78𝍓任信

道德經 Dao De Jing [Tao Te Ching]

Chapter 78: Things to be Believed

	繁體 Trad ↔ 简体 Simp	Legge's Translation	Susuki's Translation	Goddard's Translation
	任信	Things to be Believed	Trust in Faith	Trust and Faith
1	天下莫柔弱于水，而攻坚强者，莫之能胜，以其无以易之。	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	弱之胜强，柔之胜刚，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	是以圣人云：「受国之垢，是谓社稷主；受国不祥，是为天下王。」	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

繁體 Trad ↔ 简体 Simp

Legge's Translation

Susuki's Translation

Goddard's Translation

任信

Things to be Believed

Trust in Faith

Trust and Faith

天下莫柔弱于水，而攻坚强者，莫之能胜，以其无以易之。

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.

弱之胜强，柔之胜刚，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.

是以圣人云：「受国之垢，是谓社稷主；受国不祥，是为天下王。」

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.

正言若反。

Words that are strictly true seem to be paradoxical.

True words seem paradoxical.

True words are often paradoxical