双语学堂丨《道德经》重点例句英译精编（二）

《道德经》是中国历史上最重要的经典著作之一，文本以哲学意义之“道德”为纲宗，内容涵盖哲学、伦理学、政治学、军事学等诸多学科，是中国第一部完整的哲学著作。在世界各国经典名著中，《道德经》是被翻译成最多种语言、发行量最大的传世经典。2019年11月，中国外文局所属外文出版社出版中英双语诵读版《道德经》，我们从书中选取了一批中英文重点例句，今天和大家分享第二批。

1.道生一，一生二，二生三，三生万物。万物负阴而抱阳，冲气以为和。人之所恶，唯孤、寡、不榖（gǔ），而王公以为称。【白话文】道显现为一的混沌状态，一显现为有和无，有和无相生相融而显现为新的事物“三”，“三”形成天下万物。万物都是背负阴气而拥抱阳气，阴阳之气摇荡而调和。人们所厌恶的孤、寡、不穀这些不吉利的词语，但王侯们却以这些来称呼自己。

【英译】The Way gave birth to One. One gave birth to Two. Two gave birth to Three. Three gave birth to All Things. All Things bear yin on their backs and yang in their arms. This blending of the two principles ensures the harmony of All Things. What people loath is to be orphaned, lonely and needy. And yet kings and princes refer to themselves thus.

2.其政闷闷，其民淳淳；其政察察，其民缺缺。祸兮，福之所倚；福兮，祸之所伏。【白话文】政治越是浑然宽厚，百姓就越是纯真淳朴；政治越是烦碎，百姓就越是狡诈。祸啊，福就依倚在其中；福啊，祸就潜伏在其中。

【英译】When the government is muffled the people are free and easy. When the government is intrusive, the people are more cunning. Disaster is the bedrock of good fortune. In good fortune disaster lurks. 

3.治大国若烹小鲜。以道莅天下，其鬼不神；非其鬼不神，其神不伤人；非其神不伤人，圣人亦不伤人。夫两不相伤，故德交归焉。【白话文】治理大国就像烹煮小鱼一样，不能作过多扰动。以“道”治理天下，那些鬼怪就起不了作用了；并不是鬼怪起不了作用，而是由于其神灵不伤害人。神灵不伤害人，圣人也不伤害人。神与圣两者都不伤害人，所以就可以让人民享受到德的恩泽。

【英译】Ruling a large state is like cooking small fish. If the state is ruled in accordance with the Way the evil spirits within it will be bereft of power. It is not that their power will be taken away, but that they will not be able to harm others. Not only will they be unable to harm others, the sage too will be unable to harm others. When both cause no harm to others, their influences converge to bolster the power of the Way among the people.

4.其安易持，其未兆易谋。其脆易泮，其微易散。为之于未有，治之于未乱。合抱之木，生于毫末；九层之台，起于累土；千里之行，始于足下。【白话文】安定的东西容易守持，还没有征兆的事情容易谋划。脆弱的东西容易分裂，细微的东西容易松散。要在事情还没有形成之前开始处理，在还没有混乱之前就进行治理。合抱粗的大树，是从很小的树苗开始生长的；高大的楼台，是由一层层的土累积而成的；到千里之外的远行，是从脚下一步步地开始的。【英译】What is still is easy to hold. That for which there is no portent is easy to subject to planning. What is brittle is easily broken. What is minute is easy to scatter. Deal with things before they are properly formed. Put them in order before disorder sets in. A sturdy tree is born from a tiny shoot. A nine-story terrace starts on an earth mound. A journey, no matter how lengthy, starts with the first step.

5.上德若谷，大白若辱，广德若不足，建言若偷，质真若渝。大方无隅，大器晚成，大音希声，大象无形，道隐无名。夫唯道，善贷且成。【白话文】最高的德好像空谷一样，最洁白的好像有污垢一样，最广大的德似乎有所不足一样，刚健之言似乎懈怠一样，质朴的真好像在不断变化一样。最方正的好像没有边角，最大的器物总是最后完成，最大的音是听不见的，最大的物象是看不到形状的，道是幽隐而没有名称的。只有道，善于施与万物，并且成就万物。 
【英译】The supreme power looks like a void. The perfectly white looks marred; the all-encompassing seems inadequate. The firmest statement seems flimsy. The purest truth seems always changing. The perfect square has no corners. The best instrument is the last to be completed. The greatest music has faint notes. The perfect image has no form. The Way is hidden and nameless. But only the Way can nourish things and bring them to fruition.

6.天下之至柔，驰骋天下之至坚，无有入无间。吾是以知无为之有益。不言之教，无为之益，天下希及之。

【白话文】天下最柔软的东西，能够任意驾驭天下最坚硬的东西，无形的东西可以穿透于没有间隙的东西。我因此而知道无为的有用之处。不言的教化，无为的益处，天下很少能够做到的。
【英译】The softest thing Under Heaven can overcome the hardest. That which has no form can enter where there is no space. This is how I know the benefit of taking no purposeful action. Few in the world attain the benefit of teaching without speaking and doing without acting.

7.大成若缺，其用不弊。大盈若冲，其用不穷。大直若屈，大巧若拙，大辩若讷。躁胜寒，静胜热，清静为天下正。

【白话文】最完美的东西好像有缺陷一样，但它的作用却是不衰竭的。最丰盈的东西好像空虚的一样，但其作用却是不穷尽的。最正直的似乎弯曲一样，最灵巧的似乎笨拙一样，最善于言辩的似乎说话迟钝。疾动可以抵御严寒，安静可以战胜躁热，清静乃是天下的正则。  

【英译】What is perfect may seem flawed, yet its use continues unimpaired. What is the fullest may seem empty, yet there is no limit to its utility. What is the most straight seems crooked. Great skill seems like clumsiness. Supreme eloquence seems like mumbling. Brisk movement staves off cold. Stillness staves off heat. Limpid calm puts right All Under Heaven. 

8.道之尊，德之贵，夫莫之命而常自然。故道生之，德畜之；长之育之；亭之毒之；养之覆之。生而不有，为而不恃，长而不宰，是谓玄德。

【白话文】道与德的尊贵，在于它没有干涉万物而是顺其自然之性。所以万物之成，乃是由道生之，由德养之，使之生长养育，使之成熟，爱而护之。生长万物而不占有，对万物有恩德而不以为恩，养育万物而为之主宰，顺其自然之性，这便是深远幽微的道德。

【英译】This honor and esteem arise not from any command but from constant adherence to the operations of Nature. Therefore, the Way gives them birth, and the power of the Way rears, fosters and nurtures them. This power raises and ripens them, harbors and protects them. It gives them birth but does not possess them, brings them about but does not rely on them, leads them but does not dominate them. This is called Esoteric Power.

9.知者不言，言者不知。塞其兑，闭其门，挫其锐，解其纷，和其光，同其尘，是谓玄同。【白话文】睿智的人不多说话，多说话的人不睿智。塞住欲望的通道，关闭欲望的门径，摧折其刚锐之气，消解其强盛之貌，使其光芒柔和，混同于卑下尘世。这便是玄妙和同的境界。
【英译】Those who are wise do not speak. Those who speak are not wise. Block the passages and doors. Blunt all sharp things. Unwind all tangles. Dim the glare. Unite with the humble. This is called the Profound Levelling. 

10.夫礼者，忠信之薄而乱之首。前识者，道之华而愚之始。是以大丈夫处其厚，不居其薄；处其实，不居其华。故去彼取此。【白话文】礼是忠信不足之后的产物，是祸乱的开端。所谓有先见者的制作礼义，实是道的虚华与愚昧的开始。所以大丈夫当处身于淳厚，不处于浇薄；处身于朴实，不处于虚华。所以舍弃浇薄与虚华而追求淳厚与朴实。
【英译】Now, the man who takes his stand upon ritual is deficient in loyalty and integrity. This is the beginning of disorder. Foretelling the future is a false manifestation of the true power bestowed by the Way, and is the beginning of foolishness. This is why the truly great man cleaves to the profound, and eschews the superficial. He cleaves to the solid core, and eschews the outer shell. He leaves that, and takes this. 

11.知不知，上；不知知，病。夫唯病病，是以不病。圣人不病，以其病病，是以不病。

【白话文】知道自己还有很多不知道的东西，这是最好的；自己不知道很多，却自以为什么都知道，这是缺点。正因为把自己的缺点当作缺点，所以才能没有缺点。有道的圣人之所以没有缺点，是由于他把自己的缺点当作缺点，因而能够没有缺点。

【英译】To know that one does not know is the supreme attainment. To think that one knows when one does not is a shortcoming. He has no shortcomings because he recognizes them clearly for what they are. It is precisely because of this, that the sage is free from shortcomings.

12.天之道，不争而善胜，不言而善应，不召而自来，繟（chǎn）然而善谋。天网恢恢，疏而不失。【白话文】自然之道，无为不争却能取得胜利，不说话而善于回应，不召唤而自动到来，坦然而善于谋划。自然的大网恢宏广大，笼罩天下，虽然稀疏，却不会漏失一切。
【英译】The Way of Heaven enables conquest without striving. It does not speak, but it elicits answers. It does not summon, but all things come to it of their own accord. It seems to be inert, but its plans are well laid. The net of Heaven is vast. Its meshes are wide, but it lets nothing slip through.

13.民不畏死，奈何以死惧之！若使民常畏死，而为奇者，吾得执而杀之，孰敢?【白话文】百姓并不畏惧死亡，为什么要用死亡来恐吓他们呢！如果让老百姓畏惧死亡，那么，对于那些为非作歹的人，我就可以抓住他们来杀掉，这样的话，谁还敢为非作歹呢?
【英译】If the people do not fear death, what is the use of threatening them with the death penalty? If the people were made to fear death, and those who do evil were to be caught and executed, who would then dare to offend?

14.人之生也柔弱，其死也坚强。万物草木之生也柔脆，其死也枯槁。故坚强者死之徒，柔弱者生之徒。是以兵强则不胜，木强则兵。强大处下，柔弱处上。【白话文】人活着的时候身体是柔软的，死了以后身体是僵硬的。天下万物之中，草木生长的时候是柔脆的，死了以后便干枯了。所以，过于强硬属于死的一类，柔弱的属于生的一类。由此可见，用兵而逞强不会取得胜利，树木过于高大就会遭到砍伐。强大的反而处于下位，柔弱的总是处于上位。
【英译】While living, the body is soft and pliable. After death it becomes hard and stiff. Vegetation, while living, is soft and brittle. After death it is withered and desiccated. Truly, the hard and stiff accompany death, the soft and weak accompany life. The mightier an army, the greater its fall; the more robust the tree, the more it attracts the feller’s axe. Truly, the hard and stiff are cast down, while the soft and weak are exalted.

15.天下莫柔弱于水，而攻坚强者莫之能胜，以其无以易之。弱之胜强，柔之胜刚，天下莫不知，莫能行。是以圣人云：“受国之垢，是谓社稷主；受国不祥，是为天下王。”正言若反。【白话文】天下万物没有比水更柔弱的，但冲击坚强的东西却没有能够胜过它的，因为没有什么可以替代它。弱能胜强，柔能胜刚，天下人没有不知道的，但却没有人能够愿意真正地实行。所以圣人说：“能够承受国家的屈辱，这样的人才能是国家的君主；能够承受全国的灾祸，这样的人才方可为天下之王。”这种合于道的正直之言说出来好像相反的一样。
【英译】There is nothing in the world softer and weaker than water. But nothing can surpass it for tackling the hard and strong. In this, nothing can replace it. The weak overcomes the strong. The soft overcomes the hard. Everyone in the world knows this, but no one can put it into practice. Therefore, the sage says, “He who shoulders the travails of his country is called the master of the state. He who shoulders his country's fate can be the ruler of All Under Heaven.” True words can seem paradoxical.

16.和大怨，必有余怨；(报怨以德，）安可以为善？是以圣人执右契，而不以责于人。有德司契，无德司彻。天道无亲，常与善人。【白话文】调解了深重的怨恨，心中必然还有剩余的怨恨；如果一味地以恩德来报答怨恨，这怎么能是一个好的办法呢？所以圣人之为人，就像自己虽然执有右契却不向人索取债务那样。有德者就像圣人之执契那样不责于人，无德者则向人征收赋税。自然之道没有偏爱，总是常常与善人交好。
【英译】When a reconciliation is effected after a period of great animosity, some grudge is sure to remain. How can responding to ill will with kindness restore good will? That is why the sage keeps hold of the right-hand side of the tally and makes no demands for payment. A man of virtue keeps the receipt, a petty man demands payment. The Way of Heaven takes no side, but is always with the virtuous.

17.信言不美，美言不信。善者不辩，辩者不善。知者不博，博者不知。圣人不积，既以为人，己愈有；既以与人，己愈多。天之道，利而不害；人之道，为而不争。【白话文】真实的言辞不华美，而华美的言词未必真实可信。善人不与别人辩论，长于辩论的人不一定是善人。真正明于事理的人不一定知识广博，而知识广博的人未必明于事理。圣人没有什么私藏，他把一切都给予别人，自己反而更加富有，把一切奉献给他人，自己拥有的反而更多了。天之道，有利而无害；圣人君王之道，应该是有所施为而不与人争。 
【英译】Sincere words are not fine. Fine words are not sincere. A good man has no cause to justify himself. He who is eager to justify himself is not a good man. The truly wise is not necessarily the most learned; the learned are not bound to be wise. The sage does not accumulate for himself. By acting on behalf of the people, more than enough accrues to him. The more he gives to the people, the more he gains for himself. The Way of Heaven is to bring benefit without causing any harm. The Way of the sage is to act without causing any strife.

- END -

供稿：外文出版社

英文编辑：栗盼盼

编辑：袁帆

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