| |
Original |
Legge's
Translation |
Susuki's
Translation |
Goddard's
Translation |
| 1 |
天下莫柔弱于水，而攻堅強者，莫之能勝，以其無以易之。 |
There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water,
and yet for attacking things that are firm and strong
there is nothing
that can take precedence of it;--for there is nothing
(so effectual)
for which it can be changed.
|
In the world nothing is tenderer and more delicate than water. In attacking the
hard and the strong nothing will surpass it. There
is nothing that herein takes its place. |
In the world nothing is more fragile than water, and yet of all the agencies
that attack hard substances nothing can surpass it.
|
| 2 |
弱之勝強，柔
之勝剛，天下莫不知，莫能行。 |
Every one in the world knows that the soft overcomes the hard, and the weak the
strong, but no one is able to carry it out in practice.
|
The weak conquer the strong, the tender conquer the rigid. In the world there
is no one who does not know it, but no one will practise
it.
|
Of all things there is nothing that can take the place of Dao. By it the weak
are conquerors of the strong, the pliable are conquerors
of the rigid. In the world every one knows this,
but none practice it.
|
| 3 |
是以聖人云：「受國之垢，是謂社稷主﹔
受國不祥，是為天下王。」 |
Therefore a sage has said,
'He who accepts his state's reproach,
Is hailed therefore its altars' lord;
To him who bears men's direful woes
They all the name of King accord.'
|
Therefore the holy man says:"Him who the country's sin makes his,
We hail as priest at the great sacrifice.
Him who the curse bears of the country's failing. As king of the empire we
are hailing."
|
Therefore the wise man declares: he who is guilty of the country's sin may be
the priest at the altar. He who is to blame for the
country's misfortunes, is often the Empire's Sovereign.
|
| 4 |
正言若反。 |
Words that are strictly true seem to be paradoxical. |
True words seem paradoxical. |
True words are often paradoxical |
