在Facebook上關注我們，隨時得到最新消息 在Twitter上關注我們，隨時得到最新消息 在新浪微博上關注我們，隨時得到最新消息 在豆瓣上關注我們，隨時得到最新消息
中國哲學書電子化計劃
Back Forward
道家 -> 莊子 -> 外篇 -> 秋水 -> 5

河伯曰：The earl of the He said,
「若物之外， 'Whether the subject be what is external in things,
若物之內， or what is internal,
惡至而倪貴賤？ how do we come to make a distinction between them as noble and mean,
惡至而倪小大？」 and as great or small?'
北海若曰： Ruo of the Northern Sea replied,
「以道觀之， 'When we look at them in the light of the Dao,
物無貴賤； they are neither noble nor mean.
以物觀之， Looking at them in themselves,
自貴而相賤：each thinks itself noble, and despises others.
以俗觀之， Looking at them in the light of common opinion,
貴賤不在己。 their being noble or mean does not depend on themselves.
以差觀之， Looking at them in their differences from one another,
因其所大而大之， if we call those great which are greater than others,
則萬物莫不大； there is nothing that is not great,
因其所小而小之，則萬物莫不小。 and in the same way there is nothing that is not small.
知天地之為稊米也， We shall (thus) know that heaven and earth is but (as) a grain of the smallest rice,
知豪末之為丘山也， and that the point of a hair is (as) a mound or a mountain
則差數等矣。- such is the view given of them by their relative size.
以功觀之， Looking at them from the services they render,
因其所有而有之， allowing to everything the service which it does,
則萬物莫不有； there is not one which is not serviceable;
因其所無而無之，and, extending the consideration to what it does not do,
則萬物莫不無。 there is not one which is not unserviceable.
知東西之相反， We know (for instance) that East and West are opposed to each other,
而不可以相無， and yet that the one cannot be without (suggesting the idea of) the other
則功分定矣。- (thus) their share of mutual service is determined.
以趣觀之， Looking at them with respect to their tendencies,
因其所然而然之， if we approve of what they approve,
則萬物莫不然； then there is no one who may not be approved of;
因其所非而非之，and, if we condemn what they condemn,
則萬物莫不非。 there is no one who may not be condemned.
知堯、桀之自然而相非，There are the cases of Yao and Jie, each of whom approved of his own course, and condemned the other
則趣操睹矣。 - such is the view arising from the consideration of tendency and aim.
昔者堯、舜讓而帝，Formerly Yao and Shun resigned (their thrones), and yet each continued to be Di;
之、噲讓而絕； Zhi-kuai resigned (his marquisate) which led to his ruin.
湯、武爭而王，Tang and Wu contended (for the sovereignty), and each became king;
白公爭而滅。the duke a contended (for Qi), which led to his extinction.
由此觀之，Looking at the subject from these examples
爭讓之禮， of striving by force and of resigning,
堯、桀之行， and from the conduct of Yao (on the one hand) and of Jie (on the other),
貴賤有時，we see that there is a time for noble acting, and a time for mean
未可以為常也。 - these characteristics are subject to no regular rule.
梁麗可以衝城，A battering ram may be used against the wall of a city,
而不可以窒穴， but it cannot be employed to stop up a hole
言殊器也；- the uses of implements are different.
騏驥驊騮，The (horses) Qi-ji and Hua-liu
一日而馳千里， could in one day gallop 1000 li,
捕鼠不如狸狌， but for catching rats they were not equal to a wild dog or a weasel
言殊技也；- the gifts of creatures are different.
鴟鵂夜撮蚤， The white horned owl collects its fleas in the night-time,
察毫末， and can discern the point of a hair,
晝出瞋目而不見丘山， but in bright day it stares with its eyes and cannot see a mound or a hill
言殊性也。- the natures of creatures are different.
故曰：Hence the sayings,
蓋師是而無非，"Shall we not follow and honour the right, and have nothing to do with the wrong?
師治而無亂乎？shall we not follow and honour those who secure good government, and have nothing to do with those who produce disorder?"
是未明天地之理，萬物之情者也。show a want of acquaintance with the principles of Heaven and Earth, and with the different qualities of things.
是猶師天而無地， It is like following and honouring Heaven and taking no account of Earth;
師陰而無陽， it is like following and honouring the Yin and taking no account of the Yang.
其不可行明矣。 It is clear that such a course cannot be pursued.
然且語而不舍， Yet notwithstanding they go on talking so:
非愚則誣也。if they are not stupid, they are visionaries.
帝王殊禪， The Di sovereigns resigned their thrones to others in one way,
三代殊繼。 and the rulers of the three dynasties transmitted their thrones to their successors in another.
差其時，He who acts differently from the requirements of his time
逆其俗者，and contrary to its custom
謂之篡夫； is called an usurper;
當其時，he who complies with the time
順其俗者，and follows the common practice
謂之義徒。 is said to be righteous.
默默乎河伯！Hold your peace, 0 earl of the He.
女惡知貴賤之門，大小之家！How should you know what constitutes being noble and being mean, or who are the small and who the great?

喜歡我們的網站？請支持我們的發展。網站的設計與内容(c)版權2006-2024。如果您想引用本網站上的内容，請同時加上至本站的鏈接：https://ctext.org/zh。請注意：嚴禁使用自動下載軟体下載本網站的大量網頁，違者自動封鎖，不另行通知。沪ICP备09015720号-3若有任何意見或建議，請在此提出。