04道德经英译本85种-第238部分

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target　of　thieves。　There　is　no　need　to　bring　in　the　additional　context　of　rarity　into　the　mix。　Doing　so　introduces　a　subtle　distortion　in　the　translation；　which　should　be　avoided　if　at　all　possible。
　　4

　　The　Tao　is　empty
　　Utilize　it；　it　is　not　filled　up
　　So　deep！　It　seems　to　be　the　source　of　all　things
　　It　blunts　the　sharpness
　　Unravels　the　knots
　　Dims　the　glare
　　Mixes　the　dusts
　　So　indistinct！　It　seems　to　exist
　　I　do　not　know　whose　offspring　it　is
　　Its　image　is　the　predecessor　of　God　
　　The　Tao　is　like　an　empty　container　that　you　can　fill　with　water　and　utilize。　Yet　no　matter　how　much　you　do　this；　it　will　never　be　filled　up　because　its　capacity　has　no　limit。　It　is　a　bottomless　container；　it　is　infinitely　deep。
　　Despite　the　emptiness　of　the　Tao；　its　function　is　inexhaustible。　This　emptiness　is　not　the　same　as　〃nothingness；〃　for　the　infinite　depths　of　the　Tao　conceal　the　seeds　of　Creation。　There　appears　to　be　nothing　in　the　Tao；　and　yet　it　contains　everything。
　　The　Tao　is　eternal。　It　outlasts　everything。　After　millions　of　year；　even　the　tallest；　sharpest　mountain　peaks　will　be　reduced　to　gentle　rolling　hills。　After　billions　of　years；　even　the　brightest　stars　will　burn　out　and　shine　no　more。　In　the　course　of　time；　all　problems　will　be　resolved　one　way　or　another。　The　proudest　achievements　of　mankind　will　be　reduced　to　dust。
　　The　Tao　is　what　we　call　the　source　of　everything。　It　is　indistinct　…　we　cannot　see　it　clearly；　nor　can　we　understand　it　completely。　We　do　not　know　how　the　Tao　came　to　be；　or　if　it　came　from　anywhere　at　all。　Does　the　ultimate　source　have　a　source？　We　simply　cannot　say。
　　All　we　can　say　with　certainty　is　that　the　Tao　embodies　the　principles　of　Creation。　Thus；　if　there　is　indeed　a　God　who　created　the　universe；　the　Tao　had　to　be　present　before　the　Creation　could　take　place。
　　Notes
　　The　Tao　is　empty；　utilize　it；
　　It　does　not　fill　up。
　　The　emptiness　of　the　Tao；　and　its　function　as　the　source　of　all　things　may　seem　like　a　contradiction　or　a　paradox；　but　this　idea　happens　to　coincide　with　the　latest　scientific　thinking　about　the　origin　of　the　universe。
　　According　to　many　physicists　and　cosmologists；　the　Big　Bang　can　be　seen　as　a　singularity　event　where　you　actually　get　〃something〃　from　〃nothing。〃　MIT　professor　Dr。　Alan　Guth　expresses　it　this　way：　〃It　is　said　that　there's　no　such　thing　as　a　free　lunch。　But　the　universe　is　the　ultimate　free　lunch。〃
　　Blunt　their　sharpness
　　Unravel　their　knots
　　Dull　their　glare
　　Mix　their　dusts
　　The　Tao　is　the　only　constant　feature　in　an　ever…changing　universe。　It　has　always　been　there　and　will　always　be　there。　It　is　entropy；　as　expressed　by　the　Second　Law　of　Thermodynamics。　As　time　marches　on；　energy　becomes　increasingly　randomized　and　dispersed；　and　all　things　tend　to　transition　from　orderly　states　to　disorderly　states；　everywhere　in　the　universe。
　　5

　　Heaven　and　Earth　are　without　bias
　　And　regard　myriad　things　as　straw　dogs
　　The　sage　is　without　bias
　　And　regards　people　as　straw　dogs
　　The　space　between　Heaven　and　Earth
　　Is　it　not　like　a　bellows？
　　Empty；　and　yet　never　exhausted
　　It　moves；　and　produces　more
　　Too　many　words　hasten　failure
　　Cannot　compare　to　keeping　quiet　
　　Straw　dogs　are　literally　small　dog　figurines　made　from　straws。　They　were　used　in　ancient　times　for　rituals。
　　Too　many　words　/　laws　quicken　defeat　/　failure
　　Cannot　compare　to　keeping　quiet
　　An　alternative　explanation　of　the　above　is　that　too　much　bureaucracy；　too　many　rules　and　regulations　quickly　leads　to　weakness　and　failure；　it　is　better　to　maintain　tranquility　and　non…action。
　　This　is　an　often　misunderstood　passage　in　Tao　Te　Ching；　even　by　native　speakers　of　Chinese；　because　some　of　the　characters　have　a　completely　different　meaning　in　ancient　usage　than　in　modern　times。
　　For　instance；　this　is　a　simple　character　meaning　〃middle；〃　so　many　scholars　assume　the　last　line　has　to　do　with　holding　to　the　center；　or　perhaps　holding　to　the　principle　of　moderation。　This　would　make　more　sense；　though；　if　the　previous　line　speaks　of　the　danger　of　extremes。　Now　that　we　understand　it　refers　to　the　maddening　〃noise〃　of　complex　and　bureaucratic　laws；　it　makes　far　more　sense　that　the　last　line　is　really　talking　about　silence　and　tranquility。
　　6

　　The　valley　spirit；　undying
　　Is　called　the　mystical　female
　　The　gateway　of　the　mystical　female
　　Is　called　the　root　of　Heaven　and　Earth
　　It　flows　continuously；　barely　perceptible
　　Utilize　it；　it　is　never　exhausted　
　　The　spirit　of　the　valley　…　a　powerful　symbol　of　the　female　principle　…　is　eternal。　It　has　always　been　there　and　will　always　be。　We　can　call　it　the　mystical　female；　or　the　sacred　feminine。
　　The　sacred　feminine　is　the　universal　source　of　life。　Therefore；　the　doorway　to　the　essence　of　the　mystical　female　is　what　we　can　call　the　root；　origin；　or　genesis　of　the　entire　world。
　　This　essence　…　life　itself　…　is　a　continuous　flow。　We　tend　to　take　it　for　granted　and　not　pay　attention　to　it；　but　it　is　always　there。　And　it　does　not　matter　how　much　it　is　utilized　…　the　power　of　life　is　literally　inexhaustible。
　　7

　　Heaven　and　earth　are　everlasting
　　The　reason　heaven　and　earth　can　last　forever
　　Is　that　they　do　not　exist　for　themselves
　　Thus　they　can　last　forever
　　Therefore　the　sage：
　　Places　himself　last　but　ends　up　in　front
　　Is　outside　of　himself　and　yet　survives
　　Isn't　it　all　due　to　his　selflessness？
　　That's　how　he　can　achieve　his　own　goals　
　　To　be　〃outside　of　himself〃　in　this　context　means　to　be　unconcerned　with　one's　well　being；　to　disregard　one's　body　…　to　sacrifice　oneself。
　　Here　we　have　another　example　of　the　Tao　paradox：　the　sage　can　advance　his　own　〃selfish〃　agenda；　by　being　totally　selfless。
　　Lao　Tzu　himself　is　a　good　example　of　this。　He　was　content　to　be　a　humble；　unknown　philosopher；　he　never　sought　fame　and　recognition。　And　yet　here　we　are；　reading　his　words；　which　have　survived　the　last　twenty　five　centuries　and　will　continue　on　long　after　we　are　gone。
　　8

　　The　highest　goodness　resembles　water
　　Water　greatly　benefits　myriad　things　without　contention
　　It　stays　in　places　that　people　dislike
　　Therefore　it　is　similar　to　the　Tao
　　Dwelling　at　the　right　place
　　Heart　with　great　depth
　　Giving　with　great　kindness
　　Words　with　great　integrity
　　Governing　with　great　administration
　　Handling　with　great　capability
　　Moving　with　great　timing
　　Because　it　does　not　contend
　　It　is　therefore　beyond　reproach　
　　Water　is　the　most　fitting　metaphor　for　the　Tao　and　the　nature　of　sages　who　follow　the　Tao。　Water　nourishes　plants　and　slakes　the　thirst　of　animals。　Water　also　assumes　the　lowest　position　it　can　no　matter　where　it　happens　to　be。　These　observations　reveal　to　us　characteristics　of　both　the　Tao　and　the　sages。
　　Water　flows　to　the　lowest　place　not　because　it　intentionally　does　so；　but　because　it　follows　its　own　nature。　The　sages；　like　water；　also　place　themselves　lower；　not　because　they　contrive　to　do　so；　but　because　it　is　their　nature　to　be　humble。
　　Sages　have　depth　of　character。　Like　a　deep　body　of　water；　sages　are　tranquil　and　composed。　A　pool　of　water　is　not　only　the　surface　but　also　everything　below　it。　Likewise；　there　is　more　to　a　sage　than　meets　the　eyes。　It　may　take　a　while　for　people　to　realize　this；　but　the　more　they　get　to　know　the　sage；　the　more　they　discover。
　　Water　provides　its　benefits　and　moves　on；　without　waiting　for　any　benefits　in　return。　Sages　benefit　others　in　the　exact　same　way。　They　give　only　to　give；　not　because　they　want　recognition　or　payback。　When　they　provide　teachings；　assistance　or　guidance；　they　do　so　with　no　conditions；　no　strings　attached；　and　no　expectations。
　　Water　reflects　its　surroundings。　It　does　not　try　to　hide　or　change　anything　in　its　reflections。　When　sages　speak；　it　is　with　this　same　sense　of　integrity　and　sincerity。　People　come　to　trust　the　sage；　because　they　realize　the　sage　will　give　them　the　truth　when　no　one　else　will。
　　Water　administers　to　everything　equally。　Water　plays　no　favorites。　It　slakes　the　thirst　of　the　kind　person　just　as　it　does　the　unkind　person。　Taking　a　cue　from　this；　sages　also　do　not　pick　and　choose　the　recipients　of　the　benefits　they　provide。　Their　impartial　administration　is　conducted　without　bias　and　judgment。
　　Water　is　versatile。　It　conforms　to　the　shape　of　any　container　to　do　its　work。　Following　this；　the　sages　also　cultivate　flexibility　and　adaptability　in　themselves。　Because　the　world　is　constantly　changing；　they　also　make　constant　adjustments　to　handle　new　challenges。
　　Water　moves　in　accordance　with　Heaven。　Whether　it　takes　the　form　of　rain；　snow；　or　hail；　water　follows　the　timing　of　natural　events。　The　sages　are　the　same　way。　They　live　each　day　following　the　natural　flow　of　events；　and　take　appropriate　actions　at　the　appropriate　time。
　　Most　importantly；　water　does　not　contend。　It　gives　itself　to　everything　without　complaints　or　protests。　Like　water；　sages　do　not　engage　in　petty　squabbles；　because　their　only　wish　is　to　be　of　service。　They　are　at　peace　with　everyone；　and　that　makes　them　beyond　reproach。
　　Notes
　　Quick　summary　of　this　chapter　…　Tao　cultivators　observe　water　in　order　to　emulate　the　following　characteristics：
　　Natural　humility。
　　Depth　of　character。
　　Giving　without　expectations。
　　Sincerity　and　integrity。
　　Equal　administration。
　　Versatility　and　adaptability。
　　Natural　timing。
　　Non…contention。
　　9

　　Holding　a　cup　and　overfilling　it
　　Cannot　be　as　good　as　stopping　short
　　Pounding　a　blade　and　sharpening　it
　　Cannot　be　kept　for　long
　　Gold　and　jade　fill　up　the　room
　　No　one　is　able　to　protect　them
　　Wealth　and　position　bring　arrogance
　　And　leave　upon　oneself　disasters
　　When　achievement　is　completed；　fame　attained；　withdraw　oneself
　　This　is　the　Tao　of　Heaven　
　　If　you　keep　filling　a　container　with　liquid　until　it　overflows；　things　will　get　wet　and　messy　around　you。　It　is　better　to　stop　just　short　of　fullness。　Similarly；　if　you　pound　a　blade　repeatedly　and　sharpen　it　too　much；　you　end　up　with　a　blade　that　is　easily