道 德 經 Dao De Jing – The Way and Its Power

和大怨必有餘怨。
安可以為善。
是以聖人執左契，
而不責於人。
有德司契，
無德司徹。
天道無親
常與善人。

原文 79

(To requite injuries with good deeds.)
To allay the main discontent, but only in a manner that will certainly produce further discontents can hardly be called successful.

Therefore the Sage behaves like the holder of the left-hand tally, who stays where he is and does not go round making claims on people.

For he who has the “power” of Tao is the Grand Almoner; he who has not the “power” is the Grand Perquisitor. “It is Heaven's way, without distinction of persons, to keep the good perpetually supplied.”

Waley 79

重大的仇怨, 纵使把它调解, 也会有余怨留在心中, 这怎能算是妥善的方法呢?
所以圣人就象借贷人虽执有借据但只给予并不索要, 有德的人也是如此。无德的人只索取并不给予, 天道无私, 只给有德的人。

白话翻译

When peace is made between great enemies,
Some enmity is bound to remain undispelled.
How can this be considered perfect?

Therefore the sage takes the left-hand tally, but exacts no paymentfrom the people.
The man of virtue takes charge of the tally;
The man of no virtue takes charge of exaction.

It is the way of heaven to show no favoritism.
It is for ever on the side of the good man.

Lau 79

Si vous voulez apaiser les grandes inimitiés des hommes51, ils conserveront nécessairement un reste d'inimitié.
Comment pourraient-ils devenir vertueux ?
De là vient que le Saint garde la partie gauche du contrat52 et ne réclame rien aux autres.
C'est pourquoi celui qui a de la vertu songe à donner, celui qui est sans vertu songe à demander.
Le ciel n'affectionne personne en particulier. Il donne constamment aux hommes vertueux.

Julien 79

Versöhnt man großen Groll
und es bleibt noch Groll übrig,
wie wäre das gut?
Darum hält der Berufene sich an seine Pflicht
und verlangt nichts von anderen.
Darum: Wer LEBEN hat,
hält sich an seine Pflicht,
Wer kein LEBEN hat,
hält sich an sein Recht.

Wilhelm 79