第38章 · 原文
现代白话译文
具备上等德行的人不自以为有德，所以实际上有德；具备下等德行的人自以为不丧失德，所以实际上没有德。具备上等德行的人顺应自然而无心作为；具备下等德行的人顺应自然而有心作为。上等的仁者有所作为而无心作为；上等的义者有所作为而有心作为。上等的礼者有所作为而得不到回应，就挽起袖子强引别人。所以失去了道然后才有德，失去了德然后才有仁，失去了仁然后才有义，失去了义然后才有礼。礼是忠信不足的产物，是祸乱的开端。所谓的先知，是道的虚华，是愚昧的开始。因此大丈夫立身敦厚，不居于浅薄；存心朴实，不居于虚华。所以要舍弃浅薄虚华，采取敦厚朴实。
英文译本 / English Translations
D.C. Lau
A man of the highest virtue does not keep to virtue and that is why he has virtue. A man of the lowest virtue never strays from virtue and that is why he is without virtue. The former never acts yet leaves nothing undone. The latter acts but there are things left undone. A man of the highest benevolence acts, but from no ulterior motive. A man of the highest rectitude acts, but from ulterior motive. A man most conversant in the rites acts, but when no one responds rolls up his sleeves and resorts to persuasion by force. Hence when the way was lost there was virtue; When virtue was lost there was benevolence; When benevolence was lost there was rectitude; When rectitude was lost there were the rites. The rites are the wearing thin of loyalty and good faith And the beginning of disorder. Foreknowledge is the flowery embellishment of the way And the beginning of folly. Hence the man of large mind abides in the thick not in the thin, in the fruit not in the flower. Therefore he discards the one and takes the other.
Robert Henricks
1. The highest virtue is not virtuous; therefore it truly has virtue. 2. The lowest virtue never loses sight of its virtue; therefore it has no true virtue. 3. The highest virtue takes no action, yet it has no reason for acting this way; 4. The highest humanity takes action, yet it has no reason for acting this way; 5. The highest righteousness takes action, and it has its reason for acting this way; 6. The highest propriety takes action, and when no one responds to it, then it angrily rolls up its sleeves and forces people to comply. 7. Therefore, when the Way is lost, only then do we have virtue; 8. When virtue is lost, only then do we have humanity; 9. When humanity is lost, only then do we have righteousness; 10. And when righteousness is lost, only then do we have propriety. 11. As for propriety, it's but the thin edge of loyalty and sincerity, and the beginning of disorder. 12. And foreknowledge is but the flower of the Way, and the beginning of stupidity. 13. Therefore the Great Man 14. Dwells in the thick and doesn't dwell in the thin; 15. Dwells in the fruit and doesn't dwell in the flower. 16. Therefore, he rejects that and takes this.
Addiss & Lombardo
High virtue is not virtuous, therefore it has virtue. Low virtue does not lose virtue, therefore it has no virtue. High virtue takes no action and has no intention. Low virtue takes action and has intention. High benevolence takes action and has no intention. High righteousness takes action and has intention. High ritual takes action and gets no response, then pulls up sleeves and forces compliance. Therefore lose the way then virtue, lose virtue then benevolence, lose benevolence then righteousness, lose righteousness then ritual. Ritual is the thinning of loyalty and trust, the beginning of disorder. Foreknowledge is the flower of the way and the beginning of ignorance. Therefore the great man dwells in thickness not thinness, in fruit not flower. Therefore he rejects the latter and takes the former.
Arthur Waley
The man of highest "power" does not reveal himself as a possessor of "power"; Therefore he keeps his "power". The man of inferior "power" cannot rid it of the appearance of "power"; Therefore he is in truth without "power". The man of highest "power" neither acts nor is there any who so regards him; The man of inferior "power" both acts and is so regarded. The man of highest humanity, though he acts, is not regarded; Whereas a man of even the highest morality both acts and is so regarded; While even he who is best versed in ritual not merely acts, But if people fail to respond Then he will pull up his sleeves and advance upon them. That is why it is said: "After Tao was lost, then came the 'power'; After the 'power' was lost, then came human kindness." After human kindness was lost, then came morality, After morality was lost, then came ritual. Now ritual is the mere husk of loyalty and promise-keeping And is indeed the first step towards brawling." Foreknowledge may be the "flower of doctrine", But it is the beginning of folly. Therefore the full-grown man takes his stand upon the solid substance And not upon the mere husk, Upon the fruit and not upon the flower. Truly, "he reject that and takes this".
林语堂
This version is not yet available.
Stephen Mitchell
The Master doesn't try to be powerful; thus he is truly powerful. The ordinary man keeps reaching for power; thus he never has enough. The Master does nothing, yet he leaves nothing undone. The ordinary man is always doing things, yet many more are left to be done. The kind man does something, yet something remains undone. The just man does something, and leaves many things to be done. The moral man does something, and when no one responds he rolls up his sleeves and uses force. When the Tao is lost, there is goodness. When goodness is lost, there is morality. When morality is lost, there is ritual. Ritual is the husk of true faith, the beginning of chaos. Therefore the Master concerns himself with the depths and not the surface, with the fruit and not the flower. He has no will of his own. He dwells in reality, and lets all illusions go.