道德經

Entrelacs de 𝚫

西口史郎

l'autre — 德 — étant la mesure anthropomorphique de l'Un — 道

西口史郎 Nishiguchi Shiro

ಀ☉Ⓖ

&

Local Power

《道德經》第三十八章

上德不德, 是以有德.

下德不失德, 是以無德. 

上德無為而無以為.

下德為之, 而有以為. 

上仁為之, 而無以為.

上義為之, 而有以為.   

上禮為之.

而莫之應.

則攘臂而扔之. 

故失道而後德. 

失德而後仁.

失仁而後義

失義而後禮. 

夫禮者, 忠信之薄, 而亂之首.   

前識者, 道之華而愚之始. 

是以大丈夫處其厚, 不居其薄.

處其實, 不居其華. 

故去彼取此. 

道德經 Dao De Jing Chapter Thirty-eight — Translated by Arthur Waley, 1934

The Way and Its Power

38

The man of highest “power” does not reveal himself as a possessor of “power”;

Therefore he keeps his “power”.

The man of inferior “power” cannot rid it of the appearance of “power”;

Therefore he is in truth without “power”.

The man of highest “power” neither acts nor is there any who so regards him;

The man of inferior “power” both acts and is so regarded.

The man of highest humanity, though he acts, is not regarded;

Whereas a man of even the highest morality both acts and is so regarded;

While even he who is best versed in rituals not merely acts,

But if people fail to respond

Then he will pull up his sleeves and advance upon them.

That is why it is said:

“After 道 was lost, then came the 'power';

After the 'power' was lost, then came human kindness.”

After human kindness was lost, then came morality,

After morality was lost, then came ritual.

Now ritual is the mere husk of loyalty and promise-keeping

And is indeed the first step towards brawling.”

Foreknowledge may be the “flower of doctrine”,

But it is the beginning of folly.

Therefore the full-grown man takes his stand upon the solid substance

And not upon the mere husk,

Upon the fruit and not upon the flower.

Truly, “he rejects that and takes this”.

道德經 Dao De Jing Chapter Thirty-eight — Translated by 楊小林 Yang Xiaolin,

Chapter 38

"The people who have high 德 do not purposely show the 德, but ultimately have the 德.

The people who have low De are always afraid of not showing the 德 but ultimately lose the 德.

The people who have high 德 practice 無為 Wu Wei, but ultimately get everything done.

The people who have low 德 do things purposely but ultimately fail in many things.

The kind people do not do things purposely but get everything done well.

The highly righteous people do things purposely but ultimately fail in many things.

The people who follow courtesy and orders do everything purposely, but when no one follows them, they rudely force people to do so.

Therefore, when the 道 is lost, charity appears;

When charity is lost, righteousness appears;

When righteousness is lost, courtesy and order appear.

Courtesy and order have little loyalty and faith, and they are the source of chaos.

Therefore, they are the end of the 道 and the beginning of a dark age.

Noblemen always stay sturdy, not shallow; solid, not flimsy.

So one should keep the former and get rid of the latter."

道德經 Dao De Jing Chapter Thirty-eight — Ronald Hogan

PART TWO

德 (POWER)

38.

People with integrity

don't even think about it.

That's how you can tell

they have integrity.

Other people talk about

how much integrity they have

when they really don't have much.

If any.

Truly powerful people

don't do anything,

but they get the job done.

Other people are always busy

doing something,

but nothing ever gets done.

When kind people act,

they do so without thinking about it.

When they just act,

they're always sure

they're doing the right thing.

But when the righteous act

and nobody reacts,

they try to force everyone

to do things their way.

If you're not in touch with 道,

at least you can still have integrity.

If you don't have integrity,

there's always kindness.

If you don't have kindness,

there's always justice.

If you don't have justice,

all you have left is righteousness.

Righteousness is a pale imitation

of true faith and loyalty

and always leads to trouble.

If you've already made up your mind,

you don't know the first thing about Tao,

and you never will.

The Masters pay attention

to what's beneath the surface.

They'll look at a tree's leaves

but eat the fruit.

They turn all that down,

so they can accept this.

道德經 Dao De Jing Chapter Thirty-eight — Translated by James Legge, 1891

38 (About the attributes of the 道)

(Those who) possessed in the highest degree the attributes (of the Dao) did not (seek) to show them, and therefore they possessed them (in fullest measure). 

(Those who) possessed in a lower degree those attributes (sought how) not to lose them, and therefore they did not possess them (in fullest measure).

(Those who) possessed in the highest degree those attributes did nothing (with a purpose), and had no need to do anything.

(Those who) possessed them in a lower degree were (always) doing, and had the need to be so doing.

(Those who) possessed the highest benevolence were (always seeking) to carry it out, and had no need to be doing so.

(Those who) possessed the highest righteousness were (always seeking) to carry it out, and had the need to be so doing.

(Those who) possessed the highest (sense of) propriety were (always seeking) to show it, and when men did not respond to it, they bared the arm and marched up to them.

Thus it was that when the Dao was lost, its attributes appeared; when its attributes were lost, benevolence appeared; when benevolence was lost, righteousness appeared; and when righteousness was lost, the proprieties appeared.

Now propriety is the attenuated form of leal-heartedness and good faith, and is also the commencement of disorder; swift apprehension is (only) a flower of the Dao, and is the beginning of stupidity.

Thus it is that the Great man abides by what is solid, and eschews what is flimsy; dwells with the fruit and not with the flower. It is thus that he puts away the one and makes the choice of the other.