04道德经英译本85种-第53部分

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　　The　high…standing　man　hardly　ever　shows　offthe　has　some　supreme　powers　or　prowess　deep　inside　himself。　He　keeps　suchpowers；　and　in　this　way　he　really　owns　virtue。
　　The　man　of　low　virtue　is　hardly　losing　virtue；and　so　he　is　devoid　of　virtue。　The　man　of　low　virtue　can　lose　sight　ofsome　virtue　by　never　losing　sight　of　it。　Rather　low　or　indecent　power〃can't　get　rid　of　the　appearance　of　being　some　power'；　＇There's　no　scoffed；angrily　sulking　Messiah　power'＇。
　　No　one　thinks　a　man　of　highest　calibre　acts。No　one　thinks　he　ever　acts　with　ulterior　motives。
　　The　man　of　low　virtue　acts　from　himself；and　very　often　with　an　ulterior　motive　…　and　is　so　regarded　…
　　The　man　of　super…kindness　also　acts；　butwith　no　irksome；　ulterior　motives。　But　all　folks　never　think　the　supermanacts。
　　The　man　of　superior　justice　acts　but　hasno　ulterior　motive　to　do　so；　and　maybe　with　an　ulterior　motive；　as　he　whois　best　in　ritual　acts　not　merely　acts。　（Yes；　when）　the　man　of　superiormorality　acts　and　finds　no　response；　he　rolls　up　his　sleeves　and　stretcheshis　arms　or　advances　upon　them　to　force　it　on　others。
　　So：
　　Only　when　dao　is　lost　does　＇said＇　virtuearise。　When　＇spoken…of＇　virtue　is　lost；　only　then　does　＇a　parade　of＇　kindhumanity　rise。　Such　good　kindness　is　lost；　then　（comes　some　sort　of　orendorsement　of）　just　moral：　When　humanist　riches　deep　inside　are　lost；only　then　comes　＇conform；　outer…directed＇　normal　righteousness。　When　righteousnessis　lost；　only　then　propriety　pops　up。
　　＇And　now　it　stands　up：　Boss…given；　endorsed＇morality　can　be　the　thinning　out　of　loyalty　and　honesty　of　heart　and　thestart　of　chaos。＇Inner；　hearty＇　morality　lost；　then　propriety　or　semi…ritual。So　＇much＇　ritual　endorsement　could　be　the　mere　husk　of　loyalty　and　promise…keeping。＇And　so；　all　in　all；＇　good；　seemly　propriety　is　a　superficial　expressionof　loyalty　and　faithfulness；　and　the　start　of　chaos　or　disorder。

　　Those　who　are　the　first　to　know；　let　wordsof　dao　flower；　and　in　the　end　it's　an　origin　of　folly。　From　this　the　greator　noble　man　dwells　in　the　solid；　heavy　and　thick　（base）；　and　not　in　thesuperficial　or　thinned　（end）。　Yes；　he　dwells　in　reality；　which　is　a　fruit；and　not　in　the　show　of　appearances；　or　flowering　（expression）。
　　Therefore　he　rejects　the　one　and　acceptsthe　other。

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　　There　were　those　in　old　times　who　graspedand　were　possessed　of　the　one：
　　The　heaven　was　much　clarified　by　attainingit。
　　Likewise；　the　earth　got　stable　or　calm　bythe　same　＇rotating＇　measure；　and　demon　spirits　or　gods　were　spiritualised；became　divine。
　　The　valley　likewise　became　full；　the　abyssreplenished。
　　By　staying　in　the　one；　all　creatures　livedand　grew。
　　By　staying　in　some　basic　unity；　＇Russian＇princes　and　dukes　became　the　ennobled　of　the　people　…　That　was　how　eachbecame　so。

　　Barons　and　princes　direct　their　people　＇insome　ways＇。　It's　some　inner　fabric　of　unified　wholeness　that　sees　to　it。
　　＇Man…felt＇　heaven　could　soon　split　open　withoutfundamental　clarity。　Without　basic　clarity；　heavens　might　become　torn。
　　Without　resting；　steady　stability；　the　earthmight　quake　and　tip　over。
　　Without　spiritual　power；　the　gods　might　witherand　crumble；
　　Without　being　filled；　the　valleys　might　crackand　run　dry。
　　If　the　myriad　things　had　not　thus　lived　andgrown　all　would　end　without　the　life…giving　sustenance　of　power。　Withoutthe　ennobling　power；　the　honourable　kings　and　barons　in　high　places；　eventhe　directors　of　their　people；　might　stumble；　some　overthrown。

　　So　the　humble　is　the　stem　upon　which　the　mightygrows。　Yes；　humble　oneness　is　the　basis　for　all　honour。　So　even　the　exaltedones　depend　upon　the　lowly　for　their　base。　That　could　be　＇one　reason＇　why＇Russian＇　princes　and　dukes　call　themselves　the　orphaned；〃　the　lonely　one；〃the　unworthy；〃　or　the　truly　ill…provided。　Is　it　not　true　then　that　they＇to　some　extent＇　depend　upon　common　man　for　support；　or　on　hard　ruler　mightrooting　itself　upon　humility？

　　Just　enumerate　all　the　parts　of　a　chariot。and　you　still　have　no　＇unified　construct；　no＇　chariot
　　So　＇learn　to＇　rumble　like　rocks　rather　thanjingle　like　jade。

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　　Reversion　is　the　action　of　dao。　In　dao　theonly　motion　is　a　return；
　　and　the　one　useful　quality　is　named　soft＇or　polite＇　gentleness；　So　polite　or　weak　gentleness　＇or　humility＇　is　thefunction　of　dao。
　　The　creatures　and　things　of　this　world　comefrom　being。　And　being　from　not…yet…being。　though　all

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　　When　the　highest　of　men　hear　of　dao　and　truththey　put　it　into　practice　quite　diligently。
　　When　the　common　types　hear　of　dao；　they　seemto　be　in　two　minds　about　it；　half　believing；　aware　and　unaware　of　some。
　　When　the　lowest　types　hear　of　dao；　they　ridiculeor　laugh　loudly　…　but　if　they　did　not　laugh；　it　would　be　no　dao。

　　The　proverb　has　it：
　　The　way　out　into　the　light　often　looks　dark；one　who　understands　dao　seems　dull；　as　dao　which　is　bright　appears　to　bedark。
　　The　dao　which　goes　forward　appears　to　fallbackward；　the　one　who　is　advanced　（in　dao）　seems　to　slip　backwards；　theway　that　goes　ahead　often　looks　as　if　it　went　back。
　　He　who　works　and　moves　on　the　even　dao　＇co…path＇seems　to　go　up　and　down；　the　least　hilly　way　often　looks　as　if　it　wentthus；　as　level　dao　appears　uneven。
　　Great　virtue　seems　hollow　and　empty。　Thetruly　loftiest　might　looks　like　an　abyss；　superior　virtue　appears　likea　valley　（hollow）。　Great　capability　is　＇granted　to　be＇　hollow。　Yes；　theloftiest　is　something　abysmal。
　　Sheerest　white　seems　blurred；　sheer　whiteis　like　tarnished；　（most）　purity　seems　like　disgrace。
　　The　most　sufficing　might　looks　inadequate；far…reaching　virtue　hardly　seems　to　be　enough；　and　great　＇and　rustic＇　characterappears　to　be　not　enough　＇but　it's　all　the　same＇。
　　The　＇organising＇　might　that　stands　most　firmseems　flimsy。　Solid　character　looks　infirm；　and　solid　virtue　unsteady。
　　Whats　in　its　natural；　pure　state　looks　faded：True　substance　looks　changeable；　and　pure　worth　seems　dirtied。
　　The　largest　square　has　no　corners：　greatspace　has　no　corners。
　　The　greatest　capacities　develop　latest；　andgreat　talent　could　be　slow　to　mature；　as　they　say：　The　greatest　vesseltakes　the　longest　to　finish。　The　great　tool　and　talent　is　slow　to　finish（or　mature）。　Great　tools　do　slow　work。　Great　inside　talent　takes　long　toripen。
　　Great　music　is　far　from　course；　＇at　times＇rare；　it　could　be　hard　to　get；　or　hardly　heard。
　　Great；　hidden　form　has　neither　shape　norcontour；　as　great　here　means　of　dao；　＇which　is　thought　up　as＇　hidden　andwithout　（overtly　sounded）　name。
　　Now；　dao　backs　all　things　financially；　daoalone　skilfully　provides　for　all　…　it　supports　all　things　and　advances＇some＇　to　perfection。　Well　dao…lent　power　could　bring　us　（some　degree　of）fulfilment。　Skilled；　able　dao…lending　（of　some　majesty　and　power）　couldbring　＇Christian＇　fulfilment。

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　　Dao　gave　birth　to　the　one；　the　one　gave　birthsuccessively　to　two　things；　three　things；　up　the　everything；　everybodyand　the　whole　world　we　know。
　　The　ten　thousand　things　carry　the　yin　assome　back　or　behind；　and　hug　the　yang　in　front。　Through　the　blending　ofthe　pervading　principles　as　some　abstract　union；　and　by　a　further　blending＇designing＇　the　material　force　（ki）　they　can　gain　＇sound＇　harmony。　Andso　the　union　in　harmony　gets　strong　＇and　defences＇。
　　In　other　words；　living　beings　can't　turntheir　backs　to　the　shade　＇such　as　cooling　yin＇　without　having　the　sun　ontheir　bellies　＇it　could　be　invigorating　yang＇；　and　it's　on　such　（yin…yang）blending　of　so…called　breaths　that　＇most＇　harmony　depends。
　　Most　people　hate　to　be　diagnosed　as　lonely；unworthy；　orphaned；　needy；　ill…provided。　Yet　princes　and　dukes　style　themselvesso；　and　call　themselves　by　these　names。

　　Truly；　things　are　often　increased　by　seekingto　diminish　them　and　diminished　by　seeking　to　increase　them。〃　And　sometimesthings　are　benefited　by　being　taken　away　from　and　suffer　by　being　addedto。　And　so　it　often　happens　that　things　can　gain　by　losing　and　lose　bygaining。

　　What　others　have　taught；　I　teach　also：
　　〃Violent　and　fierce　people　hardly　die　a　natural＇elegant＇　death。〃
　　Yet；　show　me　a　man　of　violence　that　cameto　a　good　end；　and　I　will　take　him　for　my　teacher。　I　shall　make　all　thisthe　father　（basis）　of　my　teaching。＇Uha。＇

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　　The　softest　things　in　the　world　overcomethe　hardest　things　in　the　world。　The　softest　substance　radiates　throughthe　hardest。　Also；　what's　most　yielding　can　eventually　overwhelm　the　hardest。
　　Formless　penetrates　no…crevice；　substancelessit　can　enter　where　there's　no　space；　all　this　could　be　not…yet…being　enteringand　jostling　non…space。　That's　how　I　know　the　value　of　action　that's　actionless。Through　this　I　＇also＇　know　the　benefit　or　advantage　of　taking　no　action。
　　There　can　be　＇sad＇　teaching　without　words。To　teach　without　words　can　be　best。　Still　few　can　understand　such　stuff。And　there　can　be　solid　value　in　action　that's　actionless；　or　the　advantageof　taking　no　action。　Yes；　the　＇said＇　benefit　of　taking　no　action　is　withoutcompare。　Few　can　understand　it。

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　　Fame　or　one's　own　self；　which　matters　most？Nay；　which　does　one　love　more？　Which　should　one　love　more；　fame　or　one'sown　life？
　　Which　is　more　valuable；　one's　own　life　orwealth？　One's　own　self　or　things　bought；　the　solid　goods；　which　shouldreally　count　most？
　　Which　is　worse；　gain　or　loss？　Could　it　beloss　（of　self）　or　possession　which　is　the　greater　evil？　＇Which　gain　isthe　greater　evil　here？＇
　　Therefore：　he　who　loves　most　spends　most。He　who　has　lavish　desires　could　spend　extravagantly。
　　He　who　hoards　much　could　lose　much。　Who　hoardsmuch　is　in　for　losing　heavily　if　who　has　hoarded　most　could　suffer　theheaviest　loss。
　　The　contented　man　could　meet　no　disgrace；
　　Who　stops　in　time　knows　when　to　stop。　Whostops　in　time　nothing　can　harm　if　free　from　danger　he　can　long　endure　andfeel　forever　safe　and　secure。　He　can　long　endure　who　stays　forever　safeand　secure　…

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　　What's　most　perfect　＇ambivalence＇　seems　tobe　incomplete；　＇its＇　highest　perfection　is　never　impaired。　The　perfectseems　to　have　something　missing；　＇so　have　something　missing＇。　Highest　perfectionis　like　imperfection；　but　its　use　is　never　impaired；　nor　its　utility　＇attimes＇。
　　What's　most　full　＇opening