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Daoism -> Zhuangzi -> Outer Chapters -> Cutting open Satchels -> 3

子獨不知至德之世乎？Are you, Sir, unacquainted with the age of perfect virtue?
昔者容成氏、大庭氏、伯皇氏、中央氏、栗陸氏、驪畜氏、軒轅氏、赫胥氏、尊盧氏、祝融氏、伏羲氏、神農氏，Anciently there were Rong-cheng, Da-ting, Bo-huang, Zhong-yang, Li-lu,Li-Chu, Xian-yuan, He-xu, Zun-lu, Zhu-rong, Fu-xi, and Shen-nong.
當是時也，In their times
民結繩而用之， the people made knots on cords in carrying on their affairs.
甘其食， They thought their (simple) food pleasant,
美其服， and their (plain) clothing beautiful.
樂其俗， They were happy in their (simple) manners,
安其居， and felt at rest in their (poor) dwellings.
鄰國相望， (The people of) neighbouring states might be able to descry one another;
雞狗之音相聞， the voices of their cocks and dogs might be heard (all the way) from one to the other;
民至老死而不相往來。they might not die till they were old; and yet all their life they would have no communication together.
若此之時，則至治已。In those times perfect good order prevailed.
今遂至使民延頸舉踵曰Now-a-days, however, such is the state of things that you shall see the people stretching out their necks, and standing on tiptoe, while they say,
「某所有賢者」， 'In such and such a place there is a wise and able man.'
贏糧而趣之，Then they carry with them whatever dry provisions they may have left, and hurry towards it,
則內棄其親而外去其主之事，abandoning their parents in their homes, and neglecting the service of their rulers abroad.
足跡接乎諸侯之境， Their footsteps may be traced in lines from one state to another,
車軌結乎千里之外， and the ruts of their chariot-wheels also for more than a thousand li.
則是上好知之過也。 This is owing to the error of their superiors in their (inordinate) fondness for knowledge.
上誠好知而無道，When those superiors do really love knowledge, but do not follow the (proper) course,
則天下大亂矣。 the whole world is thrown into great confusion.
何以知其然邪？How do I know that the case is so?
夫弓、弩、畢、弋、機變之知多，The knowledge shown in the (making of) bows, cross-bows, band-nets, stringed arrows, and contrivances with springs is great,
則鳥亂於上矣； but the birds are troubled by them above;
鉤餌、罔、罟罾笱之知多，the knowledge shown in the hooks, baits, various kinds of nets, and bamboo traps is great,
則魚亂於水矣； but the fishes are disturbed by them in the waters;
削格、羅落、罝罘之知多，the knowledge shown in the arrangements for setting nets, and the nets and snares themselves, is great,
則獸亂於澤矣； but the animals are disturbed by them in the marshy grounds.
知詐漸毒、頡滑堅白、解垢同異之變多，(So), the versatility shown in artful deceptions becoming more and more pernicious, in ingenious discussions as to what is hard and what is white, and in attempts to disperse the dust and reconcile different views, is great,
則俗惑於辯矣。 but the common people are perplexed by all the sophistry.
故天下每每大亂，罪在於好知。Hence there is great disorder continually in the world, and the guilt of it is due to that fondness for knowledge.
故天下皆知求其所不知而莫知求其所已知者，Thus it is that all men know to seek for the knowledge that they have not attained to; and do not know to seek for that which they already have (in themselves);
皆知非其所不善而莫知非其所已善者，and that they know to condemn what they do not approve (in others), and do not know to condemn what they have allowed in themselves
是以大亂。- it is this which occasions the great confusion and disorder.
故上悖日月之明，It is just as if, above, the brightness of the sun and moon were darkened;
下爍山川之精，as if, beneath, the productive vigour of the hills and streams were dried up;
中墮四時之施，and as if, between, the operation of the four seasons were brought to an end:
惴耎之蟲， in which case there would not be a single weak and wriggling insect,
肖翹之物， nor any plant that grows up,
莫不失其性。 which would not lose its proper nature.
甚矣夫好知之亂天下也！Great indeed is the disorder produced in the world by the love of knowledge.
自三代以下者是已。From the time of the three dynasties downwards it has been so.
舍夫種種之民而悅夫役役之佞，The plain and honest-minded people are neglected, and the plausible representations of restless spirits received with pleasure;
釋夫恬淡無為而悅夫啍啍之意，the quiet and unexciting method of non-action is put away, and pleasure taken in ideas garrulously expressed.
啍啍已亂天下矣。 It is this garrulity of speech which puts the world in disorder.

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