道德经林语堂.docx

1、道德经林语堂【佛慧双语弘道馆】道德经汉英对照 （林语堂 译本）道德经老子 著林语堂 英译一章道，可道，非恒道。名，可名，非恒名。无名，天地之始；有名，万物之母。故常无欲，以观其妙；常有欲，以观其徼。此两者同出而异名，同谓之玄。玄之又玄，众妙之门。The Tao that can be told ofIs not the Absolute Tao;The Names that can be givenAre not Absolute Names.The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth;The Named is the Mother of Al

2、l Things.Therefore:Oftentimes, one strips oneself of passionIn order to see the Secret of Life;Oftentimes, one regards life with passion,In order to see its manifest forms.These two (the Secret and its manifestations)Are (in their nature) the same;They are given different namesWhen they become manif

3、est.They may both be called the Cosmic Mystery:Reaching from the Mystery into the Deeper MysteryIs the Gate to the Secret of All Life.-二章天下皆知美之为美，斯恶已；皆知善之为善，斯不善矣。有无相生，难易相成，长短相形，高下相盈，音声相和，前后相随，恒也。是以圣人处无为之事，行不言之教，万物作而弗始，生而弗有，为而弗恃，功成而弗居。夫唯弗居，是以不去。When the people of the Earth all know beauty as beauty,T

4、here arises (the recognition of) ugliness.When the people of the Earth all know the good as good,There arises (the recognition of) evil.Therefore:Being and non-being interdepend in growth;Difficult and easy interdepend in completion;Long and short interdepend in contrast;High and low interdepend in

5、position;Tones and voice interdepend in harmony;Front and behind interdepend in company.Therefore the Sage:Manages affairs without action;Preaches the doctrine without words;All things take their rise, but he does not turn away from them;He gives them life, but does not take possession of them;He ac

6、ts, but does not appropriate;Accomplishes, but claims no credit.It is because he lays claim to no creditThat the credit cannot be taken away from him.-三章不尚贤，使民不争；不贵难得之货，使民不为盗；不见可欲，使民心不乱。是以圣人之治，虚其心，实其腹；弱其志，强其骨。常使民无知无欲。使夫知不敢弗为而已，则无不治。Exalt not the wise,So that the people shall not scheme and contend;P

7、rize not rare objects,So that the people shall not steal;Shut out from site the things of desire,So that the peoples hearts shall not be disturbed.Therefore in the government of the Sage:He keeps empty their heartsMakes full their bellies,Discourages their ambitions,Strengthens their frames;So that

8、the people may be innocent of knowledge and desires.And the cunning ones shall not presume to interfere.By action without deedsMay all live in peace.-四章道冲，而用之或不盈。渊兮，似万物之宗。挫其锐，解其纷，和其光，同其尘。湛兮，似或存。吾不知谁之子，象帝之先。Tao is a hollow vessel,And its use is inexhaustible!Fathomless!Like the fountain head of all t

9、hings,Its sharp edges rounded off,Its tangles untied,Its light tempered,Its turmoil submerged,Yet dark like deep water it seems to remain.I do not know whose Son it it,An image of what existed before God.-五章天地不仁，以万物为刍狗；圣人不仁，以百姓为刍狗。天地之间，其犹橐龠乎？虚而不屈，动而愈出。多闻数穷，不如守中。Nature is unkind:It treats the creatio

10、n like sacrificial straw-dogs.The Sage is unkind:He treats the people like sacrificial straw-dogs.How the universe is like a bellows!Empty, yet it gives a supply that never fails;The more it is worked, the more it brings forth.By many words is wit exhausted.Rather, therefore, hold to the core.-六章谷神不

11、死，是谓玄牝。玄牝之门，是谓天地根。绵绵若存，用之不勤。The Spirit of the Valley never dies.It is called the Mystic Female.The Door of the Mystic FemaleIs the root of Heaven and Earth.Continuously, continuously,It seems to remain.Draw upon itAnd it serves you with ease.-七章天长地久。天地所以能长且久者，以其不自生，故能长生。是以圣人后其身而身先，外其身而身存。不以其无私邪？故能成其

12、私。The universe is everlasting.The reason the universe is everlastingIs that it does not life for Self.Therefore it can long endure.Therefore the Sage puts himself last,And finds himself in the foremost place;Regards his body as accidental,And his body is thereby preserved.Is it not because he does n

13、ot live for SelfThat his Self is realized?-八章上善若水。水善利万物而不争，居众人之所恶，故几于道。居善地，心善渊，与善仁，言善信，政善治，事善能，动善时。夫唯不争，故无尤。The best of men is like water;Water benefits all thingsAnd does not compete with them.It dwells in (the lowly) places that all disdain -Wherein it comes near to the Tao.In his dwelling, (the Sage) loves the (lowly) earth;In his heart, he loves what is profound;In his relations with others, he loves kindness;In his words, he loves sincerity;In government, he loves peace;In business affairs, he loves ability;In hi actions, he loves choosing the rig