道德经全文和注释 (英文版)

Dr.Wayne WANG

52. Clarity
The origin of the world is its mother;
Understand the mother, and you understand the child;
Embrace the child, and you embrace the mother,
Who will not perish when you die.

Reserve your judgments and words
And you maintain your influence;
Speak your mind and take positions
And nothing can save you.

As observing detail is clarity,
So maintaining flexibility is strength;
Use the light but shed no light,
So that you do yourself no harm,
But embrace clarity.

【原文】
　　天下有始，以為天下母。
　　既得其母，以知其子；既知其子，復守其母，沒身不殆。
　　塞其兌，閉其門，終身不勤；
　　開其兌，濟其事，終身不救。
　　見小曰明，守柔曰強。
　　用其光，復歸其明，無遺身殃，是謂襲常。

Dr.Wayne WANG

51. Nurture
The Way bears all things;
Harmony nurtures them;
Nature shapes them;
Use completes them.

Each follows the Way and honours harmony,
Not by law,
But by being.

The Way bears, nurtures, shapes, completes,
Shelters, comforts, and makes a home for them.

Bearing without possessing,
Nurturing without taming,
Shaping without forcing,
This is harmony.

【原文】
　　道生之，德畜之，物形之，勢成之。
　　是以萬物莫不尊道而貴德。
　　道之尊，德之貴，夫莫之命而常自然。
　　故道生之，德畜之，長之育之，亭之毒之，養之覆之。
　　生而不有，為而不恃，長而不宰，是謂玄德。

Dr.Wayne WANG

50. Death
Men flow into life, and ebb into death.

Some are filled with life;
Some are empty with death;
Some hold fast to life, and thereby perish,
For life is an abstraction.

Those who are filled with life
Need not fear tigers and rhinos in the wilds,
Nor wear armour and shields in battle;
The rhinoceros finds no place in them for its horn,
The tiger no place for its claw,
The soldier no place for a weapon,
For death finds no place in them.

【原文】
       出生，入死。
       生之徒，十有三；
       死之徒，十有三；
       人之生，动之死地，亦十有三。
       夫何故？以其生生之厚。
       盖闻善摄生者：
       陆行不遇兕虎，入军不被甲兵。
       兕无所投其角，虎无所措其爪，兵无所容其刃。
       夫何故？以其无死地。

Dr.Wayne WANG

49. People
The sage does not distinguish between himself and the world;
The needs of other people are as his own.

He is good to those who are good;
He is also good to those who are not good,
Thereby he is good.
He trusts those who are trustworthy;
He also trusts those who are not trustworthy,
Thereby he is trustworthy.

The sage lives in harmony with the world,
And his mind is the world's mind.
So he nurtures the worlds of others
As a mother does her children.

【原文】
　　聖人無常心，以百姓之心為心。
　　善者，吾善之；不善者，吾亦善之──德善。
　　信者，吾信之；不信者，吾亦信之──德信。
　　聖人在天下，歙歙焉為天下渾其心。
　　百姓皆注其耳目，聖人皆孩之。

Dr.Wayne WANG

48. Inaction
The follower of knowledge learns as much as he can every day;
The follower of the Way forgets as much as he can every day.

By attrition he reaches a state of inaction
Wherein he does nothing, but nothing remains undone.

To conquer the world, accomplish nothing;
If you must accomplish something,
The world remains beyond conquest.

【原文】
　　為學日益，為道日損。
　　損之又損，以至於無為。
　　無為而無不為矣！
　　取天下常以無事。
　　及其有事，不足以取天下。

Dr.Wayne WANG

47. Knowing
Without taking a step outdoors
You know the whole world;
Without taking a peep out the window
You know the colour of the sky.

The more you experience,
The less you know.
The sage wanders without knowing,
Sees without looking,
Accomplishes without acting.

【原文】
　　不出戶，知天下；
　　不窺牖，見天道。
　　其出彌遠，其知彌少。
　　是以聖人不行而知，不見而明，不為而成。

Dr.Wayne WANG

47. Knowing
Without taking a step outdoors
You know the whole world;
Without taking a peep out the window
You know the colour of the sky.

The more you experience,
The less you know.
The sage wanders without knowing,
Sees without looking,
Accomplishes without acting.

【原文】
　　不出戶，知天下；
　　不窺牖，見天道。
　　其出彌遠，其知彌少。
　　是以聖人不行而知，不見而明，不為而成。

Dr.Wayne WANG

46. Horses
When a nation follows the Way,
Horses bear manure through its fields;
When a nation ignores the Way,
Horses bear soldiers through its streets.

There is no greater mistake than following desire;
There is no greater disaster than forgetting contentment;
There is no greater sickness than seeking attainment;
But one who is content to satisfy his needs
Finds that contentment endures.

【原文】
　　天下有道，卻走馬以糞；
　　天下無道，戎馬生於郊。
　　禍莫大於不知足，咎莫大於欲得。
　　故知足之足，常足矣。

Dr.Wayne WANG

45. Quiet
Great perfection seems incomplete,
But does not decay;
Great abundance seems empty,
But does not fail.

Great truth seems contradictory;
Great cleverness seems stupid;
Great eloquence seems awkward.

As spring overcomes the cold,
And autumn overcomes the heat,
So calm and quiet overcome the world.

【原文】
       大成若缺，其用不弊。
       大盈若冲，其用不穷。
       大直若屈，大巧若拙，大辩若讷。
       躁胜寒，静胜热，清静为天下正。

Dr.Wayne WANG

44. Contentment
Health or reputation: which is held dearer?
Health or possessions: which has more worth?
Profit or loss: which is more troublesome?

Great love incurs great expense,
And great riches incur great fear,
But contentment comes at no cost;
Who knows when to stop
Does not continue into danger,
And so may long endure.

【原文】
       名与身孰亲？
       身与货孰多？
       得与亡孰病？
       甚爱必大费，多藏必厚亡。
       故知足不辱，知止不殆，可以长久。