老子《道德經(jīng)》第二章英譯

　　天下皆知美之為美，斯惡已。皆知善之為善，斯不善已。

　　故有無相生，難易相成，長短相形，高下相盈，音聲相和，前后相隨。恒也。

　　是以圣人處無為之事，行不言之教;萬物作而弗始，生而弗有，為而弗恃，功成而不居。

　　夫唯弗居，是以不去。

　　【現(xiàn)代漢語】

　　所有人都能分辨美的事物，這就導(dǎo)致了丑的概念的產(chǎn)生;所有人都能分辨善的事物，那么惡的概念就產(chǎn)生了。

　　存在與不存在、困難的和容易的、長和短、高和低、樂器的聲與人的音、前與后等等都是互為因果、相互創(chuàng)造，相互補充的。這是永遠不變的道理。

　　圣人(合于‘道’的人)以順應(yīng)自然發(fā)展、輔助自然發(fā)展的‘無為non-action’態(tài)度去做事;不依賴繁雜、苛刻的政令條文去約束別人;讓萬物興起而不加刻意地影響;創(chuàng)造有益社會的成果而不占有成果;成就事業(yè)卻不自我夸耀。

　　正因為圣人有這樣的行為和品格，其成就是不會泯滅的，能夠造福自然和后代。

　　【英譯】

　　All the people can distinguish the beauty. So, the concept of uglily was produced. Evil be existing because all the people know what is good.

　　So it is that existence and non-existence give birth the one to (the idea of) the other; that d其名曰善ifficulty and ease produce the one (the idea of) the other; that length and shortness fashion out the one the figure of the other; that (the ideas of) height and lowness arise from the contrast of the one with the other; that the musical notes and tones become harmonious through the relation of one with another; and that being before and behind give the idea of one following another.采集者退散

　　The sage (people accord with the standard of Tao’s) manages affairs in the attitude that obey the principle of natural and assistant the natural development. This kind of attitude is so called non-action. He also manages people without multifarious, rigorous order and regulations. The sage promotes natural developing freely without desirably influence. He creates valuable harvest but do not possess it. He never be supercilious no matter what great achievement he gets.

　　His achievement and harvest will exist forever because of his magnificent character.

　　Note: The sage of Taoism can understand the natural principle accurately. He always pays attention to exploiting his indwelling vitality and spurning greed, fame and gain. The sages of Taoism (people accord with the standard of Tao’s) always seek the methods to exploring creativity and not expanding any possessive actuation.

　　【備注】

　　道家的哲學思想中的圣人能夠體認自然，拓展內(nèi)在的生命，摒棄名利和欲望，使自己的心靈能自由活動。圣人追求最大限度地發(fā)揮創(chuàng)造的動力，而不伸展任何占有的沖動。這便是合于道的人。