第 141 节
作者:九米      更新:2021-02-19 21:29      字数:8916
  'After' overcoming 'them' in war
  Use funerary rites to commemorate them。
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  The Tao is always without renown。
  Although it is 搒imple?and 搒mall?br》 The world is altogether unable to subjugate it。
  Lords and kings; if they could maintain it?br》 The ten…thousand things would submit themselves。
  Heaven and Earth with each other would combine
  Thereby raining down sweet dew。
  No humans command them; and they are naturally equitable。
  At the beginning establishment; there existed names。
  Names also since then existed。
  One should also know 'when' to stop 'naming'。
  Knowing 'when' to stop; one can thereby be in no danger。
  Simile:
  The living presence of the Tao in the world
  Is like unto valley streams
  Going into larger rivers
  And the sea。
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  Those who understand people are wise。
  Those who understand themselves are luminous。
  Those who triumph over people have forcefulness。
  Those who triumph over themselves have strength。
  Those who know sufficiency are rich。
  Those who work vigorously have determination。
  That which does not lose its place lasts long。
  That which dies but does not perish lives long。
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  The great Tao is a flood!
  It can 'go' left and right。
  The ten…thousand things rely upon it for their livelihood
  And it does not refuse them。
  It achieves and accomplishes but has no prestige。
  It clothes and rears the ten…thousand things
  But does not act as lord 'over them'。
  Always without desire; it can then be named 揥ith the Lowly。?br》
  The ten…thousand things return there
  And it does not act as lord 'over them'。
  It can be named 揃eing Great。?br》
  Because it at no time takes itself to be great
  Is the reason it can achieve its greatness。
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  Hold the Great Shape in your hands。
  The world departs。
  Departs and does not harm?br》 Peaceful and leveled to the extreme。
  'For' music and dumplings
  Do the passing travelers stop。
  But the going forth of the Tao is insipid to the mouth
  From its being without flavor。
  Inspecting it is not sufficient to see it。
  Listening for it is not sufficient to hear it。
  Using it is not sufficient to exhaust it。
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  Should one wish to condense it; one must certainly expand it。
  Should one wish to weaken it; one must certainly strengthen it。
  Should one wish to abolish it; one must certainly boost it。
  Should one wish to receive it; one must certainly give it。
  This is called 搒ubtle illumination。?br》 The flexible and weak overcome the firm and strong。
  Fish are not able to escape from the deeps?br》 The beneficial tools of the state
  Are not able; therefore; to be shown to people。
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  The Tao is always not 揹oing?br》 And yet nothing is not done。
  Lords and kings; if they could maintain it?br》 The ten…thousand things would transform themselves。
  Transformed; 'should' they yet desire to 揳ct?br》 I would cool them with the simplicity of the Nameless。
  The simplicity of the Nameless
  A man would also not desire。
  'By' not desiring 'and' by means of stillness
  The world shall stabilize itself。
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  High virtue is not a virtue; therefore; it exists as virtue。
  Low virtue does not lose virtue; therefore; it is not 'yet high' virtue。
  High virtue is uncontrived
  And is not done by means of 'conscious' doing。
  Low virtue is 'also' uncontrived
  But it occurs by means of 'conscious' doing。
  High benevolence contrives these
  But is not done by means of 'conscious' doing。
  High righteousness 'then' contrives that 'i。e。; high benevolence'
  And it occurs by means of 'conscious' doing。
  High etiquette 'then' contrives that 'i。e。; high righteousness'
  And 'when people' do not consider it to be a 搈ust?br》 'It' then grabs 'them by' the arms and casts them out。
  Therefore:
  Lose Tao; and afterwards comes virtue。
  Lose virtue; and afterwards comes benevolence。
  Lose benevolence; and afterwards comes righteousness。
  Lose righteousness; and afterwards comes etiquette。
  Those who 'act only by' etiquette
  Are the thin shell of loyalty and sincerity and the leaders of chaos。
  Those who are prescient
  Are flowers of the Tao but also the initiators of folly。
  Therefore; great people
  Live in the thick and do not dwell in the thin。
  Live in the real and do not dwell in the flowers。
  This is the reason they let go of those
  And receive these。
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  Those which of old obtained the One:
  Heaven obtained the One and thus clarity。
  Earth obtained the One and thus repose。
  Spirits obtained the One and thus animation。
  Waterways obtained the One and thus fullness。
  The ten…thousand things obtained the One and thus livelihood。
  Lords and kings obtained the One and thus became dedicated to the world。
  This conveys it:
  Heaven; without means of clarity; would fearfully split open。
  Earth; without means of repose; would fearfully be terminated。
  Spirits; without means of animation; would fearfully come to an end。
  Waterways; without means of fullness; would fearfully be used up。
  The ten…thousand things; without means of livelihood; would fearfully die
  away。
  Lords and kings; without means of dedication; would fearfully stumble and
  fall。
  This is the reason nobility therefore takes lowliness as the root。
  The high therefore takes the low as the foundation。
  Therefore; the lords and kings called themselves
  揙rphaned;?揵ereft;?and 搖nfortunate。?br》 Isn抰 this 搕aking lowliness as the root?considered wrong?
  Not at all!
  The utmost honor is not renowned。
  Do not desire jade…like stones as if 'they were truly' jade。
  Jade beads are like rocks。
  40
  揜eturn?is the motion of the Tao。
  揥eakening?is the function of the Tao。
  The world and the ten…thousand things were born to existence。
  Existence was born to non…existence。
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  High scholars hear of the Tao attentively and practice it。
  Middling scholars hear of the Tao?br》 They seem to keep it 'sometimes'; seem to lose it 'at other times'。
  Low scholars hear of the Tao?br》 They greatly deride it。
  Not deriding is not sufficient to be the Tao。
  This is the reason that 'among the' established sayings there are these:
  揟he clear Tao seems obscure。?br》 揗aking progress in the Tao seems like going backwards。?br》 揟he smooth Tao seems flawed。?br》 揝uperior virtue seems like a hollow。?br》 揋reat purity seems like dishonor。?br》 揈xtensive virtue seems insufficient。?br》 揃uilding virtue seems like whiling away without purpose。?br》 揟rue qualities seem to change。?br》
  揂 great region is without corners。?br》 揂 great instrument is completed toward the end。?br》 揋reat sound is rarely made known。?br》 揋reat shape is without form。?br》
  The Tao is hidden。
  Nameless。
  But only the Tao is good at pardoning and completing。
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  The Tao gives birth to One
  One gives birth to Two
  Two gives birth to Three
  The three give birth to the ten…thousand things。
  The ten…thousand things take refuge in yin but harbor yang
  Infusing ch抜 in order to act in harmony。
  That which is detested among people:
  Only 'being' orphaned; bereft; unfortunate。
  Yet kings are indifferent to being 'thus' called。
  Therefore; beings might decry them
  And yet 'they are' profited。
  Might profit them and yet 'they are' decried。
  That which is taught among people?br》 I also teach it:
  Those who are swelling with violence
  Do not conquer their death。
  I will therefore take 'these' teachings as 'my' father。
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  The softest 'things' in the world
  'Are like' swift; galloping horses
  'To' the hardest 'things' in the world。
  Non…existence enters no…space。
  We therefore know
  That the occurrence of non…action is advantageous。
  The teaching of no…words
  The advantages of non…action?br》
  The world rarely matches them。
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  Fame and the body: which is dear?
  The body and money: which is more?
  Gaining and losing: which is a fault?
  This is indeed the reason that excessive love
  Most certainly exacts a great price。
  'After' much hoarding is certainly substantial loss。
  Knowing sufficiency; no dishonor。
  Knowing to stop; no danger。
  'One is' able thereby to last eternally。
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  Great completion seems incomplete。
  Its use is not worn…out。
  Great fullness seems empty。
  Its use is not exhausted。
  Great straightness seems bent。
  Great skill seems clumsy。
  Great argumentation seems slow of speech。
  Stillness overcomes restlessness。
  Coldness overcomes heat。
  Clear and still; become for the world what is correct。
  46
  'When' the world has the Tao
  'It' retires trotting horses to fertilize the soil。
  'When' the world lacks the Tao
  War horses are bred in the sub