第49章 · 原文
现代白话译文
圣人没有固定的意志，以百姓的意志为意志。善良的人，我善待他；不善良的人，我也善待他，这样可使人人向善。守信的人，我信任他；不守信的人，我也信任他，这样可使人人守信。圣人在天下，总是收敛自己的欲望，使天下的心思归于浑朴，百姓都专注视听于圣人，圣人使他们都像婴孩一样纯真。
英文译本 / English Translations
D.C. Lau
The sage has no mind of his own. He takes as his own the mind of the people. Those who are good I treat as good. Those who are not good I also treat as good. In so doing I gain in goodness. Those who are of good faith I have faith in. Those who are lacking in good faith I also have faith in. In so doing I gain in good faith. The sage in his attempt to distract the mind of the empire seeks urgently to muddle it. The people all have something to occupy their eyes and ears, and the sage treats them all like children.
Robert Henricks
1. The Sage constantly has no [set] mind; 2. He takes the mind of the common people as his mind. 3. Those who are good he regards as good; 4. Those who are not good he also regards as good. 5. [In this way] he attains goodness. 6. Those who are trustworthy he trusts; 7. And those who are not trustworthy he also trusts. 8. [In this way] he gets their trust. 9. As for the Sage's presence in the world — he is one with it. 10. And with the world he merges his mind. 11. The common people all fix their eyes and ears on him. 12. And the Sage treats them all as his children.
Addiss & Lombardo
The sage has no fixed mind. He takes the mind of the people as his mind. The good I treat with goodness. The not good I also treat with goodness, thus gaining goodness. The trustworthy I trust. The untrustworthy I also trust, thus gaining trust. The sage dwells in the world, cautiously and harmoniously blending with the world. The people all focus their ears and eyes, and the sage treats them like children.
Arthur Waley
The Sage has no heart of his own; He uses the heart of the people as his heart. Of the good man I approve, But of the bad I also approve, And thus he gets goodness. The truthful man I believe, but the liar I also believe, And thus he gets truthfulness. The Sage, in the dealings with the world, seems like one dazed with fright; For the world's sake be dulls his wits. The Hundred Families all the time strain their eyes and ears, The Sage all the time sees and hears no more than an infant sees and hears.
林语堂
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Stephen Mitchell
The Master has no mind of her own. She works with the mind of the people. She is good to people who are good. She is also good to people who aren't good. This is true goodness. She trusts people who are trustworthy. She also trusts people who aren't trustworthy. This is true trust. The Master's mind is like space. People don't understand her. They look to her and wait. She treats them like her own children.