昔之得一者。 |
From of old these things have obtained oneness
: |
Was einstmals Einheit erhielt: |
天得一以淸。 |
'Heaven through oneness has become pure. |
«Himmel erhielt Einheit, damit reinen Glast, |
地得一以寧。 |
Earth through oneness can endure. |
Erde Einheit, damit Ruh und Rast, |
神得一以靈。 |
Minds through oneness their souls procure. |
Geister Einheit, damit den Verstand, |
谷得一以盈。 |
Valleys through oneness repletion secure.' |
Bäche Einheit, damit vollen Rand, |
萬物得一以生。 |
'All creatures through oneness to life have been
called. |
Alle Wesen Einheit, damit Leben, |
侯王得一。以爲天下貞。 |
And kings were through oneness as models installed.' |
Fürst und König Einheit, damit der Welt
das Richtmaß zu geben.» |
其致之。一也。 |
Such is the result of oneness. |
Das bewirkt die Einheit. |
天無以淸。將恐裂。 |
' Were heaven not pure it might be rent. |
«Gäbe nichts dem Himmel Glast,
Würde er zerschellen, |
地無以寧。將恐發。 |
Were earth not stable it might be bent. |
Gäbe nichts der Erde Rast,
Würde sie zerspellen, |
神無 以靈。將恐歇。 |
Were minds not ensouled they'd be impotent. |
Gäbe nichts den Geistern Verstand,
Würden sie zerfliegen, |
谷無以盈。將恐竭。 |
Were valleys not filled they'd soon be spent. |
Füllte nichts der Bäche Rand,
Würden sie versiegen, |
萬物無以生。將恐滅。 |
When creatures are lifeless who can their death
prevent ? |
Gäbe nichts den Wesen Leben,
Würden sie zerwallen, |
侯王無以貞。將恐蹶。 |
Are kings not models, but on highness bent,
Their fall, forsooth, is imminent.' |
Gäbe nichts Fürst und König Maß, so edel und hoch,
Würden sie doch fallen.» |
故貴以賤爲本。高以下爲基。 |
Thus, the noble come from the commoners as their
root, and the high rest upon the lowly as their foundation. |
Darum:
Das Edle macht das Geringe zu seiner Wurzel,
das Hohe macht das Niedrige zu seiner Grundlage. |
是以侯王自謂孤寡不穀。 |
Therefore, princes and kings call themselves
orphans, widowers, and nobodies. |
Daher:
Fürsten und Könige nennen sich Verwaiste,
Wenigkeiten, Unwürdige. |
此非以賤爲本邪。非乎。 |
Is this not because
they [representing the unity of the commoners] take
lowliness as their root ? |
Dies ist, weil sie das Geringe zu ihrer
Wurzel machen, oder nicht?» |
故致數輿無 輿。 |
The several parts of a carriage are not a carriage. |
Darum:
Fertige Wagenstücke sind kein Wagen. |
不欲 琭琭 如玉。 |
Those who have become a unity are neither anxious
to be praised with praise like a gem, |
Man wünscht nicht, hoch geschätzt zu sein wie Jade, |
珞珞如石。 |
nor disdained
with disdain like a stone. |
um zu fallen wie Stein. |