第59章 · 原文
现代白话译文
治理百姓和侍奉上天，没有比爱惜精力更重要的了。正因为爱惜精力，就是早做准备；早做准备就是不断积累德；不断积累德就能无往不胜；无往不胜就没有人知道他的极限；没有人知道他的极限就可以担负治理国家的重任；有了治理国家的根本就可以长久保持；这就是根深蒂固、长生久视的道理。
英文译本 / English Translations
D.C. Lau
In ruling the people and in serving heaven it is best for a ruler to be sparing. It is because he is sparing That he may be said to follow the way from the start; Following the way from the start he may be said to accumulate an abundance of virtue; Accumulating an abundance of virtue there is nothing he cannot overcome; When there is nothing he cannot overcome, no one knows his limit; When no one knows his limit He can possess a state; When he possesses the mother of a state He can then endure. This is called the way of deep roots and firm stems by which one lives to see many days.
Robert Henricks
1. For ordering humanity and serving Heaven, nothing's so good as being sparing. 2. For only if you are sparing can you, therefore, early submit [to the Way]. 3. Early submission — this is called to repeatedly accumulate Virtue. 4. If you repeatedly accumulate Virtue, then there is nothing you can't overcome. 5. When there is nothing you can't overcome, no one knows where it will end. 6. When no one knows where it will end, you can possess the state. 7. And when you possess the mother of the state, you can last a very long time. 8. This is called [having] deep roots and a firm base, 9. It's the Way of long life and long-lasting vision.
Addiss & Lombardo
In governing people and serving heaven, nothing is better than frugality. Only through frugality can one submit early. Submitting early is called accumulating much virtue. Accumulating much virtue ensures nothing cannot be overcome. When nothing cannot be overcome, no one knows the limit. When no one knows the limit, one can possess the state. The mother of the state can last long. This is called deep roots and a solid foundation, the way of long life and eternal vision.
Arthur Waley
You cannot rule men nor serve heaven unless you have laid up a store; This "laying up a store" means quickly absorbing, And "quickly absorbing" means doubling one's garnered "power". Double your garnered power and it acquires a strength that nothing can overcome. If there is nothing it cannot overcome, it know no bounds, And only what knows no bounds is huge enough to keep a whole kingdom in its grasp. But only he who having the kingdom goes to the Mother can keep it long. This is called the art of making the roots strike deep by fencing the trunk, Of making life long by fixed staring.
林语堂
This version is not yet available.
Stephen Mitchell
For governing a country well there is nothing better than moderation. The mark of a moderate man is freedom from his own ideas. Tolerant like the sky, all-pervading like sunlight, firm like a mountain, supple like a tree in the wind, he has no destination in view and makes use of anything life happens to bring his way. Nothing is impossible for him. Because he has let go, he can care for the people's welfare as a mother cares for her child.