第42章 · 原文
现代白话译文
道产生一，一产生二，二产生三，三产生万物。万物背阴而向阳，阴阳二气互相激荡而形成和谐。人们所厌恶的，就是孤、寡、不谷，但王公却用这些词来称呼自己。所以万物有的减损它反而增益，有的增益它反而减损。别人教导我的，我也用来教导人。强横的人不得善终，我把这话当作施教的宗旨。
英文译本 / English Translations
D.C. Lau
The way begets one; One begets two; Two begets three; Three begets the myriad creatures. The myriad creatures carry on their backs the yin and embrace in their arms the yang and are the blending of the generative forces of the two. There are no words which men detest more than 'solitary', 'desolate', and 'hapless', yet lords and princes use these to refer to themselves. Thus a thing is sometimes added to by being diminished and diminished by being added to. What others teach I also teach. 'The violent shall not come to a natural end.' I shall take this as my precept.
Robert Henricks
1. The Way gave birth to the One. 2. The One gave birth to the Two. 3. The Two gave birth to the Three. 4. And the Three gave birth to the ten thousand things. 5. The ten thousand things carry Yin on their backs and wrap their arms around Yang. 6. Through the blending of the qi they arrive at a state of harmony. 7. The things that are hated by the whole world 8. Are to be orphaned, widowed, and have no grain. 9. Yet kings and dukes take these as their names. 10. Thus with all things — some are increased by taking away; 11. While some are diminished by adding on. 12. Therefore, what other men teach, 13. [I] will also consider and then teach to others. 14. Thus, "The strong and violent do not come to a natural end." 15. I will take this as the father of my studies.
Addiss & Lombardo
The way produces one, one produces two, two produces three, three produces the ten thousand things. The ten thousand things carry yin and embrace yang. Through the blending of qi they achieve harmony. What people detest, to be orphaned, lonely, unworthy, yet kings and lords use these to call themselves. Therefore things may lose and gain, gain and lose. What others teach, I also teach: The violent will not die a natural death. I will take this as the father of teaching.
Arthur Waley
Tao gave birth to the One; The One gave birth successively to two things, Three things, up to ten thousand. These ten thousand creatures cannot turn their backs to the shade Without having the sun on their bellies, And it is on this blending of the breaths that their harmony depends. To be orphaned, needy, ill-provided is what men most hate; Yet princes and dukes style themselves so. Truly, "things are often increased by seeking to diminish them And diminished by seeking to increase them." The maxims that others use in their teaching I too will use in mine. Show me a man of violence that came to a good end, And I will take him for my teacher.
林语堂
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Stephen Mitchell
The Tao gives birth to One. One gives birth to Two. Two gives birth to Three. Three gives birth to all things. All things have their backs to the female and stand facing the male. When male and female combine, all things achieve harmony. Ordinary men hate solitude. But the Master makes use of it, embracing his aloneness, realizing he is one with the whole universe.