29𝌢无为

道德經 Dao De Jing [Tao Te Ching]

Chapter 29: Taking No Action

	繁體 Trad ↔ 简体 Simp	Legge's Translation	Susuki's Translation	Goddard's Translation
	无为	Taking No Action	Non-Assertion	Not Forcing Things (Wu Wei)
1	将欲取天下而为之，吾见其不得已。天下神器，不可为也，不可执也。	If any one should wish to get the kingdom for himself, and to effect this by what he does, I see that he will not succeed. The kingdom is a spirit-like thing, and cannot be got by active doing. He who would so win it destroys it; he who would hold it in his grasp loses it.	When one desires to take in hand the empire and make it, I see him not succeed. The empire is a divine vessel which cannot be made. One who makes it, mars it. One who takes it, loses it.	One who desires to take and remake the Empire will fail. The Empire is a divine thing that cannot be remade. He who attempts it will only mar it.
2	为者败之，执者失之。	The course and nature of things is such that What was in front is now behind; What warmed anon we freezing find. Strength is of weakness oft the spoil; The store in ruins mocks our toil.	And it is said of beings: " Some are obsequious, others move boldly, Some breathe warmly, others coldly, Some are strong and others weak, Some rise proudly, others sneak."	He who seeks to grasp it, will lose it. People differ, some lead, others follow; some are ardent, others are formal; some are strong, others weak; some succeed, others fail.
3	故物或行或随，或嘘或吹，或强或羸，或载或隳，是以圣人去甚，去奢，去泰。	Hence the sage puts away excessive effort, extravagance, and easy indulgence.	Therefore the holy man abandons excess, he abandons extravagance, he abandons indulgence.	Therefore the wise man practices moderation; he abandons pleasure, extravagance and indulgence.

繁體 Trad ↔ 简体 Simp

Legge's Translation

Susuki's Translation

Goddard's Translation

无为

Taking No Action

Non-Assertion

Not Forcing Things (Wu Wei)

将欲取天下而为之，吾见其不得已。天下神器，不可为也，不可执也。

If any one should wish to get the kingdom for himself, and to effect this by what he does, I see that he will not succeed. The kingdom is a spirit-like thing, and cannot be got by active doing. He who would so win it destroys it; he who would hold it in his grasp loses it.

When one desires to take in hand the empire and make it, I see him not succeed. The empire is a divine vessel which cannot be made.
One who makes it, mars it. One who takes it, loses it.

One who desires to take and remake the Empire will fail. The Empire is a divine thing that cannot be remade. He who attempts it will only mar it.

为者败之，执者失之。

The course and nature of things is such that
What was in front is now behind;
What warmed anon we freezing find.
Strength is of weakness oft the spoil;
The store in ruins mocks our toil.

And it is said of beings:
" Some are obsequious, others move boldly,
Some breathe warmly, others coldly,
Some are strong and others weak,
Some rise proudly, others sneak."

He who seeks to grasp it, will lose it. People differ, some lead, others follow; some are ardent, others are formal; some are strong, others weak; some succeed, others fail.

故物或行或随，或嘘或吹，或强或羸，或载或隳，是以圣人去甚，去奢，去泰。

Hence the sage puts away excessive effort, extravagance, and easy indulgence.

Therefore the holy man abandons excess, he abandons extravagance, he abandons indulgence.

Therefore the wise man practices moderation; he abandons pleasure, extravagance and indulgence.