第81章 · 原文
现代白话译文
真实的话不华美，华美的话不真实。善良的人不巧辩，巧辩的人不善良。真正了解的人不广博，广博的人不一定真正了解。圣人没有积蓄，尽力帮助别人，自己反而更充足；把一切给予别人，自己反而更丰富。天的道，有利于万物而不伤害万物；圣人的道，做什么都不和别人争。
英文译本 / English Translations
D.C. Lau
Truthful words are not beautiful; Beautiful words are not truthful. Good words are not persuasive; Persuasive words are not good. He who knows has no wide learning; He who has wide learning does not know. The sage does not hoard. Having bestowed all he has on others, he has yet more; Having given all he has to others, he is richer still. The way of heaven benefits and does not harm; The way of the sage is bountiful and does not contend.
Robert Henricks
1. Sincere words are not showy; 2. Showy words are not sincere. 3. Those who know are not "widely learned"; 4. Those "widely learned" do not know. 5. The good do not have a lot; 6. Those with a lot are not good. 7. The Sage accumulates nothing. 8. Having used what he had for others, 9. He has even more. 10. Having given what he had to others, 11. What he has is even greater. 12. Therefore, the Way of Heaven is to benefit and not cause any harm; 13. The Way of Man is to act on behalf of others and not to compete with them.
Addiss & Lombardo
True words are not beautiful, beautiful words are not true. Good speakers are not eloquent, eloquent speakers are not good. Knowledgeable people are not broad, broad people are not knowledgeable. Sages do not accumulate. The more they do for others, the more they have. The more they give to others, the more they gain. The way of heaven benefits and does not harm. The way of the sage acts without contending.
Arthur Waley
True words are not fine-sounding; Fine-sounding words are not true. The good man does not prove by argument; The he who proves by argument is not good. True wisdom is different from much learning; Much learning means little wisdom. The Sage has no need to hoard; When his own last scrap has been used up on behalf of others, Lo, he has more than before! When his own last scrap has been used up in giving to other, Lo, his stock is even greater than before! For heaven's way is to sharpen without cutting, And the Sage's way is to act without striving.
林语堂
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Stephen Mitchell
True words aren't eloquent; eloquent words aren't true. Wise men don't need to prove their point; men who need to prove their point aren't wise. The Master has no possessions. The more he does for others, the happier he is. The more he gives to others, the wealthier he is. The Tao nourishes by not forcing. By not dominating, the Master leads.