七十八

天下莫柔弱于水,
而攻堅強者,
莫之能勝,
以其無以易之。
弱之勝強,
柔 之勝剛,
天下莫不知,
莫能行。
是以聖人云:「受國之垢,
是謂社稷主﹔ 受國不祥,
是為天下王。
」正言若反。

qī shí bā

tiān xià mò róu ruò yú shuĭ
ér gōng jiān qiáng zhĕ
mò zhī néng shèng
yĭ qí wú yĭ yì zhī
ruò zhī shèng qiáng
róu zhī shèng gāng
tiān xià mò bù zhī
mò néng xíng
shì yĭ shèng rén yún 「shòu guó zhī gòu
shì wèi shè jì zhŭ ; shòu guó bù xiáng
shì wéi tiān xià wáng
」zhèng yán ruò făn

78

Nothing in the world
is as soft and yielding as water.
Yet for dissolving the hard and inflexible,
nothing can surpass it.

The soft overcomes the hard;
the gentle overcomes the rigid.
Everyone knows this is true,
but few can put it into practice.

Therefore the Master remains
serene in the midst of sorrow.
Evil cannot enter his heart.
Because he has given up helping,
he is people's greatest help.

True words seem paradoxical.
begin   |   <<  78  >>   |   random   |  about |   tweet this