Tao Te Ching

Tao Te Ching (1) By Lao Tzu Chapter 8 The highest excellence is like (that of) water. The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying, without striving (to the contrary), the low place which all men dislike. Hence (its way) is near to (that of) the Tao. The excellence of a residence is in (the suitability of) the place; that of the mind is in abysmal stillness; that of associations is in their being with the virtuous; that of government is in its securing good order; that of (the conduct of) affairs is in its ability; and that of (the initiation of) any movement is in its timeliness. And when (one with the highest excellence) does not wrangle (about his low position), no one finds fault with him. Chapter 24 He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm; he who stretches his legs does not walk (easily). (So), he who displays himself does not shine; he who asserts his own views is not distinguished; he who vaunts himself does not find his merit acknowledged; he who is self-conceited has no superiority allowed to him. Such conditions, viewed from the standpoint of the Tao, are like remnants of food, or a tumour on the body, which all dislike. Hence those who pursue (the course) of the Tao do not adopt and allow them. Chapter 81 Sincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere. Those who are skilled (in the Tao) do not dispute (about it); the disputatious are not skilled in it. Those who know (the Tao) are not extensively learned; the extensively learned do not know it. The sage does not accumulate (for himself). The more that he expends for others, the more does he possess of his own; the more that he gives to others, the more does he have himself. With all the sharpness of the Way of Heaven, it injures not; with all the doing in the way of the sage he does not strive.  abysmal [əˈbɪzməl] adj. 深不可测的；糟透的；极度的 virtuous [ˈvɜːtʃuəs; ˈvɜːrtʃuəs] adj. 品德高的；有道德的（《背诵营1》第29课学过virtue） initiation [ɪˌnɪʃiˈeɪʃn] n. 开始；发起；实施；（某项活动或技能的）入门，初学 timeliness [ˈtaɪmlinəs] n. 及时；时间性；好时机 wrangle [ˈræŋɡl] n. 争论；争辩 v. 争论；争辩 tiptoe [ˈtɪptəʊ] n. 脚尖 v. 踮脚走 assert [əˈsɜːt; əˈsɜːrt] vt. 断言；主张；声称；维护，坚持 distinguished [dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃt] adj. 卓越的；杰出的；著名的（《背诵营1》第94课学过distinguish） vaunt [vɔːnt] vt. 自夸；吹嘘 n. 自吹自擂 acknowledge [əkˈnɒlɪdʒ; əkˈnɑːlɪdʒ] vt. 承认；认可；告知已收到；答谢 superiority [suːˌpɪəriˈɒrəti; suːˌpɪriˈɔːrəti] n. 优越（《背诵营1》第46课学过superior） remnant [ˈremnənt] n. 剩余部分 tumour [ˈtjuːmə(r)] n. 肿瘤；肿块（美式英语tumor）（《背诵营1》第89课学过） dispute [dɪˈspjuːt] v. 辩论；对……进行质疑 n. 争论；辩论；争端；纠纷 disputatious [ˌdɪspjəˈteɪʃəs; [ˌdɪspjuːˈteɪʃəs] adj. 爱争辩的  stand on one’s tiptoes 踮脚站着 be in abysmal stillness 万籁俱寂 Sincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere. 信言不美，美言不信。  《道德经》（一） 第08章 上善若水 【原文】上善若水。水善利万物而不争，处众人之所恶，故几于道。居善地，心善渊，与善仁，言善信，正善治，事善能，动善时。夫唯不争，故无尤。 【注释】 ①上善：最高等的善。 ②处：停留、居住之意。 ③几(jī)：作“接近”解。 ④地：地方的意思。 ⑤渊：深的意思。 ⑥正：行政的意思。 ⑦尤：过失。 【译文】最高境界的善就像水一样，水善于滋润万物却不与其争短长。它总是停留在众人不愿去的低洼之地，这种品德，最按近于“道”。上善的人居住善于顺应地势，心胸善于保持沉静而深远，待人善于仁爱，说话善于守信，为政善于治理，办事善于发挥所长，行动善于把握时机。正因为有不争的美德，所以才不会出现过失。 第24章 物或恶之 He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm; he who stretches his legs does not walk (easily). (So), he who displays himself does not shine; he who asserts his own views is not distinguished; he who vaunts himself does not find his merit acknowledged; he who is self-conceited has no superiority allowed to him. Such conditions, viewed from the standpoint of the Tao, are like remnants of food, or a tumour on the body, which all dislike. Hence those who pursue (the course) of the Tao do not adopt and allow them. 【原文】企者不立；跨者不行；自见者不明；自是者不彰；自伐者无功；自矜者不长。其在道也，曰余食赘行。物或恶之，故有道者不处。 【注释】 ①企：就是翘起足，用脚尖站立。 ②跨：加大步伐，想要快速行走。 ③彰：明显，显著。 ④伐：自夸功绩。 ⑤矜（jīn）：自夸德行。 ⑥长：长久。 ⑦赘（zhuì）：多余的。 ⑧行：通“形”。 ⑨物：人物，他人。 ⑩或：有。 【译文】踮起脚尖站立，是站不稳的。脚步跨得太大，是走不了太远的。自逞己见的，反而得不到彰明。自以为是的，反而得不到显昭。自我夸耀的，反而建立不了功勋。自高自大的，反而不可能长久。从“道”的角度衡量，以上这些行为，可以说都是剩饭赘瘤，惹人厌恶。所以懂得“道”的规律的人是不会这样做的。 第81章 为而不争 【原文】信言不美，美言不信。善者不辩，辩者不善。知者不博，博者不知。圣人不积，既以为人，己愈有，既以与人，己愈多。天之道，利而不害；圣人之道，为而不争。 【注释】 ①辩：有口才，会申辩。 ②积：积蓄，贮存。 【译文】真诚的话不漂亮，漂亮的话不真诚。德行很高的人不善于用言语自辩，爱用言语自辩的人不一定善良。有真知灼见的人知识不一定广博，知识广博的人不一定有真知灼见。有道的人什么也不保留，他愈帮助别人，自己反而更加富有；他越是把自己的一切给予他人，自己就越加丰富。自然的规律是让万事万物都得到好处而不伤害它们，有道的人的法则是施惠于众人而不与人争夺。