『道德经 第十三章 』（宠辱若惊，贵大患若身）

 道德经上篇：《道经》

 

 第十三章

 

【原文】

宠辱若惊①，贵大患若身。何谓宠辱若惊？宠为下，得之若惊，失之若惊，是谓宠辱若惊。何谓贵大患若身？吾所以有大患者②，为吾有身，及吾无身，吾有何患。故贵以身为天下，若可寄天下。爱以身为天下，若可托天下。

 

【注释】　　

①若：作“乃”字或“则”字讲。

②所以：可译为“……的原因”。

 

【译文】

得到宠爱或遭受耻辱，都像是受到惊吓一样。重视大患，就好像重视自己的身体一样。什么叫作“宠辱若惊”？宠爱是卑下的，得到它会感到心惊不安，失去它也会惊恐万分。这就叫宠辱若惊。什么叫作“贵大患若身”？我之所以会有祸患，是因为我有这个身体；倘若没有了我的躯体，我还有什么祸患呢？所以，把天下看得和自己的生命一样宝贵的人，才可以把天下的重担交付于他；爱天下和爱自己的生命一样的人，才可以把天下的责任托付与他。

 

English Translation

Version 1：by Daniel Baida Su and Shangyu Chen

 

Being either favored or humiliated is disturbing;
The greatest curse is to overvalue physical life.
What does it mean that either case is disturbing?
Favor comes from those above me.
It is a surprise to receive it;
It is a surprise to lose it.
What does it mean that the greatest trouble is to overvalue physical life?
I have great worries because I have a physical life.
If I discard my life,
What troubles do I have to worry about?
Therefore, he who gives up his life for the world is trusted by the world;
He who gives up his life for loving the world is relied on by the world.
 

 

Version 2：by John C. H. Wu