第27章 · 原文
现代白话译文
善于行走的人不会留下痕迹，善于说话的人没有过失可以指责，善于计算的人不需要筹码，善于关闭的人不用栓锁却使人无法打开，善于打结的人不用绳索却使人无法解开。因此，圣人总是善于挽救人，所以没有被遗弃的人；总是善于挽救物，所以没有被遗弃的物。这就叫作承袭光明的智慧。所以善人是不善人的老师，不善人是善人的借鉴。不尊重他的老师，不爱惜他的借鉴对象，即使自以为聪明，也是极大的糊涂，这就叫作精深奥妙的道理。
英文译本 / English Translations
D.C. Lau
One who excels in travelling leaves no wheel tracks; One who excels in speech makes no slips; One who excels in reckoning uses no counting rods; One who excels in shutting uses no bolts yet what he has shut cannot be opened. One who excels in tying uses no cords yet what he has tied cannot be undone. Therefore the sage always excels in saving people, and so abandons no one; Always excels in saving things, and so abandons nothing. This is called following one's discernment. Hence the good man is the teacher the bad learns from; And the bad man is the material the good works on. Not to value the teacher Nor to love the material Though it seems clever, betrays great bewilderment. This is called the essential and the secret.
Robert Henricks
1. The good traveler leaves no track behind; 2. The good speaker [speaks] without blemish or flaw; 3. The good counter doesn't use tallies or chips; 4. The good closer of doors does so without bolt or lock, and yet the door cannot be opened; 5. The good tier of knots ties without rope or cord, yet his knots can't be undone. 6. Therefore the Sage is constantly good at saving men and never rejects anyone; 7. And with things, he never rejects useful goods. 8. This is called Doubly Bright. 9. Therefore the good man is the teacher of the good, 10. And the bad man is the raw material for the good. 11. To not value one's teacher and not cherish the raw goods — 12. Though one had great knowledge, he would still be greatly confused. 13. This is called the Essential of the Sublime.
Addiss & Lombardo
A good traveler leaves no tracks. A good speaker makes no slips. A good counter uses no counting rods. A good door uses no bolts, yet cannot be opened. A good knot uses no rope, yet cannot be untied. Therefore the sage is always good at saving people, and does not abandon anyone. Always good at saving things, and does not abandon anything. This is called following the light. Therefore the good person is the teacher of the not good. The not good is the resource of the good. If the teacher is not valued and the resource not cherished, however wise one is, one is greatly confused. This is called the essence of mystery.
Arthur Waley
Perfect activity leaves no track behind it; Perfect speech is like a jade-worker whose tool leaves no mark. The perfect reckoner needs no counting-slips; The perfect door has neither bolt nor bar, Yet cannot be opened. The perfect knot needs neither rope nor twine, Yet cannot be united. Therefore the Sage Is all the time in the most perfect way helping men, He certainly does not turn his back on men; Is all the time in the most perfect way helping creatures, He certainly does not turn his back on creatures. This is called resorting to the Light. Truly, "the perfect man is the teacher of the imperfect; But the imperfect is the stock-in-trade of the perfect man". He who does not respect his teacher, He who does not take care of his stock-in-trade, Much learning through he may possess, is far astray. This is the essential secret.
林语堂
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Stephen Mitchell
A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. A good artist lets his intuition lead him wherever it wants. A good scientist has freed himself of concepts and keeps his mind open to what is. Thus the Master is available to all people and doesn't reject anyone. He is ready to use all situations and doesn't waste anything. This is called embodying the light. What is a good man but a bad man's teacher? What is a bad man but a good man's job? If you don't understand this, you will get lost, however intelligent you are. It is the great secret.