上士聞道。勤而行之。 |
When a superior scholar hears of Reason he endeavors
to practise it. |
Hören Hochgebildete von Tao,
werden sie eifrig
und wandeln in ihm. |
中士聞道。若存若亡。 |
When an average scholar hears
of Reason he will sometimes keep it and sometimes
lose it. |
Hören Mittelgebildete von Tao,
bald behalten sie es,
bald verlieren sie es. |
下士聞道。大笑之。 |
When an inferior scholar hears of Reason he
will greatly ridicule it. |
Hören Niedriggebildete von Tao,
verlachen sie es laut. |
不笑不足以爲道。 |
Were it not thus ridiculed, it
would as Reason be insufficient. |
Lachten sie nicht,
so genügte es nicht,
um für Tao zu gelten. |
故建言有之。 |
Therefore the poet
says : |
Denn Sprichworte sind es: |
明道若昧。 |
'The reason-enlightened seem dark and black, |
Wer licht in Tao, ist wie voll Nacht, |
進道若退。 |
The reason-advanced seem going back, |
Wer weit in Tao, wie rückgebracht, |
夷道若 纇 。 |
The reason-straight-levelled seem rugged and slack.' |
Wer grade in Tao, wie ungeschlacht, |
上德若谷。 |
'The high in virtue resemble a vale, |
Wer hoch an Tugend, wie ein tiefes Tal, |
大白若辱。 |
The purely white in shame must quail, |
Wer groß an Reinheit, wie ein schmutziges Mal, |
廣德若不足。 |
The staunchest virtue seems to fail.' |
Wer reich an Tugend, wie am Nötigen kahl, |
建德若偸。 |
'The solidest virtue seems not alert, |
Wer fest an Tugend, wie in Schwanken, |
質眞若渝。 |
The purest chastity seems pervert, |
Wer echt an Glauben, wie in Wanken, |
大方無隅。 |
The greatest square will rightness desert.' |
Ein groß Quadrat ohne Winkelflanken, |
大器晩成。 |
'The largest vessel is not yet complete, |
Ein groß Gefäß, das unfertig alt, |
大音希聲。 |
The loudest sound is not speech replete, |
Ein großer Klang, der schwach erschallt. |
大象無形。 |
The greatest form has no shape concrete.' |
Ein großes Bildnis ohne Gestalt. |
道隱無名。 |
Reason so long as it remains hidden is unnameable. |
Tao ist verborgen namenlos, |
夫唯道。善貸且成。 |
Yet Reason alone is good for imparting and
completing. |
Doch in Verleihen und Vollenden
ist nur Tao groß. |