《道德经》中英文对照版(5)

第五章

　　天地不仁，以万物为刍狗；圣人不仁，以百姓为刍狗。

　　天地之间，其犹橐籥乎！虚而不屈，动而愈出。

　　多言数穷，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）。