第39章 · 原文
现代白话译文
自古以来得到道于一体的：天得到道而清明；地得到道而宁静；神得到道而灵妙；山谷得到道而充盈；侯王得到道而成为天下的首领。推而言之，天若不保持清明，恐怕要崩裂；地若不保持宁静，恐怕要震溃；神若不保持灵妙，恐怕要消失；山谷若不保持充盈，恐怕要枯竭；侯王若不保持高贵，恐怕要跌倒。所以贵以贱为根本，高以下为基础。因此侯王自称孤、寡、不谷，这不就是以贱为根本吗？不是吗？所以最高的荣誉是无须赞誉的。不希望像宝玉那样华丽，而要像顽石那样坚硬质朴。
英文译本 / English Translations
D.C. Lau
Of old, these came to be in possession of the One: Heaven in virtue of the One is limpid; Earth in virtue of the One is settled; Gods in virtue of the One have their potencies; The valley in virtue of the One is full; The myriad creatures in virtue of the One are alive; Lords and princes in virtue of the One become leaders of the empire. It is the One that makes these what they are. Without what makes it limpid heaven might split; Without what makes it settled earth might sink; Without what gives them their potencies gods might spend themselves; Without what makes it full the valley might run dry; Without what keeps them alive the myriad creatures might perish; Without what makes them leaders lords and princes might fall. Hence the superior must have the inferior as root; The high must have the low as base. Thus lords and princes refer to themselves as 'solitary', 'desolate', and 'hapless'. This is taking the inferior as root, is it not? Hence the highest renown is without renown, Not wishing to be one among many like jade Nor to be aloof like stone.
Robert Henricks
1. Of those in the past that attained the One — 2. Heaven, by attaining the One became clear; 3. Earth, by attaining the One became stable; 4. Gods, by attaining the One became divine; 5. Valley, by attaining the One became full; 6. Marquises and kings, by attaining the One made the whole land ordered and secure. 7. Taking this to its logical conclusion we would say — 8. If Heaven were not by means of it clear, it would, I'm afraid, shatter; 9. If the Earth were not by means of it stable, it would, I'm afraid, let go. 10. If the gods were not by means of it divine, they would, I'm afraid, be powerless. 11. If valley were not by means of it full, they would, [I'm afraid,] dry up. 12. And if marquises and kings were not by means of it noble and high, they would, I'm afraid, topple and fall. 13. Therefore, it must be the case that the noble has the base as its root; 14. And it must be the case that the high has the low for its foundation. 15. Thus, for this reason, marquises and kings call themselves "The Orphan," "The Widower," and "The One Without Grain." 16. This is taking the base as one's root, is it not?! 17. Therefore, they regard their large numbers of carriages as having no carriage. 18. And because of this, they desire not to dazzle and glitter like jade, 19. But to remain firm and strong like stone.
Addiss & Lombardo
Those who obtained the one in the past: heaven obtained the one and became clear. Earth obtained the one and became peaceful. The spirits obtained the one and became divine. The valley obtained the one and became full. The ten thousand things obtained the one and lived. Kings and lords obtained the one and became leaders of the world. This is because of it. If heaven were not clear, it would split. If earth were not peaceful, it would quake. If spirits were not divine, they would dissipate. If the valley were not full, it would dry up. If the ten thousand things were not alive, they would perish. If kings and lords were not leaders, they would fall. Therefore nobility has root in humility, height has root in lowliness. Therefore kings and lords call themselves orphaned, lonely, unworthy. Is this not taking humility as root? Therefore the highest praise is no praise. Do not wish to be like jade, or like stone.
Arthur Waley
As for the things that from of old have understood the Whole — The sky through such understanding remains limpid, Earth remains steady, The spirits keep their holiness, The abyss is replenished, The ten thousand creatures bear their kind, Barons and princes direct their people. It is the Whole that causes it. Were it not so limpid, the sky would soon get torn, Were is not for steadiness, the earth would soon tip over, Were it not for their holiness, the spirit would soon wither away, Were it not for this replenishment, the abyss would soon go dry, Were it not that ten thousand creatures can bear their kind, They would soon become extinct. Were the barons and princes no longer directors of their people And for that reason honoured and exalted, they would soon be overthrown. Truly " the humble is the stem upon which the mighty grows, The low is the foundation upon which the high is laid." That is why barons and princes refer to themselves as "The Orphan", "The Needy", "The Ill-provided. Is this not indeed a case of might rooting itself upon humility? True indeed are the sayings: "Enumerate the parts of a carriage, And you still have not explained what a carriage is," And They did not want themselves to tinkle like jade-bells, While others resounded like stone chimes".
林语堂
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Stephen Mitchell
In harmony with the Tao, the sky is clear and spacious, the earth is solid and full, all creature flourish together, content with the way they are, endlessly repeating themselves, endlessly renewed. When man interferes with the Tao, the sky becomes filthy, the earth becomes depleted, the equilibrium crumbles, creatures become extinct. The Master views the parts with compassion, because he understands the whole. His constant practice is humility. He doesn't glitter like a jewel but lets himself be shaped by the Tao, as rugged and common as stone.