按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
he superior ritual acts； but at first no one responds to it； Gradually people raise their arms and follow it。
Therefore when Tao is lost； virtue follows。 When virtue is lost； benevolence follows。 When benevolence is lost； righteousness follows。 When righteousness is lost； ritual follows。
Ritual； therefore； is the attenuation of loyalty and faith and the outset of confusion。 Fore…knowledge is the flower of Tao and the beginning of folly。
Therefore the truly great man keeps to the solid and not to the tenuous； Keeps to the fruit and not to the flower。 Thus he rejects the latter and takes the former。
39
From of old the things that have acquired Unity are these：
Heaven by Unity has become clear；
Earth by Unity has become steady；
The Spirit by Unity has become spiritual；
The Valley by Unity has become full；
All things by Unity have come into existence；
Princes and kings by Unity have become rulers of the world。
If heaven were not clear； it would be rent。
If earth were not steady it would be tumbled down。
If the Spirit were not active； it would pass away。
If the Valley were not full； it would be dried up。
If all things were not existing； they would be extinct。
If princes and kings were not rulers； they would be overthrown。
The noble must be styled in terms of the humble；
The high must take the low as their foundation。
Therefore princes and kings must call themselves 'the ignorant'； 'the virtueless' and 'the unworthy'。
Does this not mean that they take the humble as their root？ What men hate most are 'the ignorant'； 'the virtueless' and 'the unworthy'。
And yet princes and kings chose them as their titles。
Therefore the higest fame is to have no fame。
Thus kings are increased by being diminished；
They are diminished by being increased。
It is undesirable to be as prominent as a single gem；
Or as monotonously numerous as stones。
40
Returning is the motion of Tao。
Weakness is the appliance of Tao。
All things in the Universe come from existence。
And existence from non…existence。
41
When the superiour scholar is told of Tao；
He works hard to practise it。
When the middling scholar is told of Tao；
It seems that sometimes he keeps it and sometimes he loses it。
When the inferiour scholar is told of Tao；
He laughs aloud at it。
If it were not laughed at； it would not be sufficient to be Tao。
Therefore the proverb says：
'Tao in enlightenment seems obscure；
Tao in progress seems regressive；
The highest virtue seems like a valley；
The purest white seems discoloured；
The most magnificent virtue seems insufficient；
The solidest virtue seems frail；
The simplest nature seems changable；
The greatest square has no angles；
The largest vessel is never complete；
The loudest sound can never be heard；
The biggest form cannot be visualised。
Tao； while hidden； is nameless。'
Yet it is Tao alone that is good at imparting and completing。
42
Tao begets one； one begets two； two begets three； three begets all things。 All things are backed by the Shade； （yin） and faced by the light （yang）； and harmonised by the immaterial Breath （ch'i）。
What others teach； I also teach： 'The daring and violent do not die a natural death。' This （maxim） I shall regard as my instructor。
43
The non…existent can enter into the impenetrable。
By this I know that non…action is useful。
Teaching without words； utility without action…
Few in the world have come to this。
44
Fame or your person； which is nearer to you？
Your person or wealth； which is dearer to you？
Gain or loss； which brings more evil to you？
Over…love of anything will lead to wasteful spending；
Amassed riches will be followd by heavy plundering。
Therefore； he who knows contentment can never be humiliated；
He who knows where to stop can never be perishable；
He will long endure。
45
The greatest perfection seems imperfect；
Yet its use will last without decay。
The greatest fullness seems empty；
Yet its use cannot be exhausted。
The greatest straightness seems crooked。
The greatest dexterity seems awkward；
The greatest eloquence seems stammering。
Activity overcomes cold；
Quietness overcomes heat。
Only through purity and quietude can the world be ruled。
46
Swift horses are curbed for hauling dung…carts （in the field）。
When Tao does not reign in the world；
War horses are bred on the commons （outside the cities）
There is no greater crime than seeking what men desire；
There is no greater misery than knowing no content；
There is no greater calamity than indulging in greed。
Therefore the contentment of knowing content will ever be contented。
47
Without going out of the door
One can know the whole world；
Without peeping out of the window
One can see the Tao of heaven。
The further one travels
The less one knows。
Therefore the Sage knows everything without travelling；
He names everything without seeing it；
He accomplishes everything without doing it。
48
He who pursues learning will increase every day；
He who pursues Tao will decrease every day。
He will decrease and continue to decrease；
Till he comes to non…action；
By non…action everything can be done。
49
The Sage has no self to call his own。
He makes the self of the people his self。
To the good I act with goodness；
To the bad I also act with godness：
Thus goodness is attained。
To the faithful I act with faith；
To the faithless I also act with faith：
Thus faith is attained。
The Sage lives in the world in concord； and rules ovet the world in simplicity。
Yet what all the people turn their eyes and ears to；
The Sage looks after as a mother does her children。
50
Men go out of life and enter into death。
The parts （proportions） of life are three in ten； the parts of death are also three in ten。 Men that from birth move towards the region of death are also three in ten。 Why is it so？ Because of their redundant effort in seeking to live。 But only those who do nothing for the purpose of living are better than those who prize their lives。 For I have heard that he who knows well how to conserve life； when travelling on land； does not meet the rhinoceros or the tiger； when going to a battle； he is not attacked by arms and weapons。 The rhinoceros can find nowhere to drive his horn； the tiger can find nowhere to put his claws； the weapons can find nowhere to thrust their blades。 Why is it so？ Because he is far beyond the region of death。
51
Tao produces them （all things）；
Virtue feeds them；
All of them appear in different forms；
Each is perfect by being given power。
Therefore none of the numerous things does not honour Tao and esteem virtue。
The honouring of Tao and the esteem of virtue are done； not by command； but always of their ow