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Daoism -> Zhuangzi -> Outer Chapters -> The Floods of Autumn -> 2

北海若曰：Ruo, (the Spirit-lord) of the Northern Sea, said,
「井蛙不可以語於海者， 'A frog in a well cannot be talked with about the sea
拘於虛也；- he is confined to the limits of his hole.
夏蟲不可以語於冰者， An insect of the summer cannot be talked with about ice
篤於時也；- it knows nothing beyond its own season.
曲士不可以語於道者， A scholar of limited views cannot be talked with about the Dao
束於教也。- he is bound by the teaching (which he has received).
今爾出於崖涘， Now you have come forth from between your banks,
觀於大海， and beheld the great sea.
乃知爾醜， You have come to know your own ignorance and inferiority,
爾將可與語大理矣。 and are in the way of being fitted to be talked with about great principles.
天下之水，Of all the waters under heaven
莫大於海， there are none so great as the sea.
萬川歸之， A myriad streams flow into it without ceasing,
不知何時止而不盈； and yet it is not filled;
尾閭泄之， and afterwards it discharges them (also) without ceasing,
不知何時已而不虛； and yet it is not emptied.
春秋不變， In spring and in autumn it undergoes no change;
水旱不知。 it takes no notice of floods or of drought.
此其過江河之流，Its superiority over such streams even as the Jiang and the He
不可為量數。 cannot be told by measures or numbers;
而吾未嘗以此自多者，and that I have never, notwithstanding this, made much of myself,
自以比形於天地而受氣於陰陽，is because I compare my own bodily form with (the greatness of) heaven and earth, and (remember that) I have received my breath from the Yin and Yang.
吾在天地之間，猶小石小木之在大山也， Between heaven and earth I am but as a small stone or a small tree on a great hill.
方存乎見少， So long as I see myself to be thus small,
又奚以自多！ how should I make much of myself?
計四海之在天地之間也，不似礨空之在大澤乎？I estimate all within the four seas, compared with the space between heaven and earth, to be not so large as that occupied by a pile of stones in a large marsh!
計中國之在海內，I estimate our Middle States, compared with the space between the four seas,
不似稊米之在大倉乎？ to be smaller than a single little grain of rice in a great granary!
號物之數謂之萬，When we would set forth the number of things (in existence), we speak of them as myriads;
人處一焉； and man is only one of them.
人卒九州， Men occupy all the nine provinces;
穀食之所生， but of all whose life is maintained by grain-food,
舟車之所通， wherever boats and carriages reach,
人處一焉。 men form only one portion.
此其比萬物也，不似豪末之在於馬體乎？Thus compared with the myriads of things, they are not equal to a single fine hair on the body of a horse.
五帝之所連，三王之所爭，仁人之所憂，任士之所勞，盡此矣。Within this range are comprehended all (the territories) which the five Dis received in succession from one another; all which the royal founders of the three dynasties contended for; all which excited the anxiety of Benevolent men; and all which men in office have toiled for.
伯夷辭之以為名， Bo-yi was accounted famous for declining (to share in its government),
仲尼語之以為博， and Zhongni was accounted great because of the lessons which he addressed to it.
此其自多也，They acted as they did, making much of themselves
不似爾向之自多於水乎？」 - therein like you who a little time ago did so of yourself because of your (volume of) water!'

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