道德经双译第41章

本章老子分别论述了“上士”、“中士”、“下士”对“道”的态度，旨在教人努力行“道”。

上士闻道，勤而行之；“上士”听说“道”之后，便努力地去遵行之；中士闻道，若存若亡；“中士”听说“道”之后，将信将疑——认为“道”好像存在，又好像不存在；下士闻道，大笑之。“下士”听说“道”之后，因不相信而极力嘲笑。不笑，不足以为道。其实，假如不被他们嘲笑就反而不配称为“道”了。
故建言有之：所以，古贤的主张或见解中有这样的话：
明道若昧；上士闻“道”之后，明白了大“道”之理，却好像糊涂一般；进道若退；上士勤而行“道”，虽有所进步，却反而觉得好像后退了似的；夷道若颣；上士行於大道过程中，认真行“道”，十分谨慎，不敢掉以轻心，就好像——有人本来行於平坦的大道上，却视之若崎岖之道而小心翼翼唯恐跌倒。上德若谷；“上士”具有崇高的德，却认为自己的德好像溪谷一样低下；大白若辱；“上士”心灵最为纯洁，却认为自己的心灵好像还有污垢；广德若不足；“上士”具有广大的德，却认为自己的德好像不足；建德若偷；“上士”努力地立德，却认为自己好像因循苟且；质真若渝；“上士”的品德达到了质朴纯真的境界，却认为自己好像有所改变——远离质朴纯真。大方无隅；品格极为端方（即正直）的人，处世圆融；大器晚成；具有杰出才能的人物，需要经过长时间的培养和锻炼才能够成就；大音希声；大道的声音最大，然而却寂静无声（令人无法听见）；大象无形；大道的形象最大，然而却虚空无形（令人无法看到）。道隐无名。大道幽隐不现，不可名状，没有名称，也不求名誉。
夫唯道，善贷且成。正是道，善於给予万物而且能够善始善终。

Chapter 41
Introduction
This chapter discusses the different attitudes of people with high understanding, average understanding, and low understanding when hearing of the Dao. It aims to encourage people to put the Dao into practice.

Text
When people of high understanding hear of the Dao,
They put it into practice diligently.
When people of average understanding hear of the Dao,
They sometimes practice it and sometimes neglect it.
When people of low understanding hear of the Dao,
They laugh loudly at it.
If they did not laugh at it,
It would not be worthy of the name Dao.
Hence, as the ancient saying goes:
People of high understanding are like fools after becoming clear on the Dao;
They make progress on their practice of the Dao, and it seems like retrogress,
They walk on smooth roads as cautiously as they walk on bumpy paths.
They have lofty virtues yet regard themselves as devoid of worth.
They have the purest hearts yet regard their hearts as tainted.
They have vast virtues yet regard themselves as lacking virtue.
They strive to establish virtues yet seem to loaf away their time.
They are completely sincere in their beliefs yet regard themselves as going astray.
The most upright person conducting affairs seems like a great square without corners.
The greatest talent takes the longest time to perfect.
The sound of the Dao is supreme yet is also soundless.
The form of the Dao is supreme yet is also formless.
The great Dao is hidden and nameless,
Yet it is the Dao alone that supports all things and brings them to fulfillment.