第六十六章
中文原文
江海所以能为百谷王者，以其善下之，故能为百谷王。
是以欲上民，必以言下之；欲先民，必以身后之。
是以圣人处上而民不重，处前而民不害。
是以天下乐推而不厌。
以其不争，故天下莫能与之争。
English Translation
Rivers and seas are kings of the hundred valleys because they lie below them;
therefore they can be kings of the hundred valleys.
Thus, to be above the people, speak as one below them;
to lead the people, place yourself behind them.
Hence the sage is above yet the people do not feel burdened,
in front yet the people are not harmed.
Therefore all under Heaven gladly support him without weariness.
Because he does not contend, no one can contend with him.
逐句问答（中/英）
- “江海所以能为百谷王者，以其善下之，故能为百谷王。”
- 问：这句如何理解“善下”？
- 答：江海处低，承纳百川；“善下”指自甘居下、虚怀若谷，故能统摄群流。领导者谦下，才能汇聚众力。
- Q: What does “good at being low” mean here?
- A: Seas lie low and receive all rivers; “being low” means humility and receptivity. Leaders who stay humble can unite diverse strengths.
- “是以欲上民，必以言下之；欲先民，必以身后之。”
- 问：为何要“言下”“身后”？
- 答：想在位于上、行于先，须先从姿态与行动上放低自己，让民众愿意推举与跟随。
- Q: Why “speak as below” and “place oneself behind”?
- A: To lead, first lower one’s posture and actions so people willingly elevate and follow you.
- “是以圣人处上而民不重，处前而民不害。”
- 问：为何“处上不重，处前不害”？
- 答：圣人不加压与不扰民，民众不感负担、不受损害；因此“在上而轻，在前而益”。
- Q: Why “above without burden, in front without harm”?
- A: The sage leads without pressure or meddling; people feel unburdened and unharmed.
- “是以天下乐推而不厌。”
- 问：何以“乐推”？
- 答：因其谦和不争、利他少私，群众自然乐于拥戴，且不生厌怠。
- Q: Why do “all gladly support him”?
- A: Humble, non-contentious service invites enduring support.
- “以其不争，故天下莫能与之争。”
- 问：“不争”如何反成至胜？
- 答：不争即避锋芒、让位势顺化，自然无敌；他人无可对立的把柄，也就无从取胜。
- Q: How does “not contending” win?
- A: Yielding dissolves opposition; with nothing to oppose, no one can defeat you.
第六十七章
中文原文
天下皆谓我道大，似不肖。夫唯大，故似不肖；若肖，久矣其细也夫。
我有三宝，持而保之：一曰慈，二曰俭，三曰不敢为天下先。
慈故能勇；俭故能广；不敢为天下先，故能成器长。
今舍慈且勇，舍俭且广，舍后且先，死矣！
夫慈以战则胜，以守则固。天将救之，以慈卫之。
English Translation
All say my Dao is great, yet it seems unrefined.
Precisely because it is great, it seems unrefined; were it refined, it would long have become small.
I have three treasures—hold and keep them: compassion, frugality, and not daring to be first under Heaven.
Through compassion one is brave; through frugality one is ample;
by not daring to be first, one becomes the leader among vessels.
If now you abandon compassion for mere courage, abandon frugality for mere expansiveness,
abandon being last to be first—you will perish!
With compassion, in battle one prevails; in defense one stands firm.
When Heaven would save someone, it protects him with compassion.
逐句问答（中/英）
- “天下皆谓我道大，似不肖……若肖，久矣其细也夫。”
- 问：为何“大道”看起来“不肖”（不合常规）？
- 答：大道反常识、反炫饰，外观“笨拙”，实则涵容万有；若追求“像样”的精巧，反而拘小成。
- Q: Why does the great Dao seem “unrefined”?
- A: Dao avoids flashy refinement; if it were polished to fit convention, it would shrink into small cleverness.
- “我有三宝……慈、俭、不敢为天下先。”
- 问：三宝何以为根本德？
- 答：慈止暴、俭敛欲、不先则让位于众——三者合成柔而不弱、厚而不滞的治身治世之道。
- Q: Why are these three fundamental?
- A: Compassion restrains violence, frugality limits desire, not being first yields space—together they form resilient virtue.
- “慈故能勇；俭故能广；不敢为天下先，故能成器长。”
- 问：为何“慈”反而生“勇”？
- 答：慈心使人无畏护生、敢担责任；俭使资源足、民力广；谦后者方能为众器之长。
- Q: How does compassion produce courage?
- A: Care for life breeds fearless responsibility; frugality expands capacity; humility earns enduring leadership.
- “今舍慈且勇……舍后且先，死矣！”
- 问：为何“舍三宝而取其反”必亡？
- 答：勇无慈即鲁莽，广无俭则耗竭，争先则树敌；三反相加，速致败亡。
- Q: Why does abandoning the treasures lead to ruin?
- A: Bravery without compassion is rash; expansiveness without frugality depletes; rushing to be first incites opposition.
- “夫慈以战则胜，以守则固……以慈卫之。”
- 问：慈如何成为“护身之盾”？
- 答：慈心得民心，民心成城；天道好生，顺之者得其护佑。
- Q: How does compassion protect and prevail?
- A: It wins hearts and aligns with Heaven’s life-preserving Way, yielding strong offense and defense.
第六十八章
中文原文
善为士者不武；善战者不怒；善胜敌者不与；善用人者为之下。
是谓不争之德，是谓用人之力，是谓配天，古之极。
English Translation
The best warrior is not warlike;
the best fighter is not wrathful;
the best conqueror does not confront;
the best leader places himself below.
This is called the virtue of non-contention,
the art of employing others’ strength,
a match with Heaven— the ancient pinnacle.
逐句问答（中/英）
- “善为士者不武；善战者不怒。”
- 问：为何“善士不武、善战不怒”？
- 答：真正能战者以智制胜、以定驭变，不以逞强与愤怒破事。
- Q: Why is the best fighter neither macho nor angry?
- A: Mastery relies on calm intelligence, not bluster or rage.
- “善胜敌者不与。”
- 问：“不与”是什么意思？
- 答：不与其锋，避实击虚；用间接与系统性手段，使敌无从发挥。
- Q: What does “does not confront” imply?
- A: Avoid direct clashes; win by indirection, timing, and structure.
- “善用人者为之下。”
- 问：为之下为何能“用人之力”？
- 答：肯居下则尊重与成全他人，因而汇聚众长、众志成城。
- Q: How does being “below” enable leadership?
- A: Humility unlocks others’ strengths and loyalty.
- “是谓不争之德……配天，古之极。”
- 问：何谓“配天”的最高境界？
- 答：以不争统御、以众力成事，契合天道之无为与生成，是古人推崇的至高德范。
- Q: What is the “pinnacle that matches Heaven”?
- A: Non-contention that harmonizes with natural generativity—ancient sages’ ideal.
第六十九章
中文原文
用兵有言：吾不敢为主而为客，不敢进寸而退尺。
是谓行无行，攘无臂，扔无敌，执无兵。
祸莫大于轻敌，轻敌几丧吾宝。
故抗兵相加，哀者胜矣。
English Translation
In warfare it is said: I do not dare to take the initiative but take the receptive stance;
I do not dare advance an inch but retreat a foot.
This is called marching without marching,
baring no arms, confronting without an enemy, grasping without weapons.
No disaster is greater than underestimating the foe;
to do so risks losing our precious treasure.
Therefore, when armies clash, the sorrowful (the reverent) prevail.
逐句问答（中/英）
- “吾不敢为主而为客，不敢进寸而退尺。”
- 问：“为客”与“退尺”讲的是什么策略？
- 答：强调守势与节制：以守待机、以退为进，避免逞勇冒进导致全局失衡。
- Q: What strategy is “be the guest” and “retreat a foot”?
- A: A restrained, defensive posture that preserves initiative by not overextending.
- “是谓行无行，攘无臂，扔无敌，执无兵。”
- 问：这些看似悖论的比喻意在何处？
- 答：以无形制有形：行动不露形迹、示弱不露锋芒，使敌无从著力，你我皆“无可争之处”。
- Q: Meaning of these paradoxes?
- A: Win through formlessness—deny the foe targets by concealing movement and strength.
- “祸莫大于轻敌，轻敌几丧吾宝。”
- 问：“吾宝”指什么？
- 答：指根本之德与根本之势：敬畏、谨慎、节制的宝贵心法与国本。轻敌会丢失这些。
- Q: What is the “precious treasure”?
- A: Core virtue and strategic poise—reverence, caution, restraint.
- “故抗兵相加，哀者胜矣。”
- 问：为何“哀者胜”？
- 答：哀者非怯，乃敬畏与克制；带着对生命之悲悯而战，最能避免狂妄与轻率，因而终得胜。
- Q: Why do the “sorrowful” prevail?
- A: Reverent empathy curbs hubris and rashness, yielding sound decisions and endurance.
第七十章
中文原文
吾言甚易知，甚易行。天下莫能知，莫能行。
言有宗，事有君。夫唯无知，是以不我知。
知我者希，则我者贵。是以圣人被褐而怀玉。
English Translation
My words are very easy to understand and to practice,
yet no one under Heaven can understand or practice them.
Words have a root; affairs have a ruler.
Only because people lack knowing do they not know me.
Few understand me; those who do value me.
Thus the sage wears coarse cloth while cherishing jade within.
逐句问答（中/英）
- “吾言甚易知，甚易行。天下莫能知，莫能行。”
- 问：为何“易知易行”却“莫能知行”？
- 答：道理朴素（柔、俭、不争），但人性好华、好利，故知易而行难。
- Q: Why “easy” yet “no one can do it”?
- A: Simplicity clashes with habitual craving; the practice, not the concept, is difficult.
- “言有宗，事有君。”
- 问：“宗”与“君”各指何义？
- 答：“宗”是根本原则；“君”是主导准绳。修道须返本循纲，而非随意为之。
- Q: What are “root” and “ruler”?
- A: Root = fundamental principle; ruler = guiding norm. Dao requires anchoring in first principles.
- “夫唯无知，是以不我知。”
- 问：这里的“无知”是责备谁？
- 答：指众人不知返本归真，只逐末学与外饰，故不了解大道之旨。
- Q: Who “lacks knowing”?
- A: Those chasing superficialities and missing the root of Dao.
- “知我者希，则我者贵。”
- 问：“知”与“则（法则、效法）”的关系？
- 答：少数人能明白并效法大道，因而其价值弥足珍贵。
- Q: How are “knowing” and “valuing” linked?
- A: True understanding leads to emulation; rarity raises value.
- “是以圣人被褐而怀玉。”
- 问：何解“被褐怀玉”？
- 答：外表俭朴如粗布衣，内里怀抱如玉之德——不显山露水，实则德性充盈。
- Q: Meaning of “wearing coarse cloth, cherishing jade within”?
- A: Outward simplicity, inward excellence—modesty with profound virtue.
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