雙語詩歌翻譯|《道德經(jīng)》

本章大意：人活著的時候身體是柔軟的，死了以后身體就變得僵硬。草木生長時是柔軟脆弱的，死了以后就變得干硬枯槁了。所以堅強的東西屬于死亡的一類，柔弱的東西屬于生長的一類。因此，用兵逞強就會遭到滅亡，樹木強大了就會遭到砍伐摧折。凡是強大的，總是處于下位，凡是柔弱的，反而居于上位。

《道德經(jīng)》（第七十六章）

人之生也柔弱，

其死也堅強。

草木之生也柔脆，

其死也枯槁。

故堅強者死之徒，

柔弱者生之徒。

是以兵強則滅，

木強則折。

強大處下，

柔弱處上。

Chapter 76

Human beings are soft and supple when alive, stiff and straight when dead.

The myriad creatures, the grasses and trees are soft and fragile when alive, dry and withered when dead.

Therefore, it is said:

The rigid person is a disciple of death;

The soft, supple, and delicate are lovers of life.

An army that is inflexible will not conquer;

A tree that is inflexible will snap.

The unyielding and mighty shall be brought low;

The soft, supple, and delicate will be set above.

（Victor H. Mair 譯）

Chapter 76

Soft and weak at birth,

a man is rigid hard at death.

Trees and plants are soft and supple alive,

brittle and withered when dead.

Thus the hard and brittle belong to death

and the soft and weak belong to life.

An adamant army may be decimated.

A tree that’s too strong will be crooked.

Thus the hard and strong are subjugated

and the soft and weak triumph.

（Tony Barnstone and Chou Ping 譯）

Chapter 76

A man is supple and weak when living, but hard and stiff when dead.

Grass and trees are pliant and fragile when living, but dried and shriveled when dead.

Thus the hard and the strong are the comrades of death;

The supple and the weak are the comrades of life.

Therefore a weapon that is strong will not vanquish;

A tree that is strong will suffer the axe.

The strong and big takes the lower position,

The supple and the weak takes the higher position.

（劉殿爵 譯）