　in　you；　and　you　must　resort　to　oaths。

　　When　the　best　leader抯　work　is　done　the　people　say：　擶e　did　it　ourselves！？br》
　　18

　　When　Tao　is　lost；　words　like　攈umanity？and　攋ustice？become　official　doctrines。　Then　攌nowledge？and　攚isdom？become　official　goals。　With　all　this　great　hypocrisy　comes。

　　When　family　life　is　no　longer　harmonious；　obedient　children　and　devoted　parents　are　praised；　when　a　nation　has　corruption　and　inefficiency；　there　is　official　praise　for　攍oyal　citizens？

　　Wherever　there　is　Tao　there　is　peace　and　balance。　When　Tao　is　lost；　divisiveness　and　differences　emerge　and　grow。

　　19

　　On　Real　Education

　　Do　away　with　learning；　the　same　with　wisdom；　the　people　will　gain　a　hundredfold。　Do　away　with　攈umani