第四十六章  知足常足
天下有道，卻走馬以糞。天下無道，戎馬生于郊。
禍莫大于不知足；咎莫大于欲得。故知足之足常足矣。

Knowing enough is Enough

When the world is in harmony withthe Tao,

even the war horses are used forfarming.

When the world runs without theharmony,

Even female war-horses aregathered for war, giving birth in the battle field.

The greatest temptation to crime is desire. The greatest curse isdiscontent. The greatest calamity is greed.

Whoever is content with contentment is always contented.

[譯文]

尊道奉德治理國家，民心清凈而天下太平，戰(zhàn)馬退還于農(nóng)耕。治理脫離道德之本，戰(zhàn)禍連綿，懷胎的母馬都用于戰(zhàn)事， 以致產(chǎn)駒于郊外。

沒有那一種禍事能超過不知足； 沒有那一種過失勝過貪婪。只有悟道感恩才會常足無憂。