『道德经 第十九章 』（见素抱朴，少私寡欲，绝学无忧）

 道德经上篇：《道经》

 

 第十九章

 

【原文】

绝圣弃智①，民利百倍；绝仁弃义，民复孝慈；绝巧弃利，盗贼无有；此三者以为文不足②。故令有所属，见素抱朴，少私寡欲，绝学无忧。

 

【注释】　　

①圣：此处是指一种智能而言，不同于“圣人”的圣。

②文：文饰，浮文。

 

【译文】

抛却聪明和智巧，人民可以得到百倍的好处；杜绝仁慈，抛弃道义，人民才会回复到孝慈的本性；抛弃伎巧和获利，就不会有盗贼产生。“圣智、仁义、巧利”这三者全是巧饰，不足以治理天下。所以要让人民的思想认识有所归属。保持纯洁质朴的本性，减少私欲杂念，抛弃“圣智礼法”的学问，就没有忧患了。

 

English Translation

Version 1：by Daniel Baida Su and Shangyu Chen

 

Discard accomplishment and wisdom,
And people will benefit a hundredfold.
Discard humanity and justice,
And people will return to filial piety and compassion.
Discard cleverness and profit,
And robbers and thieves will disappear.
It is not enough to have these three rules.
People's hearts must return to where they belong，
Knowing and embracing the source of life.
Then the self can become smaller and smaller,
And desires can become fewer and fewer.
Discard [human] learning.
Be free of cares.

 

Version 2：by John C. H. Wu

[稳稳]

注：“绝学”两个字显得特别重要。不学拙劣的东西，对于正确的东西还是要学的。
或者“绝学无忧”应该译成：“这就是崇高而快乐无忧的学问”？