Lao-TzuЛао-цзы

Therefore the good man is the bad man's instructor, while the bad man is the good man's capital. He who does not esteem his instructor, and he who does not love his capital, although he may be prudent, is greatly disconcerted.

故善人者，不善人之師；

不善人者，善人之資。

不貴其師，不愛其資，雖智大迷，

Therefore the man of skill is a master (to be looked up to) by him who has not the skill; and he who has not the skill is the helper of (the reputation of) him who has the skill. If the one did not honour his master, and the other did not rejoice in his helper, an (observer), though intelligent, might greatly err about them.

For the good men are the instructors of other good men ; and the bad men are the material for the good men to work upon.

Хороший человек есть учитель дурного, дурной человек есть материал хорошего человека. Тот, кто не уважает своего учителя и не любит того материала, над которым работает, хотя бы и был очень умен, ошибается.

Dr. Paul Carus, «Lao-Tze’s-Teh-King» Chinese-English, The Open Court Publish C°, Chicago, 1898; …

In governing the people and in attending to heaven there is nothing like moderation. As to moderation, it is said that it must be an early habit. If it is an early habit, it will be richly accumulated virtue. If one has richly accumulated virtue, then there is nothing that cannot be overcome.

治人事天，莫若嗇。

夫唯嗇，是謂早服；

早服謂之重積德；

重積德則無不克，

59. 1. For regulating the human (in our constitution) and rendering the (proper) service to the heavenly, there is nothing like moderation.

Для достижения святости нет ничего важнее воздержания. Воздержание же должно быть раннею привычкой. Если оно ранняя привычка, то оно приобретает много добродетелей. Для того, кто приобрел много добродетелей, нет ничего, чего бы он не мог превозмочь.

The holy man possesses not a fixed heart. The hundred families' hearts he makes his heart.

The good I meet with goodness ; the bad I also meet with goodness; for virtue is good [throughout].

聖人無常心，以百姓心為心。

善者，吾善之；不善者，吾亦善之，

The sage has no invariable mind of his own; he makes the mind of the people his mind.

To those who are good (to me), I am good; and to those who are not good (to me), I am also good;--and thus (all) get to be good.

Le Saint n'a point de sentiments immuables. Il adopte les sentiments du peuple …

… le traite comme un homme vertueux; celui qui n'est pas vertueux, il le traite aussi comme un homme vertueux.

Heaven endures and earth is lasting. And why can heaven and earth endure and be lasting? Because they do not live for themselves. On that account can they endure.

He surrenders his person and his person is preserved. Is it not because he seeks not his own? For that reason he can accomplish his own.

天長地久。天地所以能長且久者，以其不自生，

故能長生。是以聖人後其身而身先；外其身而身存。非以其無私邪，故能成其私。

7. 1. Heaven is long-enduring and earth continues long. The reason why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is because they do not live of, or for, themselves.

… he treats his person as if it were foreign to him, and yet that person is preserved. Is it not because he has no personal and private ends, that therefore such ends are realised?

Небо и земля вечны. Причина того, что небо и земля вечны, заключается в том, что они существуют не для себя.

Поэтому святой муж отрешается от себя и этим спасается. Это происходит оттого, что он не ищет ничего для себя. Поэтому-то он и совершает всё, что ему нужно.

Superior virtue is un-virtue. Therefore it has virtue. Inferior virtue never loses sight of virtue. Therefore it has no virtue.

The superior propriety acts and when no one responds to it, it stretches its arm and enforces its rules.

The rules of propriety are the semblance of loyalty and faith, and the beginning of disorder.

上德不德，是以有德；下德不失德，是以無德。

故失道而後德，失德而後仁，失仁而後義，失義而後禮。夫禮者，忠信之薄，而亂之首。

(Those who) possessed in highest degree the attributes (of the Tao) did not (seek) to show them, and therefore they possessed them (in fullest measure).

Люди высшей добродетели не считают себя добродетельными, поэтому они добродетельны.

If I have ever so little knowledge, I shall walk in the great Reason. It is but assertion that I must fear.

My words are very easy to understand and very easy to practise, but in the world no one can understand, no one can practise them.

To know the unknowable that is elevating. Not to know the knowable that is sickness.

使我介然有知，行於大道，唯施是畏。

吾言甚易知，甚易行。天下莫能知，莫能行。

知不知上，不知知病。

If I were suddenly to become known, and (put into a position to) conduct (a government) according to the Great Tao, what I should be most afraid of would be a boastful display.

Как бы я ни был мало образован, я могу идти по пути разума. Одно, чего мне нужно бояться, это самомнения.

Even beautiful arms are unblest among tools, and people had better shun them. Therefore he who has Reason does not rely on them.

Peace and quietude he holds high. He conquers but rejoices not.

夫佳兵者，不祥之器，物或惡之，故有道者不處。

Now arms, however beautiful, are instruments of evil omen, hateful, it may be said, to all creatures.

Si on lui oppose une digue , elle s'arrête ; si on lui ouvre un passage, elle coule. Elle se prête à remplir un vase circulaire ou un vase carré, etc. Voilà pourquoi l'on dit qu'elle ne lutte point.

Si vous lui opposez un obstacle, elle s'arrête; si vous lui ouvrez un passage, elle se dirige où vous voulez.

上善若水。水善利萬物而不爭，處眾人之所惡，

天下莫柔弱於水，而攻堅強者，莫之能勝，其無以易之。

The highest excellence is like (that of) water.

There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water, and yet for attacking things that are firm and strong there is nothing that can take precedence of it …

… надо быть как вода. Нет препятствий — она течет; плотина — она остановится; прорвется плотина — она снова потечет; в четырехугольном сосуде она четырехугольна; в круглом она кругла.

THE REASON that can be reasoned is not the eternal Reason. The name that can be named is not the eternal name.

道可道，非常道，名可名，非常名；

The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao.

Разум, который можно уразуметь, не есть вечный разум. Имя, которое можно назвать, не есть вечное имя.

There is Being that is all-containing, which precedes the existence of heaven and earth. How calm it is ! How incorporeal !

I know not its name. Its character is defined as Reason.

The Distant I call the Returning.

有物混成，先天地生。

寂兮寥兮，獨立而不改，

吾不知其名，

There was something undefined and complete, coming into existence before Heaven and Earth.

Есть существо, содержащее в себе всё, и которое предшествует существованию неба и земли; оно спокойно; оно бестелесно; оно одно не изменяется; свойства его называют разумом.

True words are not pleasant ; pleasant words are not true. The good are not contentious ; …

The wise are not learned ; the learned are not wise.

信言不美，

善者不辯，辯者不善。

Sincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere.

Истинные слова не бывают приятны. Приятные слова не бывают истинны.

When a superior scholar hears of Reason he endeavors to practise it.

When an average scholar hears of Reason he will sometimes keep it and sometimes lose it.

When an inferior scholar hears of Reason he will greatly ridicule it.

Were it not thus ridiculed, it would as Reason be insufficient.

上士聞道，勤而行之；

中士聞道，若存若亡；下士聞道，大笑之。不笑不足以為道。

Scholars of the highest class, when they hear about the Tao, earnestly carry it into practice.

Scholars of the middle class, when they have heard about it, seem now to keep it and now to lose it.

Scholars of the lowest class, when they have heard about it, laugh greatly at it. If it were not (thus) laughed at, it would not be fit to be the Tao.

Когда высший ученый услышит о разуме, он будет пытаться осуществить его.

Если бы над разумом не глумились, разум не был бы разумом.

Therefore the holy man attends to the inner and not to the outer.

He abandons the latter and chooses the former.

是以聖人為腹不為目，故去彼取此。

Therefore the sage seeks to satisfy (the craving of) the belly, and not the (insatiable longing of the) eyes.

He puts from him the latter, and prefers to seek the former.

Святой муж заботится о внутреннем, а не о внешнем; он пренебрегает внешним, а избирает внутреннее.

That rivers and oceans can of the hundred valleys be kings is due to their excelling in lowliness.

Therefore the holy man, when anxious to be above the people, must in his words keep underneath them. When anxious to lead the people, he must with his person keep behind them.

Therefore the holy man dwells above, but the people are not burdened. He is ahead, but the people suffer no harm.

Therefore the world rejoices in exalting him without tiring. Because he strives not, no one in the world will strive with him.

以其善下之

是以欲上民，必以言下之。欲先民，必以身後之。

是以聖人處上而民不重，處前而民不害。

是以天下樂推而不厭，以其不爭，故天下莫能與之爭。

That whereby the rivers and seas are able to receive the homage and tribute of all the valley streams, is their skill in being lower than they;--it is thus that they are the kings of them all.

So it is that the sage (ruler), wishing to be above men, puts himself by his words below them, and, wishing to be before them, places his person behind them.

In this way though he has his place above them, men do not feel his weight, nor though he has his place before them, do they feel it an injury to them.

Therefore all in the world delight to exalt him and do not weary of him. Because he does not strive, no one finds it possible to strive with him.

То, что реки и моря властвуют над всеми долинами, по которым текут, происходит оттого, что они ниже их.

Поэтому святой человек, если он хочет быть выше народа, он должен в своих речах быть ниже его. Если он хочет руководить им, то он должен быть позади него.

Поэтому святой человек живет выше народа, но народ не чувствует этого. Он находится впереди народа, но народ не страдает от этого.

Поэтому мир, не переставая, восхваляет его. Так как он не спорит ни с кем, никто в мире не спорит с ним.

Requite hatred with goodness.

Contemplate a difficulty when it is easy. Manage a great thing when it is small.

The world's most difficult undertakings necessarily originate while easy, and the world's greatest undertakings necessarily originate while small.

大小多少，報怨以德。

圖難於其易，為大於其細；天下難事必作於易，天下大事必作於細。

… and to recompense injury with kindness.

(The master of it) anticipates things that are difficult while they are easy, and does things that would become great while they are small.

All difficult things in the world are sure to arise from a previous state in which they were easy, and all great things from one in which they were small.

Отвечайте добротою на ненависть. Рассматривайте трудность, когда она еще легка. Обращайтесь с большою вещью, когда она еще мала.

One who knows others is clever, but one who knows himself is enlightened.

One who conquers others is powerful, but one who conquers himself is mighty.

One who may die but will not perish, has life everlasting.

知人者智，自知者明。

勝人者有力，自勝者強。

死而不亡者壽。

He who knows other men is discerning; he who knows himself is intelligent.

He who overcomes others is strong; he who overcomes himself is mighty.

… he who dies and yet does not perish, has longevity.

Знающий других людей умен, знающий самого себя просвещен. Побеждающий других силен, побеждающий самого себя могуществен.

Тот же, кто, умирая, знает, что он не уничтожается, вечен.

When the world takes its beginning. Reason becomes the world's mother.

When he who knows his mother, knows in turn that he is her child, …

… to the end of life, he is not in danger.

When he closes his mouth, and shuts his sense-gates, in the end of life, he will encounter no trouble ; …

天下有始，以為天下母。

既得其母，以知其子，既知其子，復守其母，沒身不殆。

塞其兌，閉其門，

When one knows that he is his mother's child, and proceeds to guard (the qualities of) the mother that belong to him, to the end of his life he will be free from all peril.

Let him keep his mouth closed, and shut up the portals (of his nostrils), and all his life he will be exempt from laborious exertion.

Тот, кто знает свою мать, знает, что он ее дитя, и, зная это, он находится вне всякой опасности.

Когда он закроет уста и затворит врата своих чувств в конце жизни, он не испытает никакого беспокойства.

Holding and keeping full, had that not better be left alone? Handling and keeping sharp, can that wear long?

持而盈之，不如其已；

揣而梲之，不可長保。

It is better to leave a vessel unfilled, than to attempt to carry it when it is full.

If you keep feeling a point that has been sharpened, the point cannot long preserve its sharpness.

… un vase que de vouloir le maintenir (lorsqu'il est plein).

… une lame , bien qu'on l'explore avec la main, on ne pourra la conserver constamment (tranchante).

Чтобы не пролить полный сосуд, нужно внимательно держать его прямо. Чтобы лезвие было остро, нужно постоянно точить его.

He who excels in employing men is lowly.

This is called the virtue of not-striving. This is called utilising men's ability. This is called complying with heaven — since olden times the highest.

善用人者為之下，是謂不爭之德，是謂用人之力，

是謂配天古之極。

He whose hests men most fulfil Yet humbly plies his art.

Thus we say, 'He ne'er contends, And therein is his might.'

Искусный военный не воинственен. Искусный боец не бывает сердит. Тот, кто искусен в пользовании людьми, бывает смирен. Это называется добродетелью непротивления. Это называется согласованием с Небом.

Without passing out of the gate The world's course I prognosticate. Without peeping through the window The heavenly Reason I contemplate.

The further one goes, The less one knows.

Therefore the holy man does not travel, and yet he has knowledge.

He does not see the things, and yet he defines them. He does not labor, and yet he completes.

不出戶，知天下；不闚牖，見天道。

其出彌遠，其知彌少。

是以聖人不行而知，不見而名，

不為而成。

Without going outside his door, one understands (all that takes place) under the sky; without looking out from his window, one sees the Tao of Heaven.

The farther that one goes out (from himself), the less he knows.

Therefore the sages got their knowledge without travelling; gave their (right) names to things without seeing them; and accomplished their ends without any purpose of doing so.

Не выходя из ворот и не глядя в окно, мудрец знает, что будет, созерцая небесный разум.

Поэтому святой человек, не путешествуя, имеет знание, не видя вещей, определяет их и, не работая, совершает великое.

The holy man possesses not a fixed heart. The hundred families' hearts he makes his heart.

The good I meet with goodness ; the bad I also meet with goodness; for virtue is good [throughout].

The faithful I meet with faith; the faithless I also meet with faith ; for virtue is faithful [throughout].

The holy man dwells in the world anxious, very anxious in his dealings with the world. He universalises his heart, and the hundred families fix upon hirn their ears and eyes.

聖人無常心，以百姓心為心。

善者，吾善之；不善者，吾亦善之，

信者，吾信之；不信者，吾亦信之，德信。聖人在天下歙歙，為天下渾其心，

百姓皆注其耳目, …

The sage has no invariable mind of his own; he makes the mind of the people his mind.

To those who are sincere (with me), I am sincere; and to those who are not sincere (with me), I am also sincere;--and thus (all) get to be sincere.

The people all keep their eyes and ears directed to him, and he deals with them all as his children.

Святой человек не имеет своих чувств. Чувства народа становятся его чувствами. Доброе он встречает с добротой, с добротой же встречает и злое. Верных он встречает с верою, с такою же верою встречает и неверных.

Святой человек, живя в мире, озабочен своими отношениями к людям. Он чувствует за всех людей, и все люди обращают к нему свои уши и глаза.

Where great sages are [in power], the subjects do not notice their existence.

Where there are lesser sages, the people are attached to them ; they praise them.

Where still lesser ones are, the people fear them ; and where still lesser ones are, the people despise them.

太上，下知有之，

其次，親而譽之，

其次，畏之，

其次，侮之。

In the highest antiquity, (the people) did not know that there were (their rulers). In the next age they loved them and praised them. In the next they feared them; in the next they despised them.

Там, где великие мудрецы имеют власть, подданные не замечают их существования. Там, где властвуют мудрецы, народ бывает привязан к ним и хвалит их. Там, где властвуют меньшие мудрецы, народ боится их, а там, где еще меньшие, народ презирает их.

企者不立，

跨者不行，自見者不明，自是者不彰，自伐者無功，自矜者不長。其在道也，曰餘食贅行。

物或惡之，故有道者不處。

He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm; he who stretches his legs does not walk (easily). (So), he who displays himself does not shine; he who asserts his own views is not distinguished; he who vaunts himself does not find his merit acknowledged; he who is self-conceited has no superiority allowed to him.

Such conditions, viewed from the standpoint of the Tao, are like remnants of food, or a tumour on the body, which all dislike.

人之生也柔弱，其死也堅強。

萬物草木之生也柔脆，其死也枯槁。

故堅強者死之徒，柔弱者生之徒。

強大處下，

柔弱處上。

Man at his birth is supple and weak; at his death, firm and strong. (So it is with) all things. Trees and plants, in their early growth, are soft and brittle; at their death, dry and withered.

Thus it is that firmness and strength are the concomitants of death; softness and weakness, the concomitants of life.

Therefore the place of what is firm and strong is below, and that of what is soft and weak is above.

為學日益，

為道日損。

損之又損，以至於無為。無為而無不為。

He who devotes himself to learning (seeks) from day to day to increase (his knowledge); he who devotes himself to the Tao (seeks) from day to day to diminish (his doing).

He diminishes it and again diminishes it, till he arrives at doing nothing (on purpose). Having arrived at this point of non-action, there is nothing which he does not do.

其安易持，其未兆易謀。

其脆易泮，其微易散。

為之於未有，

治之於未亂。

合抱之木，生於毫末；九層之臺，起於累土；千里之行，始於足下。

That which is at rest is easily kept hold of; before a thing has given indications of its presence, it is easy to take measures against it; that which is brittle is easily broken; that which is very small is easily dispersed. Action should be taken before a thing has made its appearance; order should be secured before disorder has begun.

The tree which fills the arms grew from the tiniest sprout; the tower of nine storeys rose from a (small) heap of earth; the journey of a thousand li commenced with a single step.

天下莫柔弱於水，而攻堅強者，莫之能勝，其無以易之。

弱之勝強，柔之勝剛，天下莫不知莫能行。

There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water, and yet for attacking things that are firm and strong there is nothing that can take precedence of it; …

Every one in the world knows that the soft overcomes the hard, and the weak the strong, but no one is able to carry it out in practice.

天下之至柔，馳騁天下之至堅。

無有入無間，吾是以知無為之有益。

不言之教，無為之益，天下希及之。

The softest thing in the world dashes against and overcomes the hardest; …

There are few in the world who attain to the teaching without words, and the advantage arising from non-action.

Now they bloom in bloom, but each one homeward returneth to its root.

Returning to the root means rest. It signifies the return according to destiny. Return according to destiny means the eternal.

Thus the decay of the body implies no danger.

夫物芸芸，各復歸其根。歸根曰靜，是謂復命。復命曰常，

道乃久，

沒身不殆。

When things (in the vegetable world) have displayed their luxuriant growth, we see each of them return to its root. This returning to their root is what we call the state of stillness; and that stillness may be called a reporting that they have fulfilled their appointed end.

The report of that fulfilment is the regular, unchanging rule.

Possessed of the Tao, he endures long; and to the end of his bodily life, is exempt from all danger of decay.

Всё в мире растет, цветет и возвращается к своему корню. Возвращение к своему корню означает успокоение, согласие с природой. Согласное с природой означает вечное; поэтому разрушение тела не заключает в себе никакой опасности.

Dr. Paul Carus, «Lao-Tze’s-Teh-King» Chinese-English, The Open Court Publish C°, Chicago, 1898; …

If your faith be insufficient, verily, you will receive no faith.

He whose faith is insufficient shall not find faith.

信不足焉，有不信焉。

Thus it was that when faith (in the Tao) was deficient (in the rulers) a want of faith in them ensued (in the people).

Тот, чья вера слаба, не может и в других возбудить веры.

The wise are not learned ; the learned are not wise.

知者不博，

博者不知。

Those who know (the Tao) are not extensively learned; the extensively learned do not know it.

Now they bloom in bloom, but each one homeward returneth to its root.

Returning to the root means rest. It signifies the return according to destiny. Return according to destiny means the eternal.

Thus the decay of the body implies no danger.

夫物芸芸，各復歸其根。歸根曰靜，是謂復命。復命曰常，

沒身不殆。

When things (in the vegetable world) have displayed their luxuriant growth, we see each of them return to its root. This returning to their root is what we call the state of stillness; and that stillness may be called a reporting that they have fulfilled their appointed end.

Possessed of the Tao, he endures long; and to the end of his bodily life, is exempt from all danger of decay.