老子《道德经》第二十章英译

【原文】

唯之与阿，相去几何？善之与恶，相去若何？人之所畏，不可不畏。

荒兮，其未央哉！

众人熙熙，如享太牢，如春登台。

我独泊兮，其未兆；

沌沌兮，如婴儿之未孩；

累累兮，若无所归。

众人皆有馀，而我独若遗。我愚人之心也哉！

俗人昭昭，我独昏昏。

俗人察察，我独闷闷。

众人皆有以，而我独顽且鄙。

我独异于人，而贵食母。



【现代汉语】

高贵与卑贱相差多少呢？美好和丑恶相差有多少呢？（世俗的价值判断，如风飘荡）但是众

人所戒忌的，也不可不警惕，不必特意去冒犯它。

安于道的圣人，他们的精神境界多么开阔啊，好像没有尽头。

众人对于名利外物追逐不倦，好像争先恐后地去参加盛大的宴会，好像在春天登高眺望景色

一样惬意；

圣人却安于淡泊与恬静，对于名利无动于衷；

保持本真，如同还不会嬉笑的婴儿；

悠闲不做作，好像无所牵绊；

众人都追名逐利，不知疲倦，而圣人则安于清心寡欲的生活；保有淳朴憨厚的心态；

世人都热衷于虚荣炫耀，圣人则甘于寂寞、宁静；

世人功于心机，斤斤计较，而圣人则保持内心纯净，没有杂念；

世人都追求功名和炫目的成就，而圣人则保持着简单、冷静的态度。

圣人与世人是不同的，他们更加珍视贴近于'道'的生活。



【英译】

How much difference is there between the nobleness and lowliness? How much difference is there between the goodliness and frightfulness? (The value judgment of common custom changes continuously.) That all men fear is indeed to be feared, you need not to challenge it consciously.

The sages who follow 'Tao', how wide and without end their spirit boundary is.

The people of the world chase after the fame and gain tirelessly, as if enjoying the great full banquet, as if mounting the terrace to enjoy good view in spring;

But sages will not seek fame and wealth; they disregard all fame and gain;

They hold their pure essentiality like a new-born infant which has not yet smiled;

They are carefree and leisurely without worry of desire;

The people of the world pursue nabobism day after day,

While the sages are content to lead a humble but virtuous life;

The people of the world cling to peacockery flaunt,

The sages are willing to stay in loneliness and still;

The people of the world haggle over every ounce,

But, the sages always make themselves peace;

The people of the world aspire after glaring success,

The sages keep their heart simple and calm.

The Sages alone are different from other men; they value the life that closes to the nursing-mother (the Tao).



【备注】

老子经常会被世人认为"圆滑"、"世故"，但本章所谓的"世故""消极"正是世人所极

其缺乏的美德。

我们太过尖刻、急进而使这个世界，也使我们自己的内心，一刻不得安宁......
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