第三十九章   得一而安

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(wàn)物得一以生，侯得一以為天下正。其致之。 謂天無(wú)以清，將恐裂； 地?zé)o以寧，將恐廢；神無(wú)以靈，將恐歇；谷無(wú)以盈， 將恐竭；萬(wàn)物無(wú)以生，將恐滅；侯王無(wú)以正，將恐蹶。 故貴以賤為本，高以下為基。是以侯王自稱(chēng)孤、寡、不谷。此非以賤為本邪？非乎？故致數(shù)譽(yù)無(wú)譽(yù)。不欲琭琭如玉，珞珞如石。

 [譯文]

遠(yuǎn)古天人合一時(shí)代：天得道則清凈明朗，地得道則寧?kù)o安詳，人得道則安定平和，川谷得道則豐盛盈滿(mǎn)，萬(wàn)物得道則發(fā)展生長(zhǎng)，侯王得道則天下太平。反之，天不能保持清明，難免就會(huì)崩裂；地不能保持寧?kù)o，難免就會(huì)塌陷；人心迷亂，就失去安定；川谷不盈滿(mǎn)，難免就會(huì)干枯；萬(wàn)物不生長(zhǎng)，難免就會(huì)滅絕；侯王失去天德根本，難免就會(huì)垮臺(tái)。所以貴者要以賤者為根本，高者要以下部為基石。侯王們自己賤稱(chēng)孤家寡人，五谷不分，不正是以卑賤為本嗎？道理不正在此嗎？

道本源的聲譽(yù)是無(wú)須夸耀的，即使是如玉般美好，沒(méi)有德根則沒(méi)有任何意義，還不如石塊般樸實(shí)無(wú)華。

Peace and Haromony

From old, there is harmony with the One:

The sky in harmony with the Oneness is clear,

earth in harmony with the Oneness is stable.

Spirituality in harmony with the Oneness is inspiring,

valley in harmony with the Oneness is fertile,

all things in harmony with the Oneness is reproductive.

leaders in harmony with the Oneness is incorruptible.

On the contrary,

The sky without clarity would probably crack,

earth in without stability would probably quake,

spirituality without inspiration would not thus become divine,

valley without fullness would probably dry up,

all things without reproduction would probably witheraway,

leaders corrupted would probably stumble and fall.

Thereforehumility is the basis for nobility, and the low is the basis for the high.

Thatis why the princes and dukes call themselves "the orphaned,""the lonely one," "the unworthy." Is is not true then thatthey depend upon the common man for support?

Therefore, attain honor without being honored.

The virtues of Tao do not shine like jade,