神马文学网《道德经》第八章英译
来源：百度文库 编辑：神马文学网 时间：2024/04/30 00:50:47
第八章
上善若水，水善利万物而不争。处众人之所恶，故几于道。
居善地，心善渊，与善仁，言善信，正善治，事善能，动善时。
夫唯不争，故无尤。
The highest good is like water
Water benefits everything by giving
without taking or contending.
It likes the place others dislike,
so it follows closely the divine law.
The place should be low,
the mind broad,
the gifts kind,
the speech trustworthy,
the rule sound,
the deed well-done,
the action timely.
Without contention,
a man is blameless. （Arthur Waley 译）Chapter 8
The highest good is like that of water.
The goodness of water is that it benefits the ten thousand creatures; yet itself does not scramble, but is content with the places that all men disdain. It is this that makes water so near to the Way.
And if men think the ground the best place for building a house upon,
If among thoughts they value those that are profound,
If in friendship they value gentleness,
In words, truth; in government, good order;
In deeds, effectiveness; in actions, timeliness-
In each case it is because they prefer what does not lead to strife,[1]
And therefore does not go amiss.
[1]Even ordinary people realize the importance of the Taoist principle of 'water-like' behaviour, i.e. not striving to get on top or to the fore.