《道德经》第63章 选段:中英对照与解读
本节选自《道德经》第63章,阐述道家“无为”哲学、事物发展规律以及成就伟大的辩证智慧。以下按原文顺序逐段呈现中英对照,并附对应解读。
1. 为无为,事无事,味无味。大小多少,报怨以德。
原文:
为无为,事无事,味无味。大小多少,报怨以德。
中文翻译:
以“无为”的态度去作为,以“无事”的方式去做事,以“无味”的标准去品味。把小事看作大事,把少事看作多事,用恩德来回报怨恨。
古典英文翻译:
Act without acting; manage affairs without feeling their trouble; savor what is flavorless. Regard the small as great, the few as many; repay injury with kindness.
现代口语英文翻译:
Do things without forcing it; handle stuff without making it a big deal; appreciate the simple, plain things. Treat small stuff seriously, and little tasks like they matter; when someone wrongs you, respond with goodness.
对应解读:
此段开宗明义,提出道家核心的“无为”实践哲学。它并非主张无所作为,而是倡导一种自然、不刻意、不造作的行动方式,同时以超然的心态去体验生活,并将“以德报怨”视为化解矛盾的至高境界。
2. 图难于其易,为大于其细。天下难事必作于易,天下大事必作于细。
原文:
图难于其易,为大于其细。天下难事必作于易,天下大事必作于细。
中文翻译:
处理困难要从它容易时入手,实现伟大要从细微处开始。天下的难事,一定从简易处开端;天下的大事,必定由细微处发端。
古典英文翻译:
Plan for what is difficult while it is easy; do what is great while it is small. The difficult things of the world must arise from what was once easy; the great things must arise from what was once small.
现代口语英文翻译:
Tackle hard stuff when it’s still easy to handle; start big projects with the small details. All the tough things in the world start out simple, and every major achievement begins with tiny steps.
对应解读:
此段揭示了事物发展的规律,强调预见性与积累的重要性。它教导人们要有前瞻性思维,在问题萌芽(易、细)阶段就着手解决和建设,从而避免日后的大患,成就未来的大业。这是“防微杜渐”和“持之以恒”的智慧。
3. 是以圣人终不为大,故能成其大。
原文:
是以圣人终不为大,故能成其大。
中文翻译:
因此,圣人始终不自以为大,所以才能成就他的伟大。
古典英文翻译:
Therefore the sage never attempts great things, and thus he is able to accomplish what is great.
现代口语英文翻译:
That’s why truly wise people never go around trying to be “great”; they just focus on what’s in front of them, and that’s how they end up achieving something truly great.
对应解读:
此段点明了成就伟大的辩证法。圣人通过“不为大”的谦逊、务实态度,即不自我膨胀、不好高骛远,反而能专注于切实的积累与过程,最终水到渠成,成就了常人眼中“大”的功业。这体现了“不争而善胜”的智慧。
4. 夫轻诺必寡信,多易必多难。
原文:
夫轻诺必寡信,多易必多难。
中文翻译:
那些轻易做出承诺的人,必定很少能守信;把事情看得太容易的人,必定会遭遇很多困难。
古典英文翻译:
He who makes light promises will seldom keep good faith; he who takes things too easily will surely encounter much difficulty.
现代口语英文翻译:
If someone promises you something too quickly, don’t count on it. If you think everything’s a piece of cake, you’re gonna run into a lot of trouble.
对应解读:
此段从反面论证,指出了两种常见的认知与行为误区:轻率承诺与轻视困难。它告诫人们,诚信源于审慎,成功始于对困难的足够重视。这是对前面“图难于易”原则的反向补充,强调内心的敬畏与严谨态度是成功的前提。
5. 是以圣人犹难之,故终无难矣。
原文:
是以圣人犹难之,故终无难矣。
中文翻译:
因此,圣人总是重视困难、认真对待,所以反而最终没有困难。
古典英文翻译:
Therefore the sage regards things as difficult, and in this way he never encounters difficulties.
现代口语英文翻译:
So, wise people actually treat everything as if it could be hard. They prepare, they take it seriously, and because of that, they never really get stuck.
对应解读:
此段是全章的结论,升华了“难易”之辩。圣人的“犹难之”并非畏惧困难,而是一种高度负责和充分准备的心态。正因为始终以审慎、周密的态度去面对一切,提前化解潜在问题,所以能驾驭全局,达到“无难”的从容境界。这体现了“慎始慎终,则无败事”的终极智慧。
英文学习角度分析:中英对照与要点详解
总体翻译策略分析
- 意译优先:英文翻译未逐字对应中文(如“为无为”译为“Act without acting”),而是传达核心哲学概念。
- 语态调整:中文多主动语态,英文多用静态或抽象表达(如“Plan for…”、“regard… as…”)。
- 逻辑显化:中文隐含的逻辑关系(如“是”),英文用“Therefore”、“Thus”等连接词明确化。
逐句英语短语与词汇要点
为无为,事无事,味无味
- Act without acting:用“动词 + without + 动名词”结构表达矛盾一体。
- manage affairs without feeling their trouble:情感转化,强调不感其扰。
- savor what is flavorless:“savor”更具审美深度,适合抽象品味。
大小多少,报怨以德
- Regard the small as great, the few as many:经典“regard A as B”结构。
- repay injury with kindness:“repay A with B”搭配,强调以善回应恶。
图难于其易,为大于其细
- Plan for what is difficult while it is easy:“while”引导时机状语,突出最佳介入点。
- do what is great while it is small:用“what is + adj.”名词性从句。
是以圣人终不为大,故能成其大
- never attempts great things:用“attempt”突出主观“不追求”。
- accomplish what is great:“attempt”(尝试)与“accomplish”(达成)形成语义对比。
夫轻诺必寡信,多易必多难
- makes light promises: “light”作“轻率”解,地道形容词。
- takes things too easily / encounter much difficulty: “take… easily”与“encounter”正式搭配。
是以圣人犹难之,故终无难矣
- regards things as difficult:再次使用“regard… as…”结构。
- never encounters difficulties:与前文“encounter”呼应,形成篇章衔接。
核心英语学习要点总结
- 哲学概念翻译:抽象概念需转化为英文读者可理解的行为或逻辑描述。
- 常用动词搭配:
- regard A as B
- repay/respond to A with B
- plan for…
- make/keep a promise
- encounter difficulties
- 逻辑连接词:
- Therefore / Thus(结论)
- while…(时机/对比)
- and in this way…(方式→结果)
- 形容词灵活性:light(轻率)、flavorless(无味)、great/small(重要性而非仅体积)。
- 古典 vs 现代语体对比:
- 古典:正式、书面(如 He who…、seldom keep good faith)
- 现代口语:自然、亲切(如 don’t count on it、a piece of cake)
通过这些对照与分析,学习者可深入理解中英思维差异:中文重意境浓缩,英文重逻辑显化与惯用搭配。在翻译或表达时,抓住核心意涵,用英语自然结构重组即可。