第67章 · 原文
现代白话译文
天下人都说我的道大，好像什么都不像。正因为大，所以什么都不像。如果像什么，早就渺小了！我有三件宝贝，持守而保全它们：第一叫作慈爱，第二叫作俭啬，第三叫作不敢居于天下人的前面。因为有慈爱，所以能勇武；因为俭啬，所以能宽广；因为不敢居于天下人的前面，所以能成为万物的首长。现在舍弃慈爱而追求勇武，舍弃俭啬而追求宽广，舍弃退让而追求争先，就是死路！慈爱，用来作战就能胜利，用来守卫就能坚固。天要救助谁，就用慈爱来保卫谁。
英文译本 / English Translations
D.C. Lau
The whole world says that my way is vast and resembles nothing. It is because it is vast that it resembles nothing. If it resembled anything, it would, long before now, have become small. I have three treasures Which I hold and cherish. The first is known as compassion, The second is known as frugality, The third is known as not daring to take the lead in the empire; Being compassionate one could afford to be courageous, Being frugal one could afford to extend one's territory, Not daring to take the lead in the empire one could afford to be lord over the vessels. Now, to forsake compassion for courage, to forsake frugality for expansion, to forsake the rear for the lead, is sure to end in death. Through compassion, one will triumph in attack and be impregnable in defence. What heaven succours it protects with the gift of compassion.
Robert Henricks
1. The whole world says, I'm Great; 2. Great, yet unlike [everyone else], 3. But it's precisely because I'm unlike [everyone else], that I'm therefore able to be Great. 4. Were I like [everyone else], for a long time now I'd have seemed insignificant and small. 5. I constantly have three treasures; 6. Hold on to them and treasure them. 7. The first is compassion; 8. The second is frugality; 9. And the third is not presuming to be at the forefront in the world. 10. Now, it's because I'm compassionate that I therefore can be courageous; 11. And it's because I'm frugal that I therefore can be magnamimous; 12. And it's because I don't presume to be at the forefront in the world that I therefore can be the head of those with complete talent. 13. Now, if you abandon this compassion and yet try to be courageous, 14. And if you abandon this frugality and yet try to be magnanimous, 15. And if you abandon this staying behind and yet go to the fore, 16. Then you will die. 17. If with compassion you attack, then you'll win; 18. If you defend, then you'll stand firm. 19. When Heaven's about to establish him, 20. It's as though he surrounds him with the protective wall of compassion.
Addiss & Lombardo
All the world says my way is great, resembling nothing. If it resembled something, how could it be small from the beginning? I have three treasures that I hold and protect: the first is called compassion, the second is called frugality, the third is called not daring to be first in the world. Compassion leads to courage, frugality leads to generosity, not daring to be first leads to the chief of vessels. Now if one has compassion but abandons it, frugality but abandons it, being behind but abandons it, one will die. With compassion, in attack one wins, in defense one is secure. Heaven will help, and with compassion it will protect.
Arthur Waley
Every one under heaven says that our Way is greatly like folly. But it is just because it is great, that it seems like folly. As for things that do not seem like folly — well, There can be no question about their smallness! Here are my three treasures. Guard and keep them! The first is pity; The second, frugality; The third, refusal to be "foremost of all things under heaven." For only he that pities is truly able to be brave; Only he that is frugal is able to be profuse. Only he that refuse to be foremost of all things Is truly able to become chief of all Ministers. At present your bravery is not based on pity, Nor your profusion on frugality, Nor your vanguard on your rear; and this is death. But pity cannot fight without conquering or guard without saving. But pity cannot fight without conquering or guard without saving. Heaven arms with pity those whom it would not see destroyed.
林语堂
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Stephen Mitchell
Some say that my teaching is nonsense. Others call it lofty but impractical. But to those who have looked inside themselves, this nonsense makes perfect sense. And to those who put it into practice, this loftiness has roots that go deep. I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and in thoughts, you return to the source of being. Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world.