第八十一章

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。



Chapter 81


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.

第八十章

小国寡民，使有什伯之器而不用，使民重死而不远徙。
虽有舟舆，无所乘之；
虽有甲兵，无所陈之。
使人复结绳而用之，甘其食，美其服，安其居，乐其俗。
邻国相望，鸡犬之声相闻，民至老死，不相往来。



Chapter 80


If a country is governed wisely,
its inhabitants will be content.
They enjoy the labor of their hands
and don't waste time inventing
labor-saving machines.
Since they dearly love their homes,
they aren't interested in travel.

There may be a few wagons and boats,
but these don't go anywhere.
There may be an arsenal of weapons,
but nobody ever uses them.
People enjoy their food,
take pleasure in being with their families,
spend weekends working in their gardens,
delight in the doings of the neighborhood.
And even though the next country is so close that people can hear its roosters crowing and its dogs barking,
they are content to die of old age
without ever having gone to see it.

第七十九章


和大怨，必有余怨，安可以为善？
是以圣人执左契，而不责于人。
有德司契，无德司彻。
天道无亲，常与善人。



Chapter 79


Failure is an opportunity.
If you blame someone else,
there is no end to the blame.

Therefore the Master
fulfills her own obligations
and corrects her own mistakes.
She does what she needs to do
and demands nothing of others.

第七十八章

天下莫柔弱于水，而攻坚强者莫之能胜，其无以易之。
弱之胜强，柔之胜刚，
天下莫不知莫能行。
是以圣人云：
“受国之垢，是谓社稷主；
受国不祥，是为天下王。”
正言若反。



Chapter 78


Nothing in the world
is as soft and yielding as water.
Yet for dissolving the hard and inflexible,
nothing can surpass it.

The soft overcomes the hard;
the gentle overcomes the rigid.
Everyone knows this is true,
but few can put it into practice.

Therefore the Master remains
serene in the midst of sorrow.
Evil cannot enter his heart.
Because he has given up helping,
he is people's greatest help.

True words seem paradoxical.

第七十七章


天之道，其犹张弓与？
高者抑之，下者举之；
有余者损之，不足者补之。
天之道，损有余而补不足。
人之道则不然，损不足以奉有余。
孰能有余以奉天下？唯有道者。
是以圣人为而不恃，功成而不处，其不欲见贤。



Chapter 77


As it acts in the world, the Tao
is like the bending of a bow.
The top is bent downward;
the bottom is bent up.
It adjusts excess and deficiency
so that there is perfect balance.
It takes from what is too much
and give to what isn't enough.

Those who try to control,
who use force to protect their power,
go against the direction of the Tao.
They take from those who don't have enough and give to those who have far too much.

The Master can keep giving because there is no end to her wealth.
She acts without expectation,
succeeds without taking credit,
and doesn't think that she is better
than anyone else.

第七十六章


人之生也柔弱，其死也坚强。
万物草木之生也柔脆，其死也枯槁。
故坚强者死之徒，柔弱者生之徒。
是以兵强则不胜，木强则折。
强大处下，柔弱处上。



Chapter 76


Men are born soft and supple;
dead, they are stiff and hard.
Plants are born tender and pliant;
dead, they are brittle and dry.

Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible
is a disciple of death.
Whoever is soft and yielding
is a disciple of life.

The hard and stiff will be broken.
The soft and supple will prevail.

第七十五章


民之饥，以其上食税之多，是以饥。
民之难治，以其上之有为，是以难治。
民之轻死，以其求生之厚，是以轻死。
夫唯无以生为者，是贤于贵生。



Chapter 75


When taxes are too high,
people go hungry.
When the government is too intrusive,
people lose their spirit.

Act for the people's benefit.
Trust them; leave them alone.

第七十四章


民不畏死，奈何以死惧之？
若使民常畏死，而为奇者，吾得执而杀之。孰敢？
常有司杀者杀，夫代司杀者杀，是谓代大匠斫，夫代大匠斫者，稀有不伤其手矣。



Chapter 74


If you realize that all things change,
there is nothing you will try to hold on to.
If you aren't afraid of dying,
there is nothing you can't achieve.

Trying to control the future
is like trying to take the master carpenter's place.
When you handle the master carpenter's tools,
chances are that you'll cut your hand.

第七十三章


勇于敢则杀，勇于不敢则活，
此两者或利或害。
天之所恶，孰知其故？
是以圣人犹难之。
天之道，不争而善胜，不言而善应，
不召而自来，坦然而善谋。
天网恢恢，疏而不失。



Chapter 73


The Tao is always at ease.
It overcomes without competing,
answers without speaking a word,
arrives without being summoned,
accomplishes without a plan.

Its net covers the whole universe.
And though its meshes are wide,
it doesn't let a thing slip through.

第七十二章


民不畏威，则大威至。
无狭其所居，无厌其所生。
夫唯无厌，是以不厌。
是以圣人自知不自见；
自爱不自贵。
故去彼取此。



Chapter 72


When they lose their sense of awe,
people turn to religion.
When they no longer trust themselves,
they begin to depend upon authority.

Therefore the Master steps back
so that people won't be confused.
He teaches without a teaching,
so that people will have nothing to learn.