『道德經 第二十二章 』（曲則全，枉則直）

 道德經上篇：《道經》

 

 第二十二章

 

【原文】

曲則全，枉則直，窪則盈，敝則新，少則得，多則惑。是以聖人抱一為天下式①。不自見，故明；不自是，故彰；不自伐②，故有功；不自矜（jīn）⑨，故長。夫唯不爭，故天下莫能與之爭④。古之所謂“曲則全”者，豈虛言哉！誠全而歸之。

 

【注釋】　　

①式：這裏可以理解為法則。

②伐：誇耀。

③矜(jīn)：自高自大的意思。

④莫：沒有誰。

 

【譯文】

委曲反而能得到保全，屈就反而能得到伸展，低窪反而能得到充盈，破舊反而能生新，少取反而能多得，貪多反而會產生迷惑。因此有道的人堅守這一原則作為治理天下的範式。不自我表揚，反而能顯明；不自以為是，反而能是非彰明；不自吹自擂，反而能功勳卓著；不自高自大，反而能長久。正因為善於謙讓不與世人相爭，所以天下反而沒有誰能與之爭高低。古人所說的“曲則全”等話，怎麽會是空話呢？它是實實在在能夠達到的。

 

English Translation

Version 1：by Daniel Baida Su and Shangyu Chen

 

What is twisted shall be straightened;
The wronged shall be rehabilitated;
Lowlands shall be filled;
The dying shall be renewed;
The needy shall receive;
The plentiful shall be confused.
Therefore, the Holy One unites with Tao
To be the instrument to Heaven for all people. 
Unaware that he sees,
He sees clearly.
Not holding himself to be right,
He proves to be right.
Not seeking his own glory,
He accomplishes great missions.
Not regarding himself as great,
He becomes the king of all.
Precisely because he does not contend,
No one can contend with him.
The ancients said: “The wronged will conquer.”

 

Version 2：by John C. H. Wu

[穩穩]

注：“曲則全”，最完美的曲就是圓，在有限的空間內，和中心拉開距離，保持距離，妥協矛盾，故得以保全。