| Chinese Text Project |
《老子 - Laozi 》 | English translation: AI and Chinese Text Project users [?] | Library Resources |
《道經 - Dao Jing 》 | English translation: AI and Chinese Text Project users [?] | Library Resources |
| 1 | 道經: | 聖人處無為之事，以道治也。行不言之教，以身帥道之也。萬物作焉。各自動作。而不辭，不辭謝而逆止之也。生而不有，元氣生萬物而不有。為而不恃。道所施為，不恃望其報也。 |
| The sage deals with affairs through non-action, governing by means of the Dao. practices the teaching without words, leading by example in accordance with the Dao. All things take their course naturally. Each acts and moves on its own. but does not refuse, not declining or stopping them with words of refusal. Brings forth without claiming possession; The primordial qi gives birth to all things but does not claim ownership over them. Acts without reliance on merit. The Dao's actions do not rely on expecting reward or recompense. | ||
| 2 | 道經: | 不尚賢賢，謂世俗之賢者，不貴之也。使民不争不争功名，反自然也。不貴難得之貨，使民不為盗，上化清静，下無貪人。不見可欲放鄭聲，遠美人。使心不亂，不邪淫也。是以聖人之治，謂聖人治國，猶治身也。常使民無知無欲反樸守淳。使夫知者不敢為也。思慮深，不輕言。為無為，不造作，動因循。則無不治。德化厚，百姓安也。 |
| Does not exalt the virtuous; Virtuous here refers to the virtuous of the secular world, which is not valued. so that the people do not compete; not competing for merit or fame, returning to nature. Does not value rare goods, so that the people do not become thieves; When those above cultivate clarity and stillness, there are no greedy people below. Does not show what is desirable; Discarding Zhen music, keeping away from beautiful women. so that the mind does not become disturbed; not engaging in immoral desires. Therefore, the governance of the sage, means that a sage governing the state is like governing one's own body. always makes the people free from knowledge and desire; returning to simplicity and preserving sincerity. thus those who are knowledgeable dare not act recklessly. Thinking deeply, one does not speak lightly. Acting through non-action; Not creating or fabricating, movement follows the natural course. then nothing remains ungoverned. When virtue and moral influence are profound, the people live in peace. | ||
| 3 | 道經: | 天地不仁，天施地化，不以仁恩，任自然也。以萬物為蒭狗，天地生萬物，視之如蒭草狗畜，不責望其報。聖人不仁，聖人愛養萬民，不以仁恩，法天地，行自然。以百姓為蒭狗。 |
| Heaven and Earth are not benevolent; Heaven provides, Earth transforms, without showing kindness or grace, following nature's course. they regard all things as straw dogs; Heaven and Earth give birth to myriad creatures, regarding them like straw dogs or livestock, not expecting any reward in return. the sage is not benevolent; The sage nurtures the people, but without showing kindness or grace. He follows Heaven and Earth, acting in accordance with nature. regarding the common people as straw dogs. | ||
| 4 | 道經: | 金玉滿堂，莫之能守，嗜欲傷神，財多累身。富貴而驕，還自遺咎，夫富當振貧，貴當憐賤，而反驕恣，必被禍患也。功成，名遂，身退，天之道也。言人所為，功成事立，名迹稱遂，不退身避位，則遇於害，此乃天之常道，譬如日中則移，月滿則虧，物盛則衰，樂極則哀也。 |
| When gold and jade fill a hall, none can truly guard them; Excessive desires harm the spirit, and wealth burdens the body. Wealth and rank leading to arrogance bring self-inflicted misfortune; When one is rich, they should assist the poor; when noble, they should pity the lowly. To become arrogant instead will surely invite calamity. Achieve success, attain fame, and withdraw from public life—this is the way of Heaven. This means that when a person accomplishes deeds, establishes achievements, and gains recognition, if they do not step back from their position to avoid it, they will encounter misfortune. This is the natural law of Heaven; for example, when the sun reaches its zenith, it moves on; when the moon is full, it wanes; when things flourish, they decline; and when joy reaches its peak, sorrow follows. | ||
| 5 | 道經: | 五色令人目盲，貪淫好色，則傷精失明。五音令人耳聾，好聽五音，則和氣去心也。五味令人口爽，爽，妄也。人嗜於五味，則口妄，失於道。馳騁田獵，令人心發狂，人精神好安静，馳騁呼吸，精神散亡，故發狂也。難得之貨，令人行妨。妨，傷也。難得之貨，謂金，銀，珠，玉，心貪意欲，則行傷身辱也。 |
| Too many colors blind the eyes; Excessive desire for beauty and color harms one's essence and causes blindness. Five kinds of music deafen the ears; Loving these five types of music causes harmony to leave one's mind. the five flavors confuse the mouth; Shuang means delusion or distortion. When people become addicted to these five flavors, their mouths are deceived and they lose harmony with the Dao. Racing and hunting drive the mind to madness; Human spirit prefers tranquility. Racing and breathing heavily scatter one's spirit, hence leading to madness. Rare goods hinder a person's conduct. Fang means injury or harm. Rare goods refer to gold, silver, pearls, and jade; when the heart is greedy and desires them, one's conduct is harmed and their body disgraced. | ||
| 6 | 道經: | 太上，下知有之，太上，謂太古無名之君也。下知有之者，下知上有君，而不臣事，質樸淳也。其次親之譽之，其德可見，恩惠可稱，故親愛而譽之。其次畏之設刑法以治之。其次侮之，禁多令煩，不可歸誠，故欺侮之也。信不足焉。有不信焉。君信不足於下，下則應之以不信，而欺其君也。 |
| The highest level of governance: the people only know that a ruler exists; Tai Shang refers to an ancient, nameless sovereign. When the people below merely know there is a ruler above them but do not serve him as subjects, this reflects simplicity and sincerity. The next level is when the people love and praise their ruler; His virtue can be seen, his kindness praised, so they love and commend him. the next is to fear them; by establishing laws and punishments to govern the people. then they are insulted; Too many prohibitions and complicated decrees prevent sincere submission, so the people mock and disrespect them. This is due to insufficient trustworthiness. Thus there arises a lack of belief in the ruler. When a ruler lacks trustworthiness toward his people, the people respond with distrust and deceive their ruler. | ||
| 7 | 道經: | 絕巧，絕巧詐也。棄利，塞貪路也。盗賊無有，上化公正，無邪私也。以為文，不足，文不足以教民也。見素抱樸，見素守真，抱其質樸。少私寡欲。 |
| Abandon cleverness; Meaning to abandon cunning and deceit. discard profit, blocking the path of greed. and there will be no thieves or bandits; When those in power cultivate justice and impartiality, there is no room for wickedness or selfishness. Relying on culture alone is insufficient; Culture by itself cannot properly educate the people. Reveal simplicity and embrace 朴 ness; Seeing the plain, guarding authenticity, holding to one's simple nature. Reduce selfishness and minimize desire. | ||
| 8 | 道經: | 曲則全，曲己從衆，不自專，則全也。枉則直，窪則盈，地窪下，水流之，人謙下，德歸之。弊則新，自受弊薄，後己先人，天下敬之，久久自新。少則得，自受少，則得多。多則惑，財多者惑於守身，學多者惑於所聞也。是以聖人抱一為天下式，抱，守也;式，法也。聖人守一，乃知萬事，故能為天下法式也。不自見，故明，聖人因天下之目以視，故能明達。不自是，故彰，聖人不自為是而非人，故能彰顯於世。不自伐，故有功，聖人德化流行，不自取其美，故有功於天下也。不自矜，故長，聖人不自貴大，故能長久不危也。夫唯不争，故天下莫能與之争。此言天下賢與不肖，無能與不争者争。 |
| Bending leads to wholeness; By yielding oneself to the many, not acting alone or arbitrarily, one remains whole. Being bent leads to straightness; being low leads to fullness; A low place on earth gathers water, and a humble person attracts virtue. Decay leads to renewal; By accepting hardship first, putting others before oneself, the world will respect you, and over time, one is renewed. Less leads to more; Accepting less for oneself brings greater gains. Too much causes confusion; One with great wealth is confused about how to preserve it, and one with too much learning is confused by what they hear. Therefore, the sage holds fast to unity as a model for the world; Bao means to hold or guard; Shi means law or example. The sage who guards unity understands all matters, and thus can serve as a model for the entire world. Not seeking to show oneself, therefore one is clear-sighted; The sage uses the eyes of all under Heaven to see, thus attaining clarity and understanding. Not considering oneself right, therefore one's virtue is evident; The sage does not claim to be correct while condemning others, thus their virtue becomes prominent in the world. Not boasting of oneself, therefore one achieves success; The sage's virtue and influence spread widely without seeking personal praise, thus achieving great accomplishments for the world. Not being conceited, therefore one endures; The sage does not regard himself as great or precious, thus he can endure and remain unthreatened. Precisely because they do not compete, the whole world cannot contend with them. This means that among all people in the world, whether virtuous or unworthy, none can compete with one who does not seek to contend. | ||
| 9 | 道經: | 飄風不終朝，驟雨不終日，飄風，疾風也;驟雨，暴雨也。言疾不能長，暴不能久也。孰為此者，天地也。孰，誰也。天地尚不能久，而况於人乎。天地至神，合為飄風暴雨，尚不能使終朝至暮，况人欲為暴卒者乎。故從事於道。人為事，當如道安静，不當如飄風驟雨也。 |
| A gust of wind does not last through the morning, a sudden rain does not last all day; Piaofeng means a strong wind; Zhoushu refers to a heavy downpour. This means that what is intense cannot endure, and what is violent cannot last long. Who does this? Heaven and Earth do. Shu means who. Heaven and Earth themselves cannot last forever, how much less can human beings? Even Heaven and Earth are supremely powerful, yet when they combine to create a sudden wind or downpour, they still cannot make it last from morning until night. How much less can people who act violently or hastily expect their actions to endure? Therefore, those who engage in the Dao... When people undertake affairs, they should act like the Dao—quiet and still—not like a sudden wind or heavy rain. | ||
| 10 | 道經: | 自見者不明，人自見其形容，以為好，自見所行，以為應道，不自知其形醜、操行之鄙也。自是者不彰，自以為是而非人，衆人共蔽之，使不得彰明也。自伐者無功，所為輒自伐，即失有功也。自矜者不長，好自矜者，不以久長。故有道者不處。 |
| Those who seek to show themselves are not clear-sighted; A person who admires their own appearance, thinking it beautiful, or their actions, believing them in harmony with the Dao, does not realize that their form is ugly and their conduct base. Those who consider themselves right do not become evident; One who believes they are correct while condemning others is rejected by the people, and thus cannot be recognized or honored. Those who boast of their achievements have no real merit; Whoever constantly praises themselves immediately loses the credit for any true accomplishment. Those who are conceited do not endure; One who likes to be proud cannot maintain lasting success. Therefore, those with the Dao do not act in such ways. | ||
| 11 | 道經: | 道大，道大者，無不容也。天大，地大，王亦大，天大者，無不蓋，地大者，無不載;王大者，無不制。域中有四大，而王居其一焉。八極之內有四大，王居其一也。人法地，人當法地，安静和柔也。勞而不怨，有功而不宣。地法天，施而不求報，生長萬物，無所收取。天法道，清静不言，萬物自成。道法自然。道性自然，無所法也。 |
| The Dao is great; Great because it encompasses all things without exclusion. Heaven is great, Earth is great, and the ruler is also great; Heaven's greatness lies in its ability to cover all things; Earth's greatness lies in supporting everything; a ruler's greatness lies in his power over all. In the realm, there are four greats, and the sovereign is one of them. Within the eight extremes (the entire world), there are four great forces; the ruler occupies one of these. People follow the Earth; People should emulate the Earth, which is quiet and gentle. working without complaint, achieving success without boasting. The Earth follows Heaven; It gives without seeking reward, bringing forth and nurturing all things without taking anything in return. Heaven follows the Dao; Clear and still, it does not speak, yet all things naturally complete themselves. The Dao follows nature. The nature of the Dao is natural; it needs no model or law to follow. | ||
| 12 | 道經: | 重為輕根，人君不重則不尊，治身不重則失神。静為躁君，人君不静則失威，治身不静則身危。奈何萬乘之主，奈何者，疾時主，傷痛之也。而以身輕天下疾時王奢恣輕淫也。輕則失臣，王者輕淫則失其臣，治身輕淫則失其精。躁則失君。王者行躁疾，則失其君位;治身躁疾，則失其精神也。 |
| Weight is the root of lightness; If a ruler does not value substance, he will lack respect; if one cultivates oneself without weight or seriousness, they lose their spirit. Stillness is the master of restlessness; If a ruler lacks stillness, he loses authority; if one does not cultivate inner calm, their body and life are endangered. How can a sovereign of ten thousand chariots, Naihe means lamenting or criticizing the current ruler with sorrow and pain. yet act recklessly toward the world?; Lamenting that contemporary kings indulge in luxury, arrogance, and frivolity. Lightness leads to losing one's ministers; When a king is frivolous and indulgent, he loses his officials; when cultivating oneself with such behavior, one loses their essence. Restlessness causes the loss of kingship. When a king acts in haste and agitation, he loses his position; when cultivating oneself with restlessness, one loses their spirit and vitality. | ||
| 13 | 道經: | 聖人常善救人，聖人所以常教人忠孝者，欲以救人性命也。故無棄人，使貴賤各得其所也。常善救物，聖人所以常教民順四時者，以救萬物之殘傷也。故無棄物。不賤石而貴玉。 |
| The sage is always good at saving people; This is why the sage constantly teaches loyalty and filial piety, to rescue human lives. thus there are no discarded people; Ensuring that the noble and lowly each find their proper place. The sage is always good at rescuing things; This is why the wise ruler constantly teaches the people to follow the four seasons, in order to save all creatures from harm and destruction. Thus there are no discarded objects. Not despising stone while valuing jade. | ||
| 14 | 道經: | 善人者，不善人之師也。人之行善者，聖人即以為人師也。不善人者，善人之資也。資，用也。人行不善，聖人教道使為善，得以為給用。貴其師，不愛其資，無所使也。雖智大迷，雖自以為智，言此人乃大迷惑。是謂要妙。能通此意，是謂知微妙要道。 |
| The good person is the teacher of the not-good person. Those who act virtuously, sages regard them as teachers for people. The not-good person is the resource of the good person. Zi, means to use. When a person behaves immorally, the sage teaches and guides them to become good; thus they can be made useful. To value one's teacher but not cherish one's resources, means there is nothing that can be used. Though seemingly wise, it is great confusion; Although they consider themselves wise, this person is greatly deluded. This is called the essential subtlety. Being able to understand this meaning is called knowing the subtle and essential Dao. | ||
| 15 | 道經: | 知其雄，守其雌，為天下谿，雄以喻尊，雌以喻卑，人雖自知尊顯，當復守之以卑微，去雄之强梁，就雌之柔和，如是，則天下歸之，如水之流入深谿。為天下谿，常德不離，人能謙下如深谿，則德常在，不復離己。知其白，守其黑，為天下式，白以喻昭昭，黑以喻默默，人雖自知昭昭明達，當復守之以默默，如暗昧無所見，如是，則可為天下法式也。為天下式，常德不忒，人能為天下法式，則德常在於己，不復差忒也。知其榮，守其辱，為天下谷。知己之有榮貴，當守之以污濁，如是，則天下歸之，如水流入深谷也。 |
| Know the strong, but hold to the weak; be like a ravine for all under heaven. "Strong" is used as a metaphor for dignity, and "weak" for humility. Even though people may know they are respected and prominent, they should still maintain humility, abandoning the aggressive nature of strength and embracing the gentle nature of weakness. In this way, all under heaven will turn to them, just as water flows into deep ravines. Being like a ravine for all under Heaven, constant virtue does not depart; If a person can be humble and deep like a ravine, then virtue will remain constantly with them, never leaving. Know the bright, but hold to the dark; be a model for all under Heaven. Bright is used as a metaphor for clarity and brilliance, while dark represents obscurity and quietness. Even though people may recognize their own clarity and insight, they should still embrace quietness and humility, appearing obscure and unremarkable. In this way, one can become an example to the world. Being a model for all under Heaven, one's constant virtue remains without deviation; If a person becomes an example to the world, then their virtue will constantly remain within them, never deviating. Know honor, but hold to disgrace; be like the vast valley for all under Heaven. Knowing that one has honor and nobility, one should maintain oneself with filth and obscurity. In this way, the world will turn to them as water flows into a deep valley. | ||
| 16 | 道經: | 將欲取天下，欲為天下主也。而為之，欲以有為治民也。吾見其不得已，我見其不得天道人心已明矣。天道惡煩濁，人心惡多欲。天下神器，不可為也。器，物也。人乃天下之神物也。神物好安静，不可以有為治也。為者敗之，以有為治之，則敗其質性也。執者失也。强執教之，則失其情實，生於詐僞也。是以聖人去甚，去奢，去泰。「甚」謂貪淫聲色也。「奢」謂服飾飲食也。「泰」謂宮室臺榭也。去此三者，處中和，行無為，則天下自化也。 |
| Who wishes to take over the world; Means one who wants to become ruler of all under Heaven. And act accordingly, Wishing to govern the people through active intervention. I see that it cannot be avoided; I see clearly that they have already lost the Mandate of Heaven and the will of the people. The Dao of Heaven abhors complexity and turbidity, while human hearts resent excessive desires. The world is a sacred instrument; it cannot be controlled through force. Qi, means an object. People are the sacred beings of all under Heaven. Sacred beings prefer tranquility and cannot be governed through active intervention. Those who act forcefully will bring about failure; To govern by force disrupts their natural disposition and nature. Those who grasp tightly lose it. To forcefully impose instruction causes one to lose their true nature, giving rise to deceit and falsehood. Therefore, the sage removes excess, removes extravagance, and removes indulgence. "Shen" refers to greed for sensual pleasures such as music and beauty. "She" means luxurious clothing, food, and drink. "Tai" refers to palaces, halls, terraces, and pavilions. Removing these three things, dwelling in harmony, acting through non-action—then the world will transform itself naturally. | ||
| 17 | 道經: | 以道佐人主，謂人主能以道自輔佐。不以兵强於天下，順天任德，敵人自服也。師之所處，荊棘生焉。農事廢，田不脩。大軍之後，必有凶年，天應之以惡氣，即害五穀也。善者果而已，行善者，當果敢而已，不休也。不敢以取强焉。不敢以果敢取强大之名。果而勿矜，當果敢謙卑，勿自矜大。果而勿伐，當果敢推讓，勿自伐也。果而勿驕，驕，欺，勿以驕欺也。果而勿强。果敢，勿以為强，以侵凌人也。 |
| To assist a ruler with the Dao; Means that a ruler can use the Dao to support and guide themselves. Do not wield military might to dominate all under Heaven; By following Heaven's will and relying on virtue, enemies will submit of their own accord. Where armies are stationed, thorns and brambles grow. Agriculture is neglected; fields remain untended. After a great army has passed, there must be years of misfortune; Heaven responds with harmful qi, which harms the five grains. The good person acts only when necessary; One who practices virtue should act decisively and stop at that, not overdo it. They do not dare to seek strength through force. They do not dare use decisive action to gain the reputation of being strong and powerful. Act decisively but without pride; One should be resolute yet humble, not arrogant or self-important. Act decisively but do not boast; When acting with resolve, one should yield and share credit, not take personal glory. Act decisively but do not become arrogant; Arrogance is a form of deception; one must not deceive through pride. Act decisively, but do not impose forcefully. When acting with resolve, do not use it as strength to bully or dominate others. | ||
| 18 | 道經: | 兵者，不祥之器，兵革者，不善之器也。非君子之器，不得已而用之，謂遭衰逢亂，乃用之以自守也。恬惔為上，不貪土地，利人財寶。勝而不美，雖得勝，不以為利美。而美之者，是樂殺人也。美得勝者，是為樂殺人也。夫樂殺人者，則不可以得志於天下矣。吉事尚左，左，生位。凶事尚右，陰道，殺也。偏將軍處左，偏將軍卑而居左者，以其不專殺也。上將軍處右，上將軍尊而居右者，以其主殺也。言以喪禮處之，喪禮尚右。殺人衆多，以悲哀泣之，傷己德薄，不能以道化人，而害無辜之民。戰勝，則以喪禮處之。古者，戰勝，將軍居喪主之位，素服而哭之，明君子貴德而賤兵，不得已，誅不祥，心不樂之，比於喪也。 |
| Weapons are instruments of ill omen; Arms and war are evil instruments. They are not the tools of a true gentleman, but must be used only when absolutely necessary; This means that in times of decline and chaos, they may be employed for self-defense. The most desirable is tranquility and non-attachment; Not coveting land or the wealth of others. Victory should not be considered beautiful; Even if victory is achieved, it should not be seen as a gain or something to boast about. Those who find beauty in this delight in killing people. To admire victory is to take pleasure in killing people. One who takes delight in killing cannot achieve their will throughout the world. In auspicious matters, the left is honored; The left represents life. In inauspicious matters, the right is honored; This symbolizes yin and killing. The deputy general stands on the left; Deputy generals, being of lower rank and standing to the left, do so because they are not authorized to kill independently. The supreme general stands on the right; Supreme generals, being honored and standing to the right, do so because they hold authority over killing. This means treating it according to funeral rites; Funeral rites honor the right side. When many people are killed, mourn for them with sorrow; Lament one's own shallow virtue and inability to transform others through the Dao, thus harming innocent people. After a victorious battle, treat it as a funeral rite. In ancient times, after a victorious battle, the general would take the position of mourning leader, wearing plain clothes and weeping. This shows that gentlemen value virtue over war; when forced to act, they punish those who bring misfortune but do so with no joy in their hearts, treating it as one would a funeral. | ||
| 19 | 道經: | 知人者智，能知人好惡是智。自知者明，人能自知賢不肖，是為反聽無聲，內視無形，故為明也。勝人者有力，能勝人者，不過以威力也。自勝者强，人能自勝己情欲，則天下無有能與己争者，故為强也。知足者富，人能知足，則保福禄，故為富也。强行者則有志，人能强力行善，則為有意於道。不失其所者久，人能自節養，不失其所，則可以久也。死而不妄者壽，目不妄視，耳不妄聽，口不妄語，則無怨惡於天下，故長壽也。道常無為，而無不為，道以無為為常也。侯王若能守之，萬物將自化。言侯王而能守道，萬物將自化，效於己也。 |
| To know others is wisdom; Knowing the likes and dislikes of people is wisdom. To know oneself is enlightenment; When a person can recognize their own virtue or lack thereof, it means they listen inwardly without sound and see within the invisible—thus they are enlightened. To overcome others is to have strength; One who can conquer others does so only through power and force. To overcome oneself is to be strong; When a person can conquer their own desires and emotions, there will be none in the world who can contend with them—thus they are truly strong. He who knows contentment is rich; One who knows contentment preserves blessings and fortune, thus becoming truly wealthy. He who persists in action has willpower; When a person exerts strong effort to act virtuously, they demonstrate their commitment to the Dao. He who does not lose his place endures; When a person maintains self-restraint and cultivation, not losing their foundation, they can endure. He who dies without disorder lives long; When one's eyes do not gaze aimlessly, ears do not listen recklessly, and mouth does not speak idly, there will be no resentment or hatred from the world—thus ensuring a long life. The Dao is always non-action, yet nothing remains unaccomplished; The Dao takes non-action as its constant nature. If marquises and kings could hold to it, all things would transform themselves naturally. This means that if marquises and kings can uphold the Dao, all beings will transform themselves in accordance with their own nature. |
《德經 - Classic of Virtue 》 | English translation: AI and Chinese Text Project users [?] | Library Resources |
| 1 | 德經: | 上德不德，上德謂太古無名號之君，德大無名，故言上德也。因循自然，養人性命，其德不見，故言不德也。是以有德，言其德合於天地，和氣流行，民得以全也。下德不失德，下德謂號謚之君，德不及上德，故言下德也。不失德者，其德可見，其功可稱也。是以無德，以有名號及其身故也。上德無為，言法道安静，無所改為也。而無以為，言無以名號為也。下德為之，言為教令，施政事也。而有以為。言以為己取名號。 |
| The highest virtue does not dwell on virtue; Shangde refers to the ancient rulers of old times who had no titles or names, whose virtue was so great that it could not be named. they followed nature's course, nurturing human life and vitality; their virtue went unnoticed, hence the saying "not dwelling on virtue." Therefore, it is called having virtue. This means that their virtue harmonized with heaven and earth; the harmonious qi circulated freely, allowing the people to be preserved in full. Lower virtue does not lose virtue; Xiaode refers to rulers who had titles and posthumous names, whose virtue did not reach the level of Shangde, hence it is called Xiaode. those who do not lose virtue are those whose virtue can be seen and whose achievements can be praised. Therefore, it is called "without virtue," because they had names and titles associated with their person. The highest virtue does nothing; This means following the Dao's principle of quietude, without making any changes or interventions. and has no purpose in doing so; It means not regarding names and titles as important. Lower virtue acts upon things; This refers to issuing teachings and decrees, implementing governance and affairs. and has a purpose in doing so. This means acting with the intention of acquiring names and titles for oneself. | ||
| 2 | 德經: | 前識者，道之華，不知而言知，為前識也。此人失道之實，得道之華。而愚之始也。言前識之人，愚暗之唱始也。是以大丈夫處其厚，大丈夫，謂道德之君也。處其厚者，處身於敦樸。不處其薄，不處身違道，為世煩亂也。處其實，處忠信也。不處其華。不尚言也。 |
| Those who claim prior knowledge are the flowers of Dao, meaning those who pretend to know without actually knowing, claiming to have foreknowledge. These people lose the substance of Dao and gain only its superficial appearance. and this is the beginning of foolishness. This means that those who claim prior knowledge are the initiators and promoters of ignorance and darkness. Therefore, a great man dwells in thickness; A great man refers to a ruler who embodies virtue and the Dao. To dwell in thickness means to place oneself among sincerity and simplicity. not dwelling in thinness, meaning not placing oneself against the Dao, which leads to worldly confusion and turmoil. dwelling in substance; means residing in loyalty and trustworthiness. not dwelling in its flowers. meaning not valuing mere words or eloquence. | ||
| 3 | 德經: | 昔之得一者，昔，往也。一，無為。天得一以清，地得一以寧，言天得一，故能垂象清明，地得一，故能安静不動摇。神得一以靈，言神得一，故能變化無形。谷得一以盈，言谷得一，故能盈滿而不絕。萬物得一以生，言萬物皆須道生成也。侯王得一以為天下貞，言侯王得一，故能為天下平正也。天無以清，將恐裂，言天當有陰陽晝夜，不可但欲清明無已時，恐將分裂不為天也。地無以寧，將恐發，言地當有高下，剛柔，不可但欲安静無已時，將恐發泄不為地。神無以靈，將恐歇，言神當有王相休廢，不可但欲盈滿無已時，將恐虛歇不為神。谷無以盈，將恐竭，言谷當有盈縮虛實，不可但欲盈滿無已時，將恐枯竭不為谷。萬物無以生，將恐滅，言萬物當隨時死生，不可但欲常生無已時，將恐滅亡不為物也。侯王無以貴高，將恐蹶，言侯王當屈己下人，汲汲求賢，不可但欲貴高於人，將恐顛蹶，失其位也。故貴必以賤為本，言必欲尊貴，當以薄賤為本，若禹稷躬稼，舜陶河濱，周公下白屋也。高必以下為基，言必欲尊貴，當以下為本。是以侯王自稱孤，寡，不轂，孤，寡，喻孤獨，不轂，喻不能如車轂，為衆輻所凑也。此其其作非以賤為本本下有邪字。侯王至尊貴，能以孤寡自稱，此非以賤為本乎。 |
| In the past, those who attained unity; Xi means "past" or "formerly." One, meaning non-action. Heaven attains unity to become clear, Earth attains unity to attain peace; This means Heaven gains unity, so it can display a clear and orderly celestial pattern; Earth gains unity, so it remains tranquil without shaking. The spirits attain unity to become spiritual; This means the spirits gain unity, hence they can transform and remain formless. Valleys attain unity to be full; This means valleys gain unity, so they can remain filled without ever running dry. All things attain unity to live; This means all beings require the Dao for their generation and existence. Dukes and kings attain unity to serve as the upholders of order in the world; This means dukes and kings gain unity, hence they are able to maintain peace and righteousness throughout the realm. If Heaven does not maintain its clarity, it will be feared to split apart; This means if Heaven lacks the balance of yin and yang, day and night, and instead remains perpetually clear without change, it is feared that it may fracture and no longer function as Heaven. If Earth does not maintain its tranquility, it will be feared to erupt; This means if Earth lacks the diversity of high and low, hard and soft, and instead remains perpetually still without change, it is feared it may release destructive forces and no longer function as Earth. If spirits do not maintain their spiritual nature, they will be feared to cease; This means if spirits lack the cycle of activity and rest, and instead remain perpetually full without change, it is feared they may become empty and inactive, no longer functioning as spirits. If valleys do not maintain their fullness, they will be feared to dry up; This means if valleys lack the natural cycle of filling and emptying, and instead remain perpetually filled without change, it is feared they will become desiccated and no longer function as valleys. If all things do not maintain their vitality, they will be feared to perish; This means if all beings lack the natural cycle of birth and death, and instead remain perpetually alive without change, it is feared they would eventually vanish and no longer exist as things. If dukes and kings do not maintain humility, they will be feared to fall; This means if dukes and kings fail to humble themselves before others or eagerly seek the wise, but instead merely desire superiority over people, it is feared they may stumble and lose their position. Therefore, nobility must take humility as its foundation; This means to attain true respect and honor, one must regard lowliness as the root—just as Yu and Ji personally tilled fields, Shun made pottery by the riverbank, and Duke of Zhou humbled himself before commoners. Height must take the low as its base; This means to achieve true elevation, one must regard the lowly as the foundation. Therefore, dukes and kings refer to themselves as "Gu," "Gua," or "Bu Gu"; "Gu" and "Gua" symbolize solitude; "Bu Gu" implies being unable like a central hub of a wheel to gather all the spokes. This is so the original text says "Qi zuo fei" because they take lowliness as their foundation there is a character "Xie" after the word "ben". Dukes and kings, being the most noble and honored, yet refer to themselves as "Gu" or "Gua," is this not taking lowliness as their foundation? | ||
| 4 | 德經: | 人之所惡，唯孤，寡，不轂，而王公以為稱，孤，寡，不轂，不祥之名，而王公以為稱者，處謙，法空虛和柔。故物或損之而益，引之不得，推讓必還。或益之而損，夫增高者崩，貪富者得患。人之所教，謂衆人所以教，去弱為强，去柔為剛也。我亦教人，言我教衆人，使去强為弱，去剛為柔也。强梁者不得致其死，强梁者，尚勢任力，為天所絕，兵刃所伐，不得以命死也。吾將以為教父，父，始也。老子以强梁之人為教式之始。式作戒。 |
| What people generally dislike are the terms "Gu," "Gua," and "Bu Gu," yet dukes and kings use them as titles; "Gu," "Gua," and "Bu Gu" are considered inauspicious names, but dukes and kings adopt them because they embody humility, following the principle of emptiness, harmony, and gentleness. Therefore, things may sometimes be harmed yet gain benefit; When drawn upon without yielding, pushing back with courtesy will bring it back. or sometimes be aided yet suffer loss; One who seeks to increase height will collapse; one who greedily pursues wealth will invite misfortune. What people teach, means what the common people teach: abandoning weakness to become strong, and abandoning softness to become rigid. I also teach people; This means I teach the common people to abandon strength and become weak, to abandon rigidity and become soft. The violent and forceful cannot achieve a natural death; Those who are strong and aggressive rely on power and strength, which is rejected by Heaven, attacked by weapons, and thus they do not die peacefully. I will make this the beginning of teaching; Fu means "origin" or "beginning." Laozi takes the violent and forceful as the starting model for instruction. "Shi" should be read as "Jie," meaning warning or caution. | ||
| 5 | 德經: | 天下之至柔，馳騁天下之至堅，至柔者，水也。至堅者，金石也。水能貫堅入剛，無所不通也。無有入於無間，無有，謂道也。道無形質，故能出入無間，通神羣生。不言之教，法道不言，帥之以身也。無為之益，法道無為，治身則有益精神，治國則有益萬民，不勞煩。天下希及之。天下，謂人主也。希能有及，道無為之治，無為之治，治身，治國也。 |
| The most yielding in the world, can prevail over the hardest things under heaven; The most yielding is water. The hardest are metal and stone. Water can penetrate the hard, enter the rigid, reaching everywhere without obstruction. Nothing can enter where there is no space; "Wuyou," means Dao. Dao has no form or substance, hence it can freely enter and exit without obstruction, connecting with the divine and all living beings. Teaching through silence; Following Dao's example of not speaking, leading by one's own conduct. The benefit of non-action; Following Dao's principle of non-action, cultivating oneself brings spiritual benefits, governing the state brings benefits to all people without causing exhaustion or disturbance. Few in the world can match it. "Tianxia," here refers to rulers or sovereigns. Rarely can anyone match the Dao's governance of non-action; the governance of non-action encompasses cultivating oneself and governing the state. | ||
| 6 | 德經: | 甚愛必大費，甚愛色者費精神，甚愛財者遇禍患，所愛者少，所亡者多，故言大費。多藏必厚亡，生多藏於府庫，死多藏於丘墓，生有攻劫之憂，死有發掘之患也。知足不辱，知足之人，絕利去欲，不辱於身也。知止不殆，知可止則止，財利不累於身，聲色不亂於耳目，則終身不危殆。可以長久。人能知止足，則福禄在己，治身者神不勞，治國者人不擾，故可長久也。 |
| Excessive love inevitably leads to great loss; Those who excessively desire beauty waste their spirit and energy, those who excessively covet wealth encounter misfortune. The more one loves, the less is gained, while what is lost becomes abundant—thus it is called "great loss." Great accumulation inevitably leads to heavy loss; When alive, one stores wealth in treasuries; when dead, it is buried in tombs. When living, there is the worry of attack and plunder; after death, there is the danger of grave robbing. Knowing contentment brings no disgrace; Those who know contentment abandon profit and desire, thus avoiding shame to themselves. Knowing when to stop brings no danger; If one knows the right time to cease, wealth and profit will not burden the body, beauty and music will not disturb the ears and eyes—thus a lifetime of safety is ensured. Thus longevity can be achieved. If a person knows when to stop and is content, then fortune and rank rest with them. For those cultivating themselves, the spirit remains undisturbed; for those governing the state, people remain untroubled—thus longevity can be achieved. | ||
| 7 | 德經: | 大成若缺，謂道德大成之君也。如缺者，滅名藏譽，如毁缺不備。其用不弊，其用心如是，則無弊盡時也。大盈若沖，謂道德大盈滿之君也。如沖者，貴不敢驕，富不敢奢也。其用不窮，其用心如是，則無窮盡。大直若屈，大直，謂修道法度正直如一也。如屈者，不與俗人争，如可屈折也。大巧若拙，大巧，謂多才術也。如拙者，亦不敢見其能也。大辯若訥，大辯，知無疑也。如訥者，無口辭也。清静以為天下正。能清能静，則為天下長持正，則無終已時也。 |
| The great completion appears as if incomplete; This refers to a ruler whose virtue and Dao are fully realized. Appearing as if incomplete means erasing fame and concealing praise, like something broken or lacking in completeness. Its use never fails; If one's mind is used in this way, there will be no time when it becomes exhausted or ineffective. Great fullness appears as if empty; This refers to a sovereign whose virtue and Dao are completely fulfilled. Appearing as if empty means that even in nobility, one dares not be arrogant; even in wealth, one dares not indulge in extravagance. Its use is inexhaustible; If the mind is used like this, it will never be exhausted or run out. The most upright appears as if bent; Great uprightness means cultivating the Dao and adhering to principles with unwavering integrity. Appearing as if bent means not contending with ordinary people, like one who can be bent or broken. Great skill appears as clumsiness; Great skill refers to possessing abundant talent and technique. Appearing clumsy means one dares not display their abilities openly. Great eloquence appears as if speechless; Great eloquence means possessing knowledge without doubt. Appearing speechless means having no need for words or arguments. Clarity and stillness are the standards of governance for all under heaven. If one can be clear and still, then they become a lasting model of righteousness for the world, which will never cease. | ||
| 8 | 德經: | 天下有道，謂人主有道也。却走馬以糞，糞者，治田也。兵甲不用，却走馬以治農田也。天下無道，謂人主無道也。戎馬生於郊，戰伐不止，戎馬生於郊境之上，久不還也。罪莫大於可欲，好淫色也。禍莫大於不知足，富貴不能自禁止也。咎莫大於欲得，欲得人物，利且貪。故知足之足，常足矣。無欲心也。 |
| When the world is governed by Dao; Means when rulers follow the Dao. then warhorses are used to fertilize fields; Fertilizing means cultivating farmland. Weapons and armor go unused, and instead warhorses are turned back to till the fields. When the world lacks Dao; Means when rulers do not follow the Dao. then warhorses are born in the suburbs; War and conflict never cease, so warhorses remain stationed at the outskirts, not returning for a long time. No crime is greater than indulging desires; Refers to lust and sexual excess. No misfortune is greater than not knowing contentment; Riches and rank cannot restrain oneself from further greed. No fault is greater than wanting to possess; Desiring to own people, things, profit, and being greedy. Therefore, the contentment of knowing enough brings perpetual sufficiency. Means having no desires in mind. | ||
| 9 | 德經: | 不出户，以知天下，聖人不出户以知天下者，以己身知人身，以己家知人家，所以見天下矣。不窺牖，以見天道，天道與人道同，人君清静，天氣自正，人君多欲，天氣煩濁，吉凶利害，皆由於己也。其出彌遠，其知彌少，謂去其家，觀人家，去其身，觀人身，所觀益遠，所知益少也。是以聖人不行而知，不見而名，上好道，下好德，上好武，下好力，聖人原小知大，察內知外也。不為而成。上無所為，則下無事，家給人足，物自化也。 |
| Without stepping outside the door, one can know all under heaven; Sages do not need to leave their homes to understand the world—they use themselves to understand others, and their own families to understand other households—thus they perceive the whole realm. Without looking through the window, one can see the Dao of Heaven; The Dao of Heaven and the Dao of humanity are the same. When a ruler is clear and still, the heavenly qi naturally becomes harmonious; when a ruler has many desires, the heavenly qi becomes disturbed and turbid—good or ill fortune, profit or harm all arise from oneself. The further one travels outward, the less one knows; This means leaving one's own home to observe others' homes, and leaving oneself to examine others—observing farther away results in knowing even less. Therefore, sages do not travel yet know, do not see yet are renowned; When rulers love the Dao, subjects love virtue; when rulers favor war, subjects value strength. Sages understand great matters from small signs and perceive the external by examining the internal. They do not act yet accomplish things. When rulers take no action, the people have nothing to do; families are well-provided for and individuals are content—things naturally transform. | ||
| 10 | 德經: | 損之又損之，損情欲，又損之，所以漸去之。以至於無為，無為而無不為，情欲斷絕，德與道合，則無所不施，無所不為。取天下常以無事，取，治也。治天下常當以無事，不當勞煩民也。及其有事，不足以取天下。及其好有事，則政教煩，民不安，故不足以治天下也。 |
| Reduce it again and again; Reducing emotions and desires, reducing them further, in order to gradually eliminate them. until one reaches non-action; through non-action, nothing remains unaccomplished; When emotions and desires are completely severed, virtue merges with the Dao—then there is no action that cannot be carried out. To govern the world one must always act without disturbance; "Qu" means "govern." Governing the realm should always be done with non-disturbance, not burdening or troubling the people. When there is disturbance and action, it will not suffice to govern the world. When rulers prefer to act with disturbance, governance becomes burdensome and people become restless—thus it is insufficient for ruling the world. | ||
| 11 | 德經: | 聖人無常心，聖人重改更，貴因循，若自無心也。以百姓心為心，百姓心之所便，因而從之。善者，吾善之，百姓為善，聖人因而善之。不善者，吾亦善之，百姓為不善，聖人化之使善。信者，吾信之，百姓為信，聖人因而信之。不信者，吾亦信之。百姓為不信，聖人化之使信也。 |
| Sages have no fixed mind; Sages value change and reform, yet they cherish following the natural course, as if they themselves had no will. They take the people's hearts as their own; Whatever is convenient for the people's hearts, they follow accordingly. To those who are good, I am good; When the people act with goodness, sages respond by being good to them. To those who are not good, I also treat them with goodness; When the people behave badly, sages transform them into goodness. To those who are trustworthy, I am trustworthy to them; When the people are faithful, sages respond with faithfulness. To those who are untrustworthy, I also remain trustworthy to them. When the people lack faith, sages transform them and make them faithful. | ||
| 12 | 德經: | 生而不有，道生萬物，不有取以為利。為而不恃，道所施為，不恃望其報也。長而不宰，道長養萬物，不宰割以為利用也。是謂玄德。道之所行，恩德玄暗，不可得見也。 |
| They give birth to things without claiming possession; The Dao gives rise to all things but does not take ownership or profit from them. They act without reliance on it; What the Dao accomplishes, it does not rely upon for expectation of reward. They nurture without domination; The Dao nurtures all things but does not dominate or exploit them for use. This is called the mysterious virtue. The workings of the Dao, its grace and virtue are profound and hidden, unseen by the eye. | ||
| 13 | 德經: | 大道甚夷，夷，平易也。而民好徑，徑，邪不平也。大道甚平易，而人好從邪，不平正。朝甚除，高臺榭，宮室脩。無高字，田甚蕪，農事廢，不耕治。倉甚虛，五穀傷害，國無儲也。服文采，好飾僞，貴外華。帶利劍，尚剛强，武且奢。厭飲食，財貨有餘，多嗜欲，無足時。是謂盗夸，百姓不足，而君有餘者，是猶劫盗以為服飾，持行夸人，不知身死家破，親戚并隨之也。非道也哉。人君所行如是，此非道也。 |
| The great Dao is very level; Yi means flat and easy. yet the people prefer crooked paths; Jing refers to deviation, something twisted and uneven. The great Dao is extremely smooth and easy, yet people prefer to follow crookedness and deviate from the straight and upright path. Palaces are very elaborate; High terraces and pavilions, palatial buildings well maintained. Without the word "high," fields are very overgrown; Agriculture is neglected, not cultivated or managed. granaries are very empty; Grains have been damaged; the state has no reserves. They wear colorful garments; Loving artificial embellishment, valuing external splendor. They carry sharp swords; Valuing strength and rigidity, martial and luxurious. They are tired of food and drink, yet have more than enough wealth; Excessive desires and appetites, never feeling satisfied. This is called banditry and boasting; When the people lack sufficiency but rulers have abundance, it is like robbers using stolen goods for adornment, parading them to show off, not knowing that their own death and family ruin will follow, with relatives perishing along. How un-Dao-like this is! When a ruler acts in such a way, it is not the Dao. | ||
| 14 | 德經: | 善建者不拔，建，立也。善以道立身立國者，不可得引而拔也。脩之於身，其德乃真，脩道於身，愛氣養神，其德如是，乃為真人。脩之於家，其德乃餘，脩道於家，父慈子孝，兄友弟順，夫信妻貞，其德如是，乃有餘慶。脩之於鄉，其德乃長，脩道於鄉，尊敬長老，愛養幼少，其德如是，乃無不覆及。脩之於國，其德乃豐，脩道於國，則君信臣忠，政平無私，其德如是，乃為豐厚。脩之於天下，其德乃普。人主脩道於天下，不言而化，不教而治，下之應上，信如影響，其德如是，乃為普博。 |
| The well-established cannot be uprooted; Jian means to establish or set up. Those who skillfully establish themselves and their states through the Dao cannot be pulled away or overturned. Cultivate it within oneself, and one's virtue becomes genuine; To cultivate the Dao in the self, to cherish breath and nurture spirit—such virtue is that of a true person. Cultivate it in the family, and one's virtue will overflow; To cultivate the Dao within the household—fathers kind, children filial, elder brothers friendly, younger brothers obedient, husbands trustworthy, wives chaste—such virtue brings abundant blessings. Cultivate it in the village, and one's virtue grows long; To cultivate the Dao at the local level—respecting elders, caring for the young—such virtue reaches all without exception. Cultivate it in the state, and one's virtue is abundant; To cultivate the Dao nationally—rulers trustworthy, ministers loyal, governance just and impartial—such virtue becomes rich and full. Cultivate it for all under heaven, and one's virtue spreads universally. When a ruler cultivates the Dao for all under heaven, without words transformation occurs, without instruction order is achieved. The people respond to the ruler as shadow follows form or echo follows sound—such virtue spreads universally and broadly. | ||
| 15 | 德經: | 天下多忌諱，而民彌貧，天下，謂人主也。忌諱者，防禁也。令煩則奸生，禁多則下詐，相殆，故貧也。民多利器，國家滋昏，利器者，權也。民多權則視者眩於目，聽者惑於耳，上下不親，故國家昏亂也。人多伎巧，奇物滋起，人，謂人君也。多伎巧，刻畫宮觀，雕琢章服，下則化上，日以滋起也。法物滋彰，盗賊多有，法，好也。珍好之物滋生彰著，則農事廢，飢寒并至，故盗賊多有。我無為，而民自化，無所改作，而民自化成。我好静，而民自正，我不言不教，民皆自忠正也。我無事，而民自富，我無徭役，故皆自富。我無欲，而民自樸。我去華文，民則隨我為質樸。 |
| The more taboos there are in the world, the poorer the people become; "World" here refers to rulers. Taboos refer to prohibitions and restrictions. When orders are excessive, deceit arises; when prohibitions multiply, the people become deceptive—mutual harm results, hence poverty. The more weapons and power the people possess, the more confused the state becomes; Liji refers to authority or power. When people have much power, the sighted are dazzled by what they see and the hearing is confused by what they hear; when this occurs, superiors and inferiors become estranged—thus the state falls into confusion. When rulers favor cunning skills, strange things multiply; "People" here refers to human rulers. When there is an emphasis on cunning skills, palaces and halls are carved and decorated, robes and insignias elaborately crafted; the people imitate their rulers, and such things multiply day by day. The more laws and regulations are displayed, the more thieves and bandits arise; Fa means preference or favor. When precious and favored objects multiply and become prominent, agricultural work is neglected; hunger and cold arrive together—thus thieves and bandits abound. I take no action, yet the people transform themselves; Without change or intervention, the people naturally become cultivated and orderly. I prefer stillness, yet the people themselves become upright; Without speaking or instructing, the people all become loyal and righteous. I take no actions, yet the people grow rich; Because I impose no corvée labor or burdens, they all become wealthy. I have no desires, and the people return to simplicity. When I abandon splendor and ornamentation, the people follow me in becoming simple and sincere. | ||
| 16 | 德經: | 其政悶悶，其政教寬大，悶悶昧昧，似若不明也。其民醇醇，政教寬大，故民醇醇，富厚，相親睦也。其政察察，其政教急疾，言决於口，聽决於耳。其民缺缺，民不聊生，故缺缺，日以疏薄。禍兮，福之所倚，倚，因，夫福因禍而生，人遭禍而能悔過責己，修善行道，則禍去福來。福兮，禍之所伏，禍伏匿於福中，人得福而為驕恣，則福去禍來。孰知其極。禍福更相生，無知其窮極時也。 |
| Their governance is muddled; Their administration is broad and lenient, dim and obscure, as if not clearly defined. The people are sincere; With broad and lenient governance, the people remain sincere, prosperous, and harmonious. Their governance is sharp and scrutinizing; The administration is strict and hasty, decisions made by the mouth, judgments based on what is heard. The people are lacking; Unable to sustain their lives, they become impoverished and increasingly distant from one another. Misfortune, oh—this is where fortune leans; Yin means to rely on. Fortune arises from misfortune; when people suffer misfortune and can repent, take responsibility for themselves, cultivate virtue and follow the Dao, then misfortune departs and fortune arrives. Fortune, oh—this is where misfortune lies hidden; Misfortune lurks within fortune. When people receive fortune and become arrogant or indulgent, then fortune departs and misfortune arrives. Who knows its limit? Misfortune and fortune transform into each other endlessly; no one can know when their cycle will end. | ||
| 17 | 德經: | 治大國若烹小鮮，鮮，魚也。烹小魚，不敢撓，恐其糜也。治國煩則下亂，治身煩則精去也。以道莅天下者，其鬼不神，以道德居位治天下，則鬼不敢見其精神以犯人也。非其鬼不神，其神不傷人，其鬼非無精神，邪不入正，不能傷自然之民也。非其神不傷人，聖人亦不傷人。非鬼神不能傷害人，以聖人在位，不傷害人，故鬼不敢干也。 |
| To govern a great state is like cooking a small fish; Xian refers to fish. When cooking a small fish, one dares not stir it, for fear of breaking it apart. To govern with excessive interference causes disorder among the people; to manage oneself with too much meddling leads to loss of vitality. He who governs the world with the Dao, his spirits do not act as deities; When one holds office and rules through virtue and the Dao, ghosts dare not reveal their spiritual power to harm people. It is not that the spirits lack power, but their power does not harm people; These spirits are not devoid of spiritual force, yet evil cannot enter what is upright and cannot harm those who live naturally. It is not merely that the spirits do not harm people—sages also do not harm others. It is not ghosts or spirits that can harm people, for when sages are in power and do not harm the people, ghosts dare not interfere. | ||
| 18 | 德經: | 道者，萬物之奧，奧，藏也。道為萬物之藏，無所不容。善人之寶也。善人以道為身寶，不敢違。不善人之所保，道者，不善人之所保倚也。遭患逢急，猶知自悔卑下。故為天下貴。無不覆濟，恬然無為，故可為天下貴。 |
| The Dao is the hidden refuge of all things; Ao means to hide or shelter. The Dao shelters all things, containing nothing outside its embrace. It is the treasure of the good person. The good person treasures the Dao as their most precious possession and dares not violate it. It is also what the unrighteous rely upon; The Dao is what even the wicked depend on for support. When they encounter misfortune or sudden danger, they still know to repent and humble themselves. Therefore, it is esteemed throughout the world. It encompasses and benefits all without effort or striving; thus, it can be considered precious by all under heaven. | ||
| 19 | 德經: | 為無為，無所造作。事無事，除煩省事。味無味，深思遠慮，味道意也。報怨以德，修道行善，絕禍於未生也。圖難於其易，欲圖難事，當於易時，未及成也。為大於其細，欲為大事，必作於小，禍亂從小來也。天下難事，必作於易，天下大事，必作於細，是以聖人終不為大，處謙虛也。故能成其大，天下共歸之也。夫輕諾必寡信，不重言也。多易必多難，不慎患也。是以聖人猶難之，聖人動作舉事，猶進退，重難之，欲塞其源也。故終無難。聖人終身無患難之事，由避害深也。 |
| Act with non-action; Meaning to take no artificial actions. Deal with affairs as if there were none; Eliminating complexity and reducing matters. Taste the tasteless; Deep contemplation and foresight, savoring the meaning of the Dao. Repay resentment with virtue; Cultivating the Dao and practicing goodness, cutting off calamity before it arises. Plan for difficulties when they are still easy; When wishing to address a difficult matter, one should act while it is still simple and has not yet fully formed. Achieve the great through its small details; To accomplish great things, one must begin with small actions—calamities and disorder arise from small beginnings. The difficult matters of the world must begin with what is easy; great achievements in the world must start from small details. Therefore, sages never claim to be great; They dwell in humility. Thus they are able to accomplish greatness; All under heaven will return to them. He who makes light promises is sure to lack trustworthiness; Because he does not value his words. What seems easy will surely bring difficulty; Due to neglecting potential dangers. Therefore, sages regard even small matters as difficult; When sages act or undertake tasks, they proceed cautiously and carefully, treating them with gravity in order to block the source of problems. Thus, difficulties never arise at all. Sages experience no troubles or hardships in their lifetime because they deeply avoid dangers. | ||
| 20 | 德經: | 其安易持，治身，治國，安静者易守持也。其未兆易謀，情欲禍患，未有形兆時，易謀正。其脃易破，禍亂未動於朝，情欲未見於色，如脆弱易破除也。其微易散，其未彰著，微小，易散去也。為之於未有，欲有所為，當以未有萌芽之時，塞其端也。治之於未亂，治身，治國於未亂之時，當豫閉其門也。合抱之木，生於毫末，從小成大也。九層之臺，起於累土，從卑至高。千里之行，始於足下，從近至遠。為者敗之，有為於事，廢於自然。執者失之，執利遇患，堅持不得，推讓反還。聖人無為故無敗，聖人不為華文，不為利色，故無敗壞也。民之從事，常於幾成而敗之，從，為也。民人為事，常於其功德幾成，而貪位好名，奢泰盈滿，而敗之也。慎終如始，則無敗事，終當如始，不當懈怠。是以聖人欲不欲，聖人欲人所不欲，人欲文飾，聖人欲質樸，人欲於色，聖人欲於德。不貴難得之貨，聖人不賤石而貴玉也。學不學，聖人學人所不能學，人學智詐，聖人學自然，人學治世，聖人學治身。復衆人之所過，衆人學問反，過本為末，過實為華，復之者，使反本。以輔萬物之自然，教人反本實者，欲以輔萬物自然之性也。而不敢為焉。聖人動作因循，不敢有所造為，恐遠本。 |
| What is at peace is easy to hold; In cultivating oneself or governing a state, what is tranquil and calm is easily maintained. Before signs appear, it is easy to plan; When emotions, desires, or calamities have not yet manifested visible omens, they are easily addressed and corrected. What is weak is easy to break; When calamities or disorder have not yet stirred in the court, and emotions or desires are not visible on one's face, they are like something fragile that can be easily shattered. What is subtle is easy to disperse; When things have not yet become prominent or obvious, they are small and easily dispersed. Act before it exists; When one wishes to act, one should do so when there is yet no sign or sprout of the matter, blocking its beginning. Govern before disorder arises; When cultivating oneself or governing a nation, one should prepare in advance and close the door to chaos. A tree large enough to embrace was born from a tiny sprout; Growing from small to great. A nine-story terrace rises from accumulated earth; Rising from the lowly to the lofty. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; Proceeding from near to far. He who acts forcefully will fail; To act forcefully in affairs is to abandon the natural course of things. He who grasps tightly will lose it; Grasping for profit brings misfortune; clinging too hard leads to loss, while yielding and giving instead bring return. Sages do not act forcefully, hence they never fail; Sages do not pursue ornate words or material gains, and thus they are free from failure. When the people undertake tasks, they often fail when success is nearly achieved; From means "to act" or "to do." When the common people undertake affairs, they often, when their virtue and achievements are nearly complete, fail due to greed for position, love of fame, excessive luxury, and arrogance. If one is cautious at the end as at the beginning, there will be no failed endeavors; At the conclusion, one should remain as careful as at the start and not become lax. Therefore, sages desire what others do not desire; While people desire ornate appearances and superficial things, sages desire simplicity and virtue. People desire for beauty and form, while sages seek moral cultivation. They do not value rare goods; Sages are not undervaluing common stones and overvaluing jade. They study what others do not study; While people learn cunning and deceit, sages study nature. While people learn to govern the world, sages learn to cultivate themselves. They return to correct the mistakes of the many; The multitude studies in reverse, placing ends before beginnings and form over substance. To "return" means to restore them to their roots. Thus assisting all things in following their natural course; Teaching people to return to the fundamental and substantial is intended to help all beings follow their innate nature. And they dare not act forcefully. Sages act in accordance with the natural order, never daring to create or impose their will, for fear of straying from the root. | ||
| 21 | 德經: | 古之為善道者，說古之善以道治身及治國者。非以明民，非以道教民明知奸巧。將以愚之，將以道德教民，使質樸，不詐僞也。民之難治，以其智多，以其智太多而為巧僞也。以智治國，國之賊，使智惠之人治國，必遠道德，妄作威福，為國之賊。不以智治國，國之福。不使智惠之人知國之政事，則民守正直，上下相親，故為國之福也。 |
| Those in ancient times who practiced the Way well; Speaking of those in antiquity who skillfully governed themselves and their states through the Dao. Did not use it to enlighten the people; Did not use the Dao to teach the people knowledge of deceit and cunning. But rather to make them simple-minded; Rather, they used the Dao and virtue to teach the people, making them plain and unpretentious, free from deceit and falsehood. The difficulty in governing the people lies in their excessive cleverness; Because they are too wise, they become cunning and deceptive. To govern a state with wisdom is to become its thief; Allowing those who are clever and wise to govern will lead them away from virtue and the Dao, enabling them to arbitrarily wield power and blessings, thus becoming thieves of the state. Not governing a country with wisdom is a blessing for the nation. If those who are wise and clever do not manage state affairs, the people will uphold integrity and righteousness, and rulers and subjects will be close to one another; thus it is a blessing for the country. | ||
| 22 | 德經: | 江海所以能為百谷王，以其善下之，江海以卑下故，衆流歸之，若民歸就王者。是以聖人欲上人，欲在民之上也。必以言下之，法江海，處謙虛。欲先民，欲在民之前也。必以身後之，先人而後己也。是以聖人處上而民不重，聖人在民上為主，不以尊貴虐下，故民戴仰，不以為重也。處前而民不害。聖人在民前，不以光明蔽後，親之若父母，無有欲害之者。 |
| The reason why rivers and seas can become the kings of all valleys is because they are good at being lowly; Because rivers and seas are humble, all streams flow to them, just as people gather around a ruler. Therefore, sages who wish to be above others; Means desiring to stand above the people. Must place themselves below them in words; Following the example of rivers and seas, they remain humble and modest. Who wish to lead the people; Means desiring to be ahead of the people. Must place themselves behind them in action; Putting others before oneself and oneself after others. Therefore, sages are above the people yet the people do not feel burdened; Though sages stand above the people as rulers, they do not oppress those below with their status and virtue, so the people revere them without feeling weighed down. They are ahead of the people yet the people suffer no harm. Though sages stand before the people, they do not use their brilliance to overshadow others; they are beloved like parents, and no one wishes to harm them. | ||
| 23 | 德經: | 我有三寶，持而保之，老子言，我有三寶，抱持而保倚之。一曰慈，愛百姓若赤子。二曰儉，賦斂若取之於己。三曰不敢為天下先，執謙退，不為唱也。慈，故能勇，以慈仁，故能勇於忠孝。儉，故能廣，身能節儉，故民日用寬廣也。不敢為天下先，故能成器長，成器長，謂得道人也。我能為道人之長也。今舍慈且勇，今世人舍慈仁，但為勇武。舍儉且廣，舍其儉約，但為奢泰。舍後且先，舍其後己，但為人先。死矣。所行如此，動入死道。夫慈，以戰則勝，以守則固，夫慈仁者，百姓親附，故戰則勝敵，以守衛則堅固也。用兵有言，陳用兵之道，老子疾時用兵，故托己設其義也。吾不敢為主，主，先也。不敢先舉兵也。而為客，客者，和而不唱，用兵當承天而後動也。不敢進寸而退尺，侵人境界，利人財寶為進，閉門守城為退也。禍莫大於輕敵，夫禍亂之害，莫大於欺輕敵家，侵取不休，輕戰貪財也。輕敵幾喪吾寶，幾，近也。寶，身也。欺輕敵家，近喪身也。故抗兵相加，哀者勝矣。哀者慈仁士卒，不遠於死也。 |
| I have three treasures which I hold fast; Laozi said, "I have three treasures that I embrace and rely upon." The first is compassion; To love the people as one would a newborn child. The second is frugality; Taxes and levies are taken with the same care as if they were being taken from oneself. The third is to dare not be first in the world; To hold humility and retreat, never taking the lead or initiating action. Because of compassion, one can be brave; With kindness and benevolence, one is courageous in loyalty and filial piety. Because of frugality, one can be generous; When a ruler practices thrift, the people's daily needs become abundant and wide-ranging. Because one dares not be first in the world, thus being able to become a leader of virtue; "Leader of virtue" refers to those who have attained the Dao. I can be the leader among those who follow the Way. Now, abandoning compassion for bravery; In modern times, people abandon kindness and benevolence and pursue only martial valor. lineno Abandoning frugality for extravagance; Discarding thrift and restraint, pursuing instead luxury and excess. Abandoning humility for taking the lead; Leaving behind self-effacement and seeking to be first among others. This results in death. This leads to destruction. To act in this manner is to move along the path leading to death. Compassion, when used in battle, brings victory; when used for defense, ensures stability; Those who are kind and compassionate gain the people's loyalty and support. Thus, they win battles against enemies and maintain strong defenses. There is a saying about the use of military force; Discussing the principles of warfare, Laozi opposed the misuse of war in his time and thus devised this teaching. "I dare not take the initiative"; "Zhu" means to lead or be first. I do not dare to raise arms and strike first. But I act as a guest; A "guest" is one who follows rather than leads, and in warfare should only move after receiving the mandate of heaven. I dare not advance an inch but would rather retreat a foot; To invade another's territory and seize their wealth is considered advancement, while closing the gates and defending one's city is seen as retreating. No misfortune is greater than underestimating the enemy; Among all harms and calamities, none is worse than looking down on one's opponent, ceaselessly invading and seizing, waging war recklessly for profit. Underestimating the enemy nearly causes me to lose my treasures; "Ji" means "nearly." Treasure refers to one's life. To look down on and provoke an enemy is nearly tantamount to losing one's life. Therefore, when opposing armies clash, the side that mourns will prevail. The mourning side is composed of compassionate and kind soldiers who are not afraid to die. | ||
| 24 | 德經: | 吾言甚易知，甚易行，老子言，吾所言，省而易知，約而易行。天下莫能知，莫能行，人惡柔弱，好剛强也。夫唯無知，是以不我知，夫唯，世人也。是我德之暗，不見於外，窮微極妙，故無知也。知我者稀，則我貴矣。稀，少也。唯達道乃能知我，故為貴也。是以聖人被褐懷玉。被褐者，薄外，懷玉者，厚內也。匿寶藏德為貴也。 |
| My words are very easy to understand and simple to practice; Laozi says, "What I say is concise and easy to comprehend, straightforward and easy to follow." Yet throughout the world no one can understand or practice them; People dislike softness and weakness, preferring strength and rigidity. It is precisely because they lack understanding that they do not know me; "Fuwei" refers to the people of the world. My virtue is obscure and does not manifest externally, reaching depths so subtle and refined that it cannot be understood. Those who truly understand me are rare; thus I am precious. Xī means "rare" or "few." Only those who have attained the Way can truly understand me, which is why I am considered precious. Therefore, sages wear coarse cloth but carry jade in their hearts. Wearing coarse cloth means valuing the inner over outward appearances; carrying jade within signifies treasuring virtue and substance internally. Hiding treasures and cultivating virtue is what is truly precious. | ||
| 25 | 德經: | 天道不争而善勝，天不與人争貴賤，而人畏之也。不言而善應，天不言，萬物自動以應時。不召而自來，天不呼召，萬物皆負陰而向陽也。繟然而善謀，繟，寬也。天道雖寬博，善謀慮人事，修善行惡，各蒙其報。天網恢恢，疏而不失。天所羅網，恢恢甚大，雖疏遠，司察人善惡，無有所失。 |
| The Way of Heaven does not contend yet always prevails; Heaven does not compete with people over status or rank, yet all revere it. It speaks not yet responds well; Heaven remains silent, yet all things move and respond in accordance with the seasons. It does not summon yet they come of their own accord; Heaven makes no call, yet all things turn toward the sun and embrace yin. It is relaxed yet excellent in planning; "Chan" means "relaxed." Though the Way of Heaven is broad and relaxed, it skillfully plans for human affairs. Those who cultivate virtue or commit evil deeds each receive their due reward or retribution. The net of Heaven is vast and loose, yet nothing escapes it. Heaven's web is vast and immense; though seemingly loose and distant, it oversees human good and evil deeds without fail. | ||
| 26 | 德經: | 民不畏死，治國者刑罰酷深，民不聊生，故不畏死也。治身者嗜欲傷神，貪財殺身，不知畏之。奈何以死懼之，人君不寬其刑罰，教人去情欲，奈何設刑罰法，以死懼之。若使民常畏死，當除己之所殘刻，教民去利欲。而為奇者，吾得執而殺之，孰敢矣。以道教化，而民不從，反為奇巧，乃應王法，執而殺之，誰敢有犯者，老子傷時主不先道德化之，而先刑罰也。 |
| The people do not fear death; When those who govern impose harsh punishments and oppressive laws, the people find life unbearable, hence they no longer fear death. In cultivating oneself, excessive desires harm the spirit and greed for wealth leads to one's downfall; yet people remain unaware of this danger. How can one use death to instill fear? When rulers do not lighten punishments and instead teach people to abandon desires, how can they impose legal penalties and threaten with death? If one could make the people fear death; One should eliminate harshness and cruelty, teaching the people to renounce greed and desire. And those who commit extraordinary crimes, I would seize and execute; who then would dare? If the people are not transformed by the teachings of the Dao but instead become cunning and deceitful, they should be punished according to royal law. Seizing and executing them would deter others from committing crimes. Laozi laments that rulers in his time did not first cultivate virtue and morality, but resorted directly to punishment and penalties. | ||
| 27 | 德經: | 民之飢，以其上食税之多，人民所以飢寒者，以其君上税食下太多。是以飢，民之難治，以其上之有為，人民不可治者，以其君上多欲，好有為。是以難治，其民化上有為，情僞難治也。人之輕死，以其求生之厚，人民所以輕犯死者，以其求生活之道太厚，貪利以自危也。是以輕死，以求生太厚之故，輕入死地。夫唯無以生為者，是賢於貴生也。夫唯獨無以生為務者，爵禄不干於意，財利不入於身，天子不得臣，諸侯不得使，則賢於貴生者也。 |
| The people's hunger is due to the excessive taxes imposed by their rulers; The reason the people suffer from hunger and cold is because their leaders extract too much in food taxes. Therefore, they suffer hunger; the difficulty in governing the people is due to their rulers' active interventions; The reason people are hard to govern is because their leaders have many desires and favor excessive action. Therefore, it becomes difficult to govern; The people are influenced by the rulers' active interventions, becoming deceitful and hard to manage. People's disregard for death is due to their excessive pursuit of life; The reason people lightly risk death is because they seek the means to sustain life too intensely, becoming greedy and placing themselves in danger. Therefore, they take risks with their lives; Because of their excessive pursuit of life, they recklessly enter deadly situations. Only those who do not cling to life are truly superior in valuing it. Only those who do not regard life as their primary concern, whose thoughts are untroubled by titles and wealth, who do not seek material gain, whom even the Son of Heaven cannot enslave or feudal lords command—these truly surpass those who merely value life. | ||
| 28 | 德經: | 聖人執左契，古者，聖人無文書法律，刻契合符，以為信也。而不責於人，但執刻契信，不責人以他事也。有德司契，有德之君，司察契信而已。無德司徹，無德之君，背其契信，司人所失也。天道無親，常與善人。天道無有親疏，唯與善人，則與司契者也。 |
| Sages hold the left half of a covenant; In ancient times, sages did not rely on written laws or legal codes but used engraved tokens as symbols of trust and agreement. Yet they do not demand anything from others; They merely hold the token as a sign of trust, without imposing other demands upon people. Those with virtue oversee covenants; A virtuous ruler merely oversees the fulfillment of agreements and trust. Those without virtue enforce strict accountability; An unvirtuous ruler abandons the covenant of trust and instead focuses on punishing people's failures. The former is accumulated, the latter is cut off. Heaven's way has no favorites; it constantly supports those who are good. The Way of Heaven does not favor or distance itself from anyone; it only supports the virtuous, meaning those who uphold covenants and trust. | ||
| 29 | 德經: | 小國寡民，聖人雖治大國，猶以為小，儉約不奢泰，民雖衆，猶若寡乏，不敢勞也。使民重死，君能為人興利除害，各得其所，則民重死而貪生也。而不遠徙，政令不煩，則民安其業，故不遠遷，離其常處也。雖有舟輿，無所乘之，清静無為，不好出入。雖有甲兵，無所陳之，無怨惡於天下。甘其食，甘其蔬食，不漁食百姓也。美其衣，美其惡衣，不貴五色。安其居，安其茅茨，不好文飾之屋。樂其俗，樂其質樸之俗。鄰國相望，鷄狗之聲相聞，相去近也。民至老死，不相往來。無情欲也。 |
| Small states with few people; Even though sages govern great nations, they still regard them as small, practicing frugality and avoiding extravagance. Though the population is numerous, it seems sparse to them, for they dare not burden their people. The people value death highly, and do not move far from home. Cause the people to value life; When a ruler can bring benefits and remove harms for the people, ensuring everyone finds their proper place, then the people will cherish life and avoid death. If they do not move far from their homes, it is because they find no need or desire to seek better conditions elsewhere. And do not move far away; When government decrees are not burdensome, the people find peace in their occupations and thus do not relocate far from where they have always lived. Though there are boats and carriages, there is no need to ride in them; Because of clarity, tranquility, and non-action, people do not desire to travel or go out frequently. Though there are armor and weapons, they have no need for deployment; Because there is no enmity toward the world. They find their food sweet; They are content with simple vegetables, not exploiting or overtaxing the people for sustenance. They find their clothing beautiful; They appreciate plain garments and do not value elaborate colors. They feel secure in their dwellings; They are at peace with simple thatched huts, not desiring ornate or elaborate houses. They take pleasure in their customs and traditions, finding no need to seek novelty or change. They find joy in their customs; They delight in the simple and honest way of life. Neighbors may see each other, but they do not trouble one another with unnecessary interaction or interference. Neighboring states can see each other; the sounds of chickens and dogs can be heard from one to another; Because they are close in proximity. Yet people do not interfere with or trouble one another, living in peace and contentment. The people live out their lives without ever visiting each other. Because they have no desires or attachments. | ||
| 30 | 德經: | 聖人不積，聖人積德不積財，有德以教愚，有財以與貧。既以為人己愈有，既以財賄布施於人，財益多如日月之光，無有盡時。天之道，利而不害，天生萬物，愛育之，令長大，無所害也。聖人之道，為而不争。聖人法天所施為，化成事就，不與下争功名，故能全其聖功也。 |
| Sages do not accumulate; Sages accumulate virtue, not wealth; they use their virtue to teach the ignorant and share their resources with the poor. They practice selflessness, giving all for the benefit of others. The more they give to others, the more they possess themselves; Once one gives wealth and resources to others in charity, their own wealth increases like the light of the sun and moon, never diminishing. This is because true abundance lies not in hoarding but in sharing and cultivating virtue. The Way of Heaven benefits without harming; Heaven creates all things, nurtures them with love, allowing them to grow and flourish without causing harm. It acts in harmony with nature, promoting life and balance rather than destruction or conflict. The Way of the sage is to act without contention. Sages emulate Heaven's actions, bringing about transformation and accomplishment without competing with others for credit or fame; thus they preserve their true virtue and achievements. |
URN: ctp:n278905