雙語詩歌翻譯|《道德經(jīng)·第三十九章》

往昔曾得到過道的：天得到道而清明；地得到道而寧靜；神（人）得到道而英靈；河谷得到道而充盈；萬物得到道而生長；侯王得到道而成為天下的首領(lǐng)。推而言之，天不得清明，恐怕要崩裂；地不得安寧，恐怕要震潰；人不能保持靈性，恐怕要滅絕；河谷不能保持流水，恐怕要干涸；萬物不能保持生長，恐怕要消滅；所以貴以賤為根本，高以下為基礎(chǔ)，因此侯王們自稱為“孤”、“寡”、“不谷”，這不就是以賤為根本嗎？不是嗎？所以最高的榮譽(yù)無須贊美稱譽(yù)。不要求琭琭晶瑩像寶玉，而寧愿珞珞堅(jiān)硬像山石。

第三十九章

昔之得一者：
天得一以清，
地得一以寧，
神得一以靈，
谷得一以盈，
萬物得一以生，
侯王得一以為天下貞。
其致之也。
天無以清，將恐裂；
地?zé)o以寧，將恐發(fā)；
神無以靈，將恐歇；
谷無以盈，將恐竭。
萬物無以生；將恐滅。
侯王無以貞將恐蹶。
故貴以賤為本，
高以下為基。
是以侯王自稱孤、寡、不谷。
此非以賤為本耶？
非乎？
至譽(yù)無譽(yù)。
不欲璐璐如玉，
珞珞如石。

Chapter 39

Of those in the past that obtained the One:
Heaven obtained the One and became clear;
The earth obtained the One and became tranquil;
The Gods obtained the One and became divine;
The valleys obtained the One and became full;
All things obtained the One and became alive and kept growing;
Kings and lords obtained the One and the world became peaceful.
Taking this to its logical conclusion we may say:
If Heaven had not thus become clear,
It would soon have cracked;
If the earth had not thus become tranquil,
It would soon have broken apart;
If the Gods had not thus become divine,
They would soon have perished;
If the valleys had not thus become full,
They would soon have dried up;
If all things had not thus become alive and kept growing,
They would soon have become extinct;
If kings and lords had not thus become honorable and noble,
They would soon have toppled and fallen.
It is always the case
That the noble takes the humble as its root.
And the high takes the low as its base.
Hence kings and lords call themselves
The orphaned, the solitary or the unworthy.
This is regarding the humble as the root of the noble, is it not?
People disdain the “orphaned,” “solitary” or “unworthy.”
And yet kings and lords call themselves by these terms.
Therefore the highest honor needs no flattering.
Thus with everything—
Sometimes it may increase when decreased,
And sometimes it may decrease when increased.
For this reason—
They desire not to dazzle and glitter like jade,
But to remain firm and plain like stone.