《道德经》中英文对照版(9)

第九章

　　持而盈之，不如其已；揣而锐之，不可长保。

　　金玉满堂，莫之能守。富贵而骄，自遗其咎。

　　功遂身退，天之道也！

　　Chapter9

　　Stretch a bow[1] to the very full，

　　And you will wish you had stopped in time；

　　Temper a sword-edge to its very sharpest，

　　And you will find it soon grows dull

　　When bronze and jade fill your hall

　　It can no longer be guarded.

　　Wealth and place breed insolence

　　That brings ruin in its train.

　　When your work is done， then withdraw！

　　Such is Heaven's[2] Way.

　　[1] the expression used can also apply to filling a vessel to the brim； but "stretching a bow" makes a better parallel to "sharpening a sword".

　　[2] as opposed to the Way of man.