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Dao De Jing Introduction Table of content – The Way and Its Power

The naturalist, individualist and politic doctrine of Lao-tse exhibited in 81 poetic and obscure texts. Tr. Waley (en), Lau (en), Julien (fr) and Wilhelm (de).

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Daodejing I. 28.

Section Dao – Chapter XXVIII

“He who knows the males, yet cleaves to what is female
Because like a ravine, receiving all things under heaven,”
And being such a ravine
He knows all the time a power that he never calls upon in vain.
This is returning to the state of infancy.
He who knows the white, (yet cleaves to the black
Becomes the standard by which all things are tested;
And being such a standard
He has all the time a power that never errs,
He returns to the Limitless.
He who knows glory,) yet cleaves to ignominy
Become like a valley that receives into it all things under heaven,
And being such a valley
He has all the time a power that suffices;
He returns to the state of the Uncarved Block.
Now when a block is sawed up it is made into implements;
But when the Sage uses it, it becomes Chief of all Ministers.
Truly, “The greatest carver does the least cutting”.

Waley 28

知道雄强的好处, 而宁可处在雌伏软弱的地位, 这种品德如同天下的溪涧, 众流就会自然汇注于溪。做为天下的溪涧, 常道就不会离失, 如同婴儿不用智, 而合自然之智, 故复归于婴儿。
知道光明的好处, 而宁可处在黑暗俭朴的地位, 这种品德如同天下的法式, 众人就不会产生嫉妒。做为天下的法式, 常德就不会有差错, 因无人于之争, 而获得广大无穷的天地, 故复归于无极。
知道荣耀的好处, 而宁可处在忍辱负重的地位, 这种品德如同天下的山谷, 可包容天下一切事。做为天下的山谷, 常道就就会充足, 这样就会灭一切分别心, 回到朴实无华的真朴状态, 故复归于朴。
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白话翻译

Know the male
But keep to the role of the female
And be a ravine to the empire.
If you are a ravine to the empire,
Then the constant virtue will not desert you
And you will again return to being a babe.

Know the white
But keep to the role of the sullied
And be a model to the empire.
If you are a model to the empire,
Then the constant virtue will not be wanting
And you will return to the infinite,

Know honour
But keep to the role of the disgraced
And be a valley to the empire.
If you are a valley to the empire,
Then the constant virtue will be sufficient
And you will return to being the uncarved block.

When the uncarved block shatters it becomes vessels.
The sage makes use of these and becomes the lord over the officials.

Hence the greatest cutting does not sever.

Lau 28

Celui qui connaît sa force et garde la faiblesse est la vallée de l'empire (c'est-à-dire le centre où accourt tout l'empire).
S'il est la vallée de l'empire, la vertu constante ne l'abandonnera pas ; il reviendra à l'état d'enfant.
Celui qui connaît ses lumières et garde les ténèbres, est le modèle de l'empire.
S'il est le modèle de l'empire, la vertu constante ne faillira pas (en lui), et il reviendra au comble (de la pureté). Celui qui connaît sa gloire et garde l'ignominie est aussi la vallée de l'empire.
S'il est la vallée de l'empire, sa vertu constante atteindra la perfection et il reviendra à la simplicité parfaite (au Tao).
Quand la simplicité parfaite (le Tao) s'est répandue, elle a formé les êtres.
Lorsque le saint homme est élevé aux emplois, il devient le chef des magistrats. Il gouverne grandement et ne blesse personne.

Julien 28

Wer seine Mannheit kennt
und seine Weibheit wahrt,
der ist die Schlucht der Welt.
Ist er die Schlucht des Welt,
so verläßt ihn nicht das ewige LEBEN,
und er wird wieder wie ein Kind.
Wer seine Reinheit kennt
und seine Schwäche wahrt,
ist Vorbild für die Welt.
Ist Vorbild er der Welt,
so weicht von ihm nicht das ewige LEBEN,
und er kehrt wieder zum Ungewordenen um.

Wer seine Ehre kennt
und seine Schmach bewahrt,
der ist das Tal der Welt.
Ist es das Tal der Welt,
so hat er Genüge am ewigen LEBEN,
und er kehrt zurück zur Einfalt.

Ist die Einfalt zerstreut, so gibt es brauchbare Menschen.
Übt der Berufene sie aus, so wird er der Herr der Beamten.
Darum: Großartige Gestaltung
bedarf nicht des Beschneidens.

Wilhelm 28

Dao De Jing I. 28. (28) IntroductionTable of content
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The Way and Its Power – Dao De Jing I. 28. – Chinese off/onFrançais/English
Alias Daode Jing, Dao De Jing, Tao Te Ching, Tao Teh Ching, le Tao-tö-king, Lao-Tzu Te-Tao Ching, the Laozi, Lao Zi, the Lao Tze, le Lao-tseu, The Book of the Way and its Virtue, the Way and its Power.

The Book of Odes, The Analects, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean, Three-characters book, The Book of Changes, The Way and its Power, 300 Tang Poems, The Art of War, Thirty-Six Strategies
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