78 道德經:	天下莫柔弱於水，而攻堅強者莫之能勝，其無以易之。 弱之勝強，柔之勝剛，天下莫不知，莫能行。 是以聖人云：受國之垢，是謂社稷主；受國不祥，是謂天下王。 正言若反。
	Dao De Jing: (Things to be believed) There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water, and yet for attacking things that are firm and strong there is nothing that can take precedence of it; - for there is nothing (so effectual) for which it can be changed. Everyone in the world knows that the soft overcomes the hard, and the weak the strong, but no one is able to carry it out in practice. Therefore a sage has said, 'He who accepts his state's reproach, Is hailed therefore its altars' lord; To him who bears men's direful woesThey all the name of King accord.' Words that are strictly true seem to be paradoxical.

Dao De Jing Chapter 78 - Seddon
Jan 29 at 5:27 AM

78

Under Heaven, nothing is softer and weaker than water.
Yet nothing is better for attacking the hard and the strong.
There is no better substitute.
All under Heaven know that the weak overcomes the strong
And the soft overcomes the hard.
Yet there are none who practise this.
Therefore the Sage says:
      He who takes upon himself the disgrace of the country
      Is fit to be lord of the land.
      He who takes upon himself the misfortunes of the country
      Is fit to be king of the empire.
True words seem paradoxical.

77	道德經:	天之道，其猶張弓與？高者抑之，下者舉之； 有餘者損之，不足者補之。 天之道，損有餘而補不足。 人之道，則不然，損不足以奉有餘。 孰能有餘以奉天下，唯有道者。 是以聖人為而不恃，功成而不處，其不欲見賢。
	Dao De Jing:	(The way of heaven) May not the Way (or Dao) of Heaven be compared to the (method of) bending a bow? The (part of the bow) which was high is brought low, and what was low is raised up. (So Heaven) diminishes where there is superabundance and supplements where there is a deficiency. It is the Way of Heaven to diminish superabundance and to supplement deficiency. It is not so with the way of man. He takes away from those who have not enough to add to his own superabundance. Who can take his own superabundance and therewith serve all under heaven? Only he who is in possession of the Dao! Therefore the (ruling) sage acts without claiming the results as his; he achieves his merit and does not rest (arrogantly) in it: - he does not wish to display his superiority.

Dao De Jing Chapter 77 - Seddon

Jan 28 at 2:44 AM

77

The Way of Heaven is like the drawing of a bow.

What is high is brought lower, and what is low is brought higher.

What is too long is shortened;

What is too short is lengthened.

The Way of Heaven is to take away from what is excessive

And to replenish what is deficient. But the Way of Man is different:

It takes away from those who have little,

And gives to those who already have plenty.

Who is able to offer the world whatever he has in excess?

Only the man of Tao.

Therefore the Sage works without claiming a reward,

Accomplishes without taking credit.

He has no desire to display his excellence.

76	道德經:	人之生也柔弱，其死也堅強。 萬物草木之生也柔脆，其死也枯槁。 故堅強者死之徒，柔弱者生之徒。 是以兵強則不勝，木強則共。 強大處下，柔弱處上。
	Dao De Jing:	(A warning against (trusting in) strength) A man at his birth is supple and weak; at his death, firm and strong. (So it is with) all things. Trees and plants, in their early growth, are soft and brittle; at their death, dry and withered. Thus it is that firmness and strength are the concomitants of death; softness and weakness, the concomitants of life. Hence he who (relies on) the strength of his forces does not conquer, and a tree which is strong will fill the out-stretched arms, (and thereby invites the feller.) Therefore the place of what is firm and strong is below, and that of what is soft and weak is above.

Dao De Jing Chapter 76 - Seddon

Jan 27 at 2:09 AM

76

When living, a man is supple and soft;

But dead, he is hard and stiff.

The myriad creatures, including grass and trees, when living, are pliant and frail;

But dead, they are withered and dry.

Therefore the hard and the stiff are disciples of death,

Whilst the supple and the soft are disciples of life.

An inflexible army cannot win.

A tree that cannot bend will break.

The hard and inflexible take the lower position.

The soft and weak take the higher position

74	道德經:	民不畏死，奈何以死懼之？ 若使民常畏死，而為奇者，吾得執而殺之，孰敢？ 常有司殺者殺。 夫司殺者，是大匠斲；夫代大匠斲者，希有不傷其手矣。
	Dao De Jing:	(Restraining delusion) The people do not fear death; to what purpose is it to (try to) frighten them with death? If the people were always in awe of death, and I could always seize those who do wrong and put them to death, who would dare to do wrong? There is always One who presides over the infliction death. He who would inflict death in the room of him who so presides over it may be described as hewing wood instead of a great carpenter. Seldom is it that he who undertakes the hewing, instead of the great carpenter, does not cut his own hands!

[注釋]

1、為奇：奇，奇詭、詭異。為奇指為邪作惡的人。

2、執：拘押。

3、司殺者：指專管殺人的人。

4、代司殺者：代替專管殺人的人。

5、斫：砍、削。

Dao De Jing Chapter 74 - Seddon

Jan 25 at 3:46 AM

74

If the people are not afraid to die,

How can you threaten them with death?

If the people are kept in constant fear of death,

And if it were possible to arrest and put to death the law-breakers,

Who would dare do this?

It is the master executioner who does the killing.

To assume the role of the master executioner and do the killing for oneself

Is like carving wood for oneself

Instead of leaving it to the master carpenter.

Those who carve wood for themselves

Instead of leaving it to the master carpenter

Rarely escape without cutting their own hands.

第七十四章

民不畏死，奈何以死懼之？若使民常畏死，而為奇者，吾得執而殺之，孰敢？常有司殺者殺。夫代司殺者殺，是謂代大匠斲，夫代大匠斲者，希有不傷其手矣。

When people do not fear death, how can the threat of death scare them? If the ruler makes sure that people do fear death, and when one of them breaks the law and he executes them, who will dare to break the law? 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 yourself. 

【淺釋】： 當人民不怕死時，死刑的懲罰效益就不高。反之當人民怕死時，就不敢作奸犯法，深怕被繩之以法，如此還有誰敢輕犯法律。對於那些不怕死的人而言，不管是執行死刑的人，或代替殺人的人，就像代替木匠去伐木的人一樣，不知自己在造殺業，做多了早晚都會傷到自己。

【活學活用】：當人民生不如死時，就會狗急跳牆。

明朝初期朱元璋針對社會亂象，犯罪嚴重，提出「治亂世用重典」的猛藥來嚇阻犯罪的發生。當政府權力過大時，往往適得其反，究其原因還是政府本身施政不彰，造成貧富差距過大，所引起的民怨。老子認為治亂世用重典的實際效果不如讓人民自己怕死。換句話說，當人民富有時，就會害怕失去，故而不敢隨便作亂。管子曾說：「倉廩實，則知禮節；衣食足，則知榮辱」，社會亂象的主因非來自人民。當人民生不如死時，就會狗急跳牆，政府應自我檢討，是否廉能效率，否則任何權威、教條或法規的壓制，都反而會傷到自己。

民不畏死，奈何以死懼之？

若使民常畏死，而為奇者，吾得執而殺之，孰敢？

常有司殺者殺。夫司殺者，是大匠斲；夫代大匠斲者，希有不傷其手矣。

If men are not afraid to die,

It is no avail to threaten them with death.

If men live in constant fear of dying,

And if breaking the law means that a man will be killed,

Who will dare to break the law?

There is always an official executioner.

If you try to take his place,

It is like trying to be a master carpenter and cutting wood.

If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter, you will only hurt your hand.

(Translated by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English)

For each of us, life is meaningful, but in the era of Lao Tzu, the society was in turmoil, the rulers were fatuous, they not only imposed harsh policies on the people but also regarded the people’s lives as nothing but straw. In the eyes of the people, life is painful, death is the relief, and so they do not fear death. What’s the point of threatening death if you’re not afraid to die? So he tells the rulers not to use death to intimidate the people.

Lao Tzu followed up the above “the men are not afraid to die,” and proposed the opposite hypothesis: if the people are afraid of death, then the ruler can punish those who commit crimes according to law, who will dare to act recklessly in the future? Lao Tzu has always advocated benevolence, opposing the war, not to mention killing people. But here he advocates killing. This seems paradoxical. Only by punishing the wicked can we make the country stable and the people’s lives happy.

Therefore, the ruler must put the interests of the people first, so that the people will have plenty of food, clothing, and shelter, and then the people will naturally cherish their own lives. The world will be at peace, and the position of the ruler will be secure.

At the end of this chapter, Lao Tzu advises the ruler on the chaotic situation of the state that a master executioner is always present, impartial and never fails to dispense the appropriate punishment, including death. The master executioner is the law of nature. If human beings replace the role of this master executioner and enact what they perceive to be justice, then it seems that we act as a master carpenter to cut wood but without his skill. In his view, we cross the line, and it will result in endangering the country and hurting ourselves.

勇於敢則殺。
勇於不敢則活。
此兩者或利或害。
天之所惡。
孰知其故。
是以聖人猶難之。
天之道。
不爭而善勝。
不言而善應。
不召而自來。
繟然而善謀。
天網恢恢。
疏而不失。
道德經 [王弼,Wáng Bì; * 226; † 249),Fusi (辅嗣)]

73	道德經:	勇於敢則殺，勇於不敢則活。 此兩者，或利或害。 天之所惡，孰知其故？是以聖人猶難之。 天之道，不爭而善勝，不言而善應，不召而自來，繟然而善謀。 天網恢恢，踈而不失。
	Dao De Jing:	(Allowing men to take their course) He whose boldness appears in his daring (to do wrong, in defiance of the laws) is put to death; he whose boldness appears in his not daring (to do so) lives on. Of these two cases, the one appears to be advantageous, and the other to be injurious. But When Heaven's anger smites a man, Who the cause shall truly scan? On this account, the sage feels a difficulty (as to what to do in the former case). It is the way of Heaven not to strive, and yet it skilfully overcomes; not to speak, and yet it is skilful in (obtaining a reply); does not call, and yet men come to it of themselves. Its demonstrations are quiet, and yet its plans are skilful and effective. The meshes of the net of Heaven are large; far apart, but letting nothing escape.

天网恢恢，疏而不失。(春秋(老子·七十三章)

Dao De Jing Chapter 73 - Seddon

Jan 24 at 1:45 AM

73

He who is courageous in taking action is soon killed.

He who is courageous in remaining passive keeps his life.

Of the two kinds of courage, one is harmful and the other is advantageous.

Who knows why Heaven disapproves of one kind?

Even the Sage is unsure how to answer this.

The Way of Heaven accomplishes without competing;

Without declaring its will it receives a response;

Without summoning, things come to it of their own accord;

It accomplishes slowly, with well-laid plans.

The net of Heaven is vast,

And though its mesh is very wide,

Nothing can slip through.

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，不应而善应，不召而自来，繟然而善谋。天网恢恢，疏而不失。

——老子《道德经》 七十三章

【译文】

勇于坚强就会死，勇于柔弱就可以活，这两种勇的结果，有的得利，有的受害。天所厌恶的，谁知道是什么缘故？有道的圣人也难以解说明白。自然的规律是，不斗争而善于取胜；不言语而善于应承；不召唤而自动到来，坦然而善于安排筹划。自然的范围，宽广无边，虽然宽疏但并不漏失。

【哲理导读】

本章主要讲人生哲学。第一层意思是柔弱胜坚强，第二层意思是天道自然。这两层意思之间是相互沟通的。老子认为，两种不同的勇，会产生两种不同的结果，一则遭害，一则存活。“勇于敢则杀，勇于不敢则活”。自然界的万事万物只要依照自然的规律变化和发展，都会有好的结果，不会有什么漏失。

在这里，老子讲了自然无为的人生哲学，细细读来，颇能启迪人的心灵。

河上公-老子道德經

〈以生者爲有精神託空虛喜清淨飲食不節忽道念色邪僻滿腹爲伐本厭神厭於艷反〉夫唯不厭是

以不厭〈夫唯獨不厭精神之人洗心濯垢恬泊無欲則精神居之不厭也〉是以聖人自

知〈自知己之得失〉不自見〈不自顯見德美於外藏之於內見賢遍反〉自愛〈自愛其身以保精氣〉

〈也〉不自貴〈不自貴高榮名於世〉故去彼取此〈去彼自見自貴取此自知自愛去羌呂反〉

　　　任為第七十三

勇於敢則殺〈勇敢有為即殺身也〉勇於不敢則活〈勇於不敢有為則活〉

〈其身〉此兩者〈謂敢與不敢也〉或利或害〈活身為利殺身為害〉天之所惡〈惡有〉

〈為也惡烏路反〉孰知其故〈誰能知天意之故而不犯〉是以聖人猶難之〈言聖〉

〈人之明德猶難於勇敢況無聖人之德而欲行之乎難乃旦反〉天之道不爭而善勝〈天不〉

〈與人爭貴賤而人自畏之〉不言而善應〈天不言萬物自動應以時〉不召而自來

71	道德經:	知不知上；不知知病。 夫唯病病，是以不病。 聖人不病，以其病病，是以不病。
	Dao De Jing:	(The disease of knowing) To know and yet (think) we do not know is the highest (attainment); not to know (and yet think) we do know is a disease. It is simply by being pained at (the thought of) having this disease that we are preserved from it. The sage has not the disease. He knows the pain that would be inseparable from it, and therefore he does not have it.

Dao De Jing Chapter 71 - Seddon

Jan 22 at 2:27 AM

71

To know that you do not know, this is best.

Not to know, whilst thinking that one does know, this is to be flawed.

Recognising this defect as a defect

Is the way to be free of the defect.

The Sage is not flawed

Because he recognises the flaw as a flaw.

Therefore he is flawless.

河上公-老子道德經

也惟逹道者乃能知我故為貴也〉是以聖人被褐懷玉〈被褐者薄外懐玉者厚内〉

〈匿寶藏懐不以示人也褐户葛反〉

　　　知病第七十一

知不知上〈知道言不知是乃德之上〉不知知病〈不知道言知是乃德之病〉夫唯病

病是以不病〈夫唯能病苦衆人有強知之病是以不自病也〉聖人不病以其

病病〈聖人無此強知之病者以其常苦衆人有此病〉是以不病〈以此非人也故不自病夫聖人〉

〈懐通逹之知託於不知者欲使天下質朴忠正各守純性小人不知道意而妄行強知之爭以自顯著内傷精神減壽消年也〉

　　　愛己第七十二

民不畏威大威至矣〈威害也人不畏小害則大害至謂死亡也畏之者當愛精神承天順〉

〈地也〉無狹其所居〈謂心居神當寛柔不當急狹也〉無厭其所生〈人所