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Daoism -> Zhuangzi -> Inner Chapters -> The Seal of Virtue Complete -> 4

魯哀公問於仲尼曰：Duke Ai of Lu asked Zhongni, saying,
「衛有惡人焉， 'There was an ugly man in Wei,
曰哀駘它。 called Ai-tai Tuo.
丈夫與之處者，His father-in-law, who lived with him,
思而不能去也。 thought so much of him that he could not be away from him.
婦人見之，His wife, when she saw him (ugly as he was),
請於父母曰represented to her parents, saying,
『與為人妻，寧為夫子妾』者，十數而未止也。 "I had more than ten times rather be his concubine than the wife of any other man."
未嘗有聞其唱者也， He was never heard to take the lead in discussion,
常和而已矣。 but always seemed to be of the same opinion with others.
無君人之位以濟乎人之死，He had not the position of a ruler, so as to be able to save men from death.
無聚祿以望人之腹。He had no revenues, so as to be able to satisfy men's craving for food.
又以惡駭天下，He was ugly enough, moreover, to scare the whole world.
和而不唱， He agreed with men instead of trying to lead them to adopt his views;
知不出乎四域， his knowledge did not go beyond his immediate neighbourhood.
且而雌雄合乎前。And yet his father-in-law and his wife were of one mind about him in his presence (as I have said)
是必有異乎人者也。 - he must have been different from other men.
寡人召而觀之，I called him, and saw him.
果以惡駭天下。 Certainly he was ugly enough to scare the whole world.
與寡人處，不至以月數，He had not lived with me, however, for many months,
而寡人有意乎其為人也；when I was drawn to the man;
不至乎期年， and before he had been with me a full year,
而寡人信之。 I had confidence in him.
國無宰，寡人傳國焉。The state being without a chief minister, I (was minded) to commit the government to him.
悶然而後應， He responded to my proposal sorrowfully,
氾而若辭。 and looked undecided as if he would fain have declined it.
寡人醜乎， I was ashamed of myself (as inferior to him),
卒授之國。 but finally gave the government into his hands.
無幾何也，In a little time, however,
去寡人而行， he left me and went away.
寡人卹焉若有亡也， I was sorry and felt that I had sustained a loss,
若無與樂是國也。 and as if there were no other to share the pleasures of the kingdom with me.
是何人者也？」 What sort of man was he?'
仲尼曰：Zhongni said,
「丘也，嘗使於楚矣， 'Once when I was sent on a mission to Qi,
適見㹠子食於其死母者，I saw some pigs sucking at their dead mother.
少焉眴若， After a little they looked with rapid glances,
皆棄之而走。when they all left her, and ran away.
不見己焉爾，不得類焉爾。They felt that she did not see them, and that she was no longer like themselves.
所愛其母者，非愛其形也， What they had loved in their mother was not her bodily figure,
愛使其形者也。 but what had given animation to her figure.
戰而死者， When a man dies in battle,
其人之葬也，不以翣資， they do not at his interment employ the usual appendages of plumes:
刖者之屨， as to supplying shoes to one who has lost his feet,
無為愛之，there is no reason why he should care for them
皆無其本矣。 - in neither case is there the proper reason for their use.
為天子之諸御，The members of the royal harem
不爪翦，不穿耳； do not pare their nails nor pierce their ears;
娶妻者止於外，不得復使。when a man is newly married, he remains (for a time) absent from his official duties, and unoccupied with them.
形全猶足以為爾， That their bodies might be perfect was sufficient to make them thus dealt with;
而況全德之人乎！ how much greater results should be expected from men whose mental gifts are perfect!
今哀駘它未言而信，This Ai-tai Tuo was believed by men, though he did not speak a word;
無功而親，and was loved by them, though he did no special service for them.
使人授己國， He made men appoint him to the government of their states,
唯恐其不受也， afraid only that he would not accept the appointment.
是必才全而德不形者也。」He must have been a man whose powers were perfect, though his realisation of them was not manifested in his person.
哀公曰：「何謂才全？」Duke Ai said, 'What is meant by saying that his powers were complete?'
仲尼曰： Zhongni replied,
「死生存亡，'Death and life, preservation and ruin,
窮達貧富，failure and success, poverty and wealth,
賢與不肖，superiority and inferiority,
毀譽、饑渴、寒暑，blame and praise, hunger and thirst, cold and heat;
是事之變， these are the changes of circumstances,
命之行也； the operation of our appointed lot.
日夜相代乎前， Day and night they succeed to one another before us,
而知不能規乎其始者也。 but there is no wisdom able to discover to what they owe their origination.
故不足以滑和， They are not sufficient therefore to disturb the harmony (of the nature),
不可入於靈府。 and are not allowed to enter into the treasury of intelligence.
使之和豫通而不失於兌，To cause this harmony and satisfaction ever to be diffused, while the feeling of pleasure is not lost from the mind;
使日夜無郤而與物為春，to allow no break to arise in this state day or night, so that it is always spring-time in his relations with external things;
是接而生時於心者也。 in all his experiences to realise in his mind what is appropriate to each season (of the year):
是之謂才全。」 these are the characteristics of him whose powers are perfect.'
「何謂德不形？」'And what do you mean by the realisation of these powers not being manifested in the person?' (pursued further the duke).
曰：「平者，水停之盛也。The reply was, 'There is nothing so level as the surface of a pool of still water.
其可以為法也， It may serve as an example of what I mean.
內保之而外不蕩也。All within its circuit is preserved (in peace), and there comes to it no agitation from without.
德者，成和之修也。The virtuous efficacy is the perfect cultivation of the harmony (of the nature).
德不形者，物不能離也。Though the realisation of this be not manifested in the person, things cannot separate themselves (from its influence).
哀公異日以告閔子曰：Some days afterwards duke Ai told this conversation to Min-zi, saying,
「始也，吾以南面而君天下，'Formerly it seemed to me the work of the sovereign to stand in court with his face to the south, to rule the kingdom,
執民之紀， and to pay good heed to the accounts of the people concerned,
而憂其死，lest any should come to a (miserable) death
吾自以為至通矣。 - this I considered to be the sum (of his duty).
今吾聞至人之言， Now that I have heard that description of the Perfect man,
恐吾無其實， I fear that my idea is not the real one,
輕用吾身而亡其國。and that, by employing myself too lightly, I may cause the ruin of my state.
吾與孔丘，I and Kong Qiu
非君臣也， are not on the footing of ruler and subject,
德友而已矣。」 but on that of a virtuous friendship.'

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