第 350 节
作者:九米      更新:2021-02-19 21:31      字数:8874
  And the human is also great。
  Within our realm there are four greatnesses and the human being is oneof them。
  Human beings follow the Earth。
  Earth follows Heaven
  Heaven follows the Tao
  The Tao follows the way things are。
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  Heaviness is the root of lightness。
  Composure is the ruler of instability。
  Therefore the sage travels all day
  Without putting down his heavy load。
  Though there may be spectacles to see
  He easily passes them by。
  This being so
  How could the ruler of a large state
  Be so concerned with himself as to ignore the people?
  If you take them lightly you will lose your roots。
  If you are unstable; you will lose your rulership。
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  A good traveler leaves no tracks。
  Good speech lacks faultfinding。
  A good counter needs no calculator。
  A well…shut door will stay closed without a latch。
  Skillful fastening will stay tied without knots。
  It is in this manner that the sage is always skillful in elevating people。
  Therefore she does not discard anybody。
  She is always skillful in helping things
  Therefore she does not discard anything。
  This is called 〃the actualization of her luminosity。〃
  Hence; the good are the teachers of the not…so…good。
  And the not…so…good are the charges of the good。
  Not valuing your teacher or not loving your students:
  Even if you are smart; you are gravely in error。
  This is called Essential Subtlety。
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  Know the Masculine; cleave to the Feminine
  Be the valley for everyone。
  Being the valley for everyone
  You are always in virtue without lapse
  And you return to infancy。
  Know the White; cleave to the Black
  Be a model for everyone。
  Being the model for everyone
  You are always in virtue and free from error
  You return to limitlessness。
  Know Glory but cleave to Humiliation
  Be the valley for everyone。
  When your constancy in virtue is complete
  You return to the state of the 〃uncarved block。〃
  The block is cut into implements。
  The sage uses them to fulfill roles。
  Therefore the great tailor does not cut。
  29
  If you want to grab the world and run it
  I can see that you will not succeed。
  The world is a spiritual vessel; which can't be controlled。
  Manipulators mess things up。
  Grabbers lose it。 Therefore:
  Sometimes you lead
  Sometimes you follow
  Sometimes you are stifled
  Sometimes you breathe easy
  Sometimes you are strong
  Sometimes you are weak
  Sometimes you destroy
  And sometimes you are destroyed。
  Hence; the sage shuns excess
  Shuns grandiosity
  Shuns arrogance。
  30
  If you used the Tao as a principle for ruling
  You would not dominate the people by military force。
  What goes around comes around。
  Where the general has camped
  Thorns and brambles grow。
  In the wake of a great army
  Come years of famine。
  If you know what you are doing
  You will do what is necessary and stop there。
  Accomplish but don't boast
  Accomplish without show
  Accomplish without arrogance
  Accomplish without grabbing
  Accomplish without forcing。
  When things flourish they decline。
  This is called non…Tao
  The non…Tao is short…lived。
  31
  Sharp weapons are inauspicious instruments。
  Everyone hates them。
  Therefore the man of the Tao is not comfortable with them。
  In the domestic affairs of the gentleman
  The left is the position of honor。
  In military affairs the right is the position of honor。
  Since weapons are inauspicious instruments; they are not the instrumentsof the gentleman
  So he uses them without enjoyment
  And values plainness。
  Victory is never sweet。
  Those for whom victory is sweet
  Are those who enjoy killing。
  If you enjoy killing; you cannot gain the trust of the people。
  On auspicious occasions the place of honor is on the left。
  On inauspicious occasions the place of honor is on the right。
  The lieutenant commander stands on the left。
  The commander…in…chief stands on the right。
  And they speak; using the funerary rites to bury them。
  The common people; from whom all the dead have come
  Weep in lamentation。
  The victors bury them with funerary rites。
  32
  The Tao is always nameless。
  And even though a sapling might be small
  No one can make it be his subject。
  If rulers could embody this principle
  The myriad things would follow on their own。
  Heaven and Earth would be in perfect accord
  And rain sweet dew。
  People; unable to deal with It on its own terms
  Make adjustments;
  And so you have the beginning of division into names。
  Since there are already plenty of names
  You should know where to stop。
  Knowing where to stop; you can avoid danger。
  The Tao's existence in the world
  Is like valley streams running into the rivers and seas。
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  If you understand others you are smart。
  If you understand yourself you are illuminated。
  If you overcome others you are powerful。
  If you overcome yourself you have strength。
  If you know how to be satisfied you are rich。
  If you can act with vigor; you have a will。
  If you don't lose your objectives you can be long…lasting。
  If you die without loss; you are eternal。
  34
  The Tao is like a great flooding river。 How can it be directed to theleft or right? The myriad things rely on it for their life but do not distinguishit。
  It brings to completion but cannot be said to exist。
  It clothes and feeds all things without lording over them。
  It is always desireless; so we call it 〃the small。〃
  The myriad things return to it and it doesn't exact lordship
  Thus it can be called 〃great。〃
  Till the end; it does not regard itself as Great。
  Therefore it actualizes its greatness。
  35
  Holding to the Great Form
  All pass away。
  They pass away unharmed; resting in Great Peace。
  It is for food and music that the passing traveler stops。
  When the Tao appears from its opening
  It is so subtle; it has no taste。
  Look at it; you cannot see it。
  Listen; you cannot hear it。
  Use it
  You cannot exhaust it。
  36
  That which will be shrunk
  Must first be stretched。
  That which will be weakened
  Must first be strengthened。
  That which will be torn down
  Must first be raised up。
  That which will be taken
  Must first be given。
  This is called 〃subtle illumination。〃
  The gentle and soft overcomes the hard and aggressive。
  A fish cannot leave the water。
  The country's potent weapons
  Should not be shown to its people。
  37
  The Tao is always 〃not…doing〃
  Yet there is nothing it doesn't do。
  If the ruler is able to embody it
  Everything will naturally change。
  Being changed; they desire to act。
  So I must restrain them; using the nameless 〃uncarved block (originalmind)。〃
  Using the nameless uncarved block
  They become desireless。
  Desireless; they are tranquil and
  All…under…Heaven is naturally settled。
  38
  True virtue is not virtuous
  Therefore it has virtue。
  Superficial virtue never fails to be virtuous
  Therefore it has no virtue。
  True virtue does not 〃act〃
  And has no intentions。
  Superficial virtue 〃acts〃
  And always has intentions。
  True jen 〃acts〃
  But has no intentions。
  True righteousness 〃acts〃
  But but has intentions。
  True propriety 〃acts〃 and if you don't respond
  They will roll up their sleeves and threaten you。
  Thus; when the Tao is lost there is virtue
  When virtue is lost there is jen
  When jen is lost there is Justice
  And when Justice is lost there is propriety。
  Now 〃propriety〃 is the external appearance of loyalty and sincerity
  And the beginning of disorder。
  Occult abilities are just flowers of the Tao
  And the beginning of foolishness。
  Therefore the Master dwells in the substantial
  And not in the superficial。
  Rests in the fruit and not in the flower。
  So let go of that and grasp this。
  39
  These in the past have attained wholeness:
  Heaven attains wholeness with its clarity;
  The Earth attains wholeness with its firmness;
  The Spirit attains wholeness with its transcendence;
  The Valley attain wholeness when filled;
  The Myriad Things attain wholeness in life;
  The Ruler attains wholeness in the correct governance of the people。
  In effecting this:
  If Heaven lacked clarity it would be divided;
  If the Earth lacked firmness it would fly away;
  If the spirit lacked transcendence it would be exhausted;
  If the valley lacked fullness it would be depleted;
  If the myriad things lacked life they would vanish。
  If the ruler lacks nobility and loftiness he will be tripped up。
  Hence
  Nobility has lowliness as its root
  The Hi