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！
There is no greater calamity than to under…estimate the strength of your enemy。
For to under…estimate the strength of your enemy is to lose your treasure。
Therefore； when opposing troops meet in battle； victory belongs to the grieving side。
70
MY words are very easy to understand； and very easy to practise：
But the world cannot understand them； nor practise them。
My words have an Ancestor。
My deeds have a Lord。
The people have no knowledge of this。
Therefore； they have no knowledge of me。
The fewer persons know me；
The nobler are they that follow me。
Therefore； the Sage wears coarse clothes；
While keeping the jade in his bosom。
71
To realize that our knowledge is ignorance；
This is a noble insight。
To regard our ignorance as knowledge；
This is mental sickness。
Only when we are sick of our sickness
Shall we cease to be sick。
The Sage is not sick； being sick of sickness；
This is the secret of health。
72
WHEN the people no longer fear your power；
It is a sign that a greater power is coming。
Interfere not lightly vith their dwelling；
Nor lay heavy burdens upon their livelihood。
Only when you cease to weary them；
They will cease to be wearied of you。
Therefore； the Sage knows himself；
But makes no show of himself；
Loves himself；
But does not exalt himself。
He prefers what is within to what is without。
73
HE who is brave in daring will be killed；
He who is brave in not daring will survive。
Of these two kinds of bravery； one is beneficial； while the other proves harmful。
Some things are detested by Heaven；
But who knows the reason？
Even the Sage is baffled by such a question。
It is Heaven's Way to conquer without striving；
To get responses without speaking；
To induce the people to come without summoning；
To act according to plans without haste。
Vast is Heaven's net；
Sparse…meshed it is； and yet
Nothing can slip through it。
74
WHEN the people are no longer afraid of death；
Why scare them with the spectre of death？
If you could make the people always afraid of death；
And they still persisted in breaking the law；
Then you might with reason arrest and execute them；
And who would dare to break the law？
Is not the Great Executor always there to kill？
To do the killing for the Great Executor
Is to chop wood for a master carpenter；
And you would be lucky indeed if you did not hurt your own hand！
75
WHY are the people starving？
Because those above them are taxing them too heavily。
That is why they are starving。
Why are the people hard to manage？
Because those above them are fussy and have private ends to serve。
That is why they are hard to manage。
Why do the people make light of death？
Because those above them make too much of life。
That is why they make light of death。
The people have simply nothing to live upon！
They know better than to value such a life！
76
WHEN a man is living； he is soft and supple。
When he is dead； he becomes hard and rigid。
When a plant is living； it is soft and tender。
When it is dead； it becomes withered and dry。
Hence； the hard and rigid belongs to the company of the dead：
The soft and supple belongs to the company of the living。
Therefore； a mighty army tends to fall by its own weight；
Just as dry wood is ready for the axe。
The mighty and great will be laid low；
The humbie and weak will be exalted。
77
PERHAPS the Way of Heaven may be likened to the
stretching of a composite bow！ The upper part is
depressed； while the lower is raised。 If the bow…string is
too long； it is cut short： if too short； it is added to。
The Way of Heaven diminishes the more…than…
enough to supply the less…than…enough。 The way of
man is different： it takes from the less…than…enough to
swell the more…than…enough。 Who except a man of
the Tao can put his superabundant riches to the
service of the world？
Therefore； the Sage does his work without setting
any store by it； accomplishes his task without dwelling
upon it。 He does not want his merits to be seen。
78
NOTHING in the world is softer and weaker than water；
But； for attacking the hard and strong； there is nothing like it！
For nothing can take its place。
That the weak overcomes the strong； and the soft overcomes the hard；
This is something known by all； but practised by none。
Therefore； the Sage says：
To receive the dirt of a country is to be the lord of its soil…shrines。
To bear the calamities of a country is to be the prince of the world。
Indeed； Truth sounds like its opposite！
79
WHEN a great wound is healed；
There will still remain a scar。
Can this be a desirable state of affairs？
Therefore； the Sage； holding the left…hand tally；
Performs his part of the covenant；
But lays no claims upon others。
The virtuous attends to his duties；
The virtueless knows only to levy duties upon the people。 The Way of Heaven has no private affections；
But always accords with the good。
80
AH； for a small country with a small population！
Though there are highly efficient mechanical
contrivances； the people have no use for them。 Let them
mind death and refrain from migrating to distant places。
Boats and carriages； weapons and armour there may still
be； but there are no occasions for using or displaying
them。 Let the people revert to communication by
knotting cords。 See to it that they are contented with
their food； pleased with their clothing； satisfied with
their houses； and inured to their simple ways of living。
Though there may be another country in the
neighbourhood so close that they are within sight of
each other and the crowing of cocks and barking of dogs
in one place can be heard in the other； yet there is no
traffic between them； and throughout their lives the two
peoples have nothing to do with each other。
81
SINCERE words are not sweet；
Sweet words are not sincere。
Good men are not argumentative；
The argumentative are not good。
The wise are not erudite；
The erudite are not wise。
The Sage does not take to hoarding。
The more he lives for others； the fuller is his life。
The more he gives； the more he abounds。
The Way of Heaven is to benefit； not to harm。
The Way of the Sage is to do his duty； not to strive with anyone。
English_Yutang_TTK
Das Tao Te King von Lao Tse
Chinese （Wang Bi） … English by
Lin Yutang； 1955
1
The Tao that can be told of
Is not the Absolute Tao；
The Names that can be given
Are not Absolute Names。
The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth；
The Named is the Mother of All Things。
Ther