The Natural Course of Events (2)
天道(二)
1 The concrete presentations of Tao are vain quiet, tranquilness, loneliness and non-action, which is the essential way that we should take.
虛靜，恬淡，寂寞，無為是道的具體表現，也是我們應該效法的大本大宗。
2 Doing so and conserving the specialties fit the natural course of events.
能夠做到這樣的要求，保有這樣的特質就是合於天道。
夫明白於天地之德者，此之謂大本大宗，與天和者也；所以均調天下，與人和者也。
3 Applying the specialties to governance of a country could make the country peaceful and prosperous, which is called human harmony. Those that conform to human harmony are called Human Joy.
將這些特質應用在國家社會的治理上，使得國泰民安，這就是人和。人和者，我們稱之謂人樂。
4 Heavenly harmony that conforms to the natural course of the events is called Heavenly Joy.
合於天道的天和，我們稱之謂天樂。
與人和者，謂之人樂；與天和者，謂之天樂。
5 Delighted by such finding, Chuang Tzu sighed and said, “This is my teacher. This is my teacher.”
莊子有感於這樣的發現，他感慨的說：「這就是我的老師，這就是我的老師。」
6 Tao fairly governs all things in the Nature but it doesn’t flatter itself that it is fair. Tao makes all things flourish but it doesn’t flatter itself that it is benevolent. It has been existed eternally but it doesn’t think itself long life. Tao holds Heaven and Earth and created various and rare creatures but it doesn’t think itself skillful.
道平等地整治大自然的萬事萬物，可是他並不自認為公正。道促使萬物欣欣向榮，他也不自負仁慈; 道自恆古以來就存在，他也不自認為高壽。道承天載地，創造了各式各樣的稀奇生物，可是他也不自認為手藝高超。
莊子曰：「吾師乎，吾師乎！(上敕下韭)萬物而不為戾，澤及萬世而不為仁，長於上古而不為壽，覆載天地、刻雕眾形而不為巧。」此之謂天樂。
7 Those phenomena are Heavenly Joy. He who complies with the law of Heavenly Joy lives his live in the rule of Nature. Hence his death is a part of the changes of Nature.
這些現象就是我們說的天樂。奉行天樂之規律者，他生活依照自然的法則運行，他的死亡也是自然變化的一部份。
8 When he is still, he complies with the rule of Yin; when he is moving, he complies with the rule of Yang. For the reason, his deeds will not be condemned by Heaven, will not be complained by people, will not be in trouble of destitution, and will not be punished by gods and ghosts.
靜止時，他遵照陰的法則。動的時候，他奉行陽的行規。這樣的態度，使得他們的行為舉止不會受到天的指責，人的抱怨，或物質供需不足的拖累，甚至鬼神的懲罰。
故曰：『知天樂者，其生也天行，其死也物化。靜而與陰同德，動而與陽同波。』故知天樂者，無天怨，無人非，無物累，無鬼責。
9 For this reason, it is said that he is powerful as Heaven and immediately efficient in moving.
正因如此，有人說他們在動的時候，就像上天一樣明確有方，即時見效。
10 When his mind settles down, he creates all creatures generation after generation in silence like Earth.
他們靜下來的時候，就像大地一樣，在無聲中造就了萬物的生生不息。
11 His mind teems with vain quiet, tranquilness, loneliness and non-action, so he becomes a ruler of a country. Even after death, his soul stays still to wait for reincarnation, not disturbing other’s life by eerie forms. After reincarnation, his self-nature, Buddha-nature, Qi, calmness and soul fulfill their duties faithfully and play their roles fully.
他的心已經深得虛靜，恬淡，寂寞，無為之妙。因此他成為國家社會的統治者。就是死後，他的神識在投胎之前也不會亂跑，或以奇異的姿態去干擾別人的生活。投胎後其自性、佛性、氣、拙火、靈魂在虛靜，恬淡，寂寞，無為的環境下克盡職守，充分發揮其功能。
12 All things respect and admire him because his mind obtains vain quiet, tranquilness, loneliness and non-action.
因為他的心識已經尋得虛靜，恬淡，寂寞，無為之特質，萬物都敬仰他、尊崇他。
故曰：『其動也天，其靜也地，一心定而王天下；其鬼不祟，其魂不疲，一心定而萬物服。』
13 Only if a man is modest and active to publicize the specialties to all things, he can obtain Heavenly Joy as if Heaven nourishes all things and makes them prosperous generation after generation.
一個人只要他嚴守虛靜之念，並將之推廣到天地萬物一切的事物上，他就能成就天樂，如同自然滋潤萬物，使其欣欣向榮，生生不息。
言以虛靜推於天地，通於萬物，此之謂天樂。天樂者，聖人之心，以畜天下也。」
14 Doing thing should be in sequence. The important is prior; the minor is posterior. We should comply severely with the important principles. The minor parts are put behind to do.
事情要分輕重緩急，重要的放在前面，次要的放在後面。重要的原則要謹守，至於次要的部份則放在後面慢慢商量。
15 The armed force and its armament are the edge tool of a government but they are inferior to virtue. The measures, such as promotion, punishment, encouragement, awards and criminal laws, are adopted to regulate people. However, they are worse among the ways to educate people.
三軍及其軍備是政府的重要利器，然而，與德相較，它卻是屬於次要的。至於升遷、懲罰、鼓勵、獎賞以及各種刑法，原本是用來規範百姓的行為的，但是它們在教育百姓的方法中，卻是屬於最低劣的;
16 As ways of governance, etiquette, laws, classic systems and various divisions of work are not the best.
在治理國家的手法之中，禮儀、法律、階級制度，以及各式各樣的分工，也都不是最好的方法。
17 Bell, drum and splendid clothes are not the outfit of top grade for the musical instrument; wailing, mourning howl and wearing sackcloth in a funeral are the inferior ways to express sorrow.
鐘鼓以及華麗的衣服，不是音樂演奏的上品配備；喪禮中號啕大哭、傷心哀嚎、穿戴麻衣等，也是次等表示悲哀的方式。
18 The said five ways are inferior because they express their feelings by heart and consciousness instead of by the inner instinct.
上面五種方法，大都是因為它們在表達之時是要用心、用意識去思考才發出表情的，它們並不是直接由內心直覺所表達出來的。所以說，它們不是好的方法。
本在於上，末在於下；要在於主，詳在於臣。三軍五兵之運，德在末也；賞罰利害，五刑之辟，教之末也；禮法度數，形名比詳，治之末也；鐘鼓之音，羽旄之容，樂之末也；哭泣衰絰，隆殺之服，哀之末也。此五末者，須精神之運，心術之動，然後從之者也。
19 Ancient people also employed the said knowledge; however, they looked them as the inferior and the subordinate.
像上述這些所謂知識，古時的百姓也都知道運用，只是他們並不將之放在最優先，最重要的位置上來看待。
20 If we attach no importance to the order of priority in the discussion and study of Tao, we will lose it. We discuss and study Tao and sincerely hope to seize it, but for the said mistakes, we will at the end of day losing it. If so, why do we make such an effort to discuss and study it?
我們討論道，研究道，可是如果我們不重視事情的輕重緩急、先後秩序，那麼我們就有可能會失去道。當我們一邊討論研究道，試圖抓住祂; 可是所做的同時，又失去祂;，那麼，我們又何必花費那麼大的工夫去討論研究道呢？
21 Hence, the ancient sages who really understood Tao, observed and learned the Nature first, and then they discussed and studied Tao and virtue.
所以，從前真正瞭解明白道的賢者，他們都是先觀察自然，瞭解自然，然後再去研究討論道與德；
末學者，古人有之，而非所以先也。君先而臣從，父先而子從，兄先而弟從，長先而少從，男先而女從，夫先而婦從。夫尊卑先後，天地之行也，故聖人取象焉。天尊，地卑，神明之位也；春夏先，秋冬後，四時之序也；萬物化作，萌區有狀；盛衰之殺，變化之流也。夫天地至神，而有尊卑先後之序，而況人道乎！宗廟尚親，朝廷尚尊，鄉黨尚齒，行事尚賢，大道之序也。語道而非其序者，非其道也；語道而非其道者，安取道哉！
22 They did not discuss benevolence and righteousness until made clear Tao and virtue.
道與德弄清楚後，他們才去討論仁義;
23 After understanding benevolence and righteousness, they started to learn about the inferior things such as the class and duty. Having understood the class and duty, they divided the possible works into different sectors. After dividing, they assigned the works to classes and officials of different duty. The classes and the officials themselves were responsible for the works.
瞭解了仁義之後，才去注意階級及職責等次級些的東西，階級及職責確定後，再將所有可能的工作分門別類劃分好，當這項分類工作完成後，他們就會按不同階級及職稱，分別分派一定的工作，讓官員們去負責。
是故古之明大道者，先明天而道德次之，道德已明而仁義次之，仁義已明而分守次之，分守已明而形名次之，形名已明而因任次之，因任已明而原省次之，原省已明而是非次之，是非已明而賞罰次之，賞罰已明而愚知處宜，貴賤履位，仁賢不肖襲情，必分其能，必由其名。
24 After assignation, the following was to check and appraise the work periodically, by which they discriminated everyone’s competence.
工作分配完成之後，接下來的工作，就是定期地檢討，攷查其工作績效，再由工作績效之中，分別定出各個人的能力優劣。
25 Promotion and punishment were done in terms of their actual work. The check and appraisal revealed official’s intelligence, competence and virtue clearly and fairly.
升遷或懲罰是由他們的實際工作表現中來決定，經由這樣的評估程序，政府官員的智商，工作能力的高下，品德的優劣等都明確、公平的呈現出來。
26 When both officials and their underling were appraised in such way, they would work all out, fairly and carefully.
不論是長官或部屬，都以這樣的標準去評估。官員處在這種的情況下，他們做事必也公正、細心、並傾力而為。
27 If the personal practice was done in this way, he would not from a clique and intrigue selfish interest and fame any more.
個人修身方面，如果也能按著這樣的方法去努力，此人就再也不會為了個人名利，結黨營私，陰謀圖利。
28 Governance in this way would start a peaceful and prosperous age of a country.
國家政府的運作，假如能按著這個方式去進行，必定能開創太平之治。
29 It is said in book that “things have their forms and names.” The forms and names are detailed categories of various works, which has existed from of old, but they are not the priority in the sequence of work.
根據書上記載：「有形有名」，形與名也就是政府的各類工作詳細劃分，這些是自古以來都有的，只是他們並不把它放在最優先的工作程序上。
30 In the sequence of governance, the forms and names rank fifth while the punishment ninth. Putting the forms and names in the first priority, this is the essential error of governance. Emphasis of reward and punishment and put it in the first place is the error of reverse sequence. Those, who don’t know the order of priority or run in the opposite direction, can only work as an underling, are not eligible to be a leader.
在國家治理的優先程序中，形與名只排在第五位，而獎懲辦法更僅僅是排到第九位。將形與名放在首位去思攷，在治理國家的原則上是犯了根本的錯誤。一開始就講賞懲是犯了先後秩序顛倒的錯誤，至於不知事情的輕重緩急，行事背道而馳的人，他們只配當部屬，絕沒有資格做領導者。
31 Those who know reward and punishment are considered to know the way of governance instead of the principle of governance. They only know something less about governance, not gaining the essence of governance.
只注重形名賞罰的人，我們說他們知道治理國家的方法，可是他們實不明白，何謂治理國家的原則，他們只能算是略知皮毛而已，並沒有學得完整的治國之方的精髓。
以此事上，以此畜下，以此治物，以此修身，知謀不用，必歸其天，此之謂太平，治之至也。故書曰：「有形有名。」形名者，古人有之，而非所以先也。古之語大道者，五變而形名可舉，九變而賞罰可言也。驟而語形名，不知其本也；驟而語賞罰，不知其始也。倒道而言，迕道而說者，人之所治也，安能治人！驟而語形名賞罰，此有知治之具，非知治之道。可用於天下，不足以用天下。此之謂辯士，一曲之人也。禮法數度，形名比詳，古人有之。此下之所以事上，非上之所以畜下也。