The Movements of the Heaven (7)
(天運)七
1 Confucius could not help but complain that he was not able to exert his talent. Someday he complained to Laodan. “For many years I studied the Six Classic Books—The book of Poetry, The Book of Documents, The Book of Etiquettes, The Book of Music, The book of Changes and Spring and Autumn. I am proficient in the theory of them. In the past years, I visited seventy-two officials and discussed with them about the governance of ancestral kings and explained the achievements of governance by Duke of Zhou and Duke of Shao. However, no official adopted them. Alas! So tired! I am aware that it is very difficult to persuade a man to do something and how difficult it is to understand Tao.”
孔子對自己有志難伸不免牢騷滿腹，有一天他對老聃說：「我研究詩書禮樂易春秋六經已經許多年了，其間的道理知之甚詳。過去這些年我曾先後拜訪過七十二位大大小小的官員，跟他們討論先王之道，說明周公召公的政績。可是沒有一位願意採用。唉！真累人啊！我深深地體會到，要說服一個人有多難，要將道搞清楚又還有多難。」
孔子謂老聃曰：「丘治《詩》、《書》、《禮》、《樂》、《易》、《春秋》六經，自以為久矣，孰知其故矣；以奸者七十二君，論先王之道而明周、召之跡，一君無所鉤用。甚矣夫！人之難說也，道之難明邪？」
2 Laodan said, “I don’t want to discourage you. It is lucky that nobody adopts your policy, or you are in trouble. You should know that the Six Classic Books are the records of history and the achievements of ancestral king’s governance. They are old stories. What you said to the officials were all these kind of records.”
老聃說：「不是我給你洩氣，幸好沒有人採用你的政策，否則你就麻煩了。要知道六經是先王政績，是史實的記錄，都是些陳舊的事蹟。你說的也都是這一類的故事。
老子曰：「幸矣，子之不遇治世之君也！
3 The so-called Traces are the footprints left by walked people. You are trying to persuade people to follow the footprints. You should understand that the footprints are traces left by walking, but the footprints itself can’t represent the route. Route is the way adopted in the light of then requirement and the change of objective environment. For example, there is a dog shit on the path. We have to move our steps to left somewhat to escape. There is a hive on a tree over there. So we have to detour through the lawn.
所謂跡: 是前人走過的痕跡與腳印。你想勸人採行的都是一些舊腳印。你要明白，腳印雖是我們走過的印記，可是它本身並不能代表路徑。路徑是視當時的需求，客觀環境的變化而採取的方略。路上有堆狗屎，所以我們將步子往左移開了些; 那邊樹枝上有一個蜂窩，所以我們避開這條路，繞個彎經草地而過。
4 In December, we must wear heavy clothes when go out since it is cold at that time. In summer, we just wear a shirt to play outdoors since it is hot. When the economy flourishes, we make much money every day. Then we dine in the good restaurant when touring. When the economy is depressed, the share we hold decline down to one fourth of the market value. Then it is necessary to reduce expense in cloth and food.
十二月天寒地凍，所以我們穿上厚重的衣服外出。夏季天氣炎熱，我們就只穿一件短衫在外面玩。景氣好時，我們每天賺進大把銀子，外出旅遊吃大餐都毫不猶豫，率性而為。景氣差時，手中股票只剩四分之一的市值，這時縮衣節食也就在所難免了。
5 Therefore, the objective environment is changing all the time. We have to adjust ourselves according to the changes of location, time, custom and fashion. However, as long as you master Tao that is unchangeable principle, you will have no difficulty in adjustment and succeed in doing everything. It is infeasible for you to study the traces of history and the footprints.”
所以說，客觀環境是一直在改變的，隨著地域、時間、風俗、時尚的變易，我們都必須不斷的進行自我調適。只有把握住道，這個不變的原則，才能毫無困難的適應變局，無往而不利。像你所研究的那些史蹟、那些腳印等根本就是行不通的。」
夫六經，先王之陳跡也，豈其所以跡哉！今子之所言，猶跡也。夫跡，履之所出，而跡豈履哉！夫白鶂之相視，眸子不運而風化；蟲，雄鳴於上風，雌應於下風而化。類自為雌雄，故風化。性不可易，命不可變，時不可止，道不可壅。苟得於道，無自而不可；失焉者，無自而可。」
6 Listening to what Laodan said Confucius felt dejected because he learned that what he has studied for the whole life actually is futile. He stayed indoors to introspect. He wanted to comprehend the principle. After hard introspection for three months, he visited Laodan again to report his learning from introspection.
孔子聽完了這番話後，對自己終生所研究的東西居然可能一無是處而大感沮喪。他閉門自省，想從中參透這個大道理; 歷經三個月苦思，他再度到老聃那兒，將自己的研究心得向老聃報告。
7 He said, “I got it. We should deal with different things, people, time, situation and location by different means. We can’t do it forcedly in the invariable way. In fact, all things are also following this principle. The bird is oviparous, the mammal is viviparous, the creatures on land breathe with lung and most fishes breathe with gill.
他說：「我想通了。原來，不同的人、事、時、地、物等，都應有不同的方法去應付，不能一成不變的按老規矩去硬幹。萬物就是這樣，烏鵲是卵生，哺乳動物是胎生，陸地上的生物用肺呼吸，而大部份的魚則用鰓呼吸的。
8 Once a coddled kid’s brother or sister is born, he is to receive lesser love and attention; at the beginning, he cries and quarrels, this is the natural phenomenon. Though the actions referred above are different, the developed ways to adjust themselves are the same. The adjustment to different circumstance is Tao. Only Tao in our heart can make us valid everywhere.
被嬌寵慣了的孩子，一旦有弟妹出生，他所得到的關愛就減少了，剛開始的時候, 他會哭啼吵鬧。所有這些都是自然的現象。雖然表現的不同，可是他們為了調適而發展出的不同的行為方式，其意義都是相同的。而這個能隨遇而安的調適就是道。我們必須心中有道才能行之四海而皆準。
9 For many years I put the cart before the horse by only studying the traces of history and forgetting to seek and develop Tao in my heart. So I was lost all the way. That’s why I was refused everywhere.
我過去這麼多年本末倒置，只顧著研究史蹟，而忘記去研究追尋及開發心中的道，所以我徹底地失敗了，也因此而到處碰壁。」
孔子不出三月，復見，曰：「丘得之矣。烏鵲孺，魚傅沫，細要者化，有弟而兄啼。久矣，夫丘不與化為人！不與化為人，安能化人。」
10 Smiling, Laodan nodded. “Well. You got it.”
老聃點點頭微笑地說：「嗯！你算是想通了。」
老子曰：「可，丘得之矣！」