道德经全文和注释 (英文版)

Dr.Wayne WANG

11. Tools
Thirty spokes meet at a nave;
Because of the hole we may use the wheel.
Clay is moulded into a vessel;
Because of the hollow we may use the cup.
Walls are built around a hearth;
Because of the doors we may use the house.
Thus tools come from what exists,
But use from what does not.

【原文】
        三十辐共一毂，当其无，有车之用。
        埏埴以为器，当其无，有器之用。
        凿户牖以为室，当其无，有室之用。
        故有之以为利，无之以为用。

Dr.Wayne WANG

12. Substance
Too much colour blinds the eye,
Too much music deafens the ear,
Too much taste dulls the palate,
Too much play maddens the mind,
Too much desire tears the heart.

In this manner the sage cares for people:
He provides for the belly, not for the senses;
He ignores abstraction and holds fast to substance.

【原文】
       五色令人目盲；
       五音令人耳聋；
       五味令人口爽；
       驰骋畋猎令人心发狂；
       难得之货令人行妨。
       是以圣人为腹不为目，故去彼取此。

Dr.Wayne WANG

13. Self
Both praise and blame cause concern,
For they bring people hope and fear.
The object of hope and fear is the self -
For, without self, to whom may fortune and disaster occur?

Therefore,
Who distinguishes himself from the world may be given the world,
But who regards himself as the world may accept the world.

【原文】
       宠辱若惊，贵大患若身。
       何谓宠辱若惊？宠为下，得之若惊，失之若惊，是谓宠辱若惊。
       何谓贵大患若身？吾所以有大患者，为吾有身，及吾无身，吾有何患？
       故贵以身为天下者，若可寄天下；爱以身为天下者，若可托天下。

Dr.Wayne WANG

14. Mystery
Looked at but cannot be seen - it is beneath form;
Listened to but cannot be heard - it is beneath sound;
Held but cannot be touched - it is beneath feeling;
These depthless things evade definition,
And blend into a single mystery.

In its rising there is no light,
In its falling there is no darkness,
A continuous thread beyond description,
Lining what can not occur;
Its form formless,
Its image nothing,
Its name silence;
Follow it, it has no back,
Meet it, it has no face.

Attend the present to deal with the past;
Thus you grasp the continuity of the Way,
Which is its essence.

【原文】
       视之不见，名曰夷；
       听之不闻，名曰希；
       搏之不得，名曰微。
       此三者不可致诘，故混而为一。
       其上不皦，其下不昧，绳绳兮不可名，复归于无物。
       是谓无状之状，无物之象，是谓惚恍。
       迎之不见其首，随之不见其后。
       执古之道，以御今之有；能知古始，是谓道纪。

Dr.Wayne WANG

15. Enlightenment
The enlightened possess understanding
So profound they can not be understood.
Because they cannot be understood
I can only describe their appearance:

Cautious as one crossing thin ice,
Undecided as one surrounded by danger,
Modest as one who is a guest,
Unbounded as melting ice,
Genuine as unshaped wood,
Broad as a valley,
Seamless as muddy water.

Who stills the water that the mud may settle,
Who seeks to stop that he may travel on,
Who desires less than may transpire,
Decays, but will not renew.

【原文】
       古之善为士者，微妙玄通，深不可识。
       夫唯不可识，故强为之容：
       豫兮若冬涉川，犹兮若畏四邻，俨兮其若客；
       涣兮若冰之将释，敦兮其若朴，旷兮其若谷；
　　    混兮其若浊。
       孰能浊以澄？静之徐清；
       孰能安以久？动之徐生。
       保此道者不欲盈。
       夫唯不盈，故能敝而新成。

Dr.Wayne WANG

16. Decay and Renewal
Empty the self completely;
Embrace perfect peace.
The world will rise and move;
Watch it return to rest.
All the flourishing things
Will return to their source.

This return is peaceful;
It is the flow of nature,
An eternal decay and renewal.
Accepting this brings enlightenment,
Ignoring this brings misery.

Who accepts nature's flow becomes all-cherishing;
Being all-cherishing he becomes impartial;
Being impartial he becomes magnanimous;
Being magnanimous he becomes natural;
Being natural he becomes one with the Way;
Being one with the Way he becomes immortal:
Though his body will decay, the Way will not.

【原文】
       致虚极，守静笃，万物并作，吾以观其复。
       夫物芸芸，各复归其根。
       归根曰静，是曰复命。
       复命曰常，知常曰明。
       不知常，妄作，凶。
       知常，容。
       容乃公，公乃王，王乃天，天乃道，道乃久，没身不殆。

Dr.Wayne WANG

17. Rulers
The best rulers are scarcely known by their subjects;
The next best are loved and praised;
The next are feared;
The next despised:
They have no faith in their people,
And their people become unfaithful to them.

When the best rulers achieve their purpose
Their subjects claim the achievement as their own.

【原文】
       太上，不知有之；
       其次，亲之、誉之；
       其次，畏之；
       其次，侮之。
       信不足焉，有不信焉，悠兮其贵言。
       功成事遂，百姓皆谓"我自然"。

Dr.Wayne WANG

18. Hypocrisy
When the Way is forgotten
Duty and justice appear;
Then knowledge and wisdom are born
Along with hypocrisy.

When harmonious relationships dissolve
Then respect and devotion arise;
When a nation falls to chaos
Then loyalty and patriotism are born.

【原文】
　　大道廢，有仁義；
　　智慧出，有大偽；
　　六親不和，有孝慈；
　　國家昏亂，有忠臣。

Dr.Wayne WANG

19. Simplify
If we could abolish knowledge and wisdom
Then people would profit a hundredfold;
If we could abolish duty and justice
Then harmonious relationships would form;
If we could abolish artifice and profit
Then waste and theft would disappear.

Yet such remedies treat only symptoms
And so they are inadequate.

People need personal remedies:
Reveal your naked self and embrace your original nature;
Bind your self-interest and control your ambition;
Forget your habits and simplify your affairs.

【原文】
　　絕聖棄智，民利百倍；
　　絕仁棄義，民復孝慈；
　　絕巧棄利，盜賊無有。
　　此三者以為文，不足，故令有所屬：
　　見素抱樸，少私寡欲。

Dr.Wayne WANG

20. Wandering
What is the difference between assent and denial?
What is the difference between beautiful and ugly?
What is the difference between fearsome and afraid?

The people are merry as if at a magnificent party
Or playing in the park at springtime,
But I am tranquil and wandering,
Like a newborn before it learns to smile,
Alone, with no true home.

The people have enough and to spare,
Where I have nothing,
And my heart is foolish,
Muddled and cloudy.

The people are bright and certain,
Where I am dim and confused;
The people are clever and wise,
Where I am dull and ignorant;
Aimless as a wave drifting over the sea,
Attached to nothing.

The people are busy with purpose,
Where I am impractical and rough;
I do not share the peoples' cares
But I am fed at nature's breast.

【原文】
       绝学，无忧。
       唯之与阿，相去几何？
       美之与恶，相去何若？
       人之所畏，不可不畏？
　　  　荒兮其未央哉！
       众人熙熙，如享太牢，如春登台。
       我独泊兮其未兆，如婴儿之未孩，傫傫兮，若无所归。
       众人皆有余，而我独若遗。
       我愚人之心也哉，沌沌兮！
       俗人昭昭，我独昏昏。
       俗人察察，我独闷闷。
       澹兮其若海，飂兮若无止。
       众人皆有以，而我独顽似鄙。
       我独异于人，而贵食母。