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道德經第十二章

五色令人目盲；

五音令人耳聾；

五味令人口爽；

馳騁田獵，令人心發狂；

難得之貨，令人行妨。

是以聖人為腹不為目，故去彼取此。

Dao De Jing Chapter Twelve — Muller

12. The five colours blind our eyes...

The five colours blind our eyes.

The five tones deafen our ears.

The five flavours confuse our taste.

Racing and hunting madden our minds.

Possessing rare treasures brings about harmful behaviour.

Therefore the sage regards his centre and not his eyes.

He lets go of that and chooses this.

Thursday, June 17

"Let joy fill your heart as the day grows in every way before you." 



(ECRL 262-121)

道德經第十三章

寵辱若驚，貴大患若身。

何謂寵辱若驚？寵為下，得之若驚，失之若驚，是謂寵辱若驚。

何謂貴大患若身？

吾所以有大患者，為吾有身，及吾無身，吾有何患？

故貴以身為天下，若可寄天下；愛以身為天下，若可託天下。

13. Accept humiliation as a surprise...

Accept humiliation as a surprise.

Value great misfortune as your own self.

What do I mean by "Accept humiliation as a surprise"?

When you are humble

Attainment is a surprise

And so is loss.

That's why I say, "Accept humiliation as a surprise."

What do I mean by "Value great misfortune as your own self"?

If I have no self, how could I experience misfortune?

Therefore, if you dedicate your life for the benefit of the world,

You can rely on the world.

If you love dedicating yourself in this way,

You can be entrusted with the world

13. (Loathing shame) James Legge

Favour and disgrace would seem equally to be feared; honour and great calamity, to be regarded as personal conditions (of the same kind).

What is meant by speaking thus of favour and disgrace?

Disgrace is being in a low position (after the enjoyment of favour). The getting that (favour) leads to the apprehension (of losing it), and then losing it leads to the fear of (still greater calamity) - this is what is meant by saying that favour and disgrace would seem equally to be feared. And what is meant by saying that honour and great calamity are to be (similarly) regarded as personal conditions? What makes me liable to great calamity is my having the body (which I call myself); if I had not the body, what great calamity could come to me? Therefore he who would administer the kingdom, honouring it as he honours his own person, may be employed to govern it, and he who would administer it with the love which he bears to his own person may be entrusted with it.