第41章 · 原文
现代白话译文
上士听了道，努力去实行；中士听了道，半信半疑；下士听了道，大笑之。不被嘲笑，就不足以成为道。所以古人有言说：光明的道好像暗昧；前进的道好像后退；平坦的道好像崎岖；崇高的德好像峡谷；广大的德好像不足；刚健的德好像怠惰；质朴的真好像变幻；最洁白的好像污黑；最大的方形没有棱角；最大的器皿最后完成；最大的声音听不到；最大的形象看不见；大道隐微无名。只有道，善于施予万物并且成就万物。
英文译本 / English Translations
D.C. Lau
When the best student hears about the way He practises it assiduously; When the average student hears about the way It seems to him there one moment and gone the next; When the worst student hears about the way He laughs out loud. If he did not laugh It would be unworthy of being the way. Hence the Chien yen has it: The way that is bright seems dull; The way that is forward seems to lead backward; The way that is even seems rough. The highest virtue is like the valley; The sheerest whiteness seems sullied; Ample virtue seems defective; Vigorous virtue seems indolent; Plain virtue seems soiled; The great square has no corners. The great vessel takes long to complete; The great note is rarefied in sound; The great image has no shape. The way conceals itself in being nameless. It is the way alone that excels in bestowing and in accomplishing.
Robert Henricks
1. When the highest type of men hear the Way, with diligence thye're able to practice it; 2. When the average men hear the Way, some things they retain and others they lose; 3. When the lowest type of men hear the Way, they laugh out loud at it. 4. If they didn't laught at it, it wouldn't be regarded as the Way. 5. Therefore, there is a set saying about this that goes: 6. The bright Way appears to be dark; 7. The Way that goes forward appears to retreat; 8. The smooth Way appears to be uneven; 9. The highest virtue [is empty] like a valley; 10. The purest white appears to be soiled; 11. Vast virtue appears to be insufficient; 12. Firm virtue appears thin and weak; 13. The simplest reality appears to change. 14. The Great Square has no corners; 15. The Great Vessel takes long to complete; 16. The Great Tone makes little sound; 17. The Great Image has no shape. 18. The Way is Great but has no name. 19. Only the Way is good at beginning things and also good at bringing things to completion.
Addiss & Lombardo
When a superior scholar hears the way, he diligently practices it. When a middling scholar hears the way, he seems to both keep and lose it. When an inferior scholar hears the way, he laughs at it. If he does not laugh, it is not the way. Therefore there are sayings: The illuminated way seems dark. The advancing way seems to retreat. The level way seems uneven. High virtue seems like a valley. Great purity seems shameful. Broad virtue seems insufficient. Established virtue seems deceitful. Great purity seems blemished. The great square has no corners. The great vessel is late in completion. The great sound is faint. The great image has no shape. The way is hidden and nameless. Only the way is good at lending and completing.
Arthur Waley
When the man of highest capacities hears Tao He does his best to put it into practice. When the man of middling capacity hears Tao He is in two minds about it. When the man of low capacity hears Tao He laughs loudly at it. If he did not laugh, it would not be worth the name of Tao. Therefore the proverb has it: "The way out into the light often looks dark, The way that goes ahead often looks as if it went back." The way that is least hilly often looks as if it went up and down, The "power" that is really loftiest looks like an abyss, What is sheerest white looks blurred. The "power" that is most sufficing looks inadequate, The "power" that stands firmest looks flimsy. What is in its natural, pure state looks faded; The largest square has no corners, The greatest vessel takes the longest to finish, Great music has the faintest notes, The Great Form is without shape. For Tao is hidden and nameless. Yet Tao alone supports all things and brings them to fulfillment.
林语堂
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Stephen Mitchell
When a superior man hears of the Tao, he immediately begins to embody it. When an average man hears of the Tao, he half believes it, half doubts it. When a foolish man hears of the Tao, he laughs out loud. If he didn't laugh, it wouldn't be the Tao. Thus it is said: The path into the light seems dark, the path forward seems to go back, the direct path seems long, true power seems weak, true purity seems tarnished, true steadfastness seems changeable, true clarity seems obscure, the greatest are seems unsophisticated, the greatest love seems indifferent, the greatest wisdom seems childish. The Tao is nowhere to be found. Yet it nourishes and completes all things.