第29章 · 原文
现代白话译文
想要治理天下却要用强制的办法，我看他是达不到目的的。天下是神圣的器物，是不可以有所作为的，是不可以强行控制的。有所作为就会失败，强行控制就会失去。所以万物有的前行，有的后随；有的呼气，有的吹气；有的强壮，有的瘦弱；有的安稳，有的坠落。因此，圣人要摒弃极端的、奢侈的、过度的措施。
英文译本 / English Translations
D.C. Lau
Whoever takes the empire and wishes to do anything to it I see will have no respite. The empire is a sacred vessel and nothing should be done to it. Whoever does anything to it will ruin it; whoever lays hold of it will lose it. Hence some things lead and some follow; Some breathe gently and some breathe hard; Some are strong and some are weak; Some destroy and some are destroyed. Therefore the sage avoids excess, extravagance, and arrogance.
Robert Henricks
1. For those who would like to take control of thw world and act on it — 2. I see that with this they simply will not succeed. 3. The world is a sacred vessel; 4. It is not something that can be acted upon. 5. Those who act on it destroy it; 6. Those who hold on to it lose it. 7. With things — some go forward, others follow; 8. Some are hot, others submissive and weak; 9. Some rise up while others fall down. 10. Therefore the Sage: 11. Rejects the extreme, the excessive, and the extravagant.
Addiss & Lombardo
Those who want to take the world and act on it, I see that they cannot succeed. The world is a sacred vessel, cannot be acted on. Those who act on it destroy it. Those who hold it lose it. Sometimes things go forward, sometimes follow. Sometimes breathe gently, sometimes blow hard. Sometimes are strong, sometimes are weak. Sometimes develop, sometimes collapse. Therefore the sage rejects excess, extravagance, arrogance.
Arthur Waley
Those that would gain what is under heaven by tampering with it - I have seen that they do not succeed. For that which is under heaven is like a holy vessel, dangerous to tamper with. Those that tamper with it, harm it. Those that grab at it, lose it. For among the creatures of the world some go in front, some follow; Some blow hot when others would be blowing cold. Some are feeling vigorous just when others are worn out. Therefore the Sage "discards the absolute, the all-inclusive, the extreme".
林语堂
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Stephen Mitchell
Do you want to improve the world? I don't think it can be done. The world is sacred. It can't be improved. If you tamper with it, you'll ruin it. If you treat it like an object, you'll lose it. There is a time for being ahead, a time for being behind; a time for being in motion, a time for being at rest; a time for being vigorous, a time for being exhausted; a time for being safe, a time for being in danger. The Master sees things as they are, without trying to control them. She lets them go their own way, and resides at the center of the circle.