54𝌻修观

道德經 Dao De Jing [Tao Te Ching]

Chapter 54: The Cultivation (of the Dao), and the Observation (of its Effects)

	繁體 Trad ↔ 简体 Simp	Legge's Translation	Susuki's Translation	Goddard's Translation
	修观	The Cultivation (of the Dao), and the Observation (of its Effects)	The Cultivation of Intuition	To Cultivate Intuition
1	善建者不拔，善抱者不脱，子孙以祭祀不辍。修之于身，其德乃真；	What (Tao's) skilful planter plants Can never be uptorn; What his skilful arms enfold, From him can ne'er be borne.	"What is well planted is not uprooted; What's well preserved can not be looted!"	The thing that is well planted is not easily uprooted. The thing that is well guarded is not easily taken away.
2	修之于家，其德乃余；	Sons shall bring in lengthening line, Sacrifices to his shrine.	By sons and grandsons the sacrificial celebrations shall not cease.	If one has sons and grandsons, the offering of ancestral worship will not soon cease.
3	修之于乡，其德乃长；修之于国，其德乃丰；修之于天下，其德乃普。	Tao when nursed within one's self, His vigour will make true; And where the family it rules What riches will accrue! The neighbourhood where it prevails In thriving will abound; And when 'tis seen throughout the state, Good fortune will be found. Employ it the kingdom o'er, And men thrive all around.	Who cultivates Reason in his person, his virtue is genuine. Who cultivates it in his house, his virtue is overflowing. Who cultivates it in his township, his virtue is lasting. Who cultivates it in his country, his virtue is abundant. Who cultivates it in the world, his virtue is universal.	He who practices Dao in his person shows that his de [teh] is real. The family that practices it shows that their de [teh] is abounding. The township that practices it shows that their de [teh] is enduring. The state that practices it shows that their de [teh] is prolific. The empire that practices it reveals that de [teh] is universal.
4	故以身观身，以家观家，以乡观乡，以国观国，以天下观天下。	In this way the effect will be seen in the person, by the observation of different cases; in the family; in the neighbourhood; in the state; and in the kingdom.	Therefore, By one's person one tests persons. By one's house one tests houses. By one's township one tests townships. By one's country one tests countries. By one's world one tests worlds.	Thereby one person becomes a test of other persons, one family of other families, one town of other towns, one county of other counties, and one empire of all empires.
5	吾何以知天下然哉？以此。	How do I know that this effect is sure to hold thus all under the sky? By this (method of observation).	How do I know that the world is such? Through IT.	How do I know that this test is universal? By this same Dao.

繁體 Trad ↔ 简体 Simp

Legge's Translation

Susuki's Translation

Goddard's Translation

修观

The Cultivation (of the Dao), and the Observation (of its Effects)

The Cultivation of Intuition

To Cultivate Intuition

善建者不拔，善抱者不脱，子孙以祭祀不辍。修之于身，其德乃真；

What (Tao's) skilful planter plants
Can never be uptorn;
What his skilful arms enfold,
From him can ne'er be borne.

"What is well planted is not uprooted;
What's well preserved can not be looted!"

The thing that is well planted is not easily uprooted. The thing that is well guarded is not easily taken away.

修之于家，其德乃余；

Sons shall bring in lengthening line,
Sacrifices to his shrine.

By sons and grandsons the sacrificial celebrations shall not cease.

If one has sons and grandsons, the offering of ancestral worship will not soon cease.

修之于乡，其德乃长；修之于国，其德乃丰；修之于天下，其德乃普。

Tao when nursed within one's self,
His vigour will make true;
And where the family it rules
What riches will accrue!
The neighbourhood where it prevails
In thriving will abound;
And when 'tis seen throughout the state, Good fortune will be found.
Employ it the kingdom o'er,
And men thrive all around.

Who cultivates Reason in his person, his virtue is genuine. Who cultivates it in his house, his virtue is overflowing. Who cultivates it in his township, his virtue is lasting. Who cultivates it in his country, his virtue is abundant. Who cultivates it in the world, his virtue is universal.

He who practices Dao in his person shows that his de [teh] is real. The family that practices it shows that their de [teh] is abounding. The township that practices it shows that their de [teh] is enduring. The state that practices it shows that their de [teh] is prolific. The empire that practices it reveals that de [teh] is universal.

故以身观身，以家观家，以乡观乡，以国观国，以天下观天下。

In this way the effect will be seen in the person, by the observation of different cases; in the family; in the neighbourhood; in the state; and in the kingdom.

Therefore, By one's person one tests persons. By one's house one tests houses. By one's township one tests townships. By one's country one tests countries. By one's world one tests worlds.

Thereby one person becomes a test of other persons, one family of other families, one town of other towns, one county of other counties, and one empire of all empires.

吾何以知天下然哉？以此。

How do I know that this effect is sure to hold thus all under the sky? By this (method of observation).

How do I know that the world is such? Through IT.

How do I know that this test is universal? By this same Dao.