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04道德经英译本85种-第204部分

小说: 04道德经英译本85种 字数: 每页4000字

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  You should follow behind。
  So the wise command the people
  But avoid being a burden。
  They go in front of the people
  But cause no obstruction。
  Therefore the realm gladly upholds them;
  And never resents doing so。
  Because they do not contend
  No one in the realm contends with them。

  67

  The whole world calls my Way vast
  And says it resembles nothing else。
  It is precisely because it is vast
  That it resembles nothing else。
  If it resembled something else
  How could it be anything but small?
  I have three treasures
  I hold to and cherish。
  The first is compassion;
  The second is moderation;
  The third is called not rashly
  Taking the lead in the realm。
  Being compassionate I can show courage;
  Being moderate I can be generous;
  Not rashly taking the lead
  I can command the officials。
  Courage without compassion;
  Generosity without moderation;
  Going in front instead of behind;
  Is certain to end in destruction。
  With compassion you will win in war
  And be impregnable in peace。
  Heaven will protect you
  With the gift of compassion。

  68

  The greatest warrior is not formidable。
  The greatest fighter is never angry。
  The best strategist never encounters the enemy。
  The best employer of talent is humble。
  This is known as the power of non…contention。
  This is known as respecting others?talents。
  This is known as echoing the profundity of heaven。

  69

  The strategists say:
  慖t抯 rash to play the host: I prefer to play the guest。
  It抯 rash to go forward an inch; I retreat a foot instead。?br》 This is known as advancing without moving;
  Rolling up one抯 sleeve without an arm;
  Meeting an enemy by force without an enemy;
  And waging war without a battle。
  There抯 nothing worse than treating war lightly。
  Doing that will lose me all my treasure。
  When two opponents encounter each other;
  The one that is most regretful will win。

  70

  My words are easy to understand
  And easy to put into practice;
  Yet no one can understand them
  Or put them into practice。
  Words must have an origin
  And actions must have a guide。
  People ignorant of this
  Fail to understand me。
  Those who understand are few:
  Those who ignore me are celebrated。
  So the wise though meanly dressed;
  Hide priceless jade on their person。

  71

  To know without thinking one knows is best。
  Not to know but to think one knows is harmful。
  It is by being aware of harm that one avoids it。
  The wise person does not come to harm。
  It is because the wise are aware of harm
  That they avoid coming to harm。

  72

  When people don抰 respect what is powerful
  Things have the power to overcome them。
  Don抰 press down on their lives;
  Don抰 constrict their livelihood。
  It抯 because you don抰 oppress them;
  That they won抰 weary of the burden。
  So the wise know themselves;
  But don抰 make a display of themselves;
  Love themselves
  But don抰 over…value themselves。
  Taking the one; they leave the other。

  73

  One who抯 fearless in being brave will be killed。
  One who抯 fearless in being cautious remains alive。
  One of these is useful; the other harmful。
  Heaven disdains what it disdains
  Who knows the reasons why?
  Even the wise find these things difficult。
  The way of heaven
  Overcomes easily without contention;
  Replies though it does not speak;
  Invites though it does not summon;
  Obeys the laws though it seems free。
  The net of heaven is vast。
  The mesh is wide
  But nothing slips through。

  74

  If people don抰 fear death
  How will you frighten them with death?
  If people always fear death
  And I seize and execute
  Anyone who does anything new;
  Who will dare to move?
  There is a public executioner who kills。
  Killing on behalf of the public executioner;
  Is called cutting wood on behalf of the carpenter。
  In cutting wood on behalf of the carpenter;
  There are few who escape hurting their hands。

  75

  The people are starving。
  It抯 because their rulers over…tax them
  That the people are starving。
  The people are hard to govern。
  It抯 because their rulers are quick to act
  That people are hard to govern。
  The people treat death lightly。
  It抯 because people over…value life
  That they treat death lightly。
  It抯 because one sets no store by life;
  That one is wiser than those who do。

  76

  We are supple and weak when born;
  And hard and stiff when dead。
  Trees and grass are supple and tender shoots;
  But dry and withered when dead。
  The hard and stiff are companions of death。
  The supple and weak are companions of life。
  The stiffly held weapon will not conquer。
  Hard wood will fall to the axe。
  The tall and stiff is of inferior rank。
  The supple and weak is of superior rank。

  77

  The Way of heaven is like stringing a bow。
  It depresses the high;
  And raises the low。
  It takes from excess;
  And gives to the lacking。
  It抯 heaven抯 Way
  To take from excess
  And give to the lacking。
  People do otherwise。
  They take from those who lack
  And give to those with excess。
  Who can take his excess
  And give it to the realm?
  One who knows the Way。
  So the wise do good but ask no thanks。
  They do their work but claim no merit。
  They do not wish to display their virtue。

  78

  Nothing in the world is weaker or gentler than water。
  But nothing exceeds it at conquering the hard and strong。
  That is because nothing displaces it。
  That the weak overcomes the strong;
  And the gentle overcomes the hard;
  Is something that everyone knows
  But no one can put into practice。
  So the wise say:
  One who takes on himself the state抯 humility
  Is called a ruler worthy of its institutions。
  One who takes on himself the state抯 adversity;
  Is called a ruler worthy of governing the realm。
  True words
  Seem perverse。

  79

  When there is peace between great enemies
  There is bound to be lingering resentment。
  How can this be considered virtuous?
  So the wise become creditors
  But exact no payment from the people。
  The virtuous keep the tally;
  Those without virtue exact it。
  The Way of heaven shows no favouritism。
  It merely supports the good。

  80

  Let states and their population be small in size。
  Let the people; though they have weapons
  For an army; not use them。
  Let them take death seriously
  And not wander to far…off places。
  Though they have boats and wagons
  Let them not find a use for them。
  Though they have weapons and armour
  Let them have no occasion to show them。
  Return them to measuring with a knotted rope;
  They抣l find savour in their food;
  And good…taste in their clothing;
  Find contentment in their homes
  And be happy with their lives。
  Though the next state can be seen
  And its barking and cock crows heard;
  The people of one state will age and die
  Without having to deal with the other。

  81

  True words are rarely elaborate。
  Elaborate words are rarely truthful。
  Good words are rarely eloquent。
  Eloquent words are rarely good。
  He who knows is rarely learned。
  He who is learned rarely knows。
  The wise do not hoard wisdom。
  Giving to others what they have
  They have still more。
  Sharing what they have with others
  They are richer still。
  Heaven抯 Way helps and never harms。
  The Way of the wise is generous
  And free from all contention。  




 

  
English_Kromal_TTK
  Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
  Chinese (Wang Bi) … English by
  Karl Kromal; 2002

  Vorwort/Foreword
  The Chinese text used for this translation is from Tao Teh Ching by John C。 H。 Wu; copyright 1961 by St。 John's University Press; which itself was taken from Wang Pi's edition of the original text of Lao Tse (Lao Chieh Lao edition; compiled by Ts'ai T'ing Kan; printed privately in 1922)。

  In verse 73; the interpolated lines from verse 63 have been ignored。

  Three Chinese…English dictionaries were consulted 。。。

  1) the New Lin Yutang Chinese…English Dictionary; edited by Lai Ming and Lin Tai…Yi; copyright 1987 by the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Panorama Press Ltd。
  2) the Mathews' Chinese…English Dictionary; Harvard UP; 1943
  3) the Great Chinese Literary Dictionary; Taibei Chinese Culture University; 1984

  。。。the latter two by the Transparent Language service (www。transparent。com)。

  The English is as true to the original text as possible; given my rudimentary Chinese and the cultural and temporal gap of 25 intervening centuries。 Interpretation is minimal; in favor of literal translation (Nameless Simplicity; No Desire); although specialized phrases (doubled characters; idioms; administrative ranks) may well be incorrect。 The meaning is clear enough; and the structure of the original lines is preserved。

  Comments and corrections are encouraged; and I apologize in advance to those more qualified for the task。 

  1

  The perceived Way is not the eternal Way。
  The common name is not the eternal Name。

  The Beginning of Heaven and Earth has no name。
  The Mother of all things has a name。

  Free of desire; behold its mystery。
  Bound by desire; observe only its form。

  These two are the same; but their forms bear different names。
  Together; they are a mystery; subtle and profound;
  the gateway to understanding。

  2

  Everyone under Heaven knows Beautiful;
  this defines Beautiful as well as Ugly。
  Everyone knows Good;
  this defines Good as well as Bad。

  Thus; Being and non…Being co…exist with each other;
  Difficult and Easy complement each other;
  Long and Short oppose each other;
  High and Low merge with each othe

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