道德经英文版 The Tao-te Ching Chapter 29

1. If any one should wish to get the kingdom for himself, and to effect this by what he does, I see that he will not succeed. The kingdom is a spirit-like thing, and cannot be got by active doing. He who would so win it destroys it; he who would hold it in his grasp loses it.

2. The course and nature of things is such that

What was in front is now behind;

What warmed anon we freezing find.

Strength is of weakness oft the spoil;

The store in ruins mocks our toil1. Hence the sage2 puts away excessive effort, extravagance, and easy indulgence.

关键词：道德经英文版

将欲取天下而为之，吾见其不得已。

天下，神器，不可为也。

为者败之，执者失之。

故物或行或随，或歔或吹，或强或羸，或载或隳。

是以圣人去甚，去奢，去泰。

【译文】

想要把天下抓来任意摆弄的，我看他永远也达不成目的。天下是神圣的存在，是不可以任意摆弄的。任意摆弄就会败坏它，紧抓不放就会失去它。所以，各类存在可以任之独行，也可以任之从随;可以任之恬柔轻嘘，也可以任之迅猛疾吹;可以任之强盛，也可以任之衰颓;可以任之安稳，也可以任之毁灭。因此，圣人戒出手过分，戒自奉过奢，戒行走极端。

1 toil

vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事

参考例句：

The wealth comes from the toil of the masses.财富来自大众的辛勤劳动。

Every single grain is the result of toil.每一粒粮食都来之不易。

2 sage

n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的

参考例句：

I was grateful for the old man's sage advice.我很感激那位老人贤明的忠告。

The sage is the instructor of a hundred ages.这位哲人是百代之师。