《道德經》中英文對照版(5)

第五章

　　天地不仁，以萬物爲芻狗；聖人不仁，以百姓爲芻狗。

　　天地之間，其猶橐籥乎！虛而不屈，動而瘉出。

　　多言數窮，不如守中。

　　Chapter5

　　Heaven and Earth are ruthless；

　　To them the Ten Thousand Things are but as straw dogs.

　　The Sage too is ruthless；

　　To him the people are but as straw dogs.

　　Yet[1] Heaven and Earth and all that lies between

　　Is like a bellows

　　In that it is empty， but gives a supply that never fails.

　　Work it， and more comes out .

　　Whereas the force of words[2] is soon spent.

　　Far better is it to keep what is in the heart[3].

　　[1]Though ruthless nature is perpetually bounteous.

　　[2]Laws and proclamations.

　　[3]For chung as"what is within the heart"， see Tso Chuan， Yin Kung 3rd year and Kuan Tzu，37， beginning. The comparison of Heaven and Earth to a bellows is also found in Kuan Tzu （P'ien 11， beginning）。