【原文】
將欲取天下而為之,吾見其不得已。天下神器,不可為也,不可執(zhí)也。為者敗之,執(zhí)者失之。是以圣人無為,故無敗;無執(zhí),故無失。
夫物或行或隨;或噓或吹;或強或羸;或載或隳。
是以圣人去甚,去奢,去泰。
【現(xiàn)代漢語】
以強力來治理天下,我看那是不能達到目的的。天下蒼生是神圣的,不能以強權(quán)壓制,不能加以把持。強力壓制會導(dǎo)致失敗,加以把持的會失信于天下。所以圣人不施強力,所以不會失敗;不把持,所以不會有所失。
世人各有特性,有的積極,有的悠閑;有的熱情,有的冷淡;有的剛強,有的羸弱;有的本分,有的危險。
因此,圣人要避免極端的政令和手段。
【英譯】
The above picture is my callagraphy work of this Chapter
I’m sure it will be unsuccessful that to manage the political affair with peremptory method. The common people of the world are very inviolable. So, the dynast should not manage state affair with tyranny, should not control excessively. Otherwise, the dynast will loose trust of the people.
Therefore, the sages will not misrule in order to keep the state stay in stability.
Common people are very different from each other. Some of them are active, some are carefree; some are enthusiastic, some are impassive; some are doughty, some are frail; some are dutiful, and some are dangerous…
So the people accord with the standard of Tao’s will avoid to using extreme decree and method.