大智若愚 上善若水

“Great ingenuity” refers to the highest level of ingenuity, arising so naturally that it does not resemble ingenuity at all. Ingenuity can be achieved through human effort, but “great ingenuity” is superior to ordinary ingenuity. To Laozi, resorting to deceit is true futility and would accomplish just the opposite result. Those who intend to play tricks are not genuine and therefore are not natural. Deceit is detrimental（有害） to naturalness and to the harmony of life.
大成①若缺， 其用不弊。 大盈若冲②， 其用不穷。 大直若屈③，
大巧若拙，
大辩若讷④。 静胜躁， 寒胜热⑤。 清静为天下正⑥。
Laozi said, “Great ingenuity appears to be stupidity.” This is the essence（本质） of “naturalness” and “non-action.”
译文：最善的人好像水一样。水善于 滋润万物而不与万物相争，停留在众 人都不喜欢的地方，所以最接近于 “道”。最善的人，居处最善于选择 地方，心胸善于保持沉静而深不可测， 待人善于真诚、友爱和无私，说话善 于格守信用，为政善于精简处理，能 把国家治理好，处事能够善于发挥所 长，行动善于把握时机。最善的人所 作所为正因为有不争的美德，所以没 有过失，也就没有怨咎。
Great ingenuity appears to be stupidity
——大智若愚
What's perfectly whole seems flawed, but you can use it forever. What's perfectly full seems empty, but you can't use it up. True straightness looks crooked. Great skill looks clumsy. Real eloquence seems to stammer. To be comfortable in the cold keep moving; to be comfortable in the heat hold still; to be comfortable in the world stay calm and clear.
Laozi compared his philosophy of "non-action" to water, to distinguish it from the jungle law.
He said, " Water nourishes everything but contends for nothing. " (水善利万物而不争) "Nothing in the world is weaker than water. Yet nothing is stronger than water when it comes to breaking something strong. " (天 下 莫 柔 弱 于 水 ， 而 攻 坚 强 者 莫 之 能 胜) Water is a typical example of the weak winning over the strong. Water is invincible because it desires nothing and contends for nothing.
[注释] 1、大成：最为完满的东西。 2、冲：虚，空虚。 3、屈：曲。 4、讷：拙嘴笨舌。 5、静胜躁，寒胜热：清静克服扰 动，寒冷克服暑热。 6、正：通“政”。 译文：最完满的东西，好似有残缺一样，但它的 作用永远不会衰竭；最充盈的东西，好似是空虚 一样，但是它的作用是不会穷尽的。最正直的东 西，好似有弯曲一样；最灵巧的东西，好似最笨 拙的；最卓越的辩才，好似不善言辞一样。清静 克服扰动，赛冷克服暑热。清静无为才能统治天 下。
The greatest virtue is like water
——上善若水
The highest efficiency is like water. It is because water benefits everything Yet vies to dwell in places loathed by the crowd That it comes nearest to proper waymaking. In dwelling, the question is where is the right place. In thinking and feeling, it is how deeply. In giving, it is how much like nature's bounty. In speaking, it is how credibly. In governing, it is how effectively. In serving, it is how capably. In acting, it is how timely. It is only because there is no communication in proper way-making That it incurs no blame.
上善若水①。 水善利万物而不争， 处众人之所恶②， 故几于道③。 居，善地； 心，善渊④；
与，善仁⑤；
言，善信； 政，善治⑥；
事，善能；
动，善时⑦。 夫唯不争， 故无尤⑧。
[注释] ①上善若水：上，最的意思。上善即最善。这里老 子以水的形象来说明"圣人"是道的体现者，因为圣 人的言行有类于水，而水德是近于道的。 ②处众人之所恶：即居处于众人所不愿去的地方。 ③几于道：几，接近。即接近于道。 ④渊：沉静、深沉。 ⑤与，善仁：与，指与别人相交相接。善仁，指有 修养之人。 ⑥政，善治：为政善于治理国家，从而取得治绩。 ⑦动，善时：行为动作善于把握有利的时机。 ⑧尤：怨咎、过失、罪过。
The Endቤተ መጻሕፍቲ ባይዱ
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