按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Yet when attacking the hard and the strong nothing can surpass it。
The supple overcomes the hard。
The soft overcomes the strong。
None in the world do not know this。
Yet none can practice it。
That is why the Sage says to accept the filth of a nation is to be the lord of the society。
To accept the disasters of a nation is to be is to be the ruler of the world。
Words of truth seem contradictory。
79
Compromising with great hatred inevitably leads to more hatred。
How can this be considered good？
That is why the Sage holds the left half of the tally…stick yet does not demand others measure up。
To have Te is to hold the other half of the tally…stick。
To be without Te is to lose the tally…stick。
The Tao of heaven is not clannish。
It always dwell with the good man。
80
In small country of few people； even if there are hundreds of weapons； they are unnecessary。
Cause the people to respect death and they will not migrate。
Though there are ships and vehicles； no…one boards them。
Though there are armour and weapons； no…one parades with them。
Let men return to knotting strings and using them。
Food will be sweet。
Clothes will be beautiful。
Homes will be comfortable。
Customs will delight。
Although neighbouring states will see each other and hear the other's chickens and dogs； the citizens of each will age and die establishing contact with the other。
81
Words of truth are not beautiful。
Beautiful words are not truthful。
The good do not argue；
Those who are argue are not good。
The wise are not extensively learned；
The extensively learned are not wise。
The Sage is not mean。
Simply doing things for others he feels the greater fulfilment。
Simply giving to others he feels he has gained more。
The Tao of heaven benefits and does not harm。
The Tao of the Sage is to accomplish without competing。
English_Goddard_TTK
Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
Chinese … English by
Dwight Goddard； 1919
Vorwort/Foreword
I LOVE LAOTZU！ That is the reason I offer another interpretative translation； and try to print and bind it attractively。 I want you to appreciate this wise and kindly old man； and come to love him。 He was perhaps the first of scholars （6th century B。C。） to have a vision of spiritual reality； and he tried so hard to explain it to others； only； in the end； to wander away into the Great Unknown in pathetic discouragement。 Everything was against him； his friends misunderstood him； others made fun of him。
Even the written characters which he must use to preserve his thought conspired against him。 They were only five thousand in all； and were ill adapted to express mystical and abstract ideas。 When these characters are translated accurately； the translation is necessarily awkward and obscure。 Sinologues have unintentionally done him an injustice by their very scholarship。 I have tried to peer through the clumsy characters into his heart and prayed that love for him would make me wise to understand aright。
I hate scholarship that would deny his existence； or arrogant erudition that says patronizingly； 〃Oh； yes； there doubtless was some one who wrote some of the characteristic sonnets； but most of them are an accumulation through the centuries of verses that have similar structure； and all have been changed and amended until it is better to call the book a collection of aphorisms。〃
Shame on scholarship when； sharing the visions of the illuminati； they deride them！
There are three great facts in China to…day that vouch for Laotzu。 First； the presence of Taoism；which was suggested by his teachings； not founded upon them。 This is explained by the inability of the scholars； who immediately followed him to understand and appreciate the spirituality of his teachings。 Second； Confucian dislike for Laotzian ideas； which is explained by their opposition to Confucian ethics。 Third； and the greatest fact of all； is the characteristic traits of Chinese nature； namely； passivity； submissiveness and moral concern； all of which find an adequate cause and source in the teachings of Laotzu。
An interesting fact in regard to the thought of Laotzu is this。 Although for two thousand years he has been misunderstood and derided； to…day the very best of scientific and philosophic thought； which gathers about what is known as Vitalism； is in full accord with Laotzu's idea of the Tao。 Every reference that is made to…day to a Cosmic Urge； Vital Impulse； and Creative Principle can be said of the Tao。 Everything that can be said of Plato's Ideas and Forms and of Cosmic Love as being the creative expression of God can be said of the Tao。 When Christian scholars came to translate the Logos of St。 John； they were satisfied to use the word 〃Tao。〃
It is true that Laotzu's conception of the Tao was limited to a conception of a universal； creative principle。 He apparently had no conception of personality； which the Christians ascribe to God； in connection with it； but he ascribed so much of wisdom and benevolence to it that his conception fell little short of personality。 To Laotzu； the Tao is the universal and eternal principle which forms and conditions everything； it is that intangible cosmic influence which harmonizes all things and brings them to fruition； it is the norm and standard of truth and morality。 Laotzu did more than entertain an intelligent opinion of Tao as a creative principle； he had a devout and religious sentiment towards it： 〃He loved the Tao as a son cherishes and reveres his mother。〃
There are three key words in the thought of Laotzu： Tao； Teh； and Wu Wei。 They are all difficult to translate。 The simple meaning of Tao is 〃way；〃 but it also has a wide variety of other meanings Dr。 Paul Carus translates it； 〃Reason；〃 but apologizes for so doing。 If forced to offer a translation we would suggest Creative Principle； but much prefer to leave it untranslated。
The character； 〃Teh；〃 is usually translated 〃virtue。〃 This is correct as a mere translation of the； character； but is in； no sense adequate to the content of the thought in Laotzu's mind。 To him； Teh meant precisely what is meant in the account of the healing of the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' robe： 〃Jesus was conscious that virtue had passed from him。〃 Teh includes the meaning of vitality； of virility； of beauty and the harmony that we think of as that part of life that is abounding and joyous。 The third word is the negative expression； 〃Wu Wei。〃 Translated； this means 〃not acting；〃 or 〃non…assertion。〃 When Laotzu urges men to 〃wu wei；〃 he is not urging them to laziness or asceticism。 He means that all men are to cherish that wise humility and diffidence and selflessness which comes from a consciousness that the Tao is infinitely wise and good； and that the part of human wisdom is to hold one's self in such a restrained and receptive manner that the Tao may find one a suitable and conforming channel for its purpose。 The title of Laotzu's book； Tao Teh King； is carelessly translated； The Way of Virtue Classic； o