第 230 节
作者:九米      更新:2021-02-19 21:30      字数:8887
  Great Abundance seems modest; but provides without limit。
  Great honesty appears devious。
  Great intelligence seems dumb。
  Great discussions are low…keyed。
  Activity overcomes cold。
  Stillness overcomes heat。
  Peace and Quiet is proper under Heaven。
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  When there is Tao under Heaven; loose horses manure the fields。
  When Tao is absent under Heaven; war horses are bred on the borders。
  There is no misfortune so great as not recognizing excess。
  There is no mistake so great as the desire to obtain。
  Therefore feel content; be content; and stay content。
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  Without going out the door; you may know the things beneath Heaven。
  Without looking out the window; you may behold Heaven's Way。
  The further you go; the less you know。
  Thus does the wise man know without going;
  see without looking; achieve without doing。
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  By learning; each day brings increase。
  With Tao; each day brings decrease。
  Less and less; until there is nothing at all to do。
  Nothing to do and nothing left undone。
  To truly gain the World; do without affairs。
  One who has affairs is not content until he has gained the World。
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  The wise man has no opinions;
  so that he may understand the opinions of others。
  To the Good; I am Good。
  To the not Good; I am also Good。
  Virtue is Good。
  To the Honest; I am Honest。
  To the Dishonest; I am also Honest。
  Virtue is Honest。
  The wise man is at peace with the World;
  and from the World conceals his thoughts。
  The wise man is everyone's child。
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  Life begets; Death receives。
  The unborn are 3 in 10。
  The dead are 3 in 10。
  Mortal men active in life are also 3 in 10。
  Now; what is the significance of the immortals?
  There are stories about ones who survive。
  They meet no tigers or rhinos on the road;
  in war they go without armor。
  Rhinos have nowhere to thrust their horns;
  Tigers have nowhere to sink their claws;
  Weapons have nowhere to pierce their blades。
  So why are they untouched by Death ?
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  Tao creates; Virtue provides;
  Matter assumes form; Power completes。
  Thus do all things without exception honor Tao and praise Virtue。
  Honor Tao。 Praise Virtue。
  Not by command; but continually and naturally。
  Therefore Tao creates; Virtue provides;
  by raising; nurturing; sheltering; nourishing; feeding; and clothing。
  Create and do not possess。
  Govern; and do not exploit。
  Lead; and do not kill。
  This is Mystic Virtue。
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  The World had a beginning; there is a Mother of the World。
  Since we have the Mother; we can know the Child。
  By knowing the Child; we can return to the Mother。
  The disappearance of the Body is not to be feared。
  Complete the exchange; close the door;
  be done with a body that no longer serves。
  Begin the exchange; relieve its troubles;
  the death of the body cannot be prevented。
  See these unimportant things clearly。
  Accept Weakness; use its Emptiness;
  Rejoin its Purity; regardless of the body's demise。
  This is quite normal。
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  If I interpret the facts correctly;
  following the Great Tao carries only this risk;
  the Great Tao is very easy; but people prefer the hard way !
  Government is divided。 Farms are overgrown。 Granaries are empty。
  People wear fancy clothes and carry sharp swords;
  tire of food and drink; spend money endlessly;
  and are said to be corrupt。
  Alas; this is not the Way。
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  What is well established is not uprooted。
  What is well accepted is not cast off。
  Thus will your children's children offer sacrifices forever。
  Cultivated in the person; its virtue becomes genuine。
  Cultivated in the home; its virtue multiplies。
  Cultivated in the village; its virtue grows。
  Cultivated in the nation; its virtue increases。
  Cultivated in the world; its virtue becomes universal。
  Thus does
  a person judge a person;
  a family judge a family;
  a village judge a village;
  a nation judge a nation;
  a world judge a world。
  How can I recognize an ideal world ?
  By this。
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  One who has great Virtue is like a new…born child。
  Wasps; scorpions and cobra snakes will not bite him。
  Fearsome beasts will not take him。
  Raptors will not attack him。
  His bones are soft; his muscles are weak; but his grip is firm。
  He knows nothing of physical love and yet stands complete; his Essence is
  strong。
  He cries aloud all day without growing hoarse; because he is at Peace。
  To always know Peace; to always be Open; is an Omen of Long Life。
  The Heart that grows Angry becomes Strong。
  Strong things only decline。
  That is not the Way;
  and what is not the Way will soon end。
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  He who knows does not speak。
  He who speaks does not know。
  Complete the exchange; close the door。
  Round the edges; end the separation;
  merge with the light; join with the dust。
  This is called Mystic Unity。
  Therefore;
  from then on; never need Temples;
  from then on; never be dispersed;
  from then on; never need money;
  from then on; never be harmed;
  from then on; never be Noble;
  from then on; never be Humble。
  And so be Exalted under Heaven。
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  Govern the country honestly; wage war by deceit。
  Do without affairs to gain the world。
  How do I know this is so ?
  By this。
  There is much fear and superstition in the world; and people are very poor。
  There is much to gain; and politicians thrive in the confusion。
  Clever people develop strange and unusual things。
  Law and Order makes a great showing; while thieves and robbers abound。
  Thus the wise man says;
  If I do nothing; people will reform themselves。
  If I keep quiet; people will correct themselves。
  If I do not interfere; people will better themselves。
  If I have nothing to gain; people will become honest。
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  When Government is subdued; people are simple and honest。
  When Government is obtrusive; people are lax and careless。
  Disaster acts upon Blessings。
  Blessings are subject to Disaster。
  Who knows where it all ends ?
  It's not right。
  Proper becomes improper。
  Good turns Evil。
  People lose their bearings。
  Thus is the wise man
  critical but not harsh;
  calm but not cutting;
  firm but not reckless;
  bright but not blinding。
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  In governing men and serving Heaven; there is nothing like Economy。
  Now; Economy means early preparation。
  Early preparation means to value the accumulation of Virtue。
  Value the accumulation of Virtue; and anything is possible。
  When anything is possible; there are no limits。
  When there are no limits; the Nation can be gained。
  Gain the Mother of the Nation; and survival is assured。
  This means deep roots; a solid foundation;
  and a lifetime of following the Way。
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  Rule a great country as you would prepare delicacies。
  Attain the Way under Heaven;
  and its Demons will have no power。
  Not that its Demons will have no power;
  but rather their power will not harm men。
  Not that their power will not harm men;
  wise Men also will not harm men。
  Neither will inflict harm。
  Therefore Virtue will return。
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  A large country is a floodplain;
  the confluence of the world;
  the female of the world。
  The female passively overcomes the male;
  passively keeps low。
  The large country that keeps below the small country; acquires the small
  country。
  The small country that keeps below the large country; acquires the large
  country。
  Therefore; either keep low to acquire; or keep low to be acquired。
  The large country; not mistakenly; wants to expand its settlements。
  The small country; not mistakenly; wants to join the affairs of men。
  So together each gets what it wants。
  The larger one quite properly keeps low。
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  The Way is the secret of all things。
  Treasured by good men; it protects the bad。
  Pleasing words may persuade。
  Noble deeds can influence。
  But of bad men; why abandon them ?
  Therefore; at the coronation of the Son of Heaven;
  at the installation of the three ministers;
  although there be jade discs; followed by teams of horses;
  nothing will compare to presenting this Tao。
  Why has this Tao been treasured of old ?
  Is it not said that to confess wrongdoing is to be forgiven ?
  Therefore it is exalted under Heaven。
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  Govern without doing。 Achieve without acting。 Appreciate without
  indulging。
  Great or small; many or few;
  repay Injustice with Virtue。
  Plan for difficulty while it is easy。
  Handle the big things while they are still small。
  Under Heaven; difficult affairs always begin as easy ones。
  Under