Zhuang Zi (莊子)

北冥有魚，其名為鯤。鯤之大，不知其幾千里也。化而為鳥，其名為鵬。鵬之背，不知其幾千里也；怒而飛，其翼若垂天之雲。是鳥也，海運則將徙於南冥。南冥者，天池也。《齊諧》者，志怪者也。《諧》之言曰：「鵬之徙於南冥也，水擊三千里，摶扶搖而上者九萬裡，去以六月息者也。」野馬也，塵埃也，生物之以息相吹也。天之蒼蒼，其正色邪？其遠而無所至極邪？其視下也，亦若是則已矣。且夫水之積也不厚，則負大舟也無力。覆杯水於坳堂之上，則芥為之舟；置杯焉則膠，水淺而舟大也。風之積也不厚，則其負大翼也無力。故九萬裡，則風斯在下矣，而後乃今培風；背負青天而莫之夭閼者，而後乃今將圖南。

In the northern sea there is a fish whose name is Kun. How huge Kun is, no one knows for how many thousands of li. It transforms into a bird whose name is Peng. How broad Peng's back is, no one knows for how many thousands of li; when it rouses itself and flies, its wings are like clouds hanging from the sky. When the sea stirs, this bird will migrate to the southern sea. The southern sea is the Pool of Heaven. The Qi Xie is a book that records strange things. The Qi Xie says: "When the Peng migrates to the southern sea, its wings strike the water for three thousand li, and riding the whirlwind it circles up ninety thousand li, going off on the wind of the sixth month." Wild horses and dust are all things blown about by the breath of living things. Is the blue of the sky its true color? Or is it only because it is so distant it has no end? Looking down from there, it would also look just like this. Moreover, if water is not piled up thick, it has no strength to bear a large boat. Pour a cup of water into a hollow in the hall, and a blade of grass can serve as a boat; place a cup there and it sticks, because the water is shallow and the boat is large. If wind is not piled up thick, it has no strength to bear huge wings. So when it reaches ninety thousand li, the wind is beneath it, and only then does it ride the wind; bearing the blue sky on its back with nothing to obstruct it, only then does it plan to fly south.

蜩與學鳩笑之曰：「我決起而飛，榆枋，時則不至，而控於地而已矣，奚以之九萬裡而南為！」適莽蒼者，三而反，腹猶果然；適百里者，宿舂糧；適千里者，三月聚糧。之二蟲又何知！小知不及大知，小年不及大年。奚以知其然也？朝菌不知晦朔，蟪蛄不知春秋，此小年也。楚之南有冥靈者，以五百歲為春，五百歲為秋；上古有大椿者，以八千歲為春，八千歲為秋。而彭祖乃今以久特聞，眾人匹之，不亦悲乎！

The cicada and the little dove laughed at it, saying: "I shoot up and strike the elm and sapan trees, and sometimes don't even reach them and just drop to the ground; why must one fly ninety thousand li to go south!" One who goes to the nearby green suburbs takes three (meals) and returns with a belly still full (the original text here reads "three and return," probably lacking the word "meal"); one who goes a hundred li must pound grain the night before; one who goes a thousand li must gather provisions for three months. What do these two little creatures know! Small knowledge cannot match great knowledge, and a short lifespan cannot match a long one. How do we know this is so? The morning mushroom does not know the end and beginning of the month, and the cricket does not know spring and autumn; this is a short lifespan. In the south of Chu there is the Mingling tree, for which five hundred years is a spring and five hundred years an autumn; in remote antiquity there was the great Chun tree, for which eight thousand years was a spring and eight thousand years an autumn. And Pengzu is now famous especially for having lived long, and ordinary people compare themselves to him; is that not sad!

湯之問棘也是已。窮髮之北有冥海者，天池也。有魚焉，其廣數千里，未有知其脩者，其名為鯤。有鳥焉，其名為鵬，背若太山，翼若垂天之云，摶扶搖羊角而上者九萬裡，絕雲氣，負青天，然後圖南，且適南冥也。斥鴳笑之曰：「彼且奚適也？我騰躍而上，不過數仞而下，翱翔蓬蒿之間，此亦飛之至也。而彼且奚適也？」此小大之辨也。故夫知效一官，行比一鄉，德合一君，而徵一國者，其自視也亦若此矣。而宋榮子猶然笑之。且舉世而譽之而不加勸，舉世而非之而不加沮，定乎內外之分，辨乎榮辱之境，斯已矣。彼其於世，未數數然也。雖然，猶有未樹也。夫列子御風而行，泠然善也，旬有五日而後反。彼於致福者，未數數然也。此雖免乎行，猶有所待者也。若夫乘天地之正，而御六氣之辨，以遊無窮者，彼且惡乎待哉！故曰：至人無己，神人無功，聖人無名。

Tang's questions to Ji speak of just this. In the barren north there is a dark sea, which is the Pool of Heaven. In it is a fish several thousand li wide, and no one knows how long it is; its name is Kun. There is a bird there, whose name is Peng, with a back like Mount Tai and wings like clouds hanging from the sky, which rides a whirlwind like a ram's horn circling up ninety thousand li, passes through the cloud-qi, bears the blue sky on its back, and then plans to go south, about to go to the southern sea. The quail laughs at it, saying: "Where does it intend to go? I leap up and come down after only a few fathoms, and flit among the tangled weeds, and that is the utmost of flying. And where does it intend to go?" This is the distinction between small and great. So those whose wisdom is enough for one office, whose conduct unites one village, whose virtue suits one ruler, and whose ability wins the trust of one state, see themselves just like this quail. Yet Song Rongzi laughed at them. Moreover, though the whole world praises him he is not more diligent for it, and though the whole world criticizes him he is not more dejected for it. He fixes the distinction between inner and outer and discerns the boundary between honor and disgrace, and that is all. He does not hasten and strive for the world. Even so, there is still something he has not established. Liezi rode the wind and traveled, so light and wonderful, and returned after fifteen days. He did not hasten and strive for good fortune. Though this spared him walking, he still had something he depended on. As for one who rides the correctness of heaven and earth, drives the changes of the six qi (the flowing stuff that constitutes and pervades all things), and wanders in the infinite, what would he still depend on! So it is said: the perfect person has no self, the spiritual person has no merit, the sage has no name.

堯讓天下於許由，曰：「日月出矣而爝火不息，其於光也，不亦難乎！時雨降矣而猶浸灌，其於澤也，不亦勞乎！夫子立而天下治，而我猶屍之，吾自視缺然，請致天下。」許由曰：「子治天下，天下既已治也。而我猶代子，吾將為名乎？名者，實之賓也。吾將為賓乎？鷦鷯巢於深林，不過一枝；偃鼠飲河，不過滿腹。歸休乎君，予無所用天下為！庖人雖不治庖，尸祝不越樽俎而代之矣。」

Yao offered the world to Xu You, saying: "The sun and moon have already come out, and yet the torches are not put out; would it not be hard for them to give light! The seasonal rain has already fallen, and yet one still irrigates; would that not be wasted effort for moistening! If you, master, were established, the world would be well governed, yet I still occupy this seat; I see myself as very inadequate, and ask to hand the world over to you." Xu You said: "You govern the world, and the world is already well governed. If I came to replace you, would I be doing it for the name? A name is the guest of reality. Would I go and be a guest? The wren builds its nest in a deep forest and takes only one branch; the mole drinks at the river and takes only a bellyful. Go back and rest, my lord; the world is of no use to me! Even if the cook does not tend the kitchen, the impersonator of the dead and the invocator would not leap over the wine vessels and chopping boards to take his place."

肩吾問於連叔曰：「吾聞言於接輿，大而無當，往而不返。吾驚怖其言，猶河漢而無極也，大有逕庭，不近人情焉。」連叔曰：「其言謂何哉？」曰：「『藐姑射之山，有神人居焉，肌膚若冰雪，淖約若處子。不食五穀，吸風飲露。乘雲氣，御飛龍，而遊乎四海之外。其神凝，使物不疵癘而年穀熟。』吾以是狂而不信也。」連叔曰：「然。瞽者無以與乎文章之觀，聾者無以與乎鍾鼓之聲。豈唯形骸有聾盲哉？夫知亦有之。是其言也，猶時女也。之人也，之德也，將旁礡萬物以為一。世蘄乎亂，孰弊弊焉以天下為事！之人也，物莫之傷，大浸稽天而不溺，大旱金石流、土山焦而不熱，是其塵垢秕穅，將猶陶鑄堯、舜者也，孰肯以物為事！」宋人資章甫而適諸越，越人斷髮文身，無所用之。堯治天下之民，平海內之政，往見四子藐姑射之山，汾水之陽，窅然喪其天下焉。

Jian Wu asked Lian Shu: "I heard some words from Jie Yu, big and without any fit, which once spread out cannot be taken back. I was alarmed by his words, endless like the Milky Way, far from ordinary reason, and not in accord with human feeling." Lian Shu said: "What did he say?" Jian Wu said: "'On Mount Miaogu there lives a spirit person whose skin is like ice and snow and who is gentle and fair like a maiden. He does not eat the five grains but breathes the wind and drinks the dew. Riding the clouds and driving flying dragons, he wanders beyond the four seas. His spirit is gathered, so that things are not harmed and the grain ripens.' I took this to be mad talk and did not believe it." Lian Shu said: "So it is. The blind have no way to take part in viewing patterns and colors, and the deaf have no way to take part in the sound of bells and drums. Is it only the body that can be deaf and blind? Knowledge can also be. These words are exactly about you. That kind of person, that kind of virtue (the capacity that the Way shows when realized in specific things, not virtue in an ethical sense), will blend with and unite the ten thousand things as one. The people of the world seek to be governed; who would bustle about taking the world as a matter of concern! That kind of person cannot be harmed by things; a flood reaching to the sky would not drown him, and in a great drought when metal and stone melt and earth and hills are scorched he would not be hot; his dust and chaff alone could be molded into Yao and Shun, so who would bother with external things!" A man of Song sold ceremonial caps in Yue, but the people of Yue cut their hair and tattooed their bodies and had no use for them. Yao governed the people of the world and settled the government of all within the seas, and went to see the four masters on Mount Miaogu north of the Fen River, and was dazed and lost his world.

惠子謂莊子曰：「魏王貽我大瓠之種，我樹之成而實五石。以盛水漿，其堅不能自舉也。剖之以為瓢，則瓠落無所容。非不呺然大也，吾為其無用而掊之。」莊子曰：「夫子固拙於用大矣。宋人有善為不龜手之藥者，世世以洴澼絖為事。客聞之，請買其方百金。聚族而謀曰：『我世世為洴澼絖，不過數金；今一朝而鬻技百金，請與之。』客得之，以說吳王。越有難，吳王使之將，冬與越人水戰，大敗越人，裂地而封之。能不龜手，一也；或以封，或不免於洴澼絖，則所用之異也。今子有五石之瓠，何不慮以為大樽而浮乎江湖，而憂其瓠落無所容？則夫子猶有蓬之心也夫！」

Huizi said to Zhuangzi: "The King of Wei gave me seeds of a great gourd, and when I planted them, the fruit grew as big as five shi. Used to hold water, its solidity was not enough to lift it by itself. Cut open to make dippers, they were too flat and shallow to hold anything. It was not that it was not big, but I considered it useless and smashed it." Zhuangzi said: "You are truly not good at using big things. There was a man of Song who was good at making a salve that kept hands from chapping, and for generations his family had made a living bleaching silk floss. A guest heard of it and asked to buy the recipe for a hundred gold. They gathered their clan and discussed it, saying: 'For generations we have bleached silk floss and earned only a few gold; now we can sell the skill in one go for a hundred gold, so let us sell it.' The guest got the recipe and went to persuade the King of Wu. When Yue invaded, the king made him commander, and in winter he fought the people of Yue on the water and utterly defeated them, and the king apportioned land and enfeoffed him. It was the same salve to keep hands from chapping; one man was enfeoffed because of it, and another still could not escape bleaching silk floss; the difference is in how it is used. Now you have a gourd of five shi; why not tie it as a waist-float and float on rivers and lakes, instead of worrying that it is too flat and shallow to hold anything? Your mind is still stuffed with thatch!"

惠子謂莊子曰：「吾有大樹，人謂之樗。其大本擁腫而不中繩墨，其小枝捲曲而不中規矩，立之塗，匠者不顧。今子之言，大而無用，眾所同去也。」莊子曰：「子獨不見狸狌乎？卑身而伏，以候敖者；東西跳梁，不避高下；中於機闢，死於罔罟。今夫牛，其大若垂天之雲。此能為大矣，而不能執鼠。今子有大樹，患其無用，何不樹之於無何有之鄉，廣莫之野，彷徨乎無為其側，逍遙乎寢臥其下？不夭斤斧，物無害者，無所可用，安所困苦哉！」

Huizi said to Zhuangzi: "I have a great tree, which people call chu. Its great trunk is swollen and does not fit the carpenter's ink line; its small branches are curled and do not fit compass or square; standing by the road, carpenters do not even look at it. Now your words are big and useless, and everyone discards them." Zhuangzi said: "Have you not seen the wildcat? It crouches low and lies in ambush, waiting for prey that wanders out; it leaps east and west without avoiding high or low; stepping on a trap, it dies in the net. Then there is the yak, huge as a cloud hanging from the sky. It can be big, yet it cannot catch a mouse. Now you have a great tree and worry that it is useless; why not plant it in the village of Not-Even-Anything, the wide open wilds, wander beside it in non-action (not forcing intervention by subjective will but letting things run according to their nature, which does not mean doing nothing at all), and lie in free and easy rest (Zhuangzi uses this word, xiaoyao, for that wandering which depends on nothing and suits itself, not for leisurely comfort) beneath it? It will not be cut short by the axe, nothing will harm it, and having no use, where could there be trouble!"

南郭子綦隱幾而坐，仰天而噓，嗒焉似喪其耦。顏成子游立侍乎前，曰：「何居乎？形固可使如槁木，而心固可使如死灰乎？今之隱幾者，非昔之隱幾者也。」子綦曰：「偃，不亦善乎，而問之也！今者吾喪我，汝知之乎？汝聞人籟而未聞地籟，汝聞地籟而未聞天籟夫！」子游曰：「敢問其方。」子綦曰：「夫大塊噫氣，其名為風。是唯無作，作則萬竅怒呺。而獨不聞之翏翏乎？山林之畏隹，大木百圍之竅穴，似鼻，似口，似耳，似枅，似圈，似臼，似窪者，似汙者；激者，謞者，叱者，吸者，叫者，譹者，宎者，咬者，前者唱於而隨者唱喁，泠風則小和，飄風則大和，厲風濟則眾竅為虛。而獨不見之調調、之刁刁乎？」子游曰：「地籟則眾竅是已，人籟則比竹是已。敢問天籟。」子綦曰：「夫吹萬不同，而使其自己也。鹹其自取，怒者其誰邪！」

Nanguo Ziqi sat leaning on his armrest, looked up to heaven and exhaled, his body loosened as if he had lost his counterpart. Yan Cheng Ziyou stood attending before him and said: "What is the matter? The body can certainly be made like withered wood, but can the mind certainly be made like dead ashes? The one leaning on the armrest now is not the one who leaned on it in the past." Ziqi said: "Yan, you ask about this, and you ask well! Now I have lost myself; do you know it? You have heard the piping of men but not the piping of earth, and have heard the piping of earth but not the piping of heaven!" Ziyou said: "May I ask the principle of it?" Ziqi said: "The great earth exhales breath, and its name is wind. It simply does not stir, but once it stirs, the ten thousand apertures roar. Have you not heard that whooshing sound? In the steep slopes of the mountain forests, in the hollows of great trees of a hundred spans around, some are like noses, some like mouths, some like ears, some like square sockets in beams, some like pens, some like mortars, some like hollows, some like stagnant pools; some sound like rushing water, some like flying arrows, some like scolding, some like inhaling, some like shouting, some like wailing, some deep, some mournful; those in front sing 'yu' and those behind sing 'yong'; a small wind brings a small chorus and a great wind a great chorus, and when the fierce wind stops, all the apertures are empty. Have you not seen that swaying, that trembling?" Ziyou said: "The piping of earth is the many apertures, and the piping of men is instruments made from bamboo flutes laid side by side. May I ask about the piping of heaven?" Ziqi said: "The wind blows on ten thousand different things and lets them stop of themselves. All of them are as they are of themselves; who then is the one stirring them!"

大知閑閑，小知間間；大言炎炎，小言詹詹。其寐也魂交，其覺也形開，與接為構，日以心鬬。縵者，窖者，密者。小恐惴惴，大恐縵縵。其發若機栝，其司是非之謂也；其留如詛盟，其守勝之謂也；其殺如秋冬，以言其日消也；其溺之所為之，不可使復之也；其厭也如緘，以言其老洫也。近死之心，莫使復陽也。喜怒哀樂，慮嘆變慹，姚佚啟態，樂出虛，蒸成菌。日夜相代乎前，而莫知其所萌。已乎，已乎！旦暮得此，其所由以生乎！非彼無我，非我無所取，是亦近矣，而不知其所為使。若有真宰，而特不得其朕，可行已信，而不見其形，有情而無形。百骸、九竅、六藏，賅而存焉，吾誰與為親？汝皆悅之乎？其有私焉？如是，皆有為臣妾乎？其臣妾不足以相治乎？其遞相為君臣乎？其有真君存焉。如求得其情與不得，無益損乎其真。一受其成形，不亡以待盡，與物相刃相靡，其行盡如馳，而莫之能止，不亦悲乎！終身役役而不見其成功，然疲役而不知其所歸，可不哀邪！人謂之不死，奚益！其形化，其心與之然，可不謂大哀乎？人之生也，固若是芒乎？其我獨芒，而人亦有不芒者乎？夫隨其成心而師之，誰獨且無師乎？奚必知代而心自取者有之？愚者與有焉。未成乎心而有是非，是今日適越而昔至也，是以無有為有。無有為有，雖有神禹，且不能知，吾獨且奈何哉！

Great knowledge is relaxed and spacious; small knowledge is fussy and cramped. Great speech is blazing; small speech is chattering. In sleep the spirit-souls intermingle; on waking the body opens out, in contact with external things and entangled, and every day they fight with the mind. There are the loose, the trap-setting, and the tight. Small fears are anxious, great fears are boundless. When it goes off it is like a crossbow trigger, which is the manager of right and wrong; when it lingers it is like a sworn oath, which is holding to win; the withering like autumn and winter says that it diminishes day by day; sunk in what it is doing, it cannot be made to return; the blockage like something sealed says that it has withered and aged. The mind close to death cannot be restored to yang by anything. Joy, anger, sorrow, delight, worry, sighing, vacillation, fear, frivolity, indulgence, posturing, music coming out of emptiness, steam forming mushrooms; day and night they alternate before one's eyes, yet no one knows where they sprout from. Enough, enough! Perhaps getting this morning and evening is precisely how they come to be born! Without that, there would be no me; without me, there would be nothing taken; this comes close, yet one does not know what drives it. It seems there is a true master, yet one cannot find any sign of it; it can act and has been believed, yet its form is not seen; it has feeling but no form. The hundred bones, nine apertures, and six viscera are all present; to which am I closest? Do you like them all? Or do you have a partiality? If so, do they all become servants and concubines? Are servants and concubines not enough to govern one another? Or do they take turns being ruler and subject? Or is there a true ruler among them? Whether or not one seeks its truth, it adds or subtracts nothing from its reality. Once one has received this bodily form, it goes on without perishing, awaiting exhaustion, blade against blade and grinding with things, running its course like a gallop that nothing can stop; is that not sad! One toils all one's life and never sees success, wearily exhausted and not knowing where one will end; can one not grieve! People say he has not yet died, but what good is that! The body changes and the mind goes the same way; can this not be called a great sorrow? Is human life truly this dim? Or is it only I who am dim, and others are not dim? Following one's own fixed mind and taking it as a teacher, who alone does not have a teacher? Why must one wait to know the change and be one whose mind can make its own choices? Even fools have it. To have right and wrong before the mind has formed is like going to Yue today and having already arrived yesterday; it takes nonexistence for existence. Taking nonexistence for existence, even Yu with his divine insight could not know it; what could I do about it!

夫言非吹也，言者有言，其所言者特未定也。果有言邪？其未嘗有言邪？其以為異於鷇音，亦有辯乎？其無辯乎？道惡乎隱而有真偽？言惡乎隱而有是非？道惡乎往而不存？言惡乎存而不可？道隱於小成，言隱於榮華。故有儒墨之是非，以是其所非而非其所是。欲是其所非而非其所是，則莫若以明。物無非彼，物無非是。自彼則不見，自知則知之。故曰：彼出於是，是亦因彼。彼、是，方生之說也。雖然，方生方死，方死方生；方可方不可，方不可方可；因是因非，因非因是。是以聖人不由，而照之於天，亦因是也。是亦彼也，彼亦是也。彼亦一是非，此亦一是非。果且有彼是乎哉？果且無彼是乎哉？彼是莫得其偶，謂之道樞。樞始得其環中，以應無窮。是亦一無窮，非亦一無窮也。故曰「莫若以明」。

Speech is not blowing wind. Those who speak have something to say, but what they say is not yet settled. Does it really have speech? Or has it never had speech? They think it differs from the chirping of fledglings; is there a difference? Or no difference? Where is the Way (Laozi used this word to refer to the origin and mode of operation of all things, which in itself cannot be named; Zhuangzi uses the word without pinning it down) hidden that there should be true and false? Where is speech hidden that there should be right and wrong? Where does the Way go that it does not exist? Where is speech that it is not acceptable? The Way is hidden by small accomplishments, and speech is hidden by flowery display. So there are the rights and wrongs of the Confucians and Mohists, each calling right what the other opposes and wrong what the other approves. If one wants to call right what one opposes and wrong what one approves, nothing is better than using clarity. There is nothing that is not that, and nothing that is not this. From that side one cannot see; from one's own side one knows. So it is said: that arises from this, and this also depends on that. That and this are the saying of simultaneous arising. Even so, as soon as born, dying; as soon as dying, born; as soon as acceptable, not acceptable; as soon as not acceptable, acceptable; following right, following wrong; following wrong, following right. Therefore the sage does not take this road but illuminates it by Heaven, and that is also following this 'is.' This is also that, and that is also this. That has one set of rights and wrongs, and this too has one set of rights and wrongs. Do that and this really exist? Do that and this really not exist? When that and this do not find their counterpart, this is called the pivot of the Way. When the pivot first finds the center of the ring, it can respond to the infinite. 'Is' is also one infinite, and 'is not' is also one infinite. So it is said: nothing is better than using clarity.

以指喻指之非指，不若以非指喻指之非指也；以馬喻馬之非馬，不若以非馬喻馬之非馬也。天地一指也，萬物一馬也。可乎可，不可乎不可。道行之而成，物謂之而然。惡乎然？然於然。惡乎不然？不然於不然。物固有所然，物固有所可。無物不然，無物不可。故為是舉莛與楹，厲與西施，恢恑憰怪，道通為一。其分也，成也；其成也，毀也。凡物無成與毀，復通為一。唯達者知通為一，為是不用而寓諸庸。庸也者，用也；用也者，通也；通也者，得也。適得而幾矣，因是已。已而不知其然，謂之道。勞神明為一而不知其同也，謂之朝三。何謂朝三？曰：狙公賦芧，曰：「朝三而暮四。」眾狙皆怒。曰：「然則朝四而暮三。」眾狙皆悅。名實未虧而喜怒為用，亦因是也。是以聖人和之以是非而休乎天均，是之謂兩行。

To use a finger to explain that a finger is not a finger is not as good as using a non-finger to explain that a finger is not a finger; to use a horse to explain that a horse is not a horse is not as good as using a non-horse to explain that a horse is not a horse. Heaven and earth are one finger, and the ten thousand things are one horse. What is acceptable is acceptable by being accepted, and what is not acceptable is unacceptable by not being accepted. The Way is made by walking, and things are so by being called so. Why so? So by its being so. Why not so? Not so by its being not so. Things originally have what is so, and things originally have what is acceptable. There is no thing that is not so and no thing that is not acceptable. Therefore, for this, raise up a stalk and a pillar, the ugly and Xi Shi, all kinds of the extraordinary, strange, deceptive, and bizarre, and the Way connects them as one. Their division is completion; their completion is destruction. Of all things, none has completion and destruction, and again they connect as one. Only the one who has reached understanding knows to connect them as one, and therefore does not use a fixed mind but lodges in the ordinary. The ordinary is use, use is connection, and connection is attainment. Once one arrives at attainment, one has nearly arrived, following this 'is' and that is all. To be so without knowing why it is so is called the Way. To exhaust one's spirit in making them one without knowing they are originally the same is called three in the morning. What is called three in the morning? It is said: the monkey keeper gave out acorns, saying: "Three in the morning and four in the evening." All the monkeys were angry. He said: "Then four in the morning and three in the evening." All the monkeys were pleased. Name and reality suffered no loss, yet joy and anger were put to use, and this too follows this 'is.' So the sage harmonizes with right and wrong and rests in Heaven's potter's wheel, which is called walking two roads at once.

古之人，其知有所至矣。惡乎至？有以為未始有物者，至矣，盡矣，不可以加矣。其次以為有物矣而未始有封也，其次以為有封焉而未始有是非也。是非之彰也，道之所以虧也。道之所以虧，愛之所以成。果且有成與虧乎哉？果且無成與虧乎哉？有成與虧，故昭氏之鼓琴也；無成與虧，故昭氏之不鼓琴也。昭文之鼓琴也，師曠之枝策也，惠子之據梧也，三子之知幾乎，皆其盛者也，故載之末年。唯其好之也，以異於彼，其好之也，欲以明之彼。非所明而明之，故以堅白之昧終。而其子又以文之綸終，終身無成。若是而可謂成乎，雖我亦成也；若是而不可謂成乎，物與我無成也。是故滑疑之耀，聖人之所圖也。為是不用而寓諸庸，此之謂以明。

The knowledge of the ancients had a point where it reached the utmost. Where did it reach? Some thought that things had never existed; that was reaching it, exhausting it, and nothing could be added. Next, some thought that things existed but had no boundaries yet. Next, some thought that boundaries existed but there was not yet right and wrong. As soon as right and wrong are manifest, the Way is diminished because of it. That by which the Way is diminished is that by which love takes form. Are there really completion and diminishment? Are there really no completion and diminishment? Where there is completion and diminishment, Zhao played the zither; where there is no completion and diminishment, Zhao did not play the zither. Zhao Wen's playing the zither, Music Master Kuang's leaning on his staff to listen, and Huizi's leaning on the wutong tree: the knowledge of these three was nearly the same, all at their height, and so it is recorded into their old age. It was only because they loved this and used it to show they differed from others; they loved this and wanted to use it to make others understand. What others cannot understand they forced them to understand, and so they ended in the obscurity of the discourse on hard and white. And his son continued Zhao Wen's remaining thread to the end and also accomplished nothing his whole life. If this can be called accomplishment, then I too have accomplished; if this cannot be called accomplishment, then neither things nor I have accomplished anything. So the glimmer of confusion and bewilderment is exactly what the sage takes. Therefore he does not use a fixed mind but lodges in the ordinary, and this is called using clarity.

今且有言於此，不知其與是類乎？其與是不類乎？類與不類，相與為類，則與彼無以異矣。雖然，請嘗言之。有始也者，有未始有始也者，有未始有夫未始有始也者；有有也者，有無也者，有未始有無也者，有未始有夫未始有無也者。俄而有無矣，而未知有無之果孰有孰無也。今我則已有謂矣，而未知吾所謂之，其果有謂乎？其果無謂乎？天下莫大於秋豪之末，而太山為小；莫壽乎殤子，而彭祖為夭。天地與我並生，而萬物與我為一。既已為一矣，且得有言乎？既已謂之一矣，且得無言乎？一與言為二，二與一為三。自此以往，巧歷不能得，而況其凡乎！故自無適有，以至於三，而況自有適有乎！無適焉，因是已。

Now let me say something here, and I do not know whether it belongs to the same class as this 'is' or does not belong to the same class. Whether it belongs to the class or not, once they are made into one class together, it is no different from that. Even so, let me try to say it. There is a 'beginning'; there is a 'not yet having a beginning'; there is a 'not yet having that not yet having a beginning.' There is 'being'; there is 'non-being'; there is a 'not yet having non-being'; there is a 'not yet having that not yet having non-being.' Suddenly there is being and non-being, yet I do not know which of being and non-being is truly being and which is truly non-being. Now I have said something, yet I do not know whether what I have said has really said anything or has really said nothing. Nothing under Heaven is greater than the tip of an autumn hair, yet Mount Tai is small; nothing lives longer than a child who died young, yet Pengzu died young. Heaven and Earth were born together with me, and the ten thousand things are one with me. Since they are already one, can there still be speech? Since I have already called it one, can there be no speech? One plus speech makes two, and two plus one makes three. From here on, even the most skilled calculator cannot reach the end, much less an ordinary person! So from nothing to something already reaches three; how much more from something to something! Do not go that way; just go by this 'is' and that is all.

夫道未始有封，言未始有常，為是而有畛也，請言其畛：有左、有右，有倫、有義，有分、有辯，有競、有爭，此之謂八德。六合之外，聖人存而不論；六合之內，聖人論而不議。《春秋》經世，先王之志，聖人議而不辯。故分也者，有不分也；辯也者，有不辯也。曰：何也？聖人懷之，眾人辯之以相示也，故曰：辯也者，有不見也。夫大道不稱，大辯不言，大仁不仁，大廉不嗛，大勇不忮。道昭而不道，言辯而不及，仁常而不成，廉清而不信，勇忮而不成，五者園而幾向方矣。故知止其所不知，至矣。孰知不言之辯，不道之道？若有能知，此之謂天府。注焉而不滿，酌焉而不竭，而不知其所由來，此之謂葆光。

The Way has never had boundaries, and speech has never had fixed standards; because of this, divisions arose. Let me speak of these divisions: there is left and right, there are relationships and duties, there is division and distinction, there is competition and contention; these are called the eight virtues. Beyond the six directions, the sage keeps it and does not discuss it; within the six directions, the sage discusses it but does not deliberate. The Spring and Autumn Annals records the governance of the ages, the will of the former kings, and the sage deliberates on it but does not argue. So where there is division there is something not divided; where there is distinction there is something not distinguished. Asked why, the sage holds it in his heart while the multitude argue over it to show off to one another, so it is said: distinction exists because there is something unseen. The great Way is not named, the great argument does not speak, the great benevolence is not benevolent, the great honesty is not modest, and the great courage does not injure. When the Way is made manifest it is not the Way; when speech is argued it falls short; when benevolence is fixed it cannot be completed; when honesty is too clean it is not real; when courage injures it cannot succeed. These five were originally round and are almost becoming square. So to know how to stop at what one does not know is to arrive. Who knows an argument that needs no words and a Way that is not named? If anyone can know it, this is called the Heavenly Storehouse. Pour into it and it is not filled, draw from it and it does not run dry, yet no one knows where it comes from; this is called the Hidden Light.

故昔者堯問於舜曰：「我欲伐宗、膾、胥敖，南面而不釋然，其故何也？」舜曰：「夫三子者，猶存乎蓬艾之間。若不釋然，何哉？昔者十日並出，萬物皆照，而況德之進乎日者乎！」

So in former times Yao asked Shun, "I want to attack Zong, Kuai and Xu'ao, but sitting facing south I cannot be at ease. What is the reason?" Shun said, "Those three states still live among the wormwood and brush. Why can you not be at ease? In the past ten suns came out together and all things were illuminated; how much more should virtue, which surpasses the sun!"

齧缺問乎王倪曰：「子知物之所同是乎？」曰：「吾惡乎知之！」「子知子之所不知邪？」曰：「吾惡乎知之！」「然則物無知邪？」曰：「吾惡乎知之！雖然，嘗試言之。庸詎知吾所謂『知之』非不知邪？庸詎知吾所謂『不知』之非知邪？且吾嘗試問乎汝：民溼寢則腰疾偏死，鰌然乎哉？木處則惴慄恂懼，猨猴然乎哉？三者孰知正處？民食芻豢，麋鹿食薦，蝍蛆甘帶，鴟鴉耆鼠，四者孰知正味？猨猵狙以為雌，麋與鹿交，鰌與魚遊。毛嬙、麗姬，人之所美也，魚見之深入，鳥見之高飛，麋鹿見之決驟，四者孰知天下之正色哉？自我觀之，仁義之端，是非之塗，樊然殽亂，吾惡能知其辯！」齧缺曰：「子不知利害，則至人固不知利害乎？」王倪曰：「至人神矣！大澤焚而不能熱，河漢沍而不能寒，疾雷破山、風振海而不能驚。若然者，乘雲氣，騎日月，而遊乎四海之外。死生無變於己，而況利害之端乎！」

Nie Que asked Wang Ni, "Do you know what all things commonly agree is right?" Wang Ni said, "How would I know!" "Do you know what you do not know?" He said, "How would I know!" "Then do things have no knowledge?" He said, "How would I know! Even so, let me try to say. How do I know that what I call 'knowing' is not not-knowing? How do I know that what I call 'not-knowing' is not knowing? Let me ask you: when people sleep in a damp place they get lower-back pain and become half paralyzed, but is it so for loaches? When people are up in a tree they are terrified and tremble, but is it so for monkeys? Of these three, who knows the right place to live? People eat grass-fed and grain-fed animals, deer eat grass, centipedes find small snakes sweet, and owls and crows like to eat mice; of these four, who knows the right taste? Apes mate with gibbons as females, elk mate with deer, and loaches swim with fish. Mao Qiang and Li Ji are what people consider beautiful, but when fish see them they dive deep, when birds see them they fly high, and when deer see them they bolt; of these four, who knows the right beauty under Heaven? From my viewpoint, the beginnings of benevolence and righteousness and the paths of right and wrong are tangled and confused; how could I know the difference among them!" Nie Que said, "If you do not know benefit and harm, then does the perfect person originally also not know benefit and harm?" Wang Ni said, "The perfect person is divine! Though a great marsh burn, he is not made hot; though the rivers freeze, he is not made cold; though sudden thunder splits the mountains and great winds shake the sea, he is not startled. A person like this rides the clouds, mounts the sun and moon, and roams beyond the four seas. Life and death make no change for him, much less the beginnings of benefit and harm!"

瞿鵲子問乎長梧子曰：「吾聞諸夫子，聖人不從事於務，不就利，不違害，不喜求，不緣道，無謂有謂，有謂無謂，而遊乎塵垢之外。夫子以為孟浪之言，而我以為妙道之行也。吾子以為奚若？」長梧子曰：「是黃帝之所聽瑩也，而丘也何足以知之！且汝亦大早計，見卵而求時夜，見彈而求鴞炙。予嘗為汝妄言之，汝以妄聽之。奚旁日月，挾宇宙，為其䐇合，置其滑涽，以隸相尊？眾人役役，聖人愚芚，參萬歲而一成純。萬物盡然，而以是相蘊。予惡乎知悅生之非惑邪？予惡乎知惡死之非弱喪而不知歸者邪？麗之姬，艾封人之子也。晉國之始得之也，涕泣沾襟；及其至於王所，與王同匡床，食芻豢，而後悔其泣也。予惡乎知夫死者不悔其始之蘄生乎？夢飲酒者，旦而哭泣；夢哭泣者，旦而田獵。方其夢也，不知其夢也。夢之中又占其夢焉，覺而後知其夢也。且有大覺而後知此其大夢也，而愚者自以為覺，竊竊然知之。君乎，牧乎，固哉！丘也與汝，皆夢也；予謂汝夢，亦夢也。是其言也，其名為弔詭。萬世之後，而一遇大聖知其解者，是旦暮遇之也。既使我與若辯矣，若勝我，我不若勝，若果是也，我果非也邪？我勝若，若不吾勝，我果是也，而果非也邪？其或是也，其或非也邪？其俱是也，其俱非也邪？我與若不能相知也。則人固受其黮闇，吾誰使正之？使同乎若者正之，既與若同矣，惡能正之？使同乎我者正之，既同乎我矣，惡能正之？使異乎我與若者正之，既異乎我與若矣，惡能正之？使同乎我與若者正之，既同乎我與若矣，惡能正之？然則我與若與人，俱不能相知也，而待彼也邪？何謂和之以天倪？曰：是不是，然不然。是若果是也，則是之異乎不是也亦無辯；然若果然也，則然之異乎不然也亦無辯。化聲之相待，若其不相待。和之以天倪，因之以曼衍，所以窮年也。

Qu Quezi asked Zhang Wuzi, "I heard from the Master that the sage does not engage in affairs, does not pursue profit, does not avoid harm, does not like to seek, does not cling to the Way, says nothing and yet says something, says something and yet says nothing, and roams beyond the dust and dirt. The Master considers this a reckless saying, but I consider it the practice of the wondrous Way. What do you think?" Zhang Wuzi said, "Even the Yellow Emperor would be confused on hearing this, so how could Qiu know enough! Moreover you are calculating too early; on seeing an egg you want a rooster to crow the dawn, and on seeing a pellet you want roasted owl. Let me say some reckless words to you, and you listen recklessly. How about leaning on the sun and moon, holding the universe under your arm, merging with it, setting aside its confusion, and treating servants and masters alike? Ordinary people toil away, while the sage is dull and plain, joining ten thousand years together into one pure whole. All things are like this and so accumulate in one another. How do I know that delighting in life is not a delusion? How do I know that hating death is not like a person who was lost in youth and does not know the way home? Lady Li was the daughter of a border guard at Ai. When the state of Jin first got her she wept until her robe was soaked, but when she reached the king's palace and shared his bed and ate fine meats, she regretted her earlier tears. How do I know that the dead do not regret having once begged for life? One who drinks wine in a dream weeps in the morning; one who weeps in a dream goes hunting in the morning. While dreaming one does not know it is a dream. In the dream one even divines the dream, and only after waking does one know it was a dream. And there is a great awakening, after which one knows this is a great dream, while the foolish think themselves awake, and slyly think they know. Lord! Herdsman! How narrow! Qiu and you are both a dream; when I say you are a dream, I am also a dream. These words are called paradoxical. After ten thousand generations, if one meets a great sage who knows their explanation, it will be like meeting between morning and evening. Suppose you and I argue, and you beat me and I do not beat you; are you truly right and I truly wrong? Or if I beat you and you do not beat me, am I truly right and you truly wrong? Or is one of us right and the other wrong? Or are both right or both wrong? You and I cannot know each other. Then people are originally in darkness, so whom shall I ask to settle it? If I ask someone who agrees with you, since he already agrees with you, how can he settle it? If I ask someone who agrees with me, since he already agrees with me, how can he settle it? If I ask someone who disagrees with both you and me, since he already disagrees with both, how can he settle it? If I ask someone who agrees with both you and me, since he already agrees with both, how can he settle it? Then you and I and other people cannot know one another, and do we have to wait for another? What is meant by harmonizing with Heaven's balance? It says: right as not right, so as not so. If right is truly right, then the difference between right and not right needs no argument; if so is truly so, then the difference between so and not so needs no argument. Voices of transformation wait on one another as if not waiting. Harmonize them with Heaven's balance, follow them with boundless flow, and so live out the years.

忘年忘義，振於無竟，故寓諸無竟。」

(Zhang Wuzi continued:) Forget the years, forget righteousness, reach out into the boundless, and so lodge everything in the boundless."

罔兩問景曰：「曩子行，今子止；曩子坐，今子起，何其無特操與？」景曰：「吾有待而然者邪？吾所待又有待而然者邪？吾待蛇蚹蜩翼邪？惡識所以然？惡識所以不然？」

Penumbra asked Shadow, "A moment ago you were walking and now you are stopped; a moment ago you were sitting and now you stand. Why do you have so little independent conduct?" Shadow said, "Do I depend on something to be this way? And does what I depend on depend on something else to be this way? Am I waiting for a snake's belly scales or a cicada's wings? How could I know why it is so? How could I know why it is not so?"

昔者莊周夢為胡蝶，栩栩然胡蝶也，自喻適志與，不知周也。俄然覺，則蘧蘧然周也。不知周之夢為胡蝶與？胡蝶之夢為周與？周與胡蝶，則必有分矣，此之謂物化。

In former times Zhuang Zhou dreamed he was a butterfly, fluttering about as a butterfly and feeling content, not knowing there was a Zhou. Suddenly he awoke, and there he was, plainly Zhou. He did not know whether Zhou had dreamed he was a butterfly, or the butterfly had dreamed he was Zhou. Between Zhou and the butterfly there must be a distinction; this is called the transformation of things (transformation between one thing and another, not what is meant by material change in modern terms).

吾生也有涯，而知也無涯。以有涯隨無涯，殆已。已而為知者，殆而已矣。為善無近名，為惡無近刑，緣督以為經，可以保身，可以全生，可以養親，可以盡年。

My life has a limit, but knowledge has no limit. To pursue the limitless with what has a limit is perilous. If one is already in peril and still pursues knowledge, there is only peril and nothing else. In doing good do not come near fame; in doing evil do not come near punishment; follow the central channel as the constant course, and one can protect the body, preserve life, nurture parents, and live out one's years.

庖丁為文惠君解牛，手之所觸，肩之所倚，足之所履，膝之所踦，砉然嚮然，奏刀騞然，莫不中音，合於《桑林》之舞，乃中《經首》之會。文惠君曰：「譆，善哉！技蓋至此乎？」庖丁釋刀對曰：「臣之所好者，道也，進乎技矣。始臣之解牛之時，所見無非牛者。三年之後，未嘗見全牛也。方今之時，臣以神遇而不以目視，官知止而神欲行，依乎天理，批大郤，導大窾，因其固然。技經肯綮之未嘗，而況大軱乎？良庖歲更刀，割也；族庖月更刀，折也。今臣之刀十九年矣，所解數千牛矣，而刀刃若新發於硎。彼節者有間，而刀刃者無厚，以無厚入有間，恢恢乎其於遊刃必有餘地矣，是以十九年而刀刃若新發於硎。雖然，每至於族，吾見其難為，怵然為戒，視為止，行為遟，動刀甚微，謋然已解，如土委地。提刀而立，為之四顧，為之躊躇滿志，善刀而藏之。」文惠君曰：「善哉！吾聞庖丁之言，得養生焉。」

Cook Ding was cutting up an ox for Lord Wenhui. Wherever his hand touched, his shoulder leaned, his foot stepped, and his knee pressed, there was a sound of whooshing, and the knife moved with a swish; none of it failed to fit the rhythm, matching the dance of Sanglin and the beat of Jingshou. Lord Wenhui said, "Ah, excellent! Can skill reach this point?" Cook Ding put down his knife and answered, "What your servant loves is the Way, which goes beyond skill. When I first began cutting oxen, what I saw was nothing but a whole ox. After three years, I never saw a whole ox. Now I meet it with spirit and do not look with my eyes; the senses stop and the spirit wants to move, following the natural pattern, striking the big gaps, guiding the knife through the big hollows, following its natural makeup. I do not even touch the ligaments, tendons and tight spots, much less the big bone. A good cook changes his knife once a year because he slices; an ordinary cook changes his knife once a month because he hacks. Now my knife has lasted nineteen years and has cut up several thousand oxen, yet the blade is as if fresh from the whetstone. The joints have spaces, and the blade has no thickness; entering the spaces with something without thickness, there is plenty of room for the blade to play, so after nineteen years the blade is still as if fresh from the whetstone. Even so, whenever I come to a tangle of sinew and bone, I see it is hard to handle, and I become wary and careful, my eyes settle, my movement slows, and I move the knife very lightly, and suddenly it falls apart like earth dropping to the ground. I lift the knife and stand, look around on all sides, am content and pleased, then wipe the knife and put it away." Lord Wenhui said, "Excellent! Having heard Cook Ding's words, I have learned how to nurture life."

公文軒見右師而驚，曰：「是何人也？惡乎介也？天與？其人與？」曰：「天也，非人也。天之生是使獨也，人之貌有與也，以是知其天也，非人也。」澤雉十步一啄，百步一飲，不蘄畜乎樊中。神雖王，不善也。

Gongwen Xuan saw the Right Master and was startled, saying, "What kind of man is this? Why does he have only one foot? Is it Heaven or is it a person?" He said, "It is Heaven, not a person. Heaven made him this way and gave him one foot. A person's appearance is furnished by Heaven, and so I know this is Heaven, not a person." A marsh pheasant takes ten steps to peck once and a hundred steps to drink once, and does not wish to be kept in a cage. Though its spirit would be vigorous, it does not like it.

老聃死，秦失弔之，三號而出。弟子曰：「非夫子之友邪？」曰：「然。」「然則弔焉若此，可乎？」曰：「然。始也吾以為其人也，而今非也。向吾入而弔焉，有老者哭之，如哭其子；少者哭之，如哭其母。彼其所以會之，必有不蘄言而言，不蘄哭而哭者，是遁天倍情，忘其所受，古者謂之遁天之刑。適來，夫子時也；適去，夫子順也。安時而處順，哀樂不能入也，古者謂是帝之縣解。」指窮於為薪，火傳也，不知其盡也。

When Lao Dan died, Qin Shi went to mourn, wailed three times and left. A disciple said, "Was he not the Master's friend?" He said, "Yes." "Then is it acceptable to mourn like this?" He said, "It is. At first I thought he was that kind of person, but he is not. When I went in to mourn just now, the old were crying over him as if crying over their own sons, and the young were crying over him as if crying over their own mothers. For them to gather like this, there must be some who did not mean to speak and yet spoke, who did not mean to cry and yet cried, which is fleeing Heaven and turning away from true feeling, forgetting what one has received; in ancient times this was called the penalty of fleeing Heaven. When it was time to come, the Master came in due season; when it was time to go, the Master went in accord. Resting in the time and dwelling in accord, sorrow and joy cannot enter; in ancient times this was called the release of the Lord's hanging (like being untied from being hung upside down)." The source text has 'the finger is exhausted as firewood,' where 'finger' is an error for 'fat': when fat is burned as firewood and used up, the fire still passes on, and one does not know where it ends.

顏回見仲尼，請行。曰：「奚之？」曰：「將之衛。」曰：「奚為焉？」曰：「回聞衛君，其年壯，其行獨，輕用其國，而不見其過；輕用民死，死者以國量乎澤若蕉，民其無如矣。回嘗聞之夫子曰：『治國去之，亂國就之，醫門多疾。』願以所聞思其則，庶幾其國有瘳乎！」仲尼曰：「譆！若殆往而刑耳！夫道不欲雜，雜則多，多則擾，擾則憂，憂而不救。古之至人，先存諸己，而後存諸人。所存於己者未定，何暇至於暴人之所行！且若亦知夫德之所蕩而知之所為出乎哉？德蕩乎名，知出乎爭。名也者，相軋也；知也者，爭之器也。二者兇器，非所以盡行也。且德厚信矼，未達人氣；名聞不爭，未達人心，而彊以仁義繩墨之言術暴人之前者，是以人惡有其美也，命之曰菑人。菑人者，人必反菑之，若殆為人菑夫！且苟為悅賢而惡不肖，惡用而求有以異？若唯無詔，王公必將乘人而鬭其捷，而目將熒之，而色將平之，口將營之，容將形之，心且成之。是以火救火，以水救水，名之曰益多，順始無窮。若殆以不信厚言，必死於暴人之前矣！且昔者桀殺關龍逢，紂殺王子比干，是皆脩其身以下傴拊人之民，以下拂其上者也，故其君因其脩以擠之。是好名者也。昔者堯攻叢枝、胥敖，禹攻有扈，國為虛厲，身為刑戮，其用兵不止，其求實無已。是皆求名實者也，而獨不聞之乎：名實者，聖人之所不能勝也，而況若乎！雖然，若必有以也，嘗以語我來！」顏回曰：「端而虛，勉而一，則可乎？」曰：「惡！惡可！夫以陽為充孔揚，采色不定，常人之所不違，因案人之所感，以求容與其心，名之曰『日漸之德』不成，而況大德乎！將執而不化，外合而內不訾，其庸詎可乎！」「然則我內直而外曲，成而上比。內直者，與天為徒。與天為徒者，知天子之與己皆天之所子，而獨以己言蘄乎而人善之，蘄乎而人不善之邪？

Yan Hui went to see Zhongni and asked to set out. Zhongni said, "Where are you going?" He said, "I will go to Wei." He said, "What for?" He said, "I have heard that the lord of Wei is in his prime, acts on his own authority, lightly uses his state and does not see his own faults, lightly uses the people's deaths, so that the dead are counted by the state like weeds filling a marsh, and the people have nowhere to go. I once heard the Master say: 'Leave a well-governed state and go to a disordered one; the doctor's door has many sick people.' I wish to use what I have heard to think of a plan, and perhaps his state can still be healed!" Zhongni said, "Alas! I fear you are going only to be punished! The Way does not want to be mixed; mixed means many, many means disturbance, disturbance means worry, and worry cannot be rescued. The perfect people of old first had it in themselves, and only then sought it in others. If what is in oneself is not yet settled, what leisure is there to attend to what a tyrant does! Moreover, do you know how virtue is dissipated and how knowledge arises? Virtue is dissipated by fame, and knowledge arises from contention. Fame is something people crush one another with, and knowledge is the tool of contention. These two are fearful instruments and are not to be fully practiced. Moreover, even if your virtue is thick and your good faith firm, you have not yet reached people's qi; even if you do not contend for reputation, you have not yet reached people's hearts, yet you force talk of benevolence, righteousness and rules in front of a tyrant. This is using others' ugliness to display your own beauty, and is called harming people. One who harms people will surely be harmed in turn by them, and I fear you will be harmed by him! Moreover, if he truly likes the worthy and hates the unworthy, why must he seek you to be different from the rest? Unless you refrain from remonstrating, the king will surely take advantage of others to contest with your quick argument, and your eyes will be dazzled, your expression made mild, your mouth busy with rescuing, your face bowed in submission, and your heart will go on to help him. This is putting out fire with fire and water with water, called adding more, and following the beginning it has no end. If you go with deep words he does not yet trust, you will surely die in front of the tyrant! Moreover in the past Jie killed Guan Longfeng and Zhou killed Prince Bi Gan, both of whom cultivated themselves, cared for people below, and went against their superiors from below, so their rulers used their very cultivation to push them out. These were men who loved fame. In the past Yao attacked Congzhi and Xu'ao, and Yu attacked Youhu; those states became ruins and the rulers suffered punishment, because they did not stop their military action and did not cease seeking reality. These were all seeking name and reality; have you not heard that fame and reality are what even sages cannot overcome, much less you! Even so, you must have some basis; try to tell me!" Yan Hui said, "Being upright and humble, diligent and single-minded, would that do?" He said, "No! How could it! He is filled with intense yang, his pores are open wide, his expression is unsettled, ordinary people do not dare oppose him, and he still presses on others' feelings to please his own heart; this is called 'daily accumulated virtue' that cannot even be achieved, much less great virtue! He will be obstinate and not change, outwardly agreeing and inwardly not criticizing; how could that do!" "Then I will be straight within and bending without, and when something is achieved I will compare it upward to the ancients. Being straight within is being a companion of Heaven. Being a companion of Heaven, I know that the Son of Heaven and I are both sons of Heaven; how could I alone use my own words to seek others' approval or disapproval?

若然者，人謂之童子，是之謂與天為徒。外曲者，與人之為徒也。擎跽曲拳，人臣之禮也，人皆為之，吾敢不為邪！為人之所為者，人亦無疵焉，是之謂與人為徒。成而上比者，與古為徒。其言雖教，讁之實也。古之有也，非吾有也。若然者，雖直不為病，是之謂與古為徒。若是則可乎？」仲尼曰：「惡！惡可！太多政法而不諜，雖固，亦無罪。雖然，止是耳矣，夫胡可以及化！猶師心者也。」顏回曰：「吾無以進矣，敢問其方。」仲尼曰：「齋，吾將語若！有而為，其易邪？易之者，皞天不宜。」顏回曰：「回之家貧，唯不飲酒、不茹葷者數月矣。若此，則可以為齋乎？」曰：「是祭祀之齋，非心齋也。」回曰：「敢問心齋。」仲尼曰：「若一志，無聽之以耳而聽之以心，無聽之以心而聽之以氣。聽止於耳，心止於符。氣也者，虛而待物者也。唯道集虛。虛者，心齋也。」顏回曰：「回之未始得使，實自回也；得使之也，未始有回也，可謂虛乎？」夫子曰：「盡矣。吾語若。若能入遊其樊而無感其名，入則鳴，不入則止，無門無毒，一宅而寓於不得已，則幾矣。絕跡易，無行地難。為人使，易以偽；為天使，難以偽。聞以有翼飛者矣，未聞以無翼飛者也；聞以有知知者矣，未聞以無知知者也。瞻彼闋者，虛室生白，吉祥止止；夫且不止，是之謂坐馳。夫徇耳目內通而外於心知，鬼神將來舍，而況人乎！是萬物之化也，禹、舜之所紐也，伏羲、幾蘧之所行終，而況散焉者乎！」

(Yan Hui continued:) In this way, people call me a child, which is called being a companion of Heaven. Bending without is being a companion of humans. Kneeling with bowed arms is the ritual of a minister, which everyone does; dare I not do it! Doing what people do, people have no way to criticize; this is called being a companion of humans. When something is achieved comparing upward to the ancients is being a companion of the ancients. His words, though they are instruction, are in fact reproach. What the ancients had, it was not I who first had it. In this way, though straight, I will not become a fault; this is called being a companion of the ancients. Would that do?" Zhongni said, "No! How could it! There are too many rules and it is not secure; though narrow, there is no guilt. Even so, it is only that; how could it be called transformation! You are still one who follows his own mind." Yan Hui said, "I have nothing further to offer; may I ask for a method?" Zhongni said, "Fast, and I will tell you! If you do it with a fixed mind, is that easy? One who takes it as easy, bright Heaven would not consider it fitting." Yan Hui said, "My family is poor and I have not drunk wine or eaten meat for several months. Would that count as fasting?" He said, "That is the fast of sacrifice, not the fasting of the mind (Zhuangzi's own coinage, defined below as 'emptiness,' not moving religious abstinence into the mind)." Hui said, "May I ask about the fasting of the mind?" Zhongni said, "Unify your will; do not listen with your ears but listen with your mind; do not listen with your mind but listen with qi. Listening stops at the ears, the mind stops at correspondence. Qi is empty and waits on things. Only the Way gathers in emptiness. Emptiness is the fasting of the mind." Yan Hui said, "Before I received instruction, there was truly a Hui; having received it, there has never been a Hui. Can this be called emptiness?" The Master said, "Perfectly. I will tell you. You can enter that cage without being moved by fame; if you can enter, sing, and if you cannot, stop; have no gate, no poison technique, dwell in one house and lodge in what cannot be helped, and you will be nearly there. To cut off footprints is easy, but to walk without touching the ground is hard. In being driven by people it is easy to pretend; in being driven by Heaven it is hard to pretend. I have heard of flying with wings but not of flying without wings; I have heard of knowing with knowledge but not of knowing without knowledge. Look at that empty space: in an empty room brightness is born, and good fortune rests where it should rest; if one still does not rest, this is called sitting and galloping. Let your ears and eyes turn inward and put the mind's knowledge outside, and ghosts and spirits will come to dwell, much less people! This is the transformation of the ten thousand things, the pivot on which Yu and Shun acted and which Fu Xi and Jiqu practiced all their lives, much less lesser people!"

葉公子高將使於齊，問於仲尼曰：「王使諸梁也甚重，齊之待使者，蓋將甚敬而不急。匹夫猶未可動也，而況諸侯乎！吾甚慄之。子常語諸梁也，曰：『凡事若小若大，寡不道以懽成。事若不成，則必有人道之患；事若成，則必有陰陽之患。若成若不成而後無患者，唯有德者能之。』吾食也埶粗而不臧，爨無慾清之人。今吾朝受命而夕飲冰，我其內熱與？吾未至乎事之情，而既有陰陽之患矣；事若不成，必有人道之患。是兩也，為人臣者不足以任之，子其有以語我來？」仲尼曰：「天下有大戒二：其一，命也；其一，義也。子之愛親，命也，不可解於心；臣之事君，義也，無適而非君也，無所逃於天地之間，是之謂大戒。是以夫事其親者，不擇地而安之，孝之至也；夫事其君者，不擇事而安之，忠之盛也；自事其心者，哀樂不易施乎前，知其不可奈何而安之若命，德之至也。為人臣子者，固有所不得已，行事之情而忘其身，何暇至於悅生而惡死？夫子其行可矣！丘請復以所聞：凡交，近則必相靡以信，遠則必忠之以言，言必或傳之。夫傳兩喜兩怒之言，天下之難者也。夫兩喜必多溢美之言，兩怒必多溢惡之言。凡溢之類妄，妄則其信之也莫，莫則傳言者殃。故法言曰：『傳其常情，無傳其溢言，則幾乎全。』且以巧鬭力者，始乎陽，常卒乎陰，泰至則多奇巧；以禮飲酒者，始乎治，常卒乎亂，泰至則多奇樂。凡事亦然，始乎諒，常卒乎鄙；其作始也簡，其將畢也必巨。言者，風波也；行者，實喪也。夫風波易以動，實喪易以危。故忿設無由，巧言偏辭。獸死不擇音，氣息茀然，於是並生心厲。剋核太至，則必有不肖之心應之，而不知其然也。苟為不知其然也，孰知其所終？故法言曰：『無遷令，無勸成。』過度，益也，遷令、勸成殆事。美成在久，惡成不及改，可不慎與！

Zigao, Duke of She, was about to go as envoy to Qi and asked Zhongni: "The king has entrusted me, Zhuliang, with a very heavy mission. Qi will probably treat an envoy with great respect but without hurry. Even a commoner cannot be moved easily, let alone a feudal lord! I am very afraid. You have often told me: 'In any affair, great or small, few are those that succeed with joy without relying on the Way. If the matter fails, there will surely be the trouble of human punishment; if the matter succeeds, there will surely be the trouble of yin and yang. Whether it succeeds or fails, only one with virtue can come away without trouble.' I eat coarse food and do not seek fine dishes, and the cook has no wish for anything cool. Now I received the order in the morning and in the evening drink ice water; am I feverish within? I have not yet reached the real facts of the matter and already have the trouble of yin and yang; if the matter fails, there will surely be the trouble of human punishment. That is both ends, and a minister is not able to bear it; do you have words to tell me?" Zhongni said: "There are two great constraints in the world: one is fate and the other is duty. A child's love for his parents is fate and cannot be removed from the heart; a minister's service to his ruler is duty, and there is no place where there is no ruler, and nowhere to escape between heaven and earth; this is called the great constraint. So one who serves his parents is at ease wherever he is, which is the utmost of filial piety; one who serves his ruler is at ease in whatever task, which is the fullness of loyalty; one who serves his own mind, and whose sorrow and joy are not moved by what is before him, who knows what cannot be helped and rests in it as fate, has the utmost of virtue. A minister and a son inevitably have what they cannot avoid; acting according to the facts of the matter and forgetting oneself, what leisure is there to delight in life and hate death? You may go! Let me, Qiu, tell you again what I have heard: in all dealings, when near, one must be close by trust, and when far, one must be loyal by words, and words must be conveyed by someone. Conveying words of mutual delight or mutual anger is the hardest thing in the world. Mutual delight must have many exaggerated words of praise, and mutual anger must have many exaggerated words of blame. Everything that overflows comes close to falsehood, and falsehood is not believed, and when it is not believed the messenger suffers. So the maxim says: 'Convey the ordinary facts, do not convey the overflowing words, and one will nearly be safe.' Moreover, those who contest strength by skill begin with the open and often end with the covert, and when they go too far they use many tricks; those who drink wine by ritual begin in order and often end in disorder, and when they go too far they have much strange merriment. All affairs are like this: they begin in good faith and often end in meanness; at the start they are simple, and when about to be finished they must be huge. Words are wind and waves; actions are loss of substance. Wind and waves easily move, and loss of substance easily brings danger. So anger arises without cause, from clever words and one-sided speech. When a beast is dying it does not choose its cry, its breath surges, and so a savage heart arises at once. If one is too harsh in scrutiny, there will surely be an unworthy heart to respond, and he himself will not know why. If he does not even know why, who knows how it will end? So the maxim says: 'Do not alter the commission, do not force a result.' Going beyond is adding. Altering the commission and forcing a result will both endanger the affair. A fine accomplishment takes a long time, while the accomplishment of evil has no time to be changed; can one be anything but careful!

且夫乘物以遊心，託不得已以養中，至矣，何作為報也？莫若為致命，此其難者。」

(Confucius continued:) "Moreover, riding on things to let the mind roam, entrusting oneself to the unavoidable to nourish what is within, is the utmost; what need is there to act in order to repay? It is better to report your mission as it truly is, which is the hard part."

顏闔將傅衛靈公太子，而問於蘧伯玉曰：「有人於此，其德天殺。與之為無方，則危吾國；與之為有方，則危吾身。其知適足以知人之過，而不知其所以過。若然者，吾奈之何？」蘧伯玉曰：「善哉問乎！戒之，慎之，正汝身哉！形莫若就，心莫若和。雖然，之二者有患。就不欲入，和不欲出。形就而入，且為顛為滅，為崩為蹶；心和而出，且為聲為名，為妖為孽。彼且為嬰兒，亦與之為嬰兒；彼且為無町畦，亦與之為無町畦；彼且為無崖，亦與之為無崖。達之，入於無疵。汝不知夫螳蜋乎？怒其臂以當車轍，不知其不勝任也，是其才之美者也。戒之，慎之！積伐而美者以犯之，幾矣。汝不知夫養虎者乎？不敢以生物與之，為其殺之之怒也；不敢以全物與之，為其決之之怒也。時其飢飽，達其怒心。虎之與人異類，而媚養己者，順也；故其殺者，逆也。夫愛馬者，以筐盛矢，以蜄盛溺；適有蚉䖟僕緣，而拊之不時，則缺銜毀首碎胷。意有所至而愛有所亡，可不慎邪！」

Yan He was about to become tutor to the crown prince of Duke Ling of Wei, and asked Qu Boyu: "There is a man whose virtue is by nature harsh. If I go along with him without principle, I endanger my state; if I go along with him with principle, I endanger my person. His knowledge is only enough to know others' faults but not where the faults come from. In such a case, what shall I do?" Qu Boyu said: "A good question! Be on guard, be careful, and set yourself right! In form it is best to approach, and in heart best to harmonize. Even so, both have dangers. Approaching should not lead you into it, and harmonizing should not show outwardly. If you approach and are drawn in, you will be overturned, ruined, collapsed and fallen; if you harmonize and it shows, you will become noted and be called a monster. If he is going to be an infant, you also be an infant with him; if he is going to have no boundaries, you too have no boundaries with him; if he is going to have no cliffs or banks, you too have no cliffs or banks with him. Once you are through, you enter without flaw. Do you not know the mantis? In anger it raises its arms to block the wheel track, not knowing it cannot bear it, thinking its talents are fine. Be on guard, be careful! If you accumulate your self-praised excellence and offend him, you will be in danger. Do you not know those who raise tigers? They do not dare give it a living creature, because they fear the anger of its killing; they do not dare give it a whole carcass, because they fear the anger of its tearing apart. They judge its hunger and fullness and clear its angry heart. Tigers are not of the same kind as people, yet they fawn on those who raise them, because they are accommodated; those they kill are those who went against them. Those who love horses collect dung in baskets and urine in clam shells; if a mosquito or gadfly happens to alight on one, and he swats at it at the wrong moment, the horse will break its bit, damage its head and smash its chest. His intention reaches, but his love is lost; can one be anything but careful!"

匠石之齊，至乎曲轅，見櫟社樹。其大蔽牛，絜之百圍，其高臨山十仞而後有枝，其可以為舟者旁十數。觀者如市，匠伯不顧，遂行不輟。弟子厭觀之，走及匠石，曰：「自吾執斧斤以隨夫子，未嘗見材如此其美也。先生不肯視，行不輟，何邪？」曰：「已矣，勿言之矣！散木也，以為舟則沈，以為棺槨則速腐，以為器則速毀，以為門戶則液樠，以為柱則蠹。是不材之木也，無所可用，故能若是之壽。」匠石歸，櫟社見夢曰：「汝將惡乎比予哉？若將比予於文木邪？夫柤梨橘柚，果蓏之屬，實熟則剝則辱，大枝折，小枝洩，此以其能苦其生者也，故不終其天年而中道夭，自掊擊於世俗者也。物莫不若是。且予求無所可用久矣，幾死，乃今得之，為予大用。使予也而有用，且得有此大也邪？且也若與予也，皆物也，奈何哉其相物也？而幾死之散人，又惡知散木！」匠石覺而診其夢，弟子曰：「趣取無用，則為社何邪？」曰：「密！若無言。彼亦直寄焉，以為不知己者詬厲也。不為社者，且幾有翦乎！且也彼其所保與眾異，而以義譽之，不亦遠乎！」

The carpenter Shi went to Qi and came to Quyuan, where he saw an oak at the village altar. It was so large it could shade several hundred oxen, a hundred spans around, tall enough to look down on a mountain, with branches only at seventy or eighty feet up, and over ten of its branches could make boats. The onlookers were like a market crowd, but the carpenter did not even look and walked on without stopping. His disciple, having looked his fill, ran up to catch Carpenter Shi and said: "Since I took up the axe and followed you, Master, I have never seen timber so fine. You do not even look and walk on without stopping; why?" He said: "Enough, do not speak! It is useless wood. Make a boat from it and it will sink, a coffin and it will quickly rot, a utensil and it will quickly break, a door and it will ooze sap, a pillar and it will be worm-eaten. It is wood of no use, and so it has been able to live so long." When the carpenter went home, the oak at the altar appeared to him in a dream and said: "What will you compare to me? Will you compare me to useful trees? Those hawthorns, pears, oranges, pomelos, and fruit-and-gourd plants, when their fruit is ripe they are stripped and abused, the big branches broken and the small ones torn; this is using their own abilities to make life bitter, and so they cannot live out their natural years and die midway, bringing the blows of the world on themselves. All things are like this. Moreover, I have long sought to be of no use and nearly died, and only now have I gained it, which is my great use. If I had been useful, could I have grown so great? Moreover, you and I are both things; why look at each other as things like this? You, nearly dead, a useless man, how would you know about useless trees!" The carpenter woke and told the dream. His disciple said: "It aims at being useless, so why does it serve as a village altar?" He said: "Hush! Do not speak. It is only lodged there, so that those who do not understand it may slander it. If it did not serve as an altar, it would nearly be cut down! Moreover, what it preserves is different from the multitude, and to praise it with righteousness is surely far off the mark!"

南伯子綦遊乎商之丘，見大木焉，有異，結駟千乘，隱將芘其所藾。子綦曰：「此何木也哉？此必有異材夫！」仰而視其細枝，則拳曲而不可以為棟梁；俯而視其大根，則軸解而不可以為棺槨；咶其葉，則口爛而為傷；嗅之，則使人狂酲三日而不已。子綦曰：「此果不材之木也，以至於此其大也。嗟乎，神人以此不材！」宋有荊氏者，宜楸柏桑。其拱把而上者，求狙猴之杙者斬之；三圍四圍，求高名之麗者斬之；七圍八圍，貴人富商之家求禪傍者斬之。故未終其天年，而中道之夭於斧斤，此材之患也。故解之以牛之白顙者，與豚之亢鼻者，與人有痔病者，不可以適河，此皆巫祝以知之矣，所以為不祥也，此乃神人之所以為大祥也。

Ziqi of Nanbo wandered at the Hill of Shang and saw a great tree that was extraordinary; a thousand four-horse carriages could take shelter in its shade. Ziqi said: "What tree is this? It must have extraordinary timber!" Looking up at its small branches, they were gnarled and could not serve as beams or rafters; looking down at its great roots, they were split at the core and could not make coffins; licking its leaf, his mouth festered and was wounded; smelling it, it made a man frenzied and drunk for three days without ceasing. Ziqi said: "This is indeed a useless tree, and that is how it has grown so large. Ah, the spirit-man uses this uselessness!" In Song, in the place of Jing Shi, catalpas, cypresses and mulberries grow well. Those a handspan or more in thickness are cut by people who seek monkey-tethering posts; those three or four spans around are cut by people who seek high-reputation beams; those seven or eight spans around are cut by noble and wealthy families seeking whole-plank coffins. So they cannot live out their natural years and die midway under the axe; this is the misfortune of useful timber. So in sacrifices and in cleansing offerings, an ox with a white forehead, a pig with an upturned snout, and a man with hemorrhoids may not be cast into the river; this the shamans and priests already know, so they regard them as inauspicious, but this is exactly what the spirit-man regards as greatly auspicious.

支離疏者，頤隱於齊，肩高於頂，會撮指天，五管在上，兩髀為脅。挫針治繲，足以餬口；鼓筴播精，足以食十人。上徵武士，則支離攘臂於其間；上有大役，則支離以有常疾不受功；上與病者粟，則受三鍾與十束薪。夫支離其形者，猶足以養其身，終其天年，又況支離其德者乎！

A man named Zhili Shu had his chin hidden in his navel, his shoulders higher than his crown, his topknot pointing at the sky, his five organs on top, and his two thighs turned into ribs. By sewing and washing clothes he could earn a living; by sifting rice and winnowing chaff he could feed ten people. When the authorities conscripted soldiers, Zhili would roll up his sleeves and stand in the midst of them; when the authorities had a great labor service, Zhili, having a chronic illness, was not assigned work; when the authorities gave grain to the sick, he received three zhong and ten bundles of firewood. If one whose body is disfigured can still support himself and live out his natural years, how much more one whose virtue is disfigured!

孔子適楚，楚狂接輿遊其門，曰：「鳳兮鳳兮，何如德之衰也！來世不可待，往世不可追也。天下有道，聖人成焉；天下無道，聖人生焉。方今之時，僅免刑焉。福輕乎羽，莫之知載；禍重乎地，莫之知避。已乎已乎，臨人以德；殆乎殆乎，畫地而趨！迷陽迷陽，無傷吾行。吾行郤曲，無傷吾足。」山木自寇也，膏火自煎也。桂可食，故伐之；漆可用，故割之。人皆知有用之用，而莫知無用之用也。

Confucius went to Chu, and the madman of Chu, Jieyu, passed by his door and said: "Phoenix, phoenix, how your virtue has declined! The future cannot be waited for, the past cannot be pursued. When the world has the Way, the sage accomplishes things; when the world lacks the Way, the sage merely survives. In this present time, one only barely escapes punishment. Fortune is lighter than a feather, yet no one knows how to bear it; misfortune is heavier than the earth, yet no one knows how to avoid it. Enough, enough, to approach people with virtue; danger, danger, to draw lines on the ground and rush about! Brambles, brambles, do not hurt my path. I walk crookedly, do not hurt my feet." Mountain trees bring on their own felling, and lamp oil burns itself. The cinnamon can be eaten, so it is cut; the lacquer tree can be used, so it is tapped. People all know the use of the useful, but no one knows the use of the useless.

魯有兀者王駘，從之遊者與仲尼相若。常季問於仲尼曰：「王駘，兀者也，從之遊者與夫子中分魯。立不教，坐不議，虛而往，實而歸。固有不言之教，無形而心成者邪？是何人也？」仲尼曰：「夫子，聖人也。丘也直後而未往耳。丘將以為師，而況不若丘者乎！奚假魯國，丘將引天下而與從之。」常季曰：「彼兀者也，而王先生，其與庸亦遠矣。若然者，其用心也獨若之何？」仲尼曰：「死生亦大矣，而不得與之變，雖天地覆墜，亦將不與之遺。審乎無假而不與物遷，命物之化而守其宗也。」常季曰：「何謂也？」仲尼曰：「自其異者視之，肝膽楚越也；自其同者視之，萬物皆一也。夫若然者，且不知耳目之所宜，而遊心乎德之和；物視其所一而不見其所喪，視喪其足，猶遺土也。」常季曰：「彼為己，以其知得其心，以其心得其常心，物何為最之哉？」仲尼曰：「人莫鑑於流水而鑑於止水。唯止，能止眾止。受命於地，唯松柏獨也在，冬夏青青；受命於天，唯舜獨也正，幸能正生，以正眾生。夫保始之徵，不懼之實，勇士一人，雄入於九軍。將求名而能自要者，而猶若是，而況官天地，府萬物，直寓六骸，象耳目，一知之所知，而心未嘗死者乎！彼且擇日而登假，人則從是也。彼且何肯以物為事乎！」

In the state of Lu there was a man whose foot had been cut off, named Wang Tai, and those who followed him to study were about as many as followed Zhongni. Chang Ji asked Zhongni: "Wang Tai is a footless man, yet those who study with him divide Lu with you, Master. He does not teach when standing, does not discuss when sitting; people go empty and return full. Is there truly a teaching without words, a mind completed without form? What kind of man is this?" Zhongni said: "He is a sage. I, Qiu, have only been late and not yet gone. I will take him as my teacher, how much more those who are not equal to me! Not only Lu; I will lead the whole world to follow him." Chang Ji said: "He is a footless man yet surpasses you, Master; how far he is from the ordinary! In such a case, what is distinctive about how he uses his mind?" Zhongni said: "Death and life are great matters, but he does not change along with them; even if heaven and earth collapse, he will not be lost along with them. He examines that which has no dependence and does not shift with things, names the changes of things and holds to their source." Chang Ji said: "What do you mean?" Zhongni said: "Seen from the side of their differences, liver and gall are as far apart as Chu and Yue; seen from the side of their sameness, the myriad things are all one. Such a man does not even know what his ears and eyes find suitable, and lets his mind roam in the harmony of virtue; he looks at things only in terms of what they share in common and does not see what they lose; he sees the loss of his foot as the loss of a clod of earth." Chang Ji said: "He cultivates himself, using his knowledge to get his mind and his mind to get the constant mind; why do things gather to him so much?" Zhongni said: "People do not look at their reflection in flowing water but in still water. Only the still can stop all that is stopped. Among those who receive their destiny from the earth, only pine and cypress stand alone, green in winter and summer; among those who receive their destiny from heaven, only Shun was alone correct; fortunate to be able to rectify his own life, he used it to rectify the lives of the multitude. As proof of preserving the beginning, the fullness of fearlessness: a single warrior charges heroically into the midst of nine armies. One who seeks fame and can discipline himself is already like this; how much more one who governs heaven and earth, stores the myriad things, merely lodges in the six limbs, takes the ears and eyes as appearances, unites what knowledge knows into one, and whose mind has never died! He will choose a day to ascend to the high and far, and people simply follow this point. How could he care about external things!"

申徒嘉，兀者也，而與鄭子產同師於伯昏無人。子產謂申徒嘉曰：「我先出則子止，子先出則我止。」其明日，又與合堂同席而坐。子產謂申徒嘉曰：「我先出則子止，子先出則我止。今我將出，子可以止乎，其未邪？且子見執政而不違，子齊執政乎？」申徒嘉曰：「先生之門，固有執政焉如此哉？子而悅子之執政而後人者也？聞之曰：『鑑明則塵垢不止，止則不明也。久與賢人處則無過。』今子之所取大者，先生也，而猶出言若是，不亦過乎！」子產曰：「子既若是矣，猶與堯爭善。計子之德，不足以自反邪？」申徒嘉曰：「自狀其過，以不當亡者眾；不狀其過，以不當存者寡。知不可奈何而安之若命，唯有德者能之。遊於羿之彀中，中央者，中地也，然而不中者，命也。人以其全足笑吾不全足者眾矣，我怫然而怒，而適先生之所，則廢然而反，不知先生之洗我以善邪？吾與夫子遊，十九年矣，而未嘗知吾兀者也。今子與我遊於形骸之內，而子索我於形骸之外，不亦過乎！」子產蹵然改容更貌，曰：「子無乃稱！」

Shentu Jia was a footless man who studied together with Zichan of Zheng under Bohun Wuren. Zichan said to Shentu Jia: "If I go out first, you stay; if you go out first, I stay." The next day they again sat in the same hall on the same mat. Zichan said to Shentu Jia: "If I go out first, you stay; if you go out first, I stay. Now I am about to go out; will you stay or not? Moreover, when you see a man in government you do not step aside; do you take yourself as equal to a man in government?" Shentu Jia said: "In the Master's school, is there originally a man in government like this? Are you someone who delights in your own governing position and puts others behind? I have heard: 'If the mirror is bright, dust does not settle; if it settles, it is not bright. Living long with the worthy, one is without fault.' Now what you take as great is the Master, yet you say such words; is that not excessive!" Zichan said: "You are already like this, and you still contend with Yao over goodness. Measure your virtue; is it not enough for you to reflect on yourself?" Shentu Jia said: "Many people recount their own faults and think they should not have lost their foot; few do not recount their faults and think they should not have kept their foot. To know what cannot be helped and rest in it as fate, only one with virtue can do. Wandering within the range of Yi's arrows, the very center is where one is sure to be hit, yet those who are not hit are fate. Many people laugh at my incomplete feet with their complete feet, and I flare with anger; but once I come to the Master, the anger vanishes and I return calm, not knowing whether the Master has washed me with goodness. I have traveled with the Master for nineteen years and he has never known I am a footless man. Now you and I travel within the bounds of the body, yet you seek me outside the body; is that not excessive!" Zichan, abashed, changed his expression and bearing and said: "Say no more!"

魯有兀者叔山無趾，踵見仲尼。仲尼曰：「子不謹，前既犯患若是矣。雖今來，何及矣！」無趾曰：「吾唯不知務而輕用吾身，吾是以亡足。今吾來也，猶有尊足者存，吾是以務全之也。夫天無不覆，地無不載，吾以夫子為天地，安知夫子之猶若是也！」孔子曰：「丘則陋矣。夫子胡不入乎，請講以所聞。」無趾出。孔子曰：「弟子勉之！夫無趾，兀者也，猶務學，以復補前行之惡，而況全德之人乎？」無趾語老聃曰：「孔丘之於至人，其未邪？彼何賓賓以學子為？彼且蘄以諔詭幻怪之名聞，不知至人之以是為己桎梏邪？」老聃曰：「胡不直使彼以死生為一條，以可不可為一貫者，解其桎梏，其可乎？」無趾曰：「天刑之，安可解！」

In Lu there was a footless man, Shushan Wuzhi, who came to see Zhongni walking on his heels. Zhongni said: "You were not careful and have already brought this calamity on yourself. Even if you come now, how could it be in time!" Wuzhi said: "I only did not understand the times and used my body lightly, and so lost my foot. Now I have come, and there is still something more honorable than a foot that remains, and I am striving to preserve it. There is nothing heaven does not cover and nothing earth does not carry; I took you, Master, as heaven and earth, and how was I to know that you are still like this!" Confucius said: "I, Qiu, am truly shallow. Why does the Master not come in, and let me hear what you have learned?" Wuzhi left. Confucius said: "Disciples, strive! Wuzhi is a footless man yet still strives to learn in order to make up for the evil of his earlier conduct; how much more those whose virtue is whole!" Wuzhi told Lao Dan: "As for Kong Qiu, he is probably not yet a perfect man? Why does he so earnestly regard himself as a student? He is still seeking to be known in the world for a name of deceit and marvel; does he not know that the perfect man regards these as his own fetters?" Lao Dan said: "Why not simply make him regard death and life as one string, and permissible and impermissible as one thread, and loosen his fetters; would that do?" Wuzhi said: "Heaven has punished him; how can it be loosened!"

魯哀公問於仲尼曰：「衞有惡人焉，曰哀駘它。丈夫與之處者，思而不能去也；婦人見之，請於父母曰『與為人妻，寧為夫子妾』者，十數而未止也。未嘗有聞其唱者也，常和人而已矣。無君人之位以濟乎人之死，無聚祿以望人之腹，又以惡駭天下，和而不唱，知不出乎四域，且而雌雄合乎前，是必有異乎人者也。寡人召而觀之，果以惡駭天下。與寡人處，不至以月數，而寡人有意乎其為人也；不至乎期年，而寡人信之。國無宰，寡人傳國焉，悶然而後應，氾若而辭。寡人醜乎，卒授之國。無幾何也，去寡人而行。寡人卹焉，若有亡也，若無與樂是國也。是何人者也？」仲尼曰：「丘也嘗使於楚矣，適見豚子食於其死母者，少焉眴若，皆棄之而走，不見己焉爾，不得類焉爾。所愛其母者，非愛其形也，愛使其形者也。戰而死者，其人之葬也不以翣資，刖者之屨，無為愛之，皆無其本矣。為天子之諸御，不爪翦，不穿耳，取妻者止於外，不得復使。形全猶足以為爾，而況全德之人乎！今哀駘它未言而信，無功而親，使人授己國，唯恐其不受也，是必才全而德不形者也。」哀公曰：「何謂才全？」仲尼曰：「死生存亡、窮達貧富、賢與不肖、毀譽、飢渴、寒暑，是事之變，命之行也，日夜相代乎前，而知不能規乎其始者也，故不足以滑和，不可入於靈府。使之和豫通而不失於兌，使日夜無郤而與物為春，是接而生時乎心者也，是之謂才全。」「何謂德不形？」曰：「平者，水停之盛也。其可以為法也，內保之而外不蕩也。德者，成和之脩也。德不形者，物不能離也。」哀公異日以告閔子曰：「始也吾以南面而君天下，執民之紀而憂其死，吾自以為至通矣。今吾聞至人之言，恐吾無其實，輕用吾身而亡吾國。吾與孔丘，非君臣也，德友而已矣！」

Duke Ai of Lu asked Zhongni: "In Wei there was an ugly man named Ai Taituo. Men who lived with him thought of him and could not leave; women who saw him begged their parents: 'Rather than be another man's wife, I would be this gentleman's concubine,' and there have been more than ten and it has not stopped. I have never heard him propose anything, but he is always only in harmony with others. He has no ruler's position to save people from death, no accumulated salary to fill people's bellies with hope, and he startles the world with his ugliness; he harmonizes and does not lead, and his knowledge does not go beyond the four quarters, yet both men and women gather before him; he must have something different from others. I summoned him and saw him, and indeed his ugliness startled the world. Living with me for less than a month, I had a feeling for his character; before a year had passed, I trusted him. The state had no chancellor, and I wanted to hand the state over to him; he was reluctant and then answered, vaguely declining. I felt ashamed of myself and in the end handed him the state. Before long he left me and went away. I was distressed as if I had lost something, as if there were no one with whom I could enjoy this state. What kind of man is this?" Zhongni said: "I too once went as envoy to Chu and happened to see piglets nursing at a dead sow; after a moment they looked startled and all abandoned her and ran away. They did not see themselves in her and did not get their kind. What they loved in their mother was not her form but what moved the form. A man who dies in battle is not buried with decorated coffin; the shoes of a man whose foot has been cut off have no reason to be loved: both have lost their root. Those who serve the Son of Heaven do not trim their nails or pierce their ears; one who has taken a wife stays outside the palace and is not employed again. If the complete body is enough for this, how much more one whose virtue is complete! Now Ai Taituo is trusted without having spoken, is close to people without having achieved anything, and makes people hand him a state, only afraid he will not accept; this must be a person whose talent is complete and whose virtue does not show." Duke Ai said: "What is meant by complete talent?" Zhongni said: "Death and life, survival and loss, failure and success, poverty and wealth, worth and unworthiness, praise and blame, hunger and thirst, cold and heat, are the changes of affairs and the movement of fate, alternating day and night before us, and knowledge cannot see their beginning, so they are not enough to disturb the harmony or enter the spiritual treasury. Make it harmonious, joyful and unobstructed without losing delight, make day and night without gap and be spring with all things; this is what meets things and brings life in season within the mind, and this is called complete talent." "What is meant by virtue not showing?" He said: "Level is the fullness of still water. It can serve as a standard, being kept whole within and not shaken without. Virtue is the cultivation of accomplished harmony. Where virtue does not show, things cannot leave it." Another day, Duke Ai told Min Zi: "At first, as ruler facing south over the world, holding the people's guidelines and worrying over their deaths, I thought I understood everything. Now I have heard the words of the perfect man and fear that I lack the substance, that I will use my person lightly and ruin my state. Confucius and I are not ruler and minister, but only friends in virtue!"

闉跂支離無脤說衞靈公，靈公悅之，而視全人，其脰肩肩。甕㼜大癭說齊桓公，桓公說之，而視全人，其脰肩肩。故德有所長而形有所忘。人不忘其所忘，而忘其所不忘，此謂誠忘。故聖人有所遊，而知為孽，約為膠，德為接，工為商。聖人不謀，惡用知？不斲，惡用膠？無喪，惡用德？不貨，惡用商？四者，天鬻也。天鬻也者，天食也。既受食於天，又惡用人？有人之形，無人之情。有人之形，故群於人；無人之情，故是非不得於身。眇乎小哉，所以屬於人也；謷乎大哉，獨成其天！

Hunchbacked, Lame, Lipless Zhili went to persuade Duke Ling of Wei, and the duke liked him, and then, looking at men with complete bodies, he found their necks thin and spindly. Jar-Sized Goiter went to persuade Duke Huan of Qi, and the duke liked him, and then, looking at men with complete bodies, he found their necks thin and spindly. So when virtue grows, the form is forgotten. If a person does not forget what should be forgotten but forgets what should not be forgotten, this is called true forgetting. So the sage has somewhere to roam, and regards knowledge as a calamity, restraints as glue, virtue as social contact, and craftsmanship as peddling. The sage does not scheme, so what need is there for knowledge? He does not carve, so what need is there for glue? He loses nothing, so what need is there for virtue? He does not sell, so what need is there for trade? These four are Heaven's nurturing. Heaven's nurturing is Heaven's feeding. Having already received food from Heaven, what use is there for man? He has the human form but not human feelings. Having the human form, he gathers with people; lacking human feelings, right and wrong cannot attach to his person. How tiny, and so he belongs to man; how great, he alone completes his Heaven!

惠子謂莊子曰：「人故無情乎？」莊子曰：「然。」惠子曰：「人而無情，何以謂之人？」莊子曰：「道與之貌，天與之形，惡得不謂之人？」惠子曰：「既謂之人，惡得無情？」莊子曰：「是非吾所謂情也。吾所謂無情者，言人之不以好惡內傷其身，常因自然而不益生也。」惠子曰：「不益生，何以有其身？」莊子曰：「道與之貌，天與之形，無以好惡內傷其身。今子外乎子之神，勞乎子之精，倚樹而吟，據槁梧而瞑。天選子之形，子以堅白鳴！」

Huizi said to Zhuangzi: "Do people originally have no feelings?" Zhuangzi said: "Yes." Huizi said: "If a person has no feelings, how can he be called a person?" Zhuangzi said: "The Way gave him an appearance and Heaven gave him a form; how could he not be called a person?" Huizi said: "Since he is called a person, how can he have no feelings?" Zhuangzi said: "That is not what I mean by feelings. What I mean by having no feelings is that a person does not damage his own body inwardly with likes and dislikes, and always follows what is natural (zi ran: self-so, as it is by itself, not 'Nature' as in the great outdoors) and does not add to life." Huizi said: "If he does not add to life, how does he keep his body?" Zhuangzi said: "The Way gave him an appearance and Heaven gave him a form; do not damage your own body inwardly with likes and dislikes. Now you put your spirit outside and weary your essence, leaning on a tree to chant and dozing against a withered parasol tree. Heaven chose your form for you, yet you use it to squawk about 'hard and white'!"

知天之所為，知人之所為者，至矣。知天之所為者，天而生也；知人之所為者，以其知之所知以養其知之所不知，終其天年而不中道夭者，是知之盛也。雖然，有患。夫知有所待而後當，其所待者特未定也。庸詎知吾所謂天之非人乎？所謂人之非天乎？且有真人而後有真知。

One who knows what Heaven does and what man does has reached the utmost. One who knows what Heaven does is born of Heaven; one who knows what man does uses what his knowledge can know to nourish what his knowledge cannot know, living out his natural years without dying midway; this is the fullness of knowledge. Even so, there is a trouble. Knowledge depends on something before it is fitting, but what it depends on is not yet settled. How do I know that what I call Heaven is not man? And what I call man is not Heaven? Moreover, there must be a true man before there is true knowledge.

何謂真人？古之真人，不逆寡，不雄成，不謩士。若然者，過而弗悔，當而不自得也。若然者，登高不慄，入水不濡，入火不熱，是知之能登假於道也若此。古之真人，其寢不夢，其覺無憂，其食不甘，其息深深。真人之息以踵，眾人之息以喉。屈服者，其嗌言若哇。其耆欲深者，其天機淺。古之真人，不知悅生，不知惡死；其出不訢，其入不距；翛然而往，翛然而來而已矣。不忘其所始，不求其所終；受而喜之，忘而復之，是之謂不以心捐道，不以人助天，是之謂真人。若然者，其心志，其容寂，其顙頯，淒然似秋，煖然似春，喜怒通四時，與物有宜而莫知其極。故聖人之用兵也，亡國而不失人心，利澤施乎萬世，不為愛人。故樂通物，非聖人也；有親，非仁也；天時，非賢也；利害不通，非君子也；行名失己，非士也；亡身不真，非役人也。若狐不偕、務光、伯夷、叔齊、箕子、胥餘、紀他、申徒狄，是役人之役，適人之適，而不自適其適者也。古之真人，其狀義而不朋，若不足而不承；與乎其觚而不堅也，張乎其虛而不華也；邴邴乎其似喜乎，崔乎其不得已乎；滀乎進我色也，與乎止我德也；厲乎其似世乎，謷乎其未可制也；連乎其似好閉也，悗乎忘其言也。以刑為體，以禮為翼，以知為時，以德為循。以刑為體者，綽乎其殺也；以禮為翼者，所以行於世也；以知為時者，不得已於事也；以德為循者，言其與有足者至於丘也，而人真以為勤行者也。故其好之也一，其弗好之也一。其一也一，其不一也一。其一與天為徒，其不一與人為徒。天與人不相勝也，是之謂真人。

What is a true man? The true men of old did not oppose the few, did not boast of success, and did not scheme over affairs. Such men did not regret when they missed something and were not pleased with themselves when they got it right. Such men climbed high without trembling, entered water without getting wet, entered fire without feeling hot; this is knowledge reaching up to the Way to this degree. The true men of old did not dream when they slept, had no worries when they woke, did not seek sweet flavors in their food, and breathed deeply. The true man breathes from his heels, while ordinary men breathe from their throats. Those who are subdued by others utter words from the throat as if retching. Those with deep desires have a shallow heavenly pivot. The true men of old did not know to delight in life or to hate death; they were not elated when they came out and did not resist when they went in; they went briskly and came briskly, and that was all. They did not forget where they began, nor seek where they would end; they received and were delighted, forgot and returned; this is called not using the mind to cast away the Way and not using man to assist Heaven, and this is called a true man. Such a man has a focused mind, a tranquil countenance and a broad brow, is chilly like autumn and warm like spring, his joy and anger matching the four seasons, fitting with things so that no one knows his limit. Therefore, when the sage uses the army, he may destroy a state without losing people's hearts; the benefit and grace he brings reach ten thousand generations, yet not out of love for people. So one who delights in communicating with things is not a sage; one who has close and distant is not benevolent; one who waits for the right time is not worthy; one who cannot see through gain and loss is not a gentleman; one who acts for fame and loses himself is not a scholar; one who ruins himself and is not true cannot employ people. Men like Hu Buxie, Wu Guang, Boyi, Shuqi, Jizi, Xu Yu, Ji Ta and Shentu Di were all employed by others, followed the paths of others, and did not follow the path that suited themselves. The true men of old had a lofty bearing and did not form cliques; they seemed to lack but did not receive; they were upright and angular but not stubborn, broad and empty but not showy; they appeared cheerful and seemed to act reluctantly; their complexion was full so that people approached, and their virtue was gentle so that people stopped; they were stern like the world and lofty as if unconquerable; they seemed continuous and fond of seclusion, and were absentminded as if they had forgotten their own words. They took punishment as the body, ritual as the wings, knowledge as the timing, and virtue as the following. Those who take punishment as the body are lenient even in killing; those who take ritual as wings use it to move in the world; those who take knowledge as timing act in affairs only when unavoidable; those who take virtue as the following are like walking with those who have feet up to the hill, while people truly think he is working hard. Therefore what he likes is one, and what he does not like is also one. That which is one is one, and that which is not one is also one. In his oneness he is a companion of Heaven; in his not-oneness he is a companion of man. When Heaven and man do not overcome each other, this is called a true man.

死生，命也；其有夜旦之常，天也。人之有所不得與，皆物之情也。彼特以天為父，而身猶愛之，而況其卓乎？人特以有君為愈乎己，而身猶死之，而況其真乎？泉涸，魚相與處於陸，相呴以濕，相濡以沫，不如相忘於江湖。與其譽堯而非桀也，不如兩忘而化其道。夫大塊載我以形，勞我以生，佚我以老，息我以死，故善吾生者，乃所以善吾死也。夫藏舟於壑，藏山於澤，謂之固矣，然而夜半有力者負之而走，昧者不知也。藏小大有宜，猶有所遯。若夫藏天下於天下而不得所遯，是恆物之大情也。特犯人之形而猶喜之，若人之形者，萬化而未始有極也，其為樂可勝計邪！故聖人將遊於物之所不得遯而皆存。善夭善老，善始善終，人猶效之，又況萬物之所係，而一化之所待乎！

Death and life are fate; their constant rhythm of day and night is Heaven. What man cannot take part in is all the fact of things. People take Heaven as a father, and still love it with their bodies, how much more that which is eminent? People think there is a ruler greater than themselves, and still die for him with their bodies, how much more the truly real? When the spring dries up, the fish all stay on the land, moistening each other with breath and wetting each other with foam; that is not as good as forgetting each other in the rivers and lakes. Rather than praising Yao and condemning Jie, it is better to forget both and be transformed into that Way. The great earth carries me with a form, toils me with life, gives me ease with old age, and gives me rest with death; so what makes my life good makes my death good. One hides a boat in a ravine and a mountain in a marsh, calling it secure, yet in the middle of the night a strong man carries it off on his back and the sleepers do not know. Hiding small things in large ones each has its suitability, yet there is still some escaping. As for hiding the world in the world, there is no place for anything to escape; this is the great fact of constant things. Merely meeting the human form brings delight; a form like the human one has ten thousand changes without end, so how can the joys be counted! Therefore the sage will roam in the place where things cannot escape and all are preserved. Good at dying young, good at being old, good at the beginning, good at the end: people still model on him, how much more that on which the myriad things depend and for which the one transformation waits!

夫道，有情有信，無為無形；可傳而不可受，可得而不可見；自本自根，未有天地，自古以固存；神鬼神帝，生天生地；在太極之先而不為高，在六極之下而不為深；先天地生而不為久，長於上古而不為老。狶韋氏得之，以挈天地；伏戲得之，以襲氣母；維鬥得之，終古不忒；日月得之，終古不息；堪壞得之，以襲崐崘；馮夷得之，以遊大川；肩吾得之，以處大山；黃帝得之，以登雲天；顓頊得之，以處玄官；禺強得之，立乎北極；西王母得之，坐乎少廣，莫知其始，莫知其終；彭祖得之，上及有虞，下及五伯；傅說得之，以相武丁，奄有天下，乘東維，騎箕尾，而比於列星。

The Way has feeling and trustworthiness, but does nothing and has no form; it can be transmitted but not given, can be attained but not seen; it is its own root and its own source, and before there was heaven and earth, it existed from ancient times; it makes ghosts divine and gods divine, gives birth to heaven and to earth; it is before the Supreme Ultimate yet not high, beneath the six directions yet not deep; it was born before heaven and earth yet is not old, is older than high antiquity yet not aged. Xiwei obtained it and used it to hold up heaven and earth; Fu Xi obtained it and used it to take over the mother of qi; the Big Dipper obtained it and has not erred since ancient times; the sun and moon obtained it and have not rested since ancient times; Kanpei obtained it and used it to take over Kunlun; Feng Yi obtained it and used it to roam the great rivers; Jianwu obtained it and used it to dwell on Mount Tai; the Yellow Emperor obtained it and used it to ascend to the clouds and heaven; Zhuanxu obtained it and used it to dwell in the Dark Palace; Yuqiang obtained it and stands at the North Pole; the Queen Mother of the West obtained it and sat on Shaoguang, and no one knows her beginning, no one knows her end; Peng Zu obtained it and lived from Youyu above down to the Five Hegemons below; Fu Yue obtained it and used it to assist Wu Ding, holding all under heaven, riding the Eastern Dipper and mounting Ji and Wei, and ranking among the stars.

南伯子葵問乎女偊曰：「子之年長矣，而色若孺子，何也？」曰：「吾聞道矣。」南伯子葵曰：「可得學邪？」曰：「惡！惡可！子非其人也。夫卜梁倚有聖人之才而無聖人之道，我有聖人之道而無聖人之才。吾欲以教之，庶幾其果為聖人乎？不然，以聖人之道告聖人之才，亦易矣，吾猶守而告之，參日而後能外天下；已外天下矣，吾又守之，七日而後能外物；已外物矣，吾又守之，九日而後能外生；已外生矣，而後能朝徹；朝徹而後能見獨，見獨而後能無古今，無古今而後能入於不死不生。殺生者不死，生生者不生。其為物，無不將也，無不迎也，無不毀也，無不成也。其名為攖寧。攖寧也者，攖而後成者也。」南伯子葵曰：「子獨惡乎聞之？」曰：「聞諸副墨之子，副墨之子聞諸洛誦之孫，洛誦之孫聞之瞻明，瞻明聞之聶許，聶許聞之需役，需役聞之於謳，於謳聞之玄冥，玄冥聞之參寥，參寥聞之疑始。」

Ziku of Nanbo asked Nu Yu: "You are old, yet your complexion is like a child's; why?" She said: "I have heard the Way." Ziku of Nanbo said: "Can it be learned?" She said: "No! How could it? You are not that kind of person. Buliang Yi has the talent of a sage but not the way of a sage; I have the way of a sage but not the talent of a sage. I wanted to teach him, hoping that perhaps he would indeed become a sage. If not, telling the way of a sage to one with the talent of a sage is also easy. I kept to telling him, and after three days he was able to put the world outside himself; having put the world outside, I kept on, and after seven days he was able to put things outside himself; having put things outside, I kept on, and after nine days he was able to put life outside himself; having put life outside, he was then able to attain morning clarity; with morning clarity he was able to see the One; seeing the One, he was able to be without past or present; without past or present, he was able to enter where there is no death and no birth. That which kills life does not die; that which gives life to life is not born. As a thing it has none it does not send off, none it does not welcome, none it does not destroy, none it does not complete. Its name is Ying-ning (settling in disturbance: a completion that comes in the midst of disturbance, not stillness after disturbance is removed). Ying-ning is that which is completed after being disturbed." Ziku of Nanbo said: "From where did you alone hear it?" She said: "I heard it from the Son of Auxiliary Ink, and the Son of Auxiliary Ink heard it from the Grandson of Recitation, the Grandson of Recitation heard it from Clear Sight, Clear Sight heard it from Whispered Listening, Whispered Listening heard it from Needful Service, Needful Service heard it from Oh-Chant, Oh-Chant heard it from Dark Obscurity, Dark Obscurity heard it from Cantering Emptiness, and Cantering Emptiness heard it from Doubting Beginning."

子祀、子輿、子犁、子來四人相與語曰：「孰能以無為首，以生為脊，以死為尻？孰知死生存亡之一體者，吾與之友矣。」四人相視而笑，莫逆於心，遂相與為友。俄而子輿有病，子祀往問之。曰：「偉哉，夫造物者將以予為此拘拘也！」曲僂發背，上有五管，頤隱於齊，肩高於頂，句贅指天，陰陽之氣有沴，其心閒而無事，跰𨇤而鑑於井，曰：「嗟乎，夫造物者又將以予為此拘拘也！」子祀曰：「汝惡之乎？」曰：「亡，予何惡！浸假而化予之左臂以為雞，予因以求時夜；浸假而化予之右臂以為彈，予因以求鴞炙；浸假而化予之尻以為輪，以神為馬，予因而乘之，豈更駕哉？且夫得者時也，失者順也，安時而處順，哀樂不能入也，此古之所謂縣解也。而不能自解者，物有結之。且夫物不勝天久矣，吾又何惡焉！」俄而子來有病，喘喘然將死，其妻子環而泣之。犁往問之，曰：「叱避，無怛化！」倚其戶，與之語曰：「偉哉，造化又將奚以汝為？將奚以汝適？以汝為鼠肝乎？以汝為蟲臂乎？」子來曰：「父母於子，東西南北，唯命之從。陰陽於人，不翅於父母。彼近吾死，而我不聽，我則捍矣，彼何罪焉？夫大塊載我以形，勞我以生，佚我以老，息我以死，故善吾生者，乃所以善吾死也。今大冶鑄金，金踴躍曰：『我且必為鏌鋣！』大冶必以為不祥之金。今一犯人之形，而曰『人耳人耳』，夫造化者必以為不祥之人。今一以天地為大鑪，以造化為大冶，惡乎往而不可哉！」成然寐，蘧然覺，發然汗出。

Four men, Zisi, Ziyu, Zili and Zilai, said to one another: "Who can take nothingness as the head, life as the spine, and death as the rump? Who knows that death and life, survival and loss are one body? I will make him my friend." The four looked at one another and smiled, and, nothing opposing in their hearts, became friends with one another. Before long Ziyu fell ill, and Zisi went to ask after him. He said: "Wonderful! The Creator is turning me into this crooked thing!" His back was hunched, with his five organs on top, his chin hidden in his navel, his shoulders higher than his crown, his neck bone pointing to the sky, and the energies of yin and yang were in disorder, yet his heart was at ease and had nothing to do; he limped over to look at himself in the well and said: "Ah, the Creator is making me into such a crooked thing!" Zisi said: "Do you dislike it?" He said: "No, what would I dislike! If gradually my left arm were transformed into a rooster, I would use it to announce the dawn; if gradually my right arm were transformed into a crossbow pellet, I would use it to seek roasted owl; if gradually my rump were transformed into a wheel and my spirit into a horse, I would ride it, and would I need to look for another carriage? Moreover, gaining is the right time, and losing is compliance; resting in the time and dwelling in compliance, sorrow and joy cannot enter; this is what the ancients called being released from the hanging. And those who cannot release themselves are bound by things. Moreover, things have not overcome Heaven for a long time already, so what would I dislike!" Before long Zilai fell ill, gasping as if about to die, and his wife and children surrounded him weeping. Zili went to ask after him and said: "Hey, step aside, do not startle the transformation!" Leaning on the door he said to him: "Wonderful, what will the Creator make of you now? Where will he take you? Will he make you into a rat's liver? Will he make you into an insect's arm?" Zilai said: "A child, toward his parents, goes east, west, south or north, only obeying their commands. Yin and yang, toward a person, are more than parents. If it brings me close to death and I do not obey, I am being defiant; what offense has it committed? The great earth carries me with a form, toils me with life, gives me ease with old age and gives me rest with death; so what makes my life good makes my death good. Now a great smith is casting metal, and the metal leaps up and says: 'I must become Moye!' The great smith will surely regard this as inauspicious metal. Now, having once met the human form, to say 'Man! Man!' the Creator will surely regard this as an inauspicious man. Now, once heaven and earth are taken as a great furnace and the Creator as a great smith, where could I go that is not fine!" He fell peacefully asleep and woke easily, sweating.

子桑戶、孟子反、子琴張三人相與友，曰：「孰能相與於無相與，相為於無相為？孰能登天遊霧，撓挑無極，相忘以生，無所終窮？」三人相視而笑，莫逆於心，遂相與友。莫然有間而子桑戶死，未葬。孔子聞之，使子貢往待事焉。或編曲，或鼓琴，相和而歌曰：「嗟來桑戶乎！嗟來桑戶乎！而已反其真，而我猶為人猗！」子貢趨而進曰：「敢問臨屍而歌，禮乎？」二人相視而笑曰：「是惡知禮意！」子貢反，以告孔子，曰：「彼何人者邪？脩行無有，而外其形骸，臨屍而歌，顏色不變，無以命之。彼何人者邪？」孔子曰：「彼，遊方之外者也；而丘，遊方之內者也。外內不相及，而丘使汝往弔之，丘則陋矣。彼方且與造物者為人，而遊乎天地之一氣。彼以生為附贅縣疣，以死為決𤴯潰癕。夫若然者，又惡知死生先後之所在！假於異物，託於同體，忘其肝膽，遺其耳目，反覆終始，不知端倪，芒然彷徨乎塵垢之外，逍遙乎無為之業。彼又惡能憒憒然為世俗之禮以觀眾人之耳目哉！」子貢曰：「然則夫子何方之依？」孔子曰：「丘，天之戮民也。雖然，吾與汝共之。」子貢曰：「敢問其方。」孔子曰：「魚相造乎水，人相造乎道。相造乎水者，穿池而養給；相造乎道者，無事而生定。故曰：魚相忘乎江湖，人相忘乎道術。」子貢曰：「敢問畸人。」曰：「畸人者，畸於人而侔於天。故曰：天之小人，人之君子；人之君子，天之小人也。」

Sang Hu, Meng Zifan and Qin Zhang, three men, were friends with one another and said: "Who can associate with no association, and help with no help? Who can ascend to heaven and roam in the mist, circling in the limitless, forgetting life with one another, without end or exhaustion?" The three looked at one another and smiled, and, nothing opposing in their hearts, became friends with one another. After a short while Sang Hu died and was not yet buried. Confucius heard of it and sent Zigong to help with the funeral. One was composing a tune, another plucking a zither, and they sang in harmony: "Alas, Sang Hu! Alas, Sang Hu! You have already returned to your true state, and we are still people!" Zigong hurried forward and said: "May I ask, is it ritually proper to sing in front of a corpse?" The two looked at each other and smiled and said: "What does he know of the meaning of ritual!" Zigong returned and told Confucius, saying: "What kind of people are they? They do not cultivate conduct but put the body outside themselves, sing in front of a corpse without changing their expression; I cannot name them. What kind of people are they?" Confucius said: "They are those who roam beyond the bounds, and I am one who roams within the bounds. Outside and inside do not meet, and I sent you to condole, which was shallow of me. They are just now companions of the Creator, roaming in the one breath of heaven and earth. They regard life as a hanging tumor and a swollen wart, and death as a boil bursting and draining. Such men, how would they know where death and life, before and after are! Borrowing from different things and lodging in the same body, forgetting liver and gall, leaving behind ears and eyes, repeating end and beginning without knowing their starting point, they wander vaguely beyond the dust and filth, roaming freely in the work of non-action. How could they bother to make worldly rites for the eyes and ears of the multitude!" Zigong said: "Then which side do you follow, Master?" Confucius said: "I am one punished by Heaven. Even so, I share it with you." Zigong said: "May I ask the method?" Confucius said: "Fish thrive in water, and people thrive in the Way. For those who thrive in water, dig a pond and they are well supplied; for those who thrive in the Way, without affairs their lives are settled. So it is said: fish forget each other in the rivers and lakes, and people forget each other in the Way." Zigong said: "May I ask about the odd person?" He said: "An odd person is one who is odd to people but matches Heaven. So it is said: Heaven's petty man is man's gentleman; man's gentleman is Heaven's petty man."

顏回問仲尼曰：「孟孫才，其母死，哭泣無涕，中心不慼，居喪不哀。無是三者，以善喪蓋魯國。固有無其實而得其名者乎？回壹怪之。」仲尼曰：「夫孟孫氏，盡之矣，進於知矣。唯簡之而不得，夫已有所簡矣。孟孫氏不知所以生，不知所以死；不知就先，不知就後；若化為物，以待其所不知之化已乎！且方將化，惡知不化哉？方將不化，惡知已化哉？吾特與汝，其夢未始覺者邪？且彼有駭形而無損心，有旦宅而無情死。孟孫氏特覺，人哭亦哭，是自其所以乃，且也相與吾之耳矣，庸詎知吾所謂吾之乎？且汝夢為鳥而厲乎天，夢為魚而沒於淵，不識今之言者，其覺者乎，其夢者乎？造適不及笑，獻笑不及排，安排而去化，乃入於寥天一。」

Yan Hui asked Zhongni: "Meng Sun Cai, when his mother died, wept without tears, felt no grief in his heart and was not sad in mourning. Lacking these three, he yet covers Lu with his reputation for being good at mourning. Is there truly one who gains the name without the substance? I find it truly strange." Zhongni said: "The Meng Sun clan has gone all the way, further than knowledge. He wanted to simplify but could not, and he has already simplified in some way. The Meng Sun clan does not know what life comes from or what death is for; does not know to go first or to go after; like a transformed thing, he waits for a transformation he does not know, that is all! Moreover, in the midst of transformation, how can one know that one is not transformed? In the midst of non-transformation, how can one know that one has already been transformed? You and I alone are perhaps dreaming and have not yet awakened. Moreover, he has a startling form but no harm to his mind, has a daily dwelling but no real death. The Meng Sun clan is awake alone; when others wail he wails too, simply because he himself is so. Moreover, we merely call one another 'I'; how do we know what I call 'I'? Moreover, you dream of being a bird and soar into the sky, or dream of being a fish and plunge into the deep, and do not know whether the one speaking now is awake or dreaming. Producing satisfaction does not reach laughter, giving forth laughter does not allow arrangement; resting in what is arranged and following transformation, one then enters the One of the vast sky."

意而子見許由，許由曰：「堯何以資汝？」意而子曰：「堯謂我：『汝必躬服仁義而明言是非。』」許由曰：「而奚來為軹？夫堯既已黥汝以仁義而劓汝以是非矣，汝將何以遊夫遙蕩恣睢轉徙之塗乎？」意而子曰：「雖然，吾願遊於其藩。」許由曰：「不然。夫盲者無以與乎眉目顏色之好，瞽者無以與乎青黃黼黻之觀。」意而子曰：「夫無莊之失其美，據梁之失其力，黃帝之亡其知，皆在鑪錘之間耳。庸詎知夫造物者之不息我黥而補我劓，使我乘成以隨先生邪？」許由曰：「噫！未可知也。我為汝言其大略。吾師乎！吾師乎！䪠萬物而不為義，澤及萬世而不為仁，長於上古而不為老，覆載天地、刻彫眾形而不為巧。此所遊已！」

Yi Erzi visited Xu You, and Xu You said: "What did Yao supply you with?" Yi Erzi said: "Yao told me: 'You must personally practice benevolence and righteousness and clearly state right and wrong.'" Xu You said: "Why have you come? Yao has already tattooed your face with benevolence and righteousness and cut off your nose with right and wrong; how will you roam on that free, wandering, shifting path?" Yi Erzi said: "Even so, I would like to roam at its borders." Xu You said: "No. The blind cannot take part in the beauty of eyes and complexion, and the sightless cannot take part in the enjoyment of blue, yellow and embroidered patterns." Yi Erzi said: "Wuzhuang lost her beauty, Juliang lost his strength, and the Yellow Emperor lost his knowledge, all within the furnace and hammer. How do I know that the Creator will not heal my tattoo and restore my cut-off nose, letting me ride on completeness and follow you?" Xu You said: "Ah! That cannot yet be known. Let me tell you the general outline. My teacher! My teacher! He harmonizes the myriad things and does not count it righteousness, his bounty reaches ten thousand generations and he does not count it benevolence, he is older than high antiquity and does not count it age, he covers and carries heaven and earth and carves all forms and does not count it skill. This is where you should roam!"

顏回曰：「回益矣。」仲尼曰：「何謂也？」曰：「回忘仁義矣。」曰：「可矣，猶未也。」它日復見，曰：「回益矣。」曰：「何謂也？」曰：「回忘禮樂矣。」曰：「可矣，猶未也。」它日復見，曰：「回益矣。」曰：「何謂也？」曰：「回坐忘矣。」仲尼蹵然曰：「何謂坐忘？」顏回曰：「墮枝體，黜聰明，離形去知，同於大通，此謂坐忘。」仲尼曰：「同則無好也，化則無常也。而果其賢乎，丘也請從而後也。」

Yan Hui said: "I have made progress." Zhongni said: "How so?" He said: "I have forgotten benevolence and righteousness." He said: "Good, but not yet there." On another day they met again, and he said: "I have made progress." He said: "How so?" He said: "I have forgotten ritual and music." He said: "Good, but not yet there." On another day they met again, and he said: "I have made progress." He said: "How so?" He said: "I sit and forget." Zhongni was startled and said: "What is sitting and forgetting?" Yan Hui said: "I let limbs and body fall away, dismiss hearing and sight, leave form and discard knowledge, and become one with the great thoroughfare; this is called sitting and forgetting (Zhuangzi's own coinage: to forget while sitting, not the name of a meditation technique and not the same as ordinary forgetting)." Zhongni said: "With sameness there is no preference, with transformation there is no fixation. You are truly worthy; I, Qiu, ask to follow behind you."

子輿與子桑友，而淋雨十日。子輿曰：「子桑殆病矣。」裹飯而往食之。至子桑之門，則若歌若哭，鼓琴曰：「父邪，母邪？天乎，人乎？」有不任其聲而趨舉其詩焉。子輿入，曰：「子之歌詩，何故若是？」曰：「吾思夫使我至此極者而弗得也。父母豈欲吾貧哉？天無私覆，地無私載，天地豈私貧我哉？求其為之者而不得也。然而至此極者，命也夫！」

Ziyu was friends with Zisang, and rain fell for ten days. Ziyu said: "Zisang may be ill." He wrapped up some rice and went to feed him. When he reached Zisang's door, it sounded like singing and like weeping, with a zither plucked, and he said: "Father? Mother? Heaven? Man?" The voice could not hold up and burst out quickly in verses. Ziyu went in and said: "Why does your singing of poems sound like this?" He said: "I was thinking about what brought me to this extremity and could not find it. Would my parents want me to be poor? Heaven covers without favoritism and earth carries without favoritism; would heaven and earth privately make me poor? I sought the one who did it and could not find him. Yet that I have reached this extremity is fate!"

齧缺問於王倪，四問而四不知。齧缺因躍而大喜，行以告蒲衣子。蒲衣子曰：「而乃今知之乎？有虞氏不及泰氏。有虞氏，其猶藏仁以要人，亦得人矣，而未始出於非人。泰氏，其臥徐徐，其覺于于；一以己為馬，一以己為牛；其知情信，其德甚真，而未始入於非人。」

Nie Que asked Wang Ni four questions and four times Wang Ni said he did not know. Nie Que leapt up in great joy, went off and told Puyizi. Puyizi said: "Do you understand it now? The House of Yu (Shun) was not equal to Tai. The House of Yu still held onto benevolence to win over people, and did win people, but had not yet gone beyond being non-human. Tai slept slowly and woke carefree; one moment he took himself for a horse, the next for an ox; his knowledge was trustworthy and his virtue very true, and he had not yet entered the non-human."

肩吾見狂接輿。狂接輿曰：「日中始何以語汝？」肩吾曰：「告我：君人者以己出經式義度，人孰敢不聽而化諸？」狂接輿曰：「是欺德也。其於治天下也，猶涉海鑿河而使蚉負山也。夫聖人之治也，治外乎？正而後行，確乎能其事者而已矣。且鳥高飛以避矰弋之害，鼷鼠深穴乎神丘之下以避燻鑿之患，而曾二蟲之無知！」

Jianwu went to see the madman Jie Yu. The madman Jie Yu said: "What did Zhong Shi tell you?" Jianwu said: "He told me: a ruler who sets out regulations, standards, and measures of right by himself, who among the people would dare not listen and be transformed?" The madman Jie Yu said: "That is false virtue. For governing the world it is like wading into the sea to dig a river or making a mosquito carry a mountain. Does the governing of a sage govern the outside? He first sets himself right and then acts, sure only that he can do his task. Moreover a bird flies high to avoid the harm of the stringed arrow, and a field mouse digs deep beneath the sacred mound to avoid the trouble of smoking out and digging; and you do not even have the knowledge of these two small creatures!"

天根遊於殷陽，至蓼水之上，適遭無名人而問焉，曰：「請問為天下。」無名人曰：「去！汝鄙人也，何問之不豫也？予方將與造物者為人，厭則又乘夫莽眇之鳥，以出六極之外，而遊無何有之鄉，以處壙埌之野。汝又何帠以治天下感予之心為？」又復問。無名人曰：「汝遊心於淡，合氣於漠，順物自然而無容私焉，而天下治矣。」

Tian Gen wandered on the sunny side of Mount Yin, and reaching the banks of the Liao River he happened to meet a Nameless Man and asked him: "May I ask about governing the world." The Nameless Man said: "Go away! You vulgar fellow, how unpleasant your question is! I am about to be a companion of the Creator, and when tired of that I will ride the vast and distant bird, go out beyond the six extremes, wander in the village of Nothing-Whatever, and dwell in the boundless wilderness. Why do you come to move my heart with talk of governing the world?" He asked again. The Nameless Man said: "Let your mind wander in the bland, blend your breath with the silent, follow the natural way of things and allow no private view, and the world will be governed."

陽子居見老聃，曰：「有人於此，嚮疾彊梁，物徹疏明，學道不勌。如是者，可比明王乎？」老聃曰：「是於聖人也，胥易技係，勞形怵心者也。且也虎豹之文來田，猨狙之便執斄之㣘來藉。如是者，可比明王乎？」陽子居蹵然曰：「敢問明王之治。」老聃曰：「明王之治，功蓋天下而似不自己，化貸萬物而民弗恃，有莫舉名，使物自喜，立乎不測，而遊於無有者也。」

Yang Ziju met Lao Dan and said: "Here is a man who is quick and vigorous, thorough and clear in everything, and tireless in studying the Way. Can such a person be compared to an enlightened king?" Lao Dan said: "To a sage, he is one bound by service and skill, who toils his body and frightens his heart. Moreover the tiger and leopard attract hunters because of their patterns, the monkey because of its agility and the dog because of its catching of civets attract ropes and tethers. Can such a person be compared to an enlightened king?" Yang Ziju, startled, said: "May I ask about the rule of an enlightened king?" Lao Dan said: "The rule of an enlightened king: his merit covers the world yet seems not to be his own doing; his transformation extends to all things yet the people do not depend on him; he has things but does not name them, letting things be delighted of themselves; he stands in the unfathomable and wanders in nothingness."

鄭有神巫曰季咸，知人之死生存亡、禍褔壽夭，期以歲月旬日，若神。鄭人見之，皆棄而走。列子見之而心醉，歸以告壺子，曰：「始吾以夫子之道為至矣，則又有至焉者矣。」壺子曰：「吾與汝，既其文，未既其實，而固得道與？眾雌而無雄，而又奚卵焉？而以道與世亢，必信，夫故使人得而相汝。嘗試與來，以予示之。」明日，列子與之見壺子。出而謂列子曰：「嘻！子之先生死矣！弗活矣！不以旬數矣！吾見怪焉，見濕灰焉。」列子入，泣涕沾襟以告壺子。壺子曰：「曏吾示之以地文，萌乎不震不正。是殆見吾杜德機也。嘗又與來。」明日，又與之見壺子。出而謂列子曰：「幸矣，子之先生遇我也！有瘳矣，全然有生矣！吾見其杜權矣！」列子入，以告壺子。壺子曰：「曏吾示之以天壤，名實不入，而機發於踵。是殆見吾善者機也。嘗又與來。」明日，又與之見壺子。出而謂列子曰：「子之先生不齊，吾無得而相焉。試齊，且復相之。」列子入，以告壺子。壺子曰：「吾曏示之以太沖莫勝。是殆見吾衡氣機也。鯢桓之審為淵，止水之審為淵，流水之審為淵。淵有九名，此處三焉。嘗又與來。」明日，又與之見壺子。立未定，自失而走。壺子曰：「追之！」列子追之不及，反以報壺子，曰：「已滅矣，已失矣，吾弗及已！」壼子曰：「曏吾示之以未始出吾宗。吾與之虛而委蛇，不知其誰何，因以為弟靡，因以為波流，故逃也。」然後列子自以為未始學而歸，三年不出，為其妻爨，食豕如食人，於事無與親，彫琢復樸，塊然獨以其形立，紛而封哉，一以是終。

In Zheng there was a spirit-shaman named Ji Xian, who knew people's life and death, survival and ruin, fortune and misfortune, long and short life, and predicted the year, month, ten-day period and day, like a spirit. When the people of Zheng saw him, they all abandoned him and ran. Liezi saw him and was intoxicated, came back and told Huzi, saying: "At first I thought your Way, Master, was the utmost, but there is yet something more." Huzi said: "What I have given you is only the form, not yet the substance; do you think you have attained the Way? With many hens and no rooster, how could there be eggs? You contend with the world using the Way and surely seek people's trust, and so you let people read your face. Try bringing him along and show me to him." The next day, Liezi brought him to see Huzi. When he came out he said to Liezi: "Ah! Your master is dead! He will not live! Not ten days more! I saw something strange, I saw wet ashes." Liezi went in, weeping and soaking his collar, and told Huzi. Huzi said: "Just now I showed him the pattern of earth, stirring but neither shaking nor correct. He probably saw me with the spring of virtue blocked. Try bringing him again." The next day he brought him again to see Huzi. When he came out he said to Liezi: "Lucky for you, your master met me! He is better, full of life! I saw the shifting within the blockage!" Liezi went in and told Huzi. Huzi said: "Just now I showed him the pattern of heaven and earth, with name and substance not entering, and the spring rising from the heels. He probably saw me with the spring of goodness. Try bringing him again." The next day he brought him again to see Huzi. When he came out he said to Liezi: "Your master is uneven, and I have no way to read him. Try making him even and I will read him again." Liezi went in and told Huzi. Huzi said: "Just now I showed him the Great Void in which nothing prevails. He probably saw me with the spring of balanced breath. Where a whale circles is an abyss, where still water gathers is an abyss, where flowing water gathers is an abyss. The abyss has nine names; here three were used. Try bringing him again." The next day he brought him again to see Huzi. Before he had stood firm, he lost his composure and ran. Huzi said: "Chase him!" Liezi could not catch him and came back and reported to Huzi, saying: "He has vanished, he is lost, I could not overtake him!" Huzi said: "Just now I showed him what has not yet come out of my source. I was empty and winding with him, and he did not know who I was or what, so I was like a falling reed, like flowing waves, and so he fled." Then Liezi, feeling he had never learned anything, went home, did not go out for three years, cooked for his wife, fed the pigs as if feeding people, had no preference between near and far in affairs, returned from carving to the uncarved block (the unworked log, a figure for the original state untouched by artifice), stood like a clod in his own form, in the confusion sealed himself, and ended his life in this one way.

無為名屍，無為謀府，無為事任，無為知主。體盡無窮，而遊無朕，盡其所受乎天，而無見得，亦虛而已。至人之用心若鏡，不將不迎，應而不藏，故能勝物而不傷。

Do not be the corpse-master of fame, do not be the storehouse of schemes, do not be the bearer of affairs, do not be the master of knowledge. Embody the endless and wander in what has no omen, use up what you have received from Heaven but do not show that you have gained anything; be only empty, that is all. The perfect person uses the mind like a mirror, neither sending nor welcoming, responding but not storing, so he can overcome things without being harmed.

南海之帝為儵，北海之帝為忽，中央之帝為渾沌。儵與忽時相與遇於渾沌之地，渾沌待之甚善。儵與忽謀報渾沌之德，曰：「人皆有七竅，以視聽食息。此獨無有，嘗試鑿之。」日鑿一竅，七日而渾沌死。

The emperor of the South Sea was Shu, the emperor of the North Sea was Hu, and the emperor of the Center was Hundun (Chaos). Shu and Hu often met in Hundun's land, and Hundun treated them very well. Shu and Hu discussed how to repay Hundun's kindness, saying: "All people have seven apertures with which to see, hear, eat and breathe. He alone has none; let us try boring them." Each day they bored one aperture, and on the seventh day Hundun died.

駢拇枝指，出乎性哉，而侈於德；附贅縣疣，出乎形哉，而侈於性。多方乎仁義而用之者，列於五藏哉，而非道德之正也。是故駢於足者，連無用之肉也；枝於手者，樹無用之指也；多方駢枝於五藏之情者，淫僻於仁義之行，而多方於聰明之用也。是故駢於明者，亂五色，淫文章，青黃黼黻之煌煌，非乎？而離朱是已。多於聰者，亂五聲，淫六律，金石絲竹、黃鍾大呂之聲，非乎？而師曠是已。枝於仁者，擢德塞性以收名聲，使天下簧鼓，以奉不及之法，非乎？而曾、史是已。駢於辯者，纍瓦、結繩、竄句，遊心於堅白同異之間，而敝跬譽無用之言，非乎？而楊、墨是已。故此皆多駢旁枝之道，非天下之至正也。

Joined toes and extra fingers come from nature, perhaps, but go beyond what virtue should have; attached growths and warts come from the body, perhaps, but go beyond what nature should have. To spin off branches of benevolence and righteousness and put them to use is to array them among the five organs, perhaps, but is not the correct form of the Way and virtue. So those with joined toes have useless flesh attached; those with extra fingers on the hand have a useless finger standing; those who have extra branching in the feelings of the five organs become excessive in the conduct of benevolence and righteousness and sprout many branches in the use of hearing and sight. So those who join and branch in clear sight confuse the five colors and overuse patterns, the blue, yellow and embroidered cloths gleaming; is that not so? Li Zhu was one. Those who add to hearing confuse the five sounds and overuse the six pitches, the sounds of metal, stone, silk, bamboo, Huangzhong and Dalu; is that not so? Shi Kuang was one. Those who branch out in benevolence pull up virtue and block nature in order to gather fame and make the world buzz like reed organs and drums in pursuing standards they cannot reach; is that not so? Zeng Shen and Shi Yu were such. Those who join and branch in disputation pile up tiles, tie knots in cords, tamper with phrases, and let the mind wander among hard-and-white and same-and-different, weary and taking small steps to seek the fame of useless speech; is that not so? Yang Zhu and Mo Di were such. So all these are the way of extra joined and branching growths, not the world's utmost rightness.

彼正正者，不失其性命之情，故合者不為駢，而枝者不為跂；長者不為有餘，短者不為不足。是故鳧脛雖短，續之則憂；鶴脛雖長，斷之則悲。故性長非所斷，性短非所續，無所去憂也。意仁義其非人情乎？彼仁人何其多憂也？且夫駢於拇者，決之則泣；枝於手者，齕之則啼。二者或有餘於數，或不足於數，其於憂一也。今世之仁人，蒿目而憂世之患；不仁之人，決性命之情而饕貴富。故意仁義其非人情乎！自三代以下者，天下何其囂囂也！且夫待鉤繩規矩而正者，是削其性也；待繩約膠漆而固者，是侵其德也；屈折禮樂，呴俞仁義，以慰天下之心者，此失其常然也。天下有常然。常然者，曲者不以鉤，直者不以繩，圓者不以規，方者不以矩，附離不以膠漆，約束不以纆索。故天下誘然皆生，而不知其所以生；同焉皆得，而不知其所以得。故古今不二，不可虧也，則仁義又奚連連如膠漆纆索而遊乎道德之間為哉，使天下惑也！

The true rightness does not lose the real condition of nature and destiny, so what is joined together is not called joined, and what branches out is not called protruding; the long is not called surplus, and the short is not called lacking. So though a duck's legs are short, to lengthen them would grieve it; though a crane's legs are long, to cut them short would sadden it. So what is long by nature is not to be cut and what is short by nature is not to be lengthened, and there is no worry to be removed. I suppose benevolence and righteousness may not be human feeling! Why do those benevolent people have so many worries? Moreover, if you cut joined toes the person weeps; if you bite off an extra finger the person cries. Of these two, one is in surplus in number and one is in lack, but their sorrow is the same. Now the benevolent people of the age stare with withered eyes in worry over the troubles of the age; the unbenevolent tear apart the real condition of nature and destiny to covet wealth and honor. So I suppose benevolence and righteousness may not be human feeling! Since the Three Dynasties, why has the world been so noisy! Moreover, what waits for hook, line, compass and square to be corrected cuts away its nature; what waits for rope, binding, glue and lacquer to be fixed encroaches on its virtue; to bend and bow to rites and music, to speak softly about benevolence and righteousness, in order to console the heart of the world, is to lose the constant way. The world has a constant way. The constant way is that the curved needs no hook, the straight needs no line, the round needs no compass, the square needs no carpenter's square, joining needs no glue or lacquer, and binding needs no cords. So all things in the world are born naturally yet do not know why they are born; all are alike obtained yet do not know why they are obtained. So past and present are not two and cannot be diminished; then why must benevolence and righteousness cling continuously like glue and cords and wander between the Way and virtue, confusing the world!

夫小惑易方，大惑易性。何以知其然邪？自虞氏招仁義以撓天下也，天下莫不奔命於仁義。是非以仁義易其性與？故嘗試論之：自三代以下者，天下莫不以物易其性矣。小人則以身殉利，士則以身殉名，大夫則以身殉家，聖人則以身殉天下。故此數子者，事業不同，名聲異號，其於傷性以身為殉，一也。臧與穀，二人相與牧羊，而俱亡其羊。問臧奚事，則挾筴讀書；問穀奚事，則博塞以遊。二人者，事業不同，其於亡羊，均也。伯夷死名於首陽之下，盜蹠死利於東陵之上。二人者，所死不同，其於殘生傷性，均也，奚必伯夷之是而盜蹠之非乎？天下盡殉也。彼其所殉仁義也，則俗謂之君子；其所殉貨財也，則俗謂之小人。其殉一也，則有君子焉，有小人焉。若其殘生損性，則盜蹠亦伯夷已，又惡取君子小人於其間哉！

A small confusion changes one's direction, a great confusion changes one's nature. How do we know this is so? Since the House of Yu raised up benevolence and righteousness and disturbed the world, none in the world has not rushed after benevolence and righteousness. Is this not changing their nature with benevolence and righteousness? So let us discuss: since the Three Dynasties, no one in the world has not changed his nature through outer things. The petty man sacrifices himself for profit, the scholar sacrifices himself for fame, the grandee sacrifices himself for his house, and the sage sacrifices himself for the world. So these kinds of people differ in their occupations and in the titles of their fame, but in harming their nature and sacrificing themselves they are the same. Zang and Gu were herding sheep together, and both lost their sheep. Asked what Zang was doing, he was holding bamboo slips and reading; asked what Gu was doing, he was playing a board game. The two had different occupations, but in losing the sheep they are equal. Bo Yi died for fame at the foot of Mount Shouyang, and Robber Zhi died for profit on Mount Dongling. The two died for different things, but in destroying life and harming nature they are equal; why must one call Bo Yi right and Robber Zhi wrong? All the world is sacrificing. If what one sacrifices for is benevolence and righteousness, the world calls him a gentleman; if what one sacrifices for is goods and wealth, the world calls him a petty man. Their sacrifice is the same, yet one becomes a gentleman and the other a petty man. If we look at destroying life and harming nature, then Robber Zhi is also Bo Yi, so how could one pick out gentleman and petty man between them!

且夫屬其性乎仁義者，雖通如曾、史，非吾所謂臧也；屬其性於五味，雖通如俞兒，非吾所謂臧也；屬其性乎五聲，雖通如師曠，非吾所謂聰也；屬其性乎五色，雖通如離朱，非吾所謂明也。吾所謂臧，非仁義之謂也，臧於其德而已矣；吾所謂臧者，非所謂仁義之謂也，任其性命之情而已矣；吾所謂聰者，非謂其聞彼也，自聞而已矣；吾所謂明者，非謂其見彼也，自見而已矣。夫不自見而見彼，不自得而得彼者，是得人之得而不自得其得者也，適人之適而不自適其適者也。夫適人之適而不自適其適，雖盜蹠與伯夷，是同為淫僻也。餘愧乎道德，是以上不敢為仁義之操，而下不敢為淫僻之行也。

Moreover, one who attaches his nature to benevolence and righteousness, even if as accomplished as Zeng Shen and Shi Yu, is not what I call good; one who attaches his nature to the five flavors, even if as accomplished as Yu Er, is not what I call good; one who attaches his nature to the five sounds, even if as accomplished as Shi Kuang, is not what I call keen of hearing; one who attaches his nature to the five colors, even if as accomplished as Li Zhu, is not what I call clear of sight. What I call good is not benevolence and righteousness, it is only being good in his virtue; what I call good is not that of so-called benevolence and righteousness, it is only letting go and trusting the real condition of nature and destiny; what I call keen of hearing is not hearing that other thing, it is only hearing oneself; what I call clear of sight is not seeing that other thing, it is only seeing oneself. One who does not see himself but sees the other, who does not gain himself but gains the other, is one who gains what others gain and does not gain what he himself should gain, one who goes where others go and does not go where he himself should go. To go where others go and not where one should go oneself, even Robber Zhi and Bo Yi are alike in being excessive and deviant. I am ashamed before the Way and virtue, so above I dare not practice the conduct of benevolence and righteousness, and below I dare not practice excess and deviation.

馬，蹄可以踐霜雪，毛可以禦風寒，齕草飲水，翹足而陸，此馬之真性也，雖有義臺路寢，無所用之。及至伯樂，曰：「我善治馬。」燒之剔之，刻之雒之，連之以羈馽，編之以皂棧，馬之死者十二三矣；飢之渴之，馳之驟之，整之齊之，前有橛飾之患，而後有鞭筴之威，而馬之死者已過半矣。陶者曰：「我善治埴，圓者中規，方者中矩。」匠人曰：「我善治木，曲者中鉤，直者應繩。」夫埴木之性，豈欲中規矩鉤繩哉？然且世世稱之曰「伯樂善治馬，而陶匠善治埴木」，此亦治天下者之過也。

A horse's hooves can tread on frost and snow, its hair can ward off wind and cold, it eats grass and drinks water, lifts its feet and leaps; this is the true nature of a horse, and even if there were terraces of ceremony and great chambers, they would be of no use to it. When Bo Le appeared, he said: "I am good at managing horses." He burned them, clipped them, carved them, branded them, linked them with halters and bridles, and arranged them in troughs and stables, and the horses that died were already two or three in ten; then he made them hungry and thirsty, drove them to gallop and rush, set them in line, with the trouble of bit and decoration in front and the threat of the whip behind, and the horses that died were already more than half. The potter said: "I am good at managing clay; round shapes fit the compass, square ones fit the square." The carpenter said: "I am good at managing wood; curved pieces fit the hook, straight ones answer the line." The nature of clay and wood, do they want to fit compass, square, hook and line? Yet for generation after generation people say "Bo Le is good at managing horses, and the potter and carpenter are good at managing clay and wood," and this too is the fault of those who govern the world.

吾意善治天下者不然。彼民有常性，織而衣，耕而食，是謂同德；一而不黨，命曰天放。故至德之世，其行填填，其視顛顛。當是時也，山無蹊隧，澤無舟梁；萬物群生，連屬其鄉；禽獸成群，草木遂長。是故禽獸可係羈而遊，鳥鵲之巢可攀援而闚。夫至德之世，同與禽獸居，族與萬物並，惡乎知君子小人哉！同乎無知，其德不離；同乎無慾，是謂素樸，素樸而民性得矣。及至聖人，蹩躠為仁，踶跂為義，而天下始疑矣；澶漫為樂，擿僻為禮，而天下始分矣。故純樸不殘，孰為犧樽？白玉不毀，孰為珪璋？道德不廢，安取仁義？性情不離，安用禮樂？五色不亂，孰為文采？五聲不亂，孰應六律？

I think that those who are good at governing the world are not like this. The people have a constant nature: they weave and then wear, plow and then eat, which is called common virtue; they are undivided and form no cliques, which is named Heaven's freedom. So in the age of supreme virtue, they walked with steady gravity and looked with single-minded focus. At that time there were no paths or tunnels in the mountains, no boats or bridges in the marshes; the myriad things lived in groups, villages were connected; birds and beasts formed flocks, and grasses and trees grew smoothly. So birds and beasts could be led on leashes to wander, and the nests of magpies could be climbed to peep into. In the age of supreme virtue, people lived together with birds and beasts and gathered with the myriad things as one clan; how would they know gentleman from petty man! Alike without knowledge, their virtue did not scatter; alike without desire, this is called simplicity, and with simplicity the people's nature was obtained. When the sage appeared, laboring to practice benevolence and standing on tiptoe to practice righteousness, the world began to doubt; wantonly making music and fussily making ritual, the world began to split. So if the uncarved wood is not chopped up, who would make sacrificial vessels? If white jade is not ruined, who would make tablets and scepters? If the Way and virtue are not abandoned, where would one take benevolence and righteousness? If nature and feeling are not separated, what use are rites and music? If the five colors are not confused, who would make patterns? If the five sounds are not confused, who would answer to the six pitches?

夫殘樸以為器，工匠之罪也；毀道德以為仁義，聖人之過也。夫馬，陸居則食草飲水，喜則交頸相靡，怒則分背相踶，馬知已此矣。夫加之以衡扼，齊之以月題，而馬知介倪、闉枙、騺曼、詭銜、竊轡。故馬之知而能至盜者，伯樂之罪也。夫赫胥氏之時，民居不知所為，行不知所之，含哺而熙，鼓腹而遊，民能以此矣。及至聖人，屈折禮樂以匡天下之形，縣跂仁義以慰天下之心，而民乃始踶跂好知，爭歸於利，不可止也。此亦聖人之過也。

To chop up the uncarved to make vessels is the fault of the craftsman; to ruin the Way and virtue to make benevolence and righteousness is the error of the sage. A horse, living on land, eats grass and drinks water, when pleased rubs necks together, when angry turns and kicks; the horse's knowledge goes only this far. Add the yoke and crossbar, put the moon-shaped ornament and forehead plate in line, and the horse learns to roll its eyes sideways, bend the yoke, bolt, spit out the bit and steal bites at the bridle. So when the knowledge of the horse reaches stealing, it is the crime of Bo Le. In the time of Hexu, people lived without knowing what to do and walked without knowing where they were going, played with food in their mouths and wandered with full bellies; this is what people could do. When the sage appeared, bending and bowing to rites and music to correct the form of the world, and hanging high benevolence and righteousness to console the world's hearts, the people began to stand on tiptoe in love of knowledge and to rush toward profit, and could not be stopped. This too is the sage's fault.

將為胠篋探囊發匱之盜而為守備，則必攝緘縢，固扃鐍，此世俗之所謂知也。然而巨盜至，則負匱揭篋擔囊而趨，唯恐緘縢扃鐍之不固也。然則向之所謂知者，不乃為大盜積者也？

To guard against thieves who open boxes, rifle bags and break into cabinets, one must tighten the cords and bindings and strengthen the locks and bolts; this is what the world calls cleverness. Yet when a great thief comes, he shoulders the cabinet, lifts the box, carries off the bag and runs, fearing only that the cords and locks are not firm. Then what was called cleverness before, is it not just storing up for the great thief?

故嘗試論之：世俗所謂知者，有不為大盜積者乎？所謂聖者，有不為大盜守者乎？何以知其然邪？昔者齊國鄰邑相望，雞狗之音相聞，罔罟之所布，耒耨之所刺，方二千餘裡。闔四境之內，所以立宗廟社稷，治邑屋州閭鄉曲者，曷嘗不法聖人哉？然而田成子一旦殺齊君而盜其國。所盜者豈獨其國邪？並與其聖知之法而盜之。故田成子有乎盜賊之名，而身處堯、舜之安，小國不敢非，大國不敢誅，十二世有齊國。則是不乃竊齊國，並與其聖知之法，以守其盜賊之身乎？

So let us discuss: is there any of the world's so-called cleverness that does not store up for the great thief? Is there any so-called sage that does not guard for the great thief? How do we know this is so? In former times, the neighboring towns of Qi were within sight of each other, the sounds of chickens and dogs could be heard, and the land spread with nets and pierced by plows and hoes was over two thousand li across. Within the entire four borders, the setting up of ancestral temples and altars and the governing of towns, houses, districts, villages and neighborhoods, when did it not take the sages as its model? Yet one morning Tian Chengzi killed the ruler of Qi and stole his state. Did he steal only his state? He stole together with it the laws of sagely knowledge. So Tian Chengzi had the name of a thief yet lived in the security of Yao and Shun, small states did not dare criticize him and great states did not dare punish him, and for twelve generations he held Qi. Is this not stealing the state of Qi together with the laws of sagely knowledge in order to guard his thief's person?

嘗試論之：世俗之所謂至知者，有不為大盜積者乎？所謂至聖者，有不為大盜守者乎？何以知其然邪？昔者龍逢斬，比干剖，萇弘肔，子胥靡，故四子之賢，而身不免乎戮。故蹠之徒問於蹠曰：「盜亦有道乎？」蹠曰：「何適而無有道邪？夫妄意室中之藏，聖也；入先，勇也；出後，義也；知可否，知也；分均，仁也。五者不備而能成大盜者，天下未之有也。」由是觀之，善人不得聖人之道不立，蹠不得聖人之道不行。天下之善人少，而不善人多，則聖人之利天下也少，而害天下也多。故曰：唇竭則齒寒，魯酒薄而邯鄲圍，聖人生而大盜起。

Let us discuss: is there any of the world's so-called supreme knowledge that does not store up for the great thief? Is there any so-called supreme sage that does not guard for the great thief? How do we know this is so? In former times Guan Longfeng was beheaded, Bi Gan had his heart cut out, Chang Hong had his bowels slit, and Zixu was left to rot, so these four, though so worthy, could not escape execution. So the followers of Zhi asked Zhi: "Do robbers also have a Way?" Zhi said: "Where could one go without a Way? To guess in the dark what is stored in a house is sageliness; to be first to enter is courage; to be last to leave is righteousness; to know whether it can be done is wisdom; to divide equally is benevolence. Never has there been anyone in the world who became a great thief without all five." From this we see that good people cannot stand without the Way of the sages, and Zhi cannot act without the Way of the sages. Good people in the world are few and the not good are many, so the sages benefit the world little and harm the world much. So it is said: when the lips are gone the teeth are cold; when the wine of Lu is thin Handan is besieged; when the sage is born, the great thief arises.

掊擊聖人，縱舍盜賊，而天下始治矣。夫川竭而谷虛，丘夷而淵實。聖人已死，則大盜不起，天下平而無故矣。聖人不死，大盜不止，雖重聖人而治天下，則是重利盜蹠也。為之鬥斛以量之，則並與鬥斛而竊之；為之權衡以稱之，則並與權衡而竊之；為之符璽以信之，則並與符璽而竊之；為之仁義以矯之，則並與仁義而竊之。何以知其然邪？彼竊鉤者誅，竊國者為諸侯，諸侯之門而義士存焉，則是非竊仁義聖知邪？故逐於大盜，揭諸侯，竊仁義並鬥斛、權衡、符璽之利者，雖有軒冕之賞弗能勸，斧鉞之威弗能禁。此重利盜蹠而使不可禁者，是乃聖人之過也。故曰：魚不可脫於淵，國之利器不可以示人。

Strike down the sage and let go the thieves, and the world will begin to be governed. When the river runs dry the valley is empty; when the hill is leveled the abyss is filled. When the sage is dead and the great thieves no longer arise, the world is at peace without affairs. As long as the sage does not die, the great thief does not stop. Even if one values the sage to govern the world, it only increases the profit of Robber Zhi. Make a peck and bushel for them to measure with, and they steal the peck and bushel along with it; make a balance and weights for them to weigh with, and they steal the balance and weights; make tallies and seals for them to build trust, and they steal the tallies and seals; make benevolence and righteousness for them to correct with, and they steal benevolence and righteousness. How do we know this is so? One who steals a belt hook is executed, one who steals a state becomes a lord, and at the lord's gate there are righteous men; is this not stealing benevolence, righteousness, sagacity and knowledge? So those who follow the great thieves, raise up to be lords, steal benevolence and righteousness together with the profit of pecks, balances, tallies and seals, cannot be dissuaded by the reward of carriage and cap or deterred by the might of axe and halberd. This increase of the profit of Zhi that cannot be stopped is exactly the fault of the sage. So it is said: the fish must not leave the deep; the sharp tools of a state must not be shown to people.

彼聖人者，天下之利器也，非所以明天下也。故絕聖棄知，大盜乃止；擿玉毀珠，小盜不起；焚符破璽，而民樸鄙；掊斗折衡，而民不爭；殫殘天下之聖法，而民始可與論議。擢亂六律，鑠絕竽瑟，塞瞽曠之耳，而天下始人含其聰矣；滅文章，散五采，膠離朱之目，而天下始人含其明矣；毀絕鉤繩而棄規矩，攦工倕之指，而天下始人有其巧矣。故曰：大巧若拙。削曾、史之行，鉗楊、墨之口，攘棄仁義，而天下之德始玄同矣。彼人含其明，則天下不鑠矣；人含其聰，則天下不累矣；人含其知，則天下不惑矣；人含其德，則天下不僻矣。彼曾、史、楊、墨、師曠、工倕、離朱者，皆外立其德而以爚亂天下者也，法之所無用也。

The sage is the sharp tool of the world and is not to be displayed to the world. So when sageliness is cut off and knowledge discarded, the great thief stops; when jade is thrown away and pearls smashed, small thieves do not arise; when tallies are burned and seals broken, the people become simple and plain; when pecks are smashed and balances snapped, the people do not quarrel; when the sage laws of the world are entirely destroyed, then the people can be spoken with. Throw the six pitches into confusion, burn and snap the pipes and zithers, stop up Shi Kuang's ears, and then everyone in the world will hold his own hearing within; destroy patterns, scatter the five colors, glue shut Li Zhu's eyes, and everyone in the world will hold his own clear sight within; ruin hook and line and abandon compass and square, break the fingers of the craftsman Chui, and everyone in the world will have his own skill. So it is said: great skill seems clumsy. Cut away the conduct of Zeng Shen and Shi Yu, gag the mouths of Yang Zhu and Mo Di, cast off benevolence and righteousness, and the virtue of the world will begin to be mysteriously one. When everyone holds his own clear sight, the world will not be burnt up; when everyone holds his own hearing, the world will not be burdened; when everyone holds his own knowledge, the world will not be confused; when everyone holds his own virtue, the world will not be deviant. Those Zeng Shen, Shi Yu, Yang Zhu, Mo Di, Shi Kuang, Chui and Li Zhu all set up virtue outside themselves in order to confuse the world, and laws and standards are of no use against them.

子獨不知至德之世乎？昔者容成氏、大庭氏、伯皇氏、中央氏、栗陸氏、驪畜氏、軒轅氏、赫胥氏、尊盧氏、祝融氏、伏戲氏、神農氏，當是時也，民結繩而用之，甘其食，美其服，樂其俗，安其居，鄰國相望，雞狗之音相聞，民至老死而不相往來。若此之時，則至治已。今遂至使民延頸舉踵曰：「某所有賢者。」贏糧而趣之，則內棄其親，而外去其主之事，足跡接乎諸侯之境，車軌結乎千里之外，則是上好知之過也。

Do you not know the age of supreme virtue? Formerly there were Rongcheng, Dating, Bohuang, Zhongyang, Luli, Lixu, Xuanyuan, Hexu, Zunlu, Zhurong, Fuxi and Shennong; in those times the people knotted cords and used them, found their own food sweet, their own clothes beautiful, their own customs pleasant, their own homes safe; neighboring states were within sight of one another, the sounds of chickens and dogs could be heard, and the people grew old and died without going back and forth to one another. In such a time, it was perfect order. Now they are made to stretch their necks and stand on tiptoe, saying: "In such-and-such a place there is a worthy man." They carry provisions and rush to him, abandoning their own kin within and neglecting their lord's business outside, their footprints connect with the borders of the lords' states and their wheel tracks cross a thousand li away; this is the fault of those above who love knowledge.

上誠好知而無道，則天下大亂矣。何以知其然邪？夫弓弩、畢弋、機變之知多，則鳥亂於上矣；鉤餌、罔罟、罾笱之知多，則魚亂於水矣；削格、羅落、罝罘之知多，則獸亂於澤矣；知詐漸毒、頡滑堅白、解垢同異之變多，則俗惑於辯矣。故天下每每大亂，罪在於好知。故天下皆知求其所不知，而莫知求其所已知者；皆知非其所不善，而莫知非其所已善者，是以大亂。故上悖日月之明，下爍山川之精，中墮四時之施，喘耎之蟲，肖翹之物，莫不失其性。甚矣，夫好知之亂天下也，自三代以下者是已！舍夫種種之民而悅伕役役之佞，釋夫恬淡無為而悅夫啍啍之意，啍啍已亂天下矣！

If those above truly love knowledge without the Way, the world falls into great disorder. How do we know this is so? When the knowledge of crossbows, bows, nets and cunning devices becomes abundant, the birds are in disorder in the sky; when the knowledge of hooks, baits, nets, weirs and traps becomes abundant, the fish are in disorder in the water; when the knowledge of snares, gins and nets becomes abundant, the beasts are in disorder in the marshes; when the changes of cunning knowledge, poison, slippery argument, hard-and-white, disentangling and same-and-different become abundant, customs are confused by disputation. So the world is constantly in great disorder, and the fault is in loving knowledge. So everyone in the world knows to seek what they do not know, but does not know to seek what they already know; everyone knows to criticize what they find not good, but does not know to criticize what they already find good, and so there is great disorder. So above it goes against the brightness of sun and moon, below it drains the essence of mountains and rivers, in the middle it ruins the bestowals of the four seasons, and of panting and crawling creatures and the tiniest winged things, none fail to lose their nature. How excessive, that loving knowledge disorders the world, and has been so since the Three Dynasties! They discard the simple and honest people and delight in the busy, bustling, flattering and clever, they put aside bland non-action and delight in earnest instruction, and earnest instruction has already disordered the world!

聞在宥天下，不聞治天下也。在之也者，恐天下之淫其性也；宥之也者，恐天下之遷其德也。天下不淫其性，不遷其德，有治天下者哉？昔堯之治天下也，使天下欣欣焉，人樂其性，是不恬也；桀之治天下也，使天下瘁瘁焉，人苦其性，是不愉也。夫不恬不愉，非德也。非德也而可長久者，天下無之。

I have heard of letting be and tolerating the world, but not of governing the world. Letting be (zai) is fearing that the world will indulge its nature to excess; tolerating (you) is fearing that the world will change its virtue. If the world does not indulge its nature to excess and does not change its virtue, where would there be any governing of the world? Formerly when Yao governed the world, he made the world glad, and people took pleasure in their nature, and this was not tranquil; when Jie governed the world, he made the world worn down, and people suffered in their nature, and this was not happy. Neither tranquil nor happy is not virtue. That which is not virtue and yet can last long, the world has none.

人大喜邪，毗於陽；大怒邪，毗於陰。陰陽並毗，四時不至，寒暑之和不成，其反傷人之形乎！使人喜怒失位，居處無常，思慮不自得，中道不成章，於是乎天下始喬詰卓鷙，而後有盜蹠、曾、史之行。故舉天下以賞其善者不足，舉天下以罰其惡者不給，故天下之大，不足以賞罰。自三代以下者，匈匈焉終以賞罰為事，彼何暇安其性命之情哉？而且悅明邪，是淫於色也；悅聰邪，是淫於聲也；悅仁邪，是亂於德也；悅義邪，是悖於理也；悅禮邪，是相於技也；悅樂邪，是相於淫也；悅聖邪，是相於藝也；悅知邪，是相於疵也。天下將安其性命之情，之八者，存可也，亡可也；天下將不安其性命之情，之八者，乃始臠卷傖囊而亂天下也，而天下乃始尊之惜之。甚矣，天下之惑也！豈直過也而去之邪？乃齊戒以言之，跪坐以進之，鼓歌以儛之。吾若是何哉？故君子不得已而臨蒞天下，莫若無為。無為也，而後安其性命之情。故貴為身於為天下，則可以託天下；愛以身為天下，則可以寄天下。故君子苟能無解其五藏，無擢其聰明，屍居而龍見，淵默而雷聲，神動而天隨，從容無為，而萬物炊累焉。吾又何暇治天下哉！

If a person rejoices too much, he is injured on the side of yang; if he is angry too much, he is injured on the side of yin. When yin and yang are both injured, the four seasons do not come, the harmony of cold and heat is not achieved, and does this not in turn injure the human body! It makes people's joy and anger lose their place, their dwelling be unsettled, their thoughts unable to find themselves, and their middle way unable to form a pattern, and then the world begins to be false in feeling and fierce, and later there is the conduct of Zhi, Zeng Shen and Shi Yu. So raising up the whole world to reward the good is not enough, raising up the whole world to punish evil is not enough; the world is so large and yet is not enough for reward and punishment. Since the Three Dynasties, clamorously they have taken rewards and punishments as their business, so how would they have leisure to rest in the real condition of nature and destiny? Moreover, to like clear sight is to indulge in color; to like keen hearing is to indulge in sound; to like benevolence is to disorder virtue; to like righteousness is to go against principle; to like ritual is to foster artifice; to like music is to foster licentiousness; to like sageliness is to foster skills; to like knowledge is to foster faultfinding. If the world is to rest in the real condition of nature and destiny, these eight may be kept or may be lost; if the world is not to rest in the real condition of nature and destiny, these eight begin to twist and clamor and disorder the world, and only then does the world begin to honor and cherish them. How excessive, the world's confusion! Is it merely a passing fault to let it go? They even fast to speak of it, kneel to present it, and beat drums and sing and dance to it. What can I do about it? So when a gentleman, having no choice, must approach the world, nothing is better than non-action. When there is non-action, only then can one rest in the real condition of nature and destiny. So one who values his own person above ruling the world may be entrusted with the world; one who cherishes his own person above ruling the world may be given charge of the world. So if a gentleman can avoid dissolving his five organs and avoid pulling up his hearing and sight, can sit like a corpse and appear like a dragon, be in silent depth and yet have the sound of thunder, move divinely and Heaven follows, carefree and without action while the myriad things accumulate like rising steam, then what leisure have I to govern the world!

崔瞿問於老聃曰：「不治天下，安臧人心？」老聃曰：「汝慎無攖人心。人心排下而進上，上下囚殺，淖約柔乎剛彊。廉劌彫琢，其熱焦火，其寒凝冰，其疾俛仰之間而再撫四海之外，其居也淵而靜，其動也縣而天。僨驕而不可係者，其唯人心乎！昔者黃帝始以仁義攖人之心，堯、舜於是乎股無胈、脛無毛以養天下之形，愁其五藏以為仁義，矜其血氣以規法度，然猶有不勝也。堯於是放讙兜於崇山，投三苗於三峗，流共工於幽都，此不勝天下也。夫施及三王，而天下大駭矣，下有桀、蹠，上有曾、史，而儒墨畢起。於是乎喜怒相疑，愚知相欺，善否相非，誕信相譏，而天下衰矣；大德不同，而性命爛漫矣；天下好知，而百姓求竭矣。於是乎釿鋸制焉，繩墨殺焉，椎鑿決焉。天下脊脊大亂，罪在攖人心。故賢者伏處大山嵁巖之下，而萬乘之君憂慄乎廟堂之上。今世殊死者相枕也，桁楊者相推也，形戮者相望也，而儒墨乃始離跂攘臂乎桎梏之間。意，甚矣哉！其無愧而不知恥也甚矣！吾未知聖知之不為桁楊椄槢也，仁義之不為桎梏鑿枘也，焉知曾、史之不為桀、蹠嚆矢也？故曰：絕聖棄知，而天下大治。」

Cui Qu asked Lao Dan: "If the world is not governed, how are people's hearts to be settled?" Lao Dan said: "Take care not to disturb people's hearts. When the human heart is pressed it sinks, when it is pushed forward it rises, rising and sinking it imprisons and kills itself; the soft and weak can overcome the hard and strong. Carved and polished with sharp edges, it is hot as burning fire and cold as congealed ice, it moves so fast that in a glance it can sweep beyond the four seas again; at rest it is deep and still, in motion it hangs high. Proud and unbridled and unable to be tied down, probably it is only the human heart! In ancient times the Yellow Emperor began to disturb people's hearts with benevolence and righteousness, and Yao and Shun then had no white flesh on their thighs and no hair on their shins, to feed the body of the world, and grieved their five organs to practice benevolence and righteousness, strained their blood and breath to set laws and standards, yet there was still what they could not overcome. Yao then banished Huandou to Mount Chong, cast the Sanmiao into Sanwei, and exiled Gonggong to Youdu, which means he could not overcome the world. By the time of the Three Kings, the world was greatly alarmed; below there were Jie and Zhi, above there were Zeng Shen and Shi Yu, and Confucians and Mohists rose together. Then joy and anger suspected each other, fools and the wise deceived each other, good and bad criticized each other, the absurd and the sincere mocked each other, and the world declined; great virtue was not the same, nature and destiny scattered and rotted; the world loved knowledge, and the people searched until they were exhausted. Then axes and saws cut, rope and ink killed, hammers and chisels pierced. The world was in confusion and great disorder, and the fault was disturbing the human heart. So worthy people hid beneath great mountains and cliffs, and rulers of ten thousand chariots trembled in their temple halls. Today those executed with extraordinary punishments lie pillow on pillow, those wearing cangues push against each other, those under punishment see one another, and Confucians and Mohists only begin to stand on tiptoe and bare their arms amid the shackles. Ah, how excessive! How excessive that they feel no shame and do not know disgrace! I do not know whether sage knowledge is the wedge in the cangue, whether benevolence and righteousness are the mortise and tenon of the fetters, and how would I know whether Zeng Shen and Shi Yu are not the whistling arrows of Jie and Zhi? So it is said: cut off sageliness and discard knowledge, and the world will be greatly ordered."

黃帝立為天子十九年，令行天下，聞廣成子在於空同之上，故往見之，曰：「我聞吾子達於至道，敢問至道之精。吾欲取天地之精，以佐五穀，以養民人。吾又欲官陰陽，以遂群生。為之奈何？」廣成子曰：「而所欲問者，物之質也；而所欲官者，物之殘也。自而治天下，雲氣不待族而雨，草木不待黃而落，日月之光益以荒矣。而佞人之心翦翦者，又奚足以語至道！」黃帝退，捐天下，築特室，席白茅，閒居三月，復往邀之。廣成子南首而臥，黃帝順下風，膝行而進，再拜稽首而問曰：「聞吾子達於至道，敢問治身奈何而可以長久？」廣成子蹷然而起，曰：「善哉問乎！來，吾語汝至道。至道之精，窈窈冥冥；至道之極，昏昏默默。無視無聽，抱神以靜，形將自正。必靜必清，無勞汝形，無搖汝精，乃可以長生。目無所見，耳無所聞，心無所知，汝神將守形，形乃長生。慎汝內，閉汝外，多知為敗。我為汝遂於大明之上矣，至彼至陽之原也；為汝入於窈冥之門矣，至彼至陰之原也。天地有官，陰陽有藏，慎守汝身，物將自壯。我守其一，以處其和，故我脩身千二百歲矣，吾形未常衰。」黃帝再拜稽首曰：「廣成子之謂天矣！」廣成子曰：「來，餘語汝。彼其物無窮，而人皆以為終；彼其物無測，而人皆以為極。得吾道者，上為皇而下為王；失吾道者，上見光而下為土。今夫百昌，皆生於土而反於土，故餘將去汝，入無窮之門，以遊無極之野。吾與日月參光，吾與天地為常。當我，緡乎！遠我，昏乎！人其盡死，而我獨存乎！」

The Yellow Emperor had been established as Son of Heaven for nineteen years, and his orders were carried out through the world. He heard that Guangchengzi was on Mount Kongtong, and so went to see him, and said: "I have heard that you have mastered the supreme Way; may I ask about the essence of the supreme Way. I wish to take the essence of heaven and earth to help the five grains and nourish the people. I also wish to govern yin and yang to bring the multitude of living things to completion. What should I do?" Guangchengzi said: "What you want to ask about is the substance of things; what you want to govern is the remnant of things. Since you began governing the world, clouds disperse as rain before they gather, grasses and trees drop their leaves before they yellow, and the light of sun and moon grows more and more desolate. And a glib person's mind is so shallow and narrow; how is he worthy to speak of the supreme Way!" The Yellow Emperor withdrew, gave up the world, built a special chamber, spread white thatch, lived in leisure for three months, and went again to invite him. Guangchengzi was lying with his head to the south; the Yellow Emperor, going downwind, knelt and advanced on his knees, bowed twice, touched his head to the ground and asked: "I have heard that you have mastered the supreme Way; may I ask how to govern the body so that it may last long?" Guangchengzi sprang up and said: "A good question! Come, I will tell you the supreme Way. The essence of the supreme Way is dim and dark; the utmost of the supreme Way is murky and silent. Do not see, do not hear, hold the spirit in stillness, and the body will correct itself. Be sure to be still, be sure to be pure; do not toil your body, do not shake your essence, and then you can live long. When the eyes see nothing, the ears hear nothing and the heart knows nothing, your spirit will guard the body and the body will live long. Be careful of your inside, shut your outside; much knowledge is defeat. I have gone for you above the Great Brightness, to the source of supreme yang; I have entered for you the gate of the dim and dark, to the source of supreme yin. Heaven and earth have their officers, yin and yang have their storehouses; be careful to guard your body, and things will flourish of themselves. I guard the One and abide in harmony, and so I have cultivated myself for twelve hundred years and my body has never declined." The Yellow Emperor bowed twice, touched his head to the ground and said: "Guangchengzi may be called Heaven!" Guangchengzi said: "Come, I will tell you. Those things are endless, yet people all think they have an end; those things are unfathomable, yet people all think they have a limit. One who attains my Way is a sovereign above and a king below; one who loses my Way sees the light above and becomes earth below. Now the hundred things flourish, all born of earth and returning to earth, so I will leave you and enter the gate of the endless, to wander in the field without limit. I share the light of sun and moon, I am constant with heaven and earth. Meet me, be dim and silent! Be far from me, be dim and silent! All people will die, and I alone will remain!"

雲將東遊，過扶搖之枝而適遭鴻蒙。鴻蒙方將拊髀爵躍而遊。雲將見之，倘然止，贄然立，曰：「叟何人邪？叟何為此？」鴻蒙拊髀爵躍不輟，對雲將曰：「遊！」雲將曰：「朕願有問也。」鴻蒙仰而視雲將曰：「籲！」雲將曰：「天氣不和，地氣鬱結，六氣不調，四時不節。今我願合六氣之精以育群生，為之奈何？」鴻蒙拊脾爵躍，掉頭曰：「吾弗知，吾弗知！」雲將不得問。又三年，東遊，過有宋之野而適遭鴻蒙。雲將大喜，行趨而進，曰：「天忘朕邪？天忘朕邪？」再拜稽首，願聞於鴻蒙。鴻蒙曰：「浮遊不知所求，猖狂不知所往，遊者鞅掌，以觀無妄。朕又何知！」雲將曰：「朕也自以為猖狂，而民隨予所往。朕也不得已於民，今則民之放也。願聞一言。」鴻蒙曰：「亂天之經，逆物之情，玄天弗成；解獸之群，而鳥皆夜鳴；災及草木，禍及昆蟲。噫，治人之過也！」雲將曰：「然則吾奈何？」鴻蒙曰：「噫，毒哉！僊僊乎歸矣！」雲將曰：「吾遇天難，願聞一言。」鴻蒙曰：「噫，心養！汝徒處無為，而物自化。墮爾形體，吐爾聰明，倫與物忘；大同乎涬溟，解心釋神，莫然無魂。萬物云云，各復其根，各復其根而不知；渾渾沌沌，終身不離。若彼知之，乃是離之。無問其名，無闚其情，物故自生。」雲將曰：「天降朕以德，示朕以默。躬身求之，乃今也得。」再拜稽首，起辭而行。

Yun Jiang went wandering east, passing the branches of the Fuyao tree, and happened to meet Hongmeng. Hongmeng was slapping his thighs and hopping like a sparrow as he wandered. Yun Jiang saw him, stopped in dismay, stood reverently, and said: "Venerable sir, who are you? Why are you doing this?" Hongmeng, slapping his thighs and hopping without stopping, said to Yun Jiang: "Wandering!" Yun Jiang said: "I wish to ask something." Hongmeng looked up at Yun Jiang and said: "Hm!" Yun Jiang said: "The qi of heaven is not in harmony, the qi of earth is knotted, the six qi are not in tune, and the four seasons have no measure. Now I wish to combine the essence of the six qi to nourish the multitude of living things; what should I do?" Hongmeng, slapping his thighs and hopping, turned his head and said: "I do not know, I do not know!" Yun Jiang could not ask further. Three years later, he went wandering east again, passing the wilds of Song, and happened to meet Hongmeng. Yun Jiang was overjoyed, hurried forward and said: "Has Heaven forgotten me? Has Heaven forgotten me?" He bowed twice, touched his head to the ground and wished to hear Hongmeng speak. Hongmeng said: "Drifting and wandering, not knowing what to seek, rambling wildly, not knowing where to go, the wanderer is in confusion, coming to watch the unreal. What would I know!" Yun Jiang said: "I think of myself as rambling wildly, yet the people follow where I go. I too have no choice with the people, and now I have become what the people imitate. I wish to hear one word." Hongmeng said: "To disorder Heaven's constancy, to go against the real condition of things, the dark Heaven is not completed; the herds of beasts break up, and the birds all cry at night; disaster falls on grasses and trees, and calamity on insects. Ah, this is the fault of those who govern people!" Yun Jiang said: "Then what shall I do?" Hongmeng said: "Ah, poison! Drift back lightly!" Yun Jiang said: "It is hard to meet Heaven; I wish to hear one word." Hongmeng said: "Ah, nourish the mind! You need only stay in non-action, and things transform of themselves. Let your body fall away, spit out your hearing and sight, forget with the order of things; merge into the great vast and murky, untie the mind and release the spirit, vacant as if without soul. The myriad things in profusion each return to their root, each returning to its root without knowing; chaotic and undifferentiated, they never leave it for life. If they come to know it, they have already left. Do not ask its name, do not spy on its nature, and things will be born of themselves." Yun Jiang said: "Heaven has sent virtue down to me and shown me silence. I sought it in person and only now have gained it." He bowed twice, touched his head to the ground, rose, took leave and went.

世俗之人，皆喜人之同乎己，而惡人之異於己也。同於己而欲之，異於己而不欲者，以出乎眾為心也。夫以出乎眾為心者，曷常出乎眾哉？因眾以寧所聞，不如眾技眾矣。而欲為人之國者，此攬乎三王之利，而不見其患者也。此以人之國僥倖也，幾何僥倖而不喪人之國乎？其存人之國也，無萬分之一；而喪人之國也，一不成而萬有餘喪矣。悲夫，有土者之不知也！夫有土者，有大物也。有大物者，不可以物；物而不物，故能物物。明夫物物者之非物也，豈獨治天下百姓而已哉？出入六合，遊乎九州，獨往獨來，是謂獨有。獨有之人，是之謂至貴。

Common people all like others to be the same as themselves and dislike others being different from themselves. Those the same as themselves they want, those different from themselves they do not want, and they take standing out above the crowd as their aim. Those who take standing out above the crowd as their aim, when have they ever stood above the crowd? To rely on the crowd to make oneself secure in what one has heard is not as good as the many skills of the crowd. Those who wish to govern that state for others are grasping at the profit of the Three Kings without seeing its harm. This is using another's state to seek luck, and how many times can one be lucky without losing the other's state? Its preserving of another's state is not even one in ten thousand, and its losing another's state, failing once is losing ten thousand times over. How sad, those who hold land do not know! Those who hold land hold a great thing. One who holds a great thing must not be made a thing by things; he treats things as things and is not made a thing by things, and so can thing things. One who understands that what things things is not itself a thing, how could he govern only the world and the hundred clans? He goes in and out of the six directions, wanders in the nine provinces, goes alone and comes alone, which is called having alone. One who has alone is called supremely honored.

大人之教，若形之於影，聲之於響，有問而應之，盡其所懷，為天下配。處乎無響，行乎無方，挈汝適復之撓撓，以遊無端，出入無旁，與日無始；頌論形軀，合乎大同，大同而無己。無己，惡乎得有有？覩有者，昔之君子；覩無者，天地之友。

The teaching of the great person is like shadow to form, like echo to sound. When asked he responds, using up whatever he holds, to be a match for the world. He dwells where there is no echo, walks where there is no direction, takes you in that to-and-fro turmoil to wander where there is no beginning, going in and out with nothing to rely on, like the sun with no start; he praises and discusses the body and form, joins in the great sameness, and in the great sameness there is no self. Without self, how can there be "having"? Those who see having are the gentlemen of old; those who see nothing are friends of heaven and earth.

賤而不可不任者，物也；卑而不可不因者，民也；匿而不可不為者，事也；麤而不可不陳者，法也；遠而不可不居者，義也；親而不可不廣者，仁也；節而不可不積者，禮也；中而不可不高者，德也；一而不可不易者，道也；神而不可不為者，天也。故聖人觀於天而不助，成於德而不累，出於道而不謀，會於仁而不恃，薄於義而不積，應於禮而不諱，接於事而不辭，齊於法而不亂，恃於民而不輕，因於物而不去。物者莫足為也，而不可不為。不明於天者，不純於德；不通於道者，無自而可；不明於道者，悲夫！何謂道？有天道，有人道。無為而尊者，天道也；有為而累者，人道也。主者，天道也；臣者，人道也。天道之與人道也，相去遠矣，不可不察也。

What is lowly yet cannot be left unused is things; what is humble yet cannot but be followed is the people; what is hidden yet cannot but be done is affairs; what is coarse yet cannot but be set out is law; what is distant yet cannot but be kept is righteousness; what is near yet cannot but be extended is benevolence; what is measure yet cannot but be accumulated is ritual; what is central yet cannot but be made high is virtue; what is one yet cannot but be transformed is the Way; what is divine yet cannot but be acted on is Heaven. So the sage observes Heaven but does not help it, completes by virtue but is not burdened, comes out from the Way but does not scheme, meets in benevolence but does not rely on himself, draws near to righteousness but does not store it up, responds to ritual but does not avoid it, takes on affairs but does not refuse them, is even in law and not disordered, relies on the people and does not despise them, follows things and does not leave them. Things have nothing worth doing, yet they cannot be left undone. One who does not understand Heaven is not pure in virtue; one who does not penetrate the Way has no way to be right; one who does not understand the Way, how sad! What is the Way? There is the Way of Heaven and the Way of Man. To be honored by non-action is the Way of Heaven; to be burdened by action is the Way of Man. To be master is the Way of Heaven; to be minister is the Way of Man. The Way of Heaven and the Way of Man are far apart and must be examined.

天地雖大，其化均也；萬物雖多，其治一也；人卒雖眾，其主君也。君，原於德而成於天。故曰：玄古之君天下，無為也，天德而已矣。以道觀言，而天下之君正；以道觀分，而君臣之義明；以道觀能，而天下之官治；以道汎觀，而萬物之應備。故通於天地者，德也；行於萬物者，道也；上治人者，事也；能有所藝者，技也。技兼於事，事兼於義，義兼於德，德兼於道，道兼於天。故曰：古之畜天下者，無慾而天下足，無為而萬物化，淵靜而百姓定。《記》曰：「通於一而萬事畢，無心得而鬼神服。」

Though Heaven and Earth are great, their transformation is even; though the myriad things are many, their ordering is one; though the people are numerous, their master is the ruler. The ruler originates in virtue and is completed in Heaven. So it is said: the rule of the ancient mysterious ages was non-action, only the virtue of Heaven. Looking at words by the Way, the ruler of the world is right; looking at divisions by the Way, the righteousness of ruler and minister is clear; looking at ability by the Way, the officials of the world are well governed; looking universally by the Way, the response of the myriad things is complete. So what penetrates Heaven and Earth is virtue; what moves through the myriad things is the Way; what governs people above is affairs; what is able to be specialized is skill. Skill merges into affairs, affairs merge into righteousness, righteousness merges into virtue, virtue merges into the Way, and the Way merges into Heaven. So it is said: those in ancient times who nurtured the world, without desire the world was sufficient, without action the myriad things transformed, with deep stillness the hundred families were settled. The Record says: "Penetrate the One and the myriad affairs are complete; attain without the mind and the ghosts and spirits submit."

夫子曰：「夫道，覆載萬物者也，洋洋乎大哉！君子不可以不刳心焉。無為為之之謂天，無為言之之謂德，愛人利物之謂仁，不同同之之謂大，行不崖異之謂寬，有萬不同之謂富。故執德之謂紀，德成之謂立，循於道之謂備，不以物挫志之謂完。君子明於此十者，則韜乎其事心之大也，沛乎其為萬物逝也。若然者，藏金於山，藏珠於淵；不利貨財，不近貴富；不樂壽，不哀夭；不榮通，不醜窮；不拘一世之利以為己私分，不以王天下為己處顯。顯則明。萬物一府，死生同狀。」

The Master said: "The Way covers and supports the myriad things, how vast and great! The gentleman must not fail to empty out his heart. To act without action is called Heaven; to speak without action is called virtue; to love people and benefit things is called benevolence; to see the different as the same is called greatness; to act without making oneself different or setting up cliffs is called broadness; to hold ten thousand different things is called wealth. So holding to virtue is called the thread, completed virtue is called standing, following the Way is called completeness, and not letting things injure one's aim is called wholeness. If a gentleman understands these ten, he will contain the greatness of the matter-heart and become one to whom the myriad things overflowingly turn. Such a person hides his gold in the mountains and his pearls in the abyss; does not plan the profit of goods and wealth, does not approach the honored and rich; does not take long life as joy or early death as grief; does not take success as glory or hardship as shame; does not claim the profit of a whole age as his own share, does not regard being king of the world as being in a conspicuous position. What is conspicuous is clear. The myriad things are one storehouse, and death and life have the same form."

夫子曰：「夫道，淵乎其居也，漻乎其清也。金石不得無以鳴，故金石有聲，不考不鳴。萬物孰能定之？夫王德之人，素逝而恥通於事，立之本原而知通於神，故其德廣。其心之出，有物採之。故形非道不生，生非德不明。存形窮生，立德明道，非王德者邪？蕩蕩乎，忽然出，勃然動，而萬物從之乎！此謂王德之人。視乎冥冥，聽乎無聲。冥冥之中，獨見曉焉；無聲之中，獨聞和焉。故深之又深，而能物焉；神之又神，而能精焉。故其與萬物接也，至無而供其求，時騁而要其宿。大小、長短、脩遠。」

The Master said: "The Way dwells in depth and settles in clarity. Metal and stone cannot sound without it, so metal and stone have sound but do not ring unless struck. Who can fix a standard for the myriad things? One who has kingly virtue goes forward in simplicity and is ashamed to be penetrating in affairs; he stands on the root and his knowledge penetrates the spirit, so his virtue is broad. Whenever his heart goes out, there are things to pick it up. So form without the Way is not born, and life without virtue is not bright. To preserve form, exhaust life, establish virtue and illuminate the Way, is this not one who has kingly virtue? How vast, he suddenly comes out and stirs mightily, and the myriad things follow him! This is called one who has kingly virtue. He sees in the dim and hears in the soundless. In the dim he alone sees the dawn; in the soundless he alone hears harmony. So he is deep and deeper still, and can complete things; he is divine and more divine, and can bring essence to completion. So when he deals with the myriad things, he is utter nothing yet supplies what they seek, always galloping yet binding their destination, whether large or small, long or short, near or far."

黃帝遊乎赤水之北，登乎崐崘之丘而南望，還歸，遺其玄珠。使知索之而不得，使離朱索之而不得，使吃詬索之而不得也，乃使象罔。象罔得之。黃帝曰：「異哉，象罔乃可以得之乎！」

The Yellow Emperor was wandering north of the Red River, and climbed the hill of Kunlun and looked south. On his return he lost his dark pearl. He sent Knowledge to look for it, but he did not find it; he sent Li Zhu to look for it, but he did not find it; he sent Chi Gou to look for it, but he did not find it; then he sent Xiang Wang, Shapeless. Xiang Wang found it. The Yellow Emperor said: "How strange! Could it really be that Xiang Wang was able to find it!"

堯之師曰許由，許由之師曰齧缺，齧缺之師曰王倪，王倪之師曰被衣。堯問於許由曰：「齧缺可以配天乎？吾藉王倪以要之。」許由曰：「殆哉圾乎天下！齧缺之為人也，聰明叡知，給數以敏，其性過人，而又乃以人受天。彼審乎禁過，而不知過之所由生。與之配天乎？彼且乘人而無天，方且本身而異形，方且尊知而火馳，方且為緒使，方且為物絯，方且四顧而物應，方且應眾宜，方且與物化而未始有恆，夫何足以配天乎？雖然，有族有祖，可以為眾父，而不可以為眾父父。治，亂之率也，北面之禍也，南面之賊也。」

Yao's teacher was called Xu You, Xu You's teacher was called Nie Que, Nie Que's teacher was called Wang Ni, and Wang Ni's teacher was called Bei Yi. Yao asked Xu You: "Can Nie Que be a match for Heaven? I will rely on Wang Ni to invite him." Xu You said: "Dangerous! The world is going to be overturned! Nie Que as a man is clever, wise and keen, quick and swift; his nature surpasses others, and yet he takes the human to receive Heaven. He examines how to prevent faults but does not know where faults come from. Make him a match for Heaven? He will ride on the human and have no Heaven; he will take himself as the root and make a show of strange forms; he will esteem knowledge and race like fire; he will be driven by clues and beginnings; he will be hobbled by things; he will look in all four directions and respond to whatever comes; he will respond to the many suitabilities; he will transform with things and yet have no constancy; how could he be enough to match Heaven? Even so, where there is a clan there is an ancestor, and he can be a father of the many, but he cannot be the father of the fathers of the many. Order is the forerunner of disorder, the calamity of the northward-facing subject and the thief of the southward-facing ruler."

堯觀乎華，華封人曰：「嘻，聖人！請祝聖人，使聖人壽！」堯曰：「辭。」「使聖人富！」堯曰：「辭。」「使聖人多男子！」堯曰：「辭。」封人曰：「壽、富、多男子，人之所欲也。汝獨不欲，何邪？」堯曰：「多男子則多懼，富則多事，壽則多辱。是三者，非所以養德也，故辭。」封人曰：「始也我以汝為聖人邪，今然君子也。天生萬民，必授之職。多男子而授之職，則何懼之有！富而使人分之，則何事之有！夫聖人，鶉居而鷇食，鳥行而無彰；天下有道，則與物皆昌；天下無道，則脩德就閒；千歲厭世，去而上僊；乘彼白云，至於帝鄉；三患莫至，身常無殃，則何辱之有！」封人去之。堯隨之，曰：「請問。」封人曰：「退已！」

Yao was inspecting Hua, and the border warden of Hua said: "Ah, sage! Let me wish the sage a long life!" Yao said: "No, thank you." "May the sage be rich!" Yao said: "No, thank you." "May the sage have many sons!" Yao said: "No, thank you." The warden said: "Long life, wealth and many sons are what people want. You alone do not want them; why?" Yao said: "Many sons bring many fears, wealth brings many troubles, and long life brings many disgraces. These three are not what nourish virtue, so I decline." The warden said: "At first I took you for a sage, but now you are only a gentleman. Heaven gives birth to the ten thousand people and surely gives each a task. If you have many sons and give each a task, what is there to fear! If you are rich and let others share it, what trouble is there! The sage dwells like a quail and eats like a fledgling, moves like a bird and leaves no trace; when the world has the Way, he flourishes together with things; when the world has no Way, he cultivates virtue and takes his leisure; after a thousand years, weary of the world, he leaves it and ascends as an immortal, riding those white clouds, and reaches the realm of the Lord; the three troubles do not reach him, his person is always without calamity; what disgrace could there be!" The warden left. Yao followed him, saying: "I beg to ask." The warden said: "Go back!"

堯治天下，伯成子高立為諸侯。堯授舜，舜授禹，伯成子高辭為諸侯而耕。禹往見之，則耕在野。禹趨就下風，立而問焉，曰：「昔堯治天下，吾子立為諸侯。堯授舜，舜授予，而吾子辭為諸侯而耕，敢問其故何也？」子高曰：「昔堯治天下，不賞而民勸，不罰而民畏。今子賞罰而民且不仁，德自此衰，刑自此立，後世之亂自此始矣。夫子闔行邪？無落吾事！」俋俋乎耕而不顧。

When Yao governed the world, Boch'eng Zigao was established as a feudal lord. Yao passed it to Shun, Shun passed it to Yu, and Boch'eng Zigao resigned as a feudal lord and went to farm. Yu went to see him, and he was plowing in the fields. Yu hurried to stand downwind of him and asked: "In the past when Yao governed the world, you, sir, were established as a feudal lord. Yao passed it to Shun, and Shun passed it to me, but you resigned as a feudal lord and went to farm; may I ask the reason?" Zigao said: "In the past when Yao governed the world, he did not reward, yet the people were diligent of themselves; he did not punish, yet the people were reverent of themselves. Now you reward and punish, and the people will become unbenevolent; virtue will decline from here, punishments will be established from here, and the disorder of later ages begins from here. Why do you not go, sir? Do not delay my work!" He went on plowing busily and did not even look.

泰初有無，無有無名。一之所起，有一而未形。物得以生，謂之德；未形者有分，且然無間，謂之命；留動而生物，物成生理，謂之形；形體保神，各有儀則，謂之性。性脩反德，德至同於初，同乃虛，虛乃大。合喙鳴；喙鳴合，與天地為合。其合緡緡，若愚若昏，是謂玄德，同乎大順。

In the Great Beginning there was nonbeing; there was no being and there was no name. Where the One arises, there is One yet no form. Things obtain it and are born, and this is called virtue; what is not yet formed has divisions, yet is already so with no gap, and this is called destiny; resting and moving produce things, and when things are completed and have the principle of life, this is called form; when the form body preserves the spirit, each with its own pattern, this is called nature. When nature is cultivated and returns to virtue, and virtue is complete, it is the same as the Beginning. When it is the same, it is empty, and when empty it is great. It joins with the song of the beak; when the singing of beaks is joined together, it is united with Heaven and Earth. That union is seamless, like the foolish, like the dim; this is called dark virtue, the same as great accord.

夫子問於老聃曰：「有人治道若相放，可不可，然不然。辯者有言曰：『離堅白，若縣㝢。』若是則可謂聖人乎？」老聃曰：「是胥易技係，勞形怵心者也。執留之狗成思，猨狙之便自山林來。丘，予告若而所不能聞與而所不能言：凡有首有趾無心無耳者眾，有形者與無形無狀而皆存者盡無。其動，止也；其死，生也；其廢，起也。此又非其所以也。有治在人，忘乎物，忘乎天，其名為忘己。忘己之人，是之謂入於天。」

Confucius asked Lao Dan: "There are people who govern the Way as if imitating something, treating what is not permissible as permissible and what is not so as so. The debaters have a saying: 'Separating hard and white is like something hung up in the universe.' Can such a one be called a sage?" Lao Dan said: "This is a man bound by servitude and by skills, who toils his body and startles his heart. The dog that can catch the civet is summoned and leashed, and the monkey is caught from the mountain forest because of its agility. Qiu, I will tell you what you cannot hear and cannot say: there are many with head and feet who have no heart and no ears, and among those with form and those with neither form nor shape, who all exist, there are none left at all. Its movement is stillness; its death is life; its collapse is rising. And these are not the reasons why things are so. If there is governing in a man, he forgets things, forgets Heaven, and his name is forgetting himself. One who forgets himself is called one who enters Heaven."

蔣閭葂見季徹，曰：「魯君謂葂也曰：『請受教。』辭不獲命。既已告矣，未知中否，請嘗薦之。吾謂魯君曰：『必服恭儉，拔出公忠之屬而無阿私，民孰敢不輯？』」季徹局局然笑曰：「若夫子之言，於帝王之德，猶螳蜋之怒臂以當車軼，則必不勝任矣！且若是，則其自為處危，其觀臺多物，將往投跡者眾。」蔣閭葂覤覤然驚曰：「葂也汒若於夫子之所言矣！雖然，願先生之言其風也。」季徹曰：「大聖之治天下也，搖蕩民心，使之成教易俗，舉滅其賊心，而皆進其獨志，若性之自為，而民不知其所由然。若然者，豈兄堯、舜之教民，溟涬然弟之哉？欲同乎德而心居矣！」

Jiang Lüman saw Ji Che and said: "The ruler of Lu said to Man: 'Please receive instruction.' I declined and was not allowed. I have already told him, but I do not know whether it was right; let me try to state it. I said to the ruler of Lu: 'You must practice reverence and frugality, pick out the upright and loyal without partiality, and who among the people would dare not be harmonious?'" Ji Che gave a mocking laugh and said: "Words like yours, sir, in relation to the virtue of an emperor, are like a mantis angrily raising its arms to block a cart's wheel track; it surely cannot manage! Moreover, in this way he would put himself in a dangerous place, and in the observation tower with many things, many would come to throw their traces there." Jiang Lüman looked startled and said: "Man is bewildered by what you say, sir! Even so, I wish you would tell me its beginnings." Ji Che said: "When the great sage governs the world, he stirs the people's hearts, makes them accomplish transformation, changes their customs, wipes out all hearts of harm, and brings them all into a solitary resolve, as if it were acting of their own nature, and the people do not know why it is so. In this case, how could they still treat the teaching of Yao and Shun as an elder brother and themselves, in the dim vastness, as younger brothers? They would simply be of one virtue and settled at heart!"

子貢南遊於楚，反於晉，過漢陰，見一丈人方將為圃畦，鑿隧而入井，抱甕而出灌，搰搰然用力甚多而見功寡。子貢曰：「有械於此，一日浸百畦，用力甚寡而見功多，夫子不欲乎？」為圃者仰而視之，曰：「奈何？」曰：「鑿木為機，後重前輕，挈水若抽，數如泆湯，其名為槔。」為圃者忿然作色而笑曰：「吾聞之吾師，有機械者必有機事，有機事者必有機心。機心存於胷中則純白不備，純白不備則神生不定。神生不定者，道之所不載也。吾非不知，羞而不為也。」子貢瞞然慙，俯而不對。有間，為圃者曰：「子奚為者邪？」曰：「孔丘之徒也。」為圃者曰：「子非夫博學以擬聖，於於以蓋眾，獨弦哀歌以賣名聲於天下者乎？汝方將忘汝神氣，墮汝形骸，而庶幾乎！而身之不能治，而何暇治天下乎？子往矣，無乏吾事！」

Zigong traveled south to Chu, and returning to Jin, passed through Hanyin, where he saw an old man about to tend his vegetable plots, who dug a tunnel into a well, came out holding a jar, and watered the plots, working hard and with much effort yet seeing little result. Zigong said: "Here is a device that can soak a hundred plots in a day, with little effort and much result; would you not like it?" The gardener looked up at him and said: "How does it work?" He said: "Hollow out a piece of wood to make a machine, heavy at the back and light at the front, so that you draw up water as if pulling it, fast as boiling water overflowing; its name is the well-sweep." The gardener flushed with anger, changed color and laughed, saying: "I heard from my teacher that where there are machines there must be machine business, and where there is machine business there must be a machine heart. When a machine heart is present in the chest, pure whiteness is not complete; when pure whiteness is not complete, the spirit is unsettled. What the unsettled spirit is, the Way does not support. It is not that I do not know of it; I am ashamed to use it." Zigong blushed with shame, lowered his head and did not answer. After a while, the gardener said: "What are you?" He said: "A disciple of Kong Qiu." The gardener said: "Are you not the one who relies on broad learning to compare yourself with the sage, who rises loftily to cover the multitude, who plays the zither alone and sings sad songs to sell your reputation to the world? You should forget your spirit and qi and wreck your bodily frame, and then you would be nearly there! You cannot even govern your own body; how would you have leisure to govern the world? Go away, do not delay my work!"

子貢卑陬失色，頊頊然不自得，行三十里而後愈。其弟子曰：「向之人何為者邪？夫子何故見之變容失色，終日不自反邪？」曰：「始吾以為天下一人耳，不知復有夫人也。吾聞之夫子，事求可、功求成、用力少、見功多者，聖人之道。今徒不然，執道者德全，德全者形全，形全者神全。神全者，聖人之道也。託生與民並行，而不知其所之，汒乎淳備哉！功利機巧，必忘夫人之心。若夫人者，非其志不之，非其心不為，雖以天下譽之，得其所謂，謷然不顧；以天下非之，失其所謂，儻然不受，天下之非譽無益損焉，是謂全德之人哉！我之謂風波之民。」反於魯，以告孔子。孔子曰：「彼假脩渾沌氏之術者也。識其一，不知其二；治其內，而不治其外。夫明白入素，無為復樸，體性抱神，以遊世俗之間者，汝將固驚邪？且渾沌氏之術，予與汝何足以識之哉！」

Zigong was embarrassed and pale, dazed and unable to compose himself, and only after he had gone thirty li did he recover. His disciples said: "Who was that man just now? Why, Master, did you change countenance and turn pale when you saw him, and could not recover yourself all day?" He said: "At first I thought there was only one such man in the world, not knowing there were people like this. I heard from the Master that in affairs one seeks what is workable, in achievement one seeks completion, using little effort and seeing great results, and that this is the way of the sage. Now it is not so. One who holds to the Way is complete in virtue, one complete in virtue is complete in form, and one complete in form is complete in spirit. One complete in spirit is the way of the sage. Entrusting his life to the world and walking with the people, not knowing where he is going, vast and pure and ready! Profit, achievement and cunning will surely be forgotten by such a man. Such a man does not leave because of his will, nor act because of his heart; even if the world praises him and he gains what is called gain, he is aloof and pays no attention; if the world condemns him and he loses what is called loss, he is calm and does not accept it. The world's blame and praise add nothing and take nothing from him; this is what is called a man of complete virtue! I can only be called a man of wind and waves." Returning to Lu, he told Confucius. Confucius said: "He is one who borrows the art of Hundun's clan to cultivate himself. He knows the one and does not know the two; he governs his inside and does not govern his outside. One who is clear and enters into plainness, does nothing and returns to simplicity, embodies his nature and embraces his spirit, and so wanders among the vulgar world; would you indeed be startled? Moreover, how are you and I enough to know the art of Hundun's clan!"

諄芒將東之大壑，適遇苑風於東海之濱。苑風曰：「子將奚之？」曰：「將之大壑。」曰：「奚為焉？」曰：「夫大壑之為物也，注焉而不滿，酌焉而不竭，吾將遊焉。」苑風曰：「夫子無意於橫目之民乎？願聞聖治。」諄芒曰：「聖治乎？官施而不失其宜，拔舉而不失其能，畢見其情事而行其所為，行言自為而天下化；手撓頤指，四方之民莫不俱至，此之謂聖治。」「願聞德人。」曰：「德人者，居無思，行無慮，不藏是非美惡；四海之內，共利之之為悅，共給之之為安；怊乎若嬰兒之失其母也，儻乎若行而失其道也；財用有餘而不知其所自來，飲食取足而不知其所從，此謂德人之容。」「願聞神人。」曰：「上神乘光，與形滅亡，是謂照曠。致命盡情，天地樂而萬事銷亡，萬物復情，此之謂混冥。」

Chunmang was about to go east to the Great Gorge, and happened to meet Yuan Feng on the shore of the Eastern Sea. Yuan Feng said: "Where are you going?" He said: "I am going to the Great Gorge." He said: "What for?" He said: "That Great Gorge as a thing is such that if you pour into it it is never full, and if you scoop from it it is never drained; I am going to wander there." Yuan Feng said: "Do you, sir, have no thought for the people with their horizontal eyes? I wish to hear about sage government." Chunmang said: "Sage government? To set up offices and issue orders without losing what is fitting, to promote people without losing their abilities, to see fully the true state of affairs and do what should be done, so that action and speech are of themselves such and the world is transformed; with a wave of the hand and a point of the chin, the people of the four quarters all come together; this is called sage government." "I wish to hear about the man of virtue." He said: "The man of virtue, at rest has no thoughts, in action has no calculation, and does not store up right and wrong, good and bad; within the four seas, he is pleased that all share in benefit and at ease that all share in provision; he is forlorn like an infant who has lost its mother, bewildered like a traveler who has lost his road; his goods and uses are in surplus and he does not know where they come from, his food and drink are sufficient and he does not know where they come from; this is called the appearance of the man of virtue." "I wish to hear about the spirit man." He said: "The highest spirit rides on light and perishes together with form; this is called illumination and vastness. When one has exhausted destiny and fulfilled feeling, Heaven and Earth are joyful and the ten thousand affairs vanish, and the ten thousand things return to their true state; this is called merging in the obscure."

門無鬼與赤張滿稽觀於武王之師。赤張滿稽曰：「不及有虞氏乎！故離此患也。」門無鬼曰：「天下均治，而有虞氏治之邪？其亂而後治之與？」赤張滿稽曰：「天下均治之為願，而何計以有虞氏為？有虞氏之藥瘍也，禿而施髢，病而求醫。孝子操藥，以脩慈父，其色燋然，聖人羞之。至德之世，不尚賢，不使能，上如標枝，民如野鹿，端正而不知以為義，相愛而不知以為仁，實而不知以為忠，當而不知以為信，蠢動而相使，不以為賜，是故行而無跡，事而無傳。」

Men Wugui and Chizhang Manji were watching King Wu's army. Chizhang Manji said: "He does not equal the Lord of Youyu! That is why he has met this trouble." Men Wugui said: "Was the world already evenly governed when the Lord of Youyu came to govern it? Or was it in disorder and then he governed it?" Chizhang Manji said: "That the world be evenly governed is what is wished for, so why bother to reckon the Lord of Youyu? The Lord of Youyu applied medicine to a sore head: one puts on a wig only after one is bald, and seeks a doctor only after one is ill. A filial son who takes medicine to treat his kindly father looks scorched with anxiety, and the sage is ashamed of this. In the age of perfect virtue, they did not exalt the worthy, nor employ the able; those above were like the topmost branches of a tree, and the people were like wild deer, upright without knowing it was righteousness, loving one another without knowing it was benevolence, true without knowing it was loyalty, fitting without knowing it was good faith; they stirred and served one another and did not regard it as a favor, and so they acted without leaving traces, and did things without leaving accounts."

孝子不諛其親，忠臣不諂其君，臣子之盛也。親之所言而然，所行而善，則世俗謂之不肖子；君之所言而然，所行而善，則世俗謂之不肖臣，而未知此其必然邪？世俗之所謂然而然之，所謂善而善之，則不謂之導諛之人也。然則俗故嚴於親而尊於君邪？謂己導諛則勃然作色，謂己眾人則怫然作色，而終身導諛也，終身眾人也，合譬飾辭聚眾也，是終始本末不相坐。垂衣裳，設采色，動容貌，以媚一世，而不自謂導諛；與夫人之為徒，通是非，而不自謂眾人，愚之至也。知其愚者，非大愚也；知其惑者，非大惑也。大惑者，終身不解；大愚者，終身不靈。三人行而一人惑，所適者猶可致也，惑者少也；二人惑則勞而不至，惑者勝也。而今也以天下惑，予雖有祈嚮，不可得也，不亦悲乎！大聲不入於里耳，《折楊》《皇華》則嗑然而笑，是故高言不止於眾人之心，至言不出，俗言勝也。以二缶鍾惑，而所適不得矣。而今也以天下惑，予雖有祈嚮，其庸可得邪！知其不可得也而強之，又一惑也，故莫若釋之而不推。不推，誰其比憂？厲之人夜半生其子，遽取火而視之，汲汲然唯恐其似己也。

A filial son does not flatter his parent, and a loyal minister does not fawn on his ruler; this is the height of a subject and a son. If one regards everything a parent says as right and everything he does as good, then the world calls him an unworthy son; if one regards everything a ruler says as right and everything he does as good, then the world calls him an unworthy minister. Yet do they still not know whether this is truly so? What the world calls right, they follow as right, and what it calls good, they follow as good, and yet they are not called flatterers. Then is the vulgar world truly sterner than a parent and more honorable than a ruler? Tell someone he is a flatterer and he flushes with anger; tell him he is one of the crowd and he flares up, yet all his life he is a flatterer and all his life he is one of the crowd, putting together metaphors and polishing words to gather a crowd, and so beginning and end, root and tip, do not match. He lets down his robes, arranges colors, alters his appearance to please one age, yet does not call himself a flatterer; he joins with those people, linking up right and wrong, yet does not call himself one of the crowd; this is the extreme of foolishness. One who knows himself foolish is not greatly foolish; one who knows himself deluded is not greatly deluded. The greatly deluded do not get free of it all their lives; the greatly foolish are never enlightened. When three people travel and one is deluded, the place they are going to can still be reached, because the deluded are few; when two are deluded they are worn out and cannot arrive, because the deluded have the upper hand. Now when the whole world is deluded, even if I have somewhere I long to go, I cannot get there; is that not sad! A great sound does not enter the ears of the village lanes, but when they hear 'Breaking the Willow' and 'Brilliant Flowers' they burst out laughing; therefore lofty words do not stay in the hearts of the crowd, the utmost words do not come out, and vulgar words win. To confuse the bell with two earthenware jars is to fail to reach where one wanted to go. Now when the whole world is deluded, even if I long to go somewhere, how could I reach it! To know it cannot be reached and yet force the effort is a further delusion, so it is better to put it down and not pursue it. If one does not pursue it, who will sit down and grieve together? A hideous man gave birth to a child in the middle of the night, hurriedly fetched a fire to look, anxiously afraid that the child resembled himself.

百年之木，破為犧樽，青黃而文之，其斷在溝中。比犧樽於溝中之斷，則美惡有間矣，其於失性一也。蹠與曾、史，行義有間矣，然其失性均也。且夫失性有五：一曰五色亂目，使目不明；二曰五聲亂耳，使耳不聰；三曰五臭薰鼻，困惾中顙；四曰五味濁口，使口厲爽；五曰趣舍滑心，使性飛揚。此五者，皆生之害也，而楊、墨乃始離跂，自以為得，非吾所謂得也。夫得者困，可以為得乎？則鳩鴞之在於籠也，亦可以為得矣。且夫趣舍聲色以柴其內，皮弁、鷸冠、搢笏、紳脩以約其外，內支盈於柴柵，外重纆繳，睆睆然在纆繳之中而自以為得，則是罪人交臂歷指而虎豹在於囊檻，亦可以為得矣！

A tree a hundred years old is split open and made into a sacrificial wine vessel, painted in blue and yellow with patterns, while the cut-off part lies in the ditch. Compare the sacrificial vessel with the cut-off wood in the ditch: in beauty and ugliness they differ, but in having lost their nature they are the same. Zhi the robber and Zeng Shen and Shi Yu differ in their practice of righteousness, yet they are equal in having lost their nature. Moreover, there are five ways of losing one's nature: first, the five colors confuse the eyes and make the eyes unclear; second, the five sounds confuse the ears and make the ears dull; third, the five smells assail the nose, clogging and blocking it up to the forehead; fourth, the five flavors muddy the mouth and make the mouth injured; fifth, pursuits and rejections stir up the mind and make the nature fly up. These five are all harms to life, yet Yang Zhu and Mo Di only then began to stand on tiptoe, thinking they had gained something, which is not what I call gain. If they gained it and were trapped by it, could that be called gain? Then a turtledove and an owl in a cage could also be called gaining. Moreover, with pursuits, rejections, sounds and colors stuffed inside like firewood, and with skin caps, snipe-feather caps, tablets stuck in the belt and long sashes binding the outside, the inside packed full with kindling and the outside layered with cords, one stares out of the cords and thinks oneself gaining; then a criminal with hands bound behind and fingers squeezed, or tigers and leopards in cages and pens, could also be called gaining!

天道運而無所積，故萬物成；帝道運而無所積，故天下歸；聖道運而無所積，故海內服。明於天，通於聖，六通四辟於帝王之德者，其自為也，昧然無不靜者矣！聖人之靜也，非曰靜也善，故靜也。萬物無足以鐃心者，故靜也。水靜則明燭鬚眉，平中準，大匠取法焉。水靜猶明，而況精神！聖人之心靜乎！天地之鑑也，萬物之鏡也。夫虛靜恬淡寂漠無為者，天地之平而道德之至。故帝王聖人休焉。休則虛，虛則實，實則倫矣。虛則靜，靜則動，動則得矣。靜則無為，無為也則任事者責矣。無為則俞俞，俞俞者憂患不能處，年壽長矣。夫虛靜恬淡寂漠無為者，萬物之本也。明此以南鄉，堯之為君也；明此以北面，舜之為臣也。以此處上，帝王天子之德也；以此處下，玄聖素王之道也。以此退居而閒遊江海，山林之士服；以此進為而撫世，則功大名顯而天下一也。靜而聖，動而王，無為也而尊，樸素而天下莫能與之爭美。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。與人和者，謂之人樂；與天和者，謂之天樂。

The Way of Heaven moves without any accumulation or stagnation, and so the ten thousand things are completed; the way of the emperor moves without any accumulation or stagnation, and so the world turns to him; the way of the sage moves without any accumulation or stagnation, and so all within the seas trust and submit. One who is clear about Heaven, understands the sage, has the six directions open and the four sides reaching toward the virtue of an emperor or king, acts of himself, and in the dimness there is nothing that is not still! The stillness of the sage is not that he considers stillness to be good and therefore is still. The ten thousand things have nothing enough to disturb his heart, and therefore he is still. When water is still it can clearly reflect the beard and eyebrows, and its flatness conforms to the level, which the great carpenter takes as his standard. When water is still it is clear; how much more the spirit! The sage's heart is still! It is the mirror of Heaven and Earth, the looking-glass of the ten thousand things. That emptiness, stillness, tranquility, plainness, silence and non-action are the level of Heaven and Earth and the utmost of the Way and its virtue. So emperors, kings and sages rest here. When they rest, they are empty; when empty, they are full; when full, they have order. When empty, they are still; when still, they move; when moving, they obtain. When still, they do nothing; when they do nothing, those who bear responsibility fulfill their duties. When one does nothing, one is at ease and contented, and one who is at ease and contented cannot have worries and troubles lodge in him, and his years are long. That emptiness, stillness, tranquility, plainness, silence and non-action are the root of the ten thousand things. One who understands this and faces south is Yao as ruler; one who understands this and faces north is Shun as minister. Using this in the high position is the virtue of emperors, kings and sons of Heaven; using this in the low position is the way of the dark sage and uncrowned king. Using this and withdrawing to wander at leisure by rivers and seas, the gentlemen of mountains and forests submit; using this and advancing to comfort the world, achievement is great, fame is manifest and the world is united. Still, he is a sage; moving, he is a king; doing nothing, he is honored; plain and simple, no one in the world can compete with him in beauty. One who understands the virtue of Heaven and Earth, this is called the great root and the great source, in harmony with Heaven. Using it to level the world, it is in harmony with people. Being in harmony with people is called human joy; being in harmony with Heaven is called heavenly joy.

莊子曰：「吾師乎，吾師乎！𩐈萬物而不為戾，澤及萬世而不為仁，長於上古而不為壽，覆載天地、刻彫眾形而不為巧，此之謂天樂。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。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。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。」

Zhuangzi said: "My teacher, oh my teacher! He harmonizes the ten thousand things and is not called harsh (the base text writes a variant character here, read as the same as "to order"), his grace reaches ten thousand generations and is not called benevolent, he is older than high antiquity and is not called long-lived, he covers Heaven and bears Earth and carves and shapes the many forms and is not called skillful; this is called heavenly joy. Therefore it is said: One who knows heavenly joy, his life is the movement of Heaven, and his death is the transformation of things. In stillness he shares the virtue of yin, in movement he shares the waves of yang. Therefore one who knows heavenly joy has no resentment from Heaven, no blame from people, no burden from things, and no reproach from spirits. Therefore it is said: His movement is Heaven, his stillness is Earth, and when one mind is settled he is king over the world; his spirits do not make mischief, his soul is not weary, and when one mind is settled the ten thousand things submit. This speaks of pushing emptiness and stillness to Heaven and Earth and communicating them to the ten thousand things; this is called heavenly joy. Heavenly joy is the sage's heart, with which he nurtures the world."

夫帝王之德，以天地為宗，以道德為主，以無為為常。無為也，則用天下而有餘；有為也，則為天下用而不足。故古之人貴夫無為也。上無為也，下亦無為也，是下與上同德。下與上同德則不臣。下有為也，上亦有為也，是上與下同道。上與下同道則不主。上必無為而用天下，下必有為為天下用。此不易之道也。故古之王天下者，知雖落天地，不自慮也；辯雖彫萬物，不自說也；能雖窮海內，不自為也。天不產而萬物化，地不長而萬物育，帝王無為而天下功。故曰：莫神於天，莫富於地，莫大於帝王。故曰：帝王之德配天地。此乘天地，馳萬物，而用人群之道也。

The virtue of emperors and kings takes Heaven and Earth as its source, the Way and virtue as its master, and non-action as its constancy. With non-action, one uses the world and has more than enough; with action, one is used by the world and is not enough. So the ancients valued non-action. When those above do nothing and those below do nothing, then those below share the same virtue as those above. When those below share the same virtue as those above, they are no longer subjects. When those below act and those above act, then those above share the same way as those below. When those above share the same way as those below, they are no longer rulers. Those above must do nothing and use the world; those below must act and be used by the world. This is an unchangeable Way. So the ancients who were kings of the world, though their knowledge could encompass Heaven and Earth, did not plan by themselves; though their eloquence could ornament the ten thousand things, they did not speak by themselves; though their ability could exhaust all within the seas, they did not act by themselves. Heaven does not produce, yet the ten thousand things are transformed; Earth does not nurture, yet the ten thousand things grow; emperors and kings do nothing, yet the world is accomplished. So it is said: nothing is more divine than Heaven, nothing richer than Earth, nothing greater than emperors and kings. So it is said: the virtue of emperors and kings matches Heaven and Earth. This is the Way of riding Heaven and Earth, driving the ten thousand things, and using the multitude of people.

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，五刑之闢，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。

The root lies with those above, the tip with those below; the essentials lie with the ruler, the details with the ministers. The use of the three armies and five weapons is a matter of virtue's tip; rewards, punishments, benefits and harms, and the laws of the five punishments, are the tip of teaching; ritual, law, institutions and numbers, and the detailed matching of forms and names, are the tip of governing; the sounds of bells and drums and the appearance of feathers and yak tails are the tip of music; weeping, hemp mourning garments and graded mourning dress are the tip of grief. These five tips must wait for the movement of the spirit and the working of the art of the heart, and only then follow.

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！

The study of the tip existed among the ancients, but it was not to be put first. The ruler goes first and the minister follows, the father goes first and the son follows, the elder brother goes first and the younger follows, the senior goes first and the junior follows, the man goes first and the woman follows, the husband goes first and the wife follows. Honored and lowly, first and last, are the movement of Heaven and Earth, and so the sage takes his model from them. Heaven is honored and Earth is lowly, which is the position of the spirits and the bright; spring and summer come first and autumn and winter later, which is the order of the four seasons. The ten thousand things change and rise, sprouts are distinguished and have shapes; the gradations of flourishing and decline are the flow of change. Heaven and Earth, supremely divine, still have the order of honored and lowly, first and last; how much more the way of humans! In the ancestral temple one honors kin, at court one honors rank, in the village one honors age, and in conducting affairs one honors worth; this is the order of the great Way. One who discusses the Way and denies its order is not discussing the Way; one who discusses the Way and denies that Way, where would he take the Way from!

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。以此事上，以此畜下，以此治物，以此修身，知謀不用，必歸其天。此之謂大平，治之至也。

So the ancients who understood the great Way first made clear Heaven, and the Way and its virtue came next; when the Way and its virtue were already clear, benevolence and righteousness came next; when benevolence and righteousness were already clear, duties and posts came next; when duties and posts were already clear, forms and names came next; when forms and names were already clear, employing people according to their talents came next; when employing people according to their talents was already clear, forgiveness and scrutiny came next; when forgiveness and scrutiny were already clear, right and wrong came next; when right and wrong were already clear, rewards and punishments came next. When rewards and punishments were already clear, the foolish and the wise each found their proper place, the noble and lowly each occupied their position; the benevolent, the worthy and the unworthy each followed their true circumstances, and one necessarily distinguished their abilities and went by their names. With this one served those above, with this one nurtured those below, with this one governed things, with this one cultivated oneself, and without using wit and schemes, everything returned to Heaven. This is called great peace, the utmost of government.

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。

So the book says: "There is form and there is name." Forms and names existed among the ancients, but they were not to be put first. When the ancients discussed the great Way, with five changes forms and names could be raised, and with nine changes rewards and punishments could be spoken of. To discuss forms and names abruptly is not to know their root; to discuss rewards and punishments abruptly is not to know their beginning. One who talks about the Way upside down and talks about the Way contrary to itself is one who is governed by others; how could he govern others! To talk abruptly about forms, names, rewards and punishments is to know the tools of government but not the way of government. It may be used for the world but is not enough to use the world; such a person is called a debater, a man of one corner. Ritual, law, numbers and institutions, and the detailed matching of forms and names, existed among the ancients. These are what those below use to serve those above, not what those above use to nurture those below.

昔者舜問於堯曰：「天王之用心何如？」

In the past Shun asked Yao: "How does the Son of Heaven use his mind?"

堯曰：「吾不敖無告，不廢窮民，苦死者，嘉孺子而哀婦人，此吾所以用心已。」

Yao said: "I do not look down on those who have no one to tell their troubles to, I do not abandon the destitute, I grieve for the dead, I commend children and pity women; this is how I use my mind."

舜曰：「美則美矣，而未大也。」

Shun said: "It is beautiful, but it is not yet great."

堯曰：「然則何如？」

Yao said: "Then what should it be?"

舜曰：「天德而出寧，日月照而四時行，若晝夜之有經，雲行而雨施矣！」

Shun said: "The virtue of Heaven appears and is at peace; the sun and moon shine and the four seasons proceed, like day and night with their constancy, like clouds moving and rain falling!"

堯曰：「膠膠擾擾乎！子，天之合也；我，人之合也。」

Yao said: "How muddled and busy! You are one who matches Heaven; I am one who matches people."

夫天地者，古之所大也，而黃帝堯舜之所共美也。故古之王天下者，奚為哉？天地而已矣。

Heaven and Earth were what the ancients regarded as great, and what the Yellow Emperor, Yao and Shun all praised. So what did the ancients who were kings of the world do? Heaven and Earth, that is all.

孔子西藏書於周室，子路謀曰：「由聞周之徵藏史有老聃者，免而歸居，夫子欲藏書，則試往因焉。」

Confucius wanted to store his books in the Zhou royal house in the west, and Zilu planned for him: "You has heard that the Zhou keeper of the archives has a man named Lao Dan, who has been dismissed from office and lives at home; if you wish to store your books, why not try relying on him."

孔子曰：「善。」

Confucius said: "Good."

往見老聃，而老聃不許，於是繙十二經以說。

He went to see Lao Dan, but Lao Dan did not agree, so he unrolled the twelve classics to explain them.

老聃中其說，曰：「大謾，願聞其要。」

Lao Dan interrupted his explanation, saying: "It is too sprawling; I would like to hear the essentials."

孔子曰：「要在仁義。」

Confucius said: "The essentials lie in benevolence and righteousness."

老聃曰：「請問：仁義，人之性邪？」

Lao Dan said: "May I ask: are benevolence and righteousness the nature of man?"

孔子曰：「然，君子不仁則不成，不義則不生。仁義，真人之性也，又將奚為矣？」

Confucius said: "Yes; if a gentleman is not benevolent, he cannot be complete, and if he is not righteous, he cannot live. Benevolence and righteousness are the nature of the true man; what else would there be to do?"

老聃曰：「請問：何謂仁義？」

Lao Dan said: "May I ask: what are benevolence and righteousness?"

孔子曰：「中心物愷，兼愛無私，此仁義之情也。」

Confucius said: "In the heart to be in joyful harmony with things, to love all alike without selfishness; this is the real state of benevolence and righteousness."

老聃曰：「意，幾乎後言！夫兼愛，不亦迂乎！無私焉，乃私也。夫子若欲使天下無失其牧乎？則天地固有常矣，日月固有明矣，星辰固有列矣，禽獸固有群矣，樹木固有立矣。夫子亦放德而行，遁道而趨，已至矣！又何偈偈乎揭仁義，若擊鼓而求亡子焉？意，夫子亂人之性也。」

Lao Dan said: "Ah, the latter words are dangerous! To love all alike, is that not roundabout and remote! To be without selfishness is itself selfishness. If you, sir, wish the world not to lose its shepherding, then Heaven and Earth have their constancy, the sun and moon have their brightness, the stars have their rows, the birds and beasts have their flocks, and the trees have their standing. You too should proceed according to virtue and move along the Way, and you have arrived! Why must you urgently raise benevolence and righteousness high, like beating a drum in search of a lost child? Ah, you, sir, are disturbing man's nature."

士成綺見老子而問曰：「吾聞夫子聖人也，吾固不辭遠道而來願見，百舍重趼而不敢息。今吾觀子，非聖人也，鼠壤有餘蔬，而棄妹之者，不仁也！生熟不盡於前，而積斂無崖。」

Shi Chengqi saw Laozi and asked: "I heard that you, sir, are a sage; I did not mind the distance and came gladly to see you, walking a hundred stages with calluses piled on my feet and not daring to stop. Now that I look at you, you are not a sage. By the rat's hole there are leftover vegetables, yet you cast aside your younger sister; this is unbenevolent! Raw and cooked food is piled before you and cannot be finished, yet you hoard without limit."

老子漠然不應。

Laozi was indifferent and did not respond.

士成綺明日復見，曰：「昔者吾有剌於子，今吾心正卻矣，何故也？」

The next day Shi Chengqi came to see him again and said: "Yesterday I mocked you; now my heart is subsiding; what is the reason?"

老子曰：「夫巧知神聖之人，吾自以為脫焉。昔者子呼我牛也而謂之牛，呼我馬也而謂之馬。苟有其實，人與之名而弗受，再受其殃。吾服也恆服，吾非以服有服。」

Laozi said: "As for that cleverness, knowledge, divinity and sagehood, I think I have already got free of them. Yesterday you called me an ox, and I was called an ox; you called me a horse, and I was called a horse. If there is a reality and others give the name and I do not accept it, I suffer a second calamity. My accepting is constant accepting; it is not that I accept because I want to accept."

士成綺鴈行避影，履行遂進而問：「修身若何。」

Shi Chengqi moved sideways like a wild goose avoiding his shadow, advanced step by step and asked: "How should one cultivate oneself?"

老子曰：「而容崖然，而目沖然，而顙頯然，而口闞然，而狀義然，似繫馬而止也。動而持，發也機，察而審，知巧而覩於泰，凡以為不信。邊竟有人焉，其名為竊。」

Laozi said: "Your appearance is cliff-like, your eyes are glaring, your forehead is broad, your mouth is gaping, your bearing is stern, like a tethered horse forced to stand still. When you move you are stiff, when you set off it is like the trigger of a crossbow, when you examine you are minute, and in knowing and cunning you show arrogance; all this I consider untrustworthy. On the border there is a kind of man whose name is Thief."

夫子曰：「夫道，於大不終，於小不遺，故萬物備。廣廣乎其無不容也，淵乎其不可測也。形德仁義，神之末也，非至人孰能定之！夫至人有世，不亦大乎！而不足以為之累。天下奮棅而不與之偕，審乎無假而不與利遷，極物之真，能守其本，故外天地，遺萬物，而神未嘗有所困也。通乎道，合乎德，通仁義，賓禮樂，至人之心有所定矣。」

The Master said: "The Way, in the great, has no end, and in the small, leaves nothing out, and so the ten thousand things are all prepared in it. Vast, there is nothing it cannot contain; deep, it cannot be fathomed. Form, virtue, benevolence and righteousness are the tip of the spirit; if not the perfect man, who can set its measure! The perfect man holding the human world, is that not great! Yet it is not enough to become a burden to him. The world rises up to seize power, and he does not join them; he examines what has no borrowing and does not shift for profit, exhausts the truth of things and can hold fast to their root, and so he sets Heaven and Earth aside and leaves the ten thousand things behind, and his spirit is never troubled. He penetrates the Way, accords with virtue, takes benevolence and righteousness as a through-road and ritual and music as guests; the perfect man's heart is settled."

世之所貴道者，書也。書不過語，語有貴也。語之所貴者，意也，意有所隨。意之所隨者，不可以言傳也，而世因貴言傳書。世雖貴之，我猶不足貴也，為其貴非其貴也。故視而可見者，形與色也；聽而可聞者，名與聲也。悲夫，世人以形色名聲為足以得彼之情！夫形色名聲果不足以得彼之情，則知者不言，言者不知，而世豈識之哉！

What the people of the world value in the Way is books. Books are nothing but words, and words have something that is valued. What words value is meaning, and meaning has something it follows. What meaning follows cannot be passed on in words, yet the world, because of this, values words and circulates books. Although the world values them, I still do not think they are worth valuing, because what they value is not what should be valued. So what can be seen by looking is form and color; what can be heard by listening is name and sound. How sad that people of the world think form, color, name and sound are enough to obtain the real state! If form, color, name and sound are truly not enough to obtain the real state, then those who know do not speak, and those who speak do not know, and how would the world know it!

桓公讀書於堂上，輪扁斲輪於堂下，釋椎鑿而上，問桓公曰：「敢問：公之所讀者何言邪？」

Duke Huan was reading in the hall, while Wheelwright Bian was chiseling a wheel below the hall. He put down his hammer and chisel, went up into the hall and asked Duke Huan: "May I ask what words your lordship is reading?"

公曰：「聖人之言也。」

Duke Huan said: "The words of the sages."

曰：「聖人在乎？」

He said: "Are the sages still alive?"

公曰：「已死矣。」

Duke Huan said: "They are already dead."

曰：「然則君之所讀者，古人之糟粕已夫！」

He said: "Then what you are reading, my lord, is only the dregs of the ancients!"

桓公曰：「寡人讀書，輪人安得議乎？有說則可，無說則死。」

Duke Huan said: "I am reading a book; how can a wheelwright comment? If you have an explanation, well and good; if you have none, you die."

輪扁曰：「臣也以臣之事觀之。斲輪，徐則甘而不固，疾則苦而不入，不徐不疾，得之於手而應於心，口不能言，有數存焉於其間。臣不能以喻臣之子，臣之子亦不能受之於臣，是以行年七十而老斲輪。古之人與其不可傳也死矣，然則君之所讀者，古人之糟魄已夫！」

Wheelwright Bian said: "I look at it through my own work. In chiseling a wheel, if I go slowly it comes out sweet and slack and not firm; if I go quickly it is rough and does not go in; neither slow nor quick, I get it in my hand and it responds in my heart, and the mouth cannot say it; there is a knack in it. I cannot instruct my son in it, and my son cannot receive it from me, so at seventy I am still chiseling wheels in my old age. The ancients died with what they could not pass on, so what you read, my lord, is only the dregs of the ancients!"

「天其運乎？地其處乎？日月其爭於所乎？孰主張是？孰維綱是？孰居無事推而行是？意者其有機緘而不得已邪？意者其運轉而不能自止邪？雲者為雨乎？雨者為雲乎？孰隆施是？孰居無事淫樂而勸是？風起北方，一西一東，有上彷徨。孰噓吸是？孰居無事而披拂是？敢問何故？」

Is Heaven revolving? Is Earth at rest? Are the sun and moon contending for their places? Who presides over these? Who holds them together by the cords? Who, sitting idle without anything to do, pushes them to move? Is it that there is some mechanism locked and sealed, so that they cannot help it? Is it that once set revolving they cannot stop of themselves? Are the clouds for the sake of the rain? Is the rain for the sake of the clouds? Who raises and spreads these? Who, idle and without anything to do, delights excessively and helps bring these about? The wind rises from the north, one to the west and one to the east, hovering above. Who breathes these out? Who, idle and without anything to do, fans them? May I ask the reason?

巫咸祒曰：「來，吾語女。天有六極五常，帝王順之則治，逆之則兇。九洛之事，治成德備，監照下土，天下戴之，此謂上皇。」

Wu Xianzhao said: "Come, I will tell you. Heaven has six limits and five constants; the emperor who follows them is well governed, and one who goes against them meets misfortune. In the affairs of the Nine Luo, when order is accomplished and virtue is complete, he oversees and looks down on the lands below, and the world upholds him; he is called the Supreme August One."

商大宰蕩問仁於莊子。莊子曰：「虎狼，仁也。」

The Grand Steward Dang of Song asked Zhuangzi about benevolence. Zhuangzi said: "Tigers and wolves are benevolent too."

曰：「何謂也？」

(The Grand Steward Dang) said: "What do you mean?"

莊子曰：「父子相親，何為不仁？」

Zhuangzi said: "Parent and child are close to each other; why is that not benevolence?"

曰：「請問至仁。」

(The Grand Steward Dang) said: "May I ask what perfect benevolence is."

莊子曰：「至仁無親。」

Zhuangzi said: "Perfect benevolence has no kin."

大宰曰：「蕩聞之，無親則不愛，不愛則不孝。謂至仁不孝，可乎？」

The Grand Steward said: "I have heard that without kin there is no love, and without love there is no filial piety. To say that perfect benevolence is not filial, is that acceptable?"

莊子曰：「不然，夫至仁尚矣，孝固不足以言之。此非過孝之言也，不及孝之言也。夫南行者至於郢，北面而不見冥山，是何也？則去之遠也。故曰：以敬孝易，以愛孝難；以愛孝易，以忘親難；忘親易，使親忘我難；使親忘我易，兼忘天下難；兼忘天下易，使天下兼忘我難。夫德遺堯舜而不為也，利澤施於萬世，天下莫知也，豈直大息而言仁孝乎哉！夫孝悌仁義，忠信貞廉，此皆自勉以役其德者也，不足多也。故曰，至貴，國爵並焉；至富，國財並焉；至願，名譽並焉。是以道不渝。」

Zhuangzi said: "It is not so. Perfect benevolence is higher; filial piety is not even enough to explain it. This is not a saying that goes beyond filial piety but a saying that fails to reach filial piety. One who goes south to Ying cannot see Mount Ming when he faces north; why? Because he is far from it. So it is said: to be filial with reverence is easy, to be filial with love is hard; to be filial with love is easy, to forget one's parents is hard; to forget one's parents is easy, to make one's parents forget me is hard; to make one's parents forget me is easy, to forget the whole world together is hard; to forget the whole world together is easy, to make the whole world forget me is hard. Virtue casts away Yao and Shun and does not act, benefit and grace extend to ten thousand generations and no one in the world knows it; how could one merely sigh and talk about benevolence and filial piety! Filial piety, brotherly respect, benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, good faith, chastity and integrity are all things by which one forces oneself to drive one's own virtue, and are not worth exalting. So it is said: for the utmost nobility, the rank of a state is put aside altogether; for the utmost wealth, the wealth of a state is put aside altogether; for the utmost desire, fame is put aside altogether. Therefore the Way does not change."

北門成問於黃帝曰：「帝張咸池之樂於洞庭之野，吾始聞之懼，復聞之怠，卒聞之而惑；蕩蕩默默，乃不自得。」

Beimen Cheng asked the Yellow Emperor: "When you performed the music of the Xianchi in the wilds of Dongting, at first I heard it and was afraid, then I heard it again and grew slack, and finally I heard it and was bewildered; vast and silent, I could not recover myself."

帝曰：「汝殆其然哉！吾奏之以人，徵之以天，行之以禮義，建之以大清。夫至樂者，先應之以人事，順之以天理，行之以五德，應之以自然，然後調理四時，太和萬物。四時迭起，萬物循生；一盛一衰，文武倫經；一清一濁，陰陽調和，流光其聲；蟄蟲始作，吾驚之以雷霆；其卒無尾，其始無首；一死一生，一僨一起；所常無窮，而一不可待。汝故懼也。

The Yellow Emperor said: "This is probably how you would be! I played it with the human, summoned it with Heaven, carried it out with ritual and righteousness, and established it with great purity. Perfect music first responds with human affairs, follows with heavenly principle, proceeds with the five virtues, and answers with spontaneity, and only then regulates the four seasons and brings great harmony to the ten thousand things. The four seasons arise in turn, and the ten thousand things grow in sequence; one flourishes and one declines, the order of civil and martial; one clear and one muddy, yin and yang are harmonized, and light flows in the sound; the hibernating insects begin to stir, and I startle them with thunder; its end has no tail and its beginning has no head; one dies and one lives, one falls and one rises; what is constant is inexhaustible, and not one thing can be waited for. That is why you were afraid.

吾又奏之以陰陽之和，燭之以日月之明；其聲能短能長，能柔能剛；變化齊一，不主故常；在谷滿谷，在阬滿阬；塗卻守神，以物為量。其聲揮綽，其名高明。是故鬼神守其幽，日月星辰行其紀。吾止之於有窮，流之於無止。予欲慮之而不能知也，望之而不能見也，逐之而不能及也；儻然立於四虛之道，倚於槁梧而吟。目知窮乎所欲見，力屈乎所欲逐，吾既不及已夫！形充空虛，乃至委蛇。汝委蛇，故怠。

(The Yellow Emperor continued:) "Then I played it with the harmony of yin and yang and lit it with the brightness of sun and moon; its sound could be short or long, soft or hard; its changes were uniform as one and did not hold to the old constant; in a valley it filled the valley, in a pit it filled the pit; it plugged cracks and guarded the spirit, taking things as its measure. Its sound was broad and sweeping, its name lofty and bright. So spirits and deities guard their dark places, and the sun, moon and stars follow their courses. I stopped it where it was exhausted, and let it flow where there was no stopping. I wanted to think it through but could not know it, to gaze at it but could not see it, to chase it but could not reach it; I stood bewildered on the road of the four voids, leaning on a withered parasol tree and humming. My eyes and knowledge were exhausted in wanting to see, my strength was spent in wanting to chase, and I could not catch up! My form was full yet empty, and only then did I wind and drift. Because you wound and drifted, you grew slack."

吾又奏之以無怠之聲，調之以自然之命，故若混逐叢生，林樂而無形；布揮而不曳，幽昏而無聲。動於無方，居於窈冥；或謂之死，或謂之生；或謂之實，或謂之榮；行流散徙，不主常聲。世疑之，稽於聖人。聖也者，達於情而遂於命也。天機不張而五官皆備。此之謂天樂，無言而心說。故有焱氏為之頌曰：『聽之不聞其聲，視之不見其形，充滿天地，苞裹六極。』汝欲聽之而無接焉，而故惑也。

(The Yellow Emperor continued:) "Then I played it with a sound of no slackness and tuned it with the decree of spontaneity, so it was like mingled chasing, like clustered sprouting, making music in the forest without form; spreading and swaying without trailing, dim and obscure without sound. It moves without direction and dwells in the deep darkness; some say it is dead, some say it is alive; some say it is real, some say it is flourishing; it flows, scatters and drifts without holding to a constant sound. The people of the world doubt it and consult the sage. What is called the sage is one who penetrates feeling and follows destiny. Heaven's mechanism is not set in motion, yet the five senses are all complete. This is called heavenly joy, with no words yet joy in the heart. So Youyan composed a hymn for it: 'Listening to it, one does not hear its sound; looking at it, one does not see its form; it fills Heaven and Earth and wraps the six limits.' You wanted to hear it but had no way to connect with it, and so you were bewildered."

樂也者，始於懼，懼故祟；吾又次之以怠，怠故遁；卒之於惑，惑故愚；愚故道，道可載而與之俱也。」

(The Yellow Emperor continued:) "Music is a thing that begins with fear, and fear is why it works mischief; then I followed with slackness, and slackness is why one flees; it ends in bewilderment, and bewilderment is why one is foolish; foolishness is how one joins the Way, and the Way can be carried and kept together with it."

孔子西遊於衞，顏淵問師金曰：「以夫子之行為奚如？」

Confucius traveled west to Wei, and Yan Yuan asked Music Master Jin: "What do you think of the Master's conduct this way?"

師金曰：「惜乎！而夫子其窮哉！」

Music Master Jin said: "What a pity! Your Master is going to be in hardship!"

顏淵曰：「何也？」

Yan Yuan said: "Why?"

師金曰：「夫芻狗之未陳也，盛以篋衍，巾以文繡，尸祝齊戒以將之。及其已陳也，行者踐其首脊，蘇者取而爨之而已；將復取而盛以篋衍，巾以文繡，遊居寢臥其下，彼不得夢，必且數眯焉。今而夫子，亦取先王已陳芻狗，聚弟子游居寢臥其下。故伐樹於宋，削跡於衞，窮於商周，是非其夢邪？圍於陳蔡之間，七日不火食，死生相與鄰，是非其眯邪？

Music Master Jin said: "Before the straw dogs are set out, they are put in boxes and covered with embroidered cloths, and the impersonators and invocators fast and carry them. After they have been set out, travelers trample on their heads and backs, and woodcutters take them to burn as fuel; if one were to take them again and put them in boxes and cover them with embroidered cloths, and wander, dwell and sleep beneath them, that person, even if he did not have such dreams, would surely be repeatedly oppressed by nightmares. Now your Master also takes the straw dogs the former kings have already set out, and gathers his disciples to wander, dwell and sleep beneath them. So the tree was cut down on him in Song, his tracks were wiped out in Wei, and he was in hardship in Shang and Zhou; is this not that kind of dream? Surrounded between Chen and Cai, for seven days without lighting a fire to cook, death and life next-door neighbors, is this not that kind of nightmare?

夫水行莫如用舟，而陸行莫如用車。以舟之可行於水也而求推之於陸，則沒世不行尋常。古今非水陸與？周魯非舟車與？今蘄行周於魯，是猶推舟於陸也，勞而無功，身必有殃。彼未知夫無方之傳，應物而不窮者也。

(Music Master Jin continued:) "For travel on water nothing is better than a boat, and for travel on land nothing is better than a cart. Because a boat can go on water, to want to push it on land means one will never get as far as ordinary distances in a lifetime. Are past and present not like water and land? Are Zhou and Lu not like boat and cart? Now to seek to push the ways of Zhou in Lu is like pushing a boat on land, laboring without result, and the person himself is sure to meet calamity. He does not know that what is passed on without fixed direction responds to things without exhaustion."

且子獨不見夫桔槔者乎？引之則俯，舍之則仰。彼，人之所引，非引人也。故俯仰而不得罪於人。故夫三皇五帝之禮義法度，不矜於同而矜於治。故譬三皇五帝之禮義法度，其猶柤■{梨}橘柚邪！其味相反而皆可於口。

(Music Master Jin continued:) "Moreover, have you not seen the well-sweep? Pull it and it bows; let go and it rises. It is drawn by people and does not draw people. So bowing and rising give no offense to people. So the ritual, righteousness, laws and institutions of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors do not pride themselves on being the same, but on being able to govern. So the ritual, righteousness, laws and institutions of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors may be compared to hawthorns, pears, tangerines and pomelos (a character is missing in the base text, the marginal note reads "pear")! Their flavors are opposite, and yet all suit the mouth."

故禮義法度者，應時而變者也。今取猨狙而衣以周公之服，彼必齕齧挽裂，盡去而後慊。觀古今之異，猶猨狙之異乎周公也。故西施病心而矉其裡，其裡之醜人見之而美之，歸亦捧心而矉其裡。其裡之富人見之，堅閉門而不出，貧人見之，挈妻子而去走。彼知矉美而不知矉之所以美。惜乎，而夫子其窮哉！」

(Music Master Jin continued:) "So ritual, righteousness, laws and institutions change in response to the times. If one caught a monkey and put the Duke of Zhou's clothes on it, it would surely bite and tear them, and only be satisfied when it had shed them all. Look at the difference between past and present: it is like the monkey being different from the Duke of Zhou. So Xi Shi, with a heart ailment, frowned in her village, and an ugly woman of the village saw it and thought it beautiful, and when she went back she also clutched her heart and frowned in the village. The rich of the village saw her, shut their gates tight and did not come out, and the poor saw her, took their wives and children and ran away. She knew the frown was beautiful, but did not know why the frown was beautiful. What a pity! Your Master is going to be in hardship!"

孔子行年五十有一而不聞道，乃南之沛見老聃。

Confucius, at the age of fifty-one, had not yet heard the Way, so he went south to Pei to see Lao Dan.

老聃曰：「子來乎？吾聞子，北方之賢者也！子亦得道乎？」孔子曰：「未得也。」

Lao Dan said: "You have come? I have heard that you are a worthy man of the north! Have you also attained the Way?" Confucius said: "Not yet."

老子曰：「子惡乎求之哉？」

Laozi said: "Where did you seek it?"

曰：「吾求之於度數，五年而未得也。」

(Confucius) said: "I sought it in measures and numbers, and for five years I did not get it."

老子曰：「子又惡乎求之哉？」

Laozi said: "And where else did you seek it?"

曰：「吾求之於陰陽，十有二年而未得也。」

(Confucius) said: "I sought it in yin and yang, and for twelve years I did not get it."

老子曰：「然，使道而可獻，則人莫不獻之於其君；使道而可進，則人莫不進之於其親；使道而可以告人，則人莫不告其兄弟；使道而可以與人，則人莫不與其子孫。然而不可者，無佗也，中無主而不止，外無正而不行。由中出者，不受於外，聖人不出；由外入者，無主於中，聖人不隱。名，公器也，不可多取。仁義，先王之蘧廬也，止可以一宿而不可久處，覯而多責。

Laozi said: "So it is. If the Way could be presented, there would be no one who would not present it to his ruler; if the Way could be offered, there would be no one who would not offer it to his parents; if the Way could be told to others, there would be no one who would not tell it to his brothers; if the Way could be given to others, there would be no one who would not give it to his children and grandchildren. But that it cannot is for no other reason: if there is no master within, it does not stay, and if there is no correctness without, it does not proceed. What comes out of the inside, if the outside does not receive it, the sage does not bring forth; what comes in from the outside, if there is no master within, the sage does not store. Name is a public vessel and cannot be taken in excess. Benevolence and righteousness are the lodging house of the former kings, where one may stay one night but not dwell long, and meeting there brings many reproaches.

古之至人，假道於仁，託宿於義，以遊逍遙之虛，食於苟簡之田，立於不貸之圃。逍遙，無為也；苟簡，易養也；不貸，無出也。古者謂是採真之遊。

(Laozi continued:) "The perfect men of old borrowed a road through benevolence and lodged in righteousness, in order to roam in the free and easy emptiness, eat in the fields of frugality, and stand in the garden of no lending. Free and easy is non-action; frugal is easy to nourish; no lending means nothing taken out. The ancients called this wandering that gathers the true."

以富為是者，不能讓祿；以顯為是者，不能讓名。親權者，不能與人柄，操之則慄，舍之則悲，而一無所鑒，以闚其所不休者，是天之戮民也。怨恩取與諫教生殺，八者，正之器也，唯循大變無所湮者為能用之。故曰，正者，正也。其心以為不然者，天門弗開矣。」

(Laozi continued:) "Those who take wealth as their match cannot yield salary; those who take prominence as their match cannot yield fame. Those who cling to power cannot hand over the handle; holding it they tremble, putting it down they grieve, and have not a bit of insight, but only peer at what they will not give up: these are the people punished by Heaven. Resentment, kindness, taking, giving, remonstrating, teaching, giving life and killing, these eight are the instruments of correction, and only one who follows the great change without being submerged can use them. So it is said: to correct is to be correct. If one's heart thinks it is not so, the gate of Heaven will not open."

孔子見老聃而語仁義。老聃曰：「夫播穅眯目，則天地四方易位矣；蚊虻噆膚，則通昔不寐矣。夫仁義憯然乃憤吾心，亂莫大焉。吾子使天下無失其樸，吾子亦放風而動，總德而立矣，又奚傑然若負建鼓而求亡子者邪？夫鵠不日浴而白，烏不日黔而黑。黑白之樸，不足以為辯；名譽之觀，不足以為廣。泉涸，魚相與處於陸，相呴以溼，相濡以沫，不若相忘於江湖！」

Confucius saw Lao Dan and talked of humaneness and righteousness. Lao Dan said: "If chaff gets into the eyes, heaven, earth and the four directions change places; if mosquitoes and gadflies bite the skin, one cannot sleep all night. Humaneness and righteousness come in miserably to stir up my heart, and there is no greater disorder than this. If you wish the world not to lose its simplicity, you too should move with the wind and stand holding to virtue, so why make such a sudden din, like someone beating a big drum while searching for a lost child? The swan does not need to bathe every day to be white, and the crow does not need to be dyed every day to be black. The simplicity of black and white is not worth arguing over; the outward show of fame is not worth promoting. When the spring dries up, the fish are stranded together on land, moistening each other with their breath and wetting each other with their foam; it would be better to forget one another in the rivers and lakes!"

孔子見老聃歸，三日不談。弟子問曰：「夫子見老聃，亦將何規哉？」

When Confucius returned from seeing Lao Dan, he did not speak for three days. His disciples asked: "Master, you saw Lao Dan; what did you remonstrate with him about?"

孔子曰：「吾乃今於是乎見龍！龍，合而成體，散而成章，乘雲氣而養乎陰陽。予口張而不能嗋。予又何規老聃哉？」

Confucius said: "Only now have I seen a dragon here! A dragon: when it gathers, it forms a body; when it spreads, it forms patterns; it rides the clouds and nourishes itself on yin and yang. My mouth fell open and I could not close it. What could I remonstrate with Lao Dan about?"

子貢曰：「然則人固有屍居而龍見，雷聲而淵默，發動如天地者乎？賜亦可得而觀乎？」遂以孔子聲見老聃。

Zigong said: "Then are there truly people who can sit like a corpse yet appear like a dragon, who speak like thunder yet are silent like an abyss, whose stirrings are like Heaven and Earth? May I, Si, go and see him?" So he went to see Lao Dan in the name of Confucius.

老聃方將倨堂而應，微曰：「予年運而往矣，子將何以戒我乎？」

Lao Dan was sitting with his legs spread in the hall to answer, and said in a low voice: "My years are already gone; what will you use to warn me?"

子貢曰：「夫三王五帝之治天下不同，其係聲名一也。而先生獨以為非聖人，如何哉？」

Zigong said: "The Three Kings and Five Emperors governed the world differently, yet the fame they were tied to was the same. Yet you alone, sir, regard them as not sages; how is that?"

老聃曰：「小子少進！子何以謂不同？」

Lao Dan said: "Young man, come a little closer! On what basis do you say they differed?"

對曰：「堯授舜，舜授禹，禹用力而湯用兵，文王順紂而不敢逆，武王逆紂而不肯順，故曰不同。」

(Zigong) answered: "Yao handed over to Shun, Shun handed over to Yu, Yu used strength and Tang used arms, King Wen followed Zhou and did not dare oppose him, and King Wu opposed Zhou and would not follow him, and so I say they differed."

老聃曰：「小子少進，餘語汝三皇五帝之治天下。黃帝之治天下，使民心一，民有其親死不哭而民不非也。堯之治天下，使民心親。民有為其親殺其殺而民不非也。舜之治天下，使民心競，民孕婦十月生子，子生五月而能言，不至乎孩而始誰，則人始有夭矣。禹之治天下，使民心變，人有心而兵有順，殺盜非殺，人自為種而天下耳，是以天下大駭，儒墨皆起。其作始有倫，而今乎婦女，何言哉！餘語汝，三皇五帝之治天下，名曰治之，而亂莫甚焉。三皇之知，上悖日月之明，下睽山川之精，中墮四時之施。其知憯於𧓽蠆之尾，鮮規之獸，莫得安其性命之情者，而猶自以為聖人，不可恥乎？其無恥也？」

Lao Dan said: "Young man, come a little closer, and I will tell you how the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors governed the world. When the Yellow Emperor governed the world, he made the people's hearts single-minded; if a person's parents died and he did not weep, the people did not criticize him. When Yao governed the world, he made the people's hearts draw close to each other; if people ranked their kin by closeness and distance in relation to their parents, the people did not criticize it. When Shun governed the world, he made the people's hearts compete; a pregnant woman bore her child after ten months, the child could speak five months after birth, and before it was even a child that could laugh it began to tell people apart, and people then began to die young. When Yu governed the world, he made the people's hearts change; people had calculation and soldiers had allegiances, killing robbers was not counted as killing, each person became a separate kind and the world was just ears and eyes, so the world was greatly alarmed, and Confucians and Mohists arose. At first there was still order, and now it has come even to women; what more is there to say! I tell you, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors governed the world, and in name it was called governing, yet there was no greater disorder than this. The knowledge of the Three Sovereigns above went against the brightness of sun and moon, below went against the essence of mountains and rivers, and within destroyed the bestowals of the four seasons. Their knowledge was more cruel than a scorpion's tail, so that even small animals could not rest in the true state of their nature and life, yet they still thought themselves sages; is that not shameful? Do they have no shame?"

子貢蹴蹴然立不安。

Zigong stood there uneasily, shifting about.

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？」

Confucius said to Lao Dan: "I, Qiu, have studied the Six Classics, the Songs, Documents, Rites, Music, Changes and Spring and Autumn, and consider that I have done so for a long time and know their reasons well; I went to seek audience with seventy-two rulers, discussed the way of the former kings and made clear the achievements of the Duke of Zhou and Duke Shao, and not one ruler took it up and used it. How extreme! Are people hard to persuade, or is the Way hard to make clear?"

老子曰：「幸矣子之不遇治世之君也！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，雌應於下風而風化；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。」

Laozi said: "You were lucky not to meet a ruler of a well-governed age! The Six Classics are the old traces of former kings, so how can they be what made the traces! What you say now is still a trace. A trace is made by a shoe's tread, but is the trace the shoe itself! The white egrets gaze at each other, their pupils unmoving, and they are transformed by the wind (here meaning transformed by the wind, not the later sense of customs being corrupted); among insects, the male sings upwind and the female answers downwind, and they are transformed by wind; a kind that is itself both female and male is thus transformed. Nature cannot be changed, fate cannot be altered, time cannot be stopped, and the Way cannot be blocked. If one attains the Way, nothing that comes from it is unacceptable; if one loses it, nothing that comes from it is acceptable."

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！」

Confucius did not go out of his gate for three months, then went to see him again and said: "I have got it. Crows and magpies hatch, fish pass on by foam, the wasps with narrow waists transform, and when a younger brother is born the elder one cries. It has been a long time since I, Qiu, was not a person together with transformation! If I am not a person together with transformation, how can I transform others!"

老子曰：「可，丘得之矣！」

Laozi said: "Good, Qiu has got it!"

刻意尚行，離世異俗，高論怨誹，為亢而已矣；此山谷之士，非世之人，枯槁赴淵者之所好也。語仁義忠信，恭儉推讓，為修而已矣；此平世之士，教誨之人，遊居學者之所好也。語大功，立大名，禮君臣，正上下，為治而已矣；此朝廷之士，尊主強國之人，致功併兼者之所好也。就藪澤，處閒曠，釣魚閒處，無為而已矣；此江海之士，避世之人，閒暇者之所好也。吹呴呼吸，吐故納新，熊經鳥申，為壽而已矣；此道引之士，養形之人，彭祖壽考者之所好也。

Those who hone their will and prize their conduct, who leave the world and differ from the common run, who speak loftily and complain and criticize, do it only to be lofty; this is what scholars of the valleys, critics of the age, and those with withered bodies who throw themselves into the abyss like. Those who speak of humaneness, righteousness, loyalty and good faith, reverence, frugality, deference and yielding, do it only to cultivate themselves; this is what scholars of peaceful times, teachers, and wandering learners like. Those who speak of great merit, establish great fame, observe ritual between ruler and minister, and correct high and low, do it only for governance; this is what scholars of the court, those who honor rulers and strengthen states, and those who seek merit and annexation like. Those who go near the marshes, dwell in idleness and fish at leisure, do it only for non-action; this is what scholars of the rivers and seas, those who flee the world, and those at leisure like. Those who blow and breathe, expel the old and take in the new, hang like a bear and stretch like a bird, do it only for long life; this is what scholars who practice breathing exercises, those who nourish the body, and those who live as long as Pengzu like.

若夫不刻意而高，無仁義而修，無功名而治，無江海而閒，不道引而壽，無不忘也，無不有也，澹然無極而眾美從之。此天地之道，聖人之德也。

As for one who is lofty without honing his will, cultivated without humaneness and righteousness, well-governed without merit and fame, at leisure without rivers and seas, and long-lived without breathing exercises, who forgets nothing and has everything, serene without end while all fine things follow him, this is the Way of Heaven and Earth and the virtue of the sage.

故曰，夫恬淡寂漠虛無無為，此天地之平而道德之質也。故曰，聖人休休焉則平易矣，平易則恬淡矣。平易恬淡，則憂患不能入，邪氣不能襲，故其德全而神不虧。

Therefore it is said: tranquility, stillness, emptiness and non-action are the level of Heaven and Earth and the substance of the Way and virtue. Therefore it is said: when the sage rests he is at ease, and at ease he is tranquil. At ease and tranquil, worry and trouble cannot enter and evil qi cannot invade, so his virtue is whole and his spirit undiminished.

故曰，聖人之生也天行，其死也物化；靜而與陰同德，動而與陽同波；不為福先，不為禍始；感而後應，迫而後動，不得已而後起。去知與故，循天之理。故無天災，無物累，無人非，無鬼責。其生若浮，其死若休。不思慮，不豫謀。光矣而不耀，信矣而不期。其寢不夢，其覺無憂。其神純粹，其魂不罷。虛無恬惔，乃合天德。

Therefore it is said: the sage lives in the movement of Heaven and dies in the transformation of things; in stillness he shares the virtue of yin, in motion he moves with the waves of yang; he is not the first to make blessings, not the beginning of misfortune; he responds only after being moved, acts only after being pressed, rises only when he cannot do otherwise. He removes cleverness and contrivance, and follows the pattern of Heaven. Therefore he has no heavenly calamity, no burden from things, no criticism from people, no reproach from ghosts. In life he floats, in death he rests. He does not ponder or plan in advance. He shines but does not glitter, is trustworthy but does not make agreements. He does not dream when he sleeps, and has no worries when awake. His spirit is pure, and his soul is not tired. Only emptiness and tranquility accord with the virtue of Heaven.

故曰，悲樂者，德之邪；喜怒者，道之過；好惡者，德之失。故心不憂樂，德之至也；一而不變，靜之至也；無所於忤，虛之至也；不與物交，惔之至也；無所於逆，粹之至也。故曰：形勞而不休則弊，精用而不已則勞，勞則竭。

Therefore it is said: grief and joy are deviations of virtue; delight and anger are errors of the Way; liking and disliking are losses of virtue. So an unworried and unjoyful heart is the utmost of virtue; being single and unchanging is the utmost of stillness; having nothing in conflict is the utmost of emptiness; not mingling with things is the utmost of blandness; having nothing contrary is the utmost of purity. Therefore it is said: if the body toils without rest it wears out, and if the spirit is used without stopping it tires, and what tires is exhausted.

水之性，不雜則清，莫動則平；鬱閉而不流，亦不能清，天德之象也。故曰：純粹而不雜，靜一而不變，惔而無為，動而以天行，此養神之道也。夫有幹越之劍者，柙而藏之，不敢用也，寶之至也，精神四達並流，無所不極，上際於天，下蟠於地，化育萬物，不可為象，其名為同帝。

The nature of water is that if not mixed it is clear, and if not stirred it is level; if it is shut in and does not flow, it cannot be clear either; this is the image of the virtue of Heaven. Therefore it is said: pure and unmixed, still and one and unchanging, bland and non-acting, moving according to Heaven, this is the way to nourish the spirit. One who has a sword of Ganyue (Ganyue is the land of Wu and Yue; here "gan" is a place name, not "to interfere") keeps it boxed up and does not dare use it, treasuring it to the utmost. The spirit reaches and flows in all four directions, with no limit it does not reach, above touching Heaven and below coiled on Earth, transforming and nurturing the ten thousand things, and it cannot be given a form; its name is Same as the Emperor.

純素之道，唯神是守。守而勿失，與神為一；一之精通，合於天倫。野語有之曰：「眾人重利，廉士重名，賢人尚志，聖人貴精。」故素也者，謂其無所與雜也；純也者，謂其不虧其神也。能體純素，謂之真人。

The way of pure simplicity is only to guard the spirit. Guard it without losing it, and one becomes one with the spirit; the refined penetration of the One accords with the order of Heaven. There is a common saying: "The multitude values profit, the honest scholar values reputation, the worthy honors aspiration, and the sage cherishes essence." So "simple" means that nothing is mixed with it; "pure" means that it does not diminish one's spirit. One who can embody pure simplicity is called a true person.

繕性於俗，俗學以求復其初；滑欲於俗，思以求致其明；謂之蔽蒙之民。

One who mends his nature among the customs of the world, seeking to return to the beginning through worldly learning; who stirs up desires among the customs of the world, seeking to reach clarity through deliberation; is called a benighted person.

古之治道者，以恬養知；生而無以知為也，謂之以知養恬。知與恬交相養，而和理出其性。夫德，和也；道，理也。德無不容，仁也；道無不理，義也；義明而物親，忠也；中純實而反乎情，樂也；信行容體而順乎文，禮也。禮樂徧行，則天下亂矣。彼正而蒙己德，德則不冒。冒則物必失其性也。

In ancient times those who practiced the Way used tranquility to nourish knowledge; knowledge was born yet not used to act, which is called using knowledge to nourish tranquility. When knowledge and tranquility nourish each other, harmony and principle come out of the nature. Virtue is harmony; the Way is principle. Virtue that does not fail to embrace is humaneness; the Way that does not fail to have order is righteousness; when righteousness is clear and things draw near, that is loyalty; when the inner is pure and returns to feeling, that is joy; when good faith is carried out in bearing and follows form, that is ritual. If ritual and music are carried out everywhere, the world falls into disorder. If that person himself is upright and conceals his own virtue, his virtue is not overshadowing. If it is overshadowing, things will surely lose their nature.

古之人，在混芒之中，與一世而得澹漠焉。當是時也，陰陽和靜，鬼神不擾，四時得節，萬物不傷，群生不夭，人雖有知，無所用之，此之謂至一。當是時也，莫之為而常自然。

People of ancient times, in the midst of primal obscurity, with the whole age could be serene and quiet. At that time yin and yang were harmonious and still, ghosts and spirits did not disturb, the four seasons kept their measure, the ten thousand things were not harmed, living beings did not die young, and though people had knowledge there was no place to use it; this is called the supreme One. At that time no one acted, and things were always natural.

逮德下衰，及燧人伏羲始為天下，是故順而不一。德又下衰，及神農黃帝始為天下，是故安而不順。德又下衰，及唐虞始為天下，興治化之流，𣻏淳散樸，離道以善，險德以行，然後去性而從於心。心與心識知而不足以定天下，然後附之以文，益之以博。文滅質，博溺心，然後民始惑亂，無以反其性情而復其初。

When virtue declined further, and Suiren and Fuxi began to rule the world, there was compliance but not oneness. When virtue declined further, and Shennong and the Yellow Emperor began to rule the world, there was peace but not compliance. When virtue declined further, and Tang and Yu began to rule the world, they set off the stream of governing transformation, diluted purity and scattered simplicity, left the Way to do good, made virtue precarious in action, and then discarded the nature and followed the heart. Hearts recognized one another but this was not enough to settle the world, and then they added ornament and added breadth. Ornament destroyed substance and breadth drowned the heart, and then the people began to be confused and had no way to return to their natural feelings and recover the beginning.

由是觀之，世喪道矣，道喪世矣，世與道交相喪也，道之人何由興乎世，世亦何由興乎道哉！道無以興乎世，世無以興乎道，雖聖人不在山林之中，其德隱矣。

From this we see that the age lost the Way, the Way lost the age, and the age and the Way lost each other; how could those who have the Way arise in the world, and how could the world cause the Way to arise! If the Way cannot arise in the world and the world cannot make the Way arise, then even if sages are not in the mountains and forests, their virtue is hidden.

隱，故不自隱。古之所謂隱士者，非伏其身而弗見也，非閉其言而不出也，非藏其知而不發也，時命大謬也。當時命而大行乎天下，則反一無跡；不當時命而大窮乎天下，則深根寧極而待；此存身之道也。

Hidden, so it is not that they hide themselves. Those called recluses in ancient times did not lie low so as not to be seen, did not close up their words so they would not come out, did not hide their knowledge so it would not be put forth; it was that the times and fate were greatly at odds. If they met the times and fate and were greatly active in the world, they returned to the One and left no trace; if they did not meet the times and fate and were greatly in difficulty in the world, they deeply hid their roots, rested calmly at their limit and waited; this is the way to preserve oneself.

古之行身者，不以辯飾知，不以知窮天下，不以知窮德，危然處其所而反其性已，又何為哉！道固不小行，德固不小識。小識傷德，小行傷道。故曰，正己而已矣。樂全之謂得志。

People of ancient times who conducted themselves did not use argument to adorn knowledge, did not use knowledge to exhaust the world, did not use knowledge to exhaust virtue, but stayed precariously where they were and returned to their own nature, and that was all; what more could they do! The Way is originally not a small practice, and virtue is originally not small recognition. Small recognition harms virtue, and small practice harms the Way. So it is said: just rectify yourself. Delight in wholeness is called achieving one's aim.

古之所謂得志者，非軒冕之謂也，謂其無以益其樂而已矣。今之所謂得志者，軒冕之謂也。軒冕在身，非性命也，物之儻來，寄者也。寄之，其來不可圉，其去不可止。故不為軒冕肆志，不為窮約趨俗，其樂彼與此同，故無憂而已矣。今寄去則不樂，由(之)[是]觀之，雖樂，未嘗不荒也。故曰，喪己於物，失性於俗者，謂之倒置之民。

What the ancients called achieving one's aim did not mean carriage and cap of rank, but meant that nothing could add to one's joy any more. What is called achieving one's aim today means carriage and cap. Carriage and cap on the body are not one's nature or fate; they are things that happen to come, things entrusted. What is entrusted cannot be stopped when it comes and cannot be held when it goes. So one does not give free rein to one's will for carriage and cap, and does not fall in with the common run for poverty and hardship; the joy there is the same as the joy here, so one is simply without worry. Now when what is entrusted leaves, one is unhappy; from this (the received text has "zhi", emended to "shi"), though one had joy, it was never without dissipation. So it is said: those who lose themselves in things and lose their nature in custom are called upside-down people.

秋水時至，百川灌河，涇流之大，兩涘渚崖之間，不辯牛馬。於是焉河伯欣然自喜，以天下之美為盡在己。順流而東行，至於北海，東面而視，不見水端。於是焉河伯始旋其面目，望洋向若而歎曰：「野語有之曰：『聞道百以為莫己若者』，我之謂也。且夫我嘗聞少仲尼之聞而輕伯夷之義者，始吾弗信；今我睹子之難窮也，吾非至於子之門則殆矣，吾長見笑於大方之家。」

When the autumn floods came in their season, the hundred streams poured into the Yellow River, and the current was so broad that between the two banks and the islets one could not tell oxen from horses. Then the Lord of the River was pleased with himself, thinking that all the beauty of the world was his own. Going downstream east, he came to the Northern Sea, looked east, and could not see the end of the water. Then the Lord of the River turned his face, gazed at the vastness and sighed to Ruo of the Northern Sea: "There is a common saying: 'Having heard a hundred ways, one thinks no one equals oneself,' and it speaks of me. Moreover I once heard of people who belittled the learning of Zhongni and the righteousness of Boyi, and at first I did not believe it; now I see that you are hard to exhaust, and if I had not come to your gate, I would have been in danger, and would have been laughed at forever by those of the great school."

北海若曰：「井蛙不可以語於海者，拘於虛也；夏蟲不可以語於冰者，篤於時也；曲士不可以語於道者，束於教也。今爾出於崖涘，觀於大海，乃知爾醜，爾將可與語大理矣。天下之水，莫大於海，萬川歸之，不知何時止而不盈；尾閭洩之，不知何時已而不虛；春秋不變，水旱不知。此其過江河之流，不可為量數。而吾未嘗以此自多者，自以比形於天地，而受氣於陰陽，吾在[於]天地之間，猶小石小木之在大山也，方存乎見小，又奚以自多！計四海之在天地之間也，不似礨空之在大澤乎？計中國之在海內，不似稊米之在大倉乎？號物之數謂之萬，人處一焉；人卒九州，穀食之所生，舟車之所通，人處一焉；此其比萬物也，不似豪末之在於馬體乎？五帝之所連，三王之所爭，仁人之所憂，任士之所勞，盡此矣。伯夷辭之以為名，仲尼語之以為博，此其自多也，不似爾向之自多於水乎？」

Ruo of the Northern Sea said: "One cannot speak of the sea to a frog in a well, because it is confined by its space; one cannot speak of ice to a summer insect, because it is bound by its season; one cannot speak of the Way to a scholar of a corner of the countryside, because he is bound by his teaching. Now you have come out from your banks and seen the great sea, and know your own ugliness, so one can speak to you of great principle. Of all the waters of the world, none is greater than the sea; the ten thousand streams flow toward it, not knowing when they will stop, yet it is not full; the Weilü drains it, not knowing when it will be done, yet it is not empty; it does not change in spring or autumn, and does not notice floods or droughts. This exceeds the flow of the rivers and cannot be measured by number. Yet I have never thought myself abundant for this; I count myself as having placed my form in Heaven and Earth and received qi from yin and yang, and in Heaven and Earth I am like a small stone or small tree on a great mountain, existing only to appear small, so on what basis would I think myself abundant! Reckon the four seas in Heaven and Earth: are they not like an anthill in a great marsh? Reckon the central states within the seas: are they not like a grain of barnyard millet in a great granary? The number of things is called ten thousand, and humans are one of them; people gather in the nine provinces, where grain grows and boats and carts reach, and humans are one among them; compared to the ten thousand things, are they not like the tip of a hair on a horse's body? What the Five Emperors continued, what the Three Kings contended for, what humane men worry over, what dutiful scholars toil at, is all here. Boyi declined it to seek fame, and Zhongni spoke of it to seek breadth; they thought themselves abundant, are they not like you just now thinking yourself abundant over the water?"

河伯曰：「然則吾大天地而小豪末，可乎？」

The Lord of the River said: "Then may I take Heaven and Earth as large and the tip of a hair as small?"

北海若曰：「否。夫物，量無窮，時無止，分無常，終始無故。是故大知觀於遠近，故小而不寡，大而不多：知量無窮。證曏今故，故遙而不悶，掇而不跂，知時無止；察乎盈虛，故得而不喜，失而不憂，知分之無常也；明乎坦塗，故生而不說，死而不禍，知終始之不可故也。計人之所知，不若其所不知；其生之時，不若未生之時；以其至小求窮其至大之域，是故迷亂而不能自得也。由此觀之，又何以知(毫)[豪]末之足以定至細之倪！又何以知天地之足以窮至大之域！」

Ruo of the Northern Sea said: "No. Things have no end of measure, time has no stop, shares have no constancy, and end and beginning have no fixed reason. So the greatly wise look at far and near, and so what is small is not thought little and what is great is not thought much: they know measure has no end. They verify and clearly understand present and past, so they are not distressed by what is far and do not stand on tiptoe for what is near: they know time has no stop. They observe fullness and emptiness, so they are not delighted by gain or worried by loss: they know shares have no constancy. They understand the level road, so they are not glad at life and do not regard death as misfortune: they know end and beginning cannot be taken as a fixed reason. Reckon what people know, and it is not as much as what they do not know; the time when he is alive is not as long as the time when he was not alive; using the utterly small to seek to exhaust the realm of the utterly great, so he is confused and cannot find himself. From this we see, on what basis do you know that the tip of a hair (the received text has "hao" of "fine hair", emended to "hao" of "hair tip") is enough to fix the extreme of the finest! On what basis do you know that Heaven and Earth are enough to exhaust the realm of the utterly great!"

河伯曰：「世之議者皆曰：『至精無形，至大不可圍。』是信情乎？」

The Lord of the River said: "Those who discuss in the world all say: 'The utterly fine has no form, the utterly great cannot be encompassed.' Is this true?"

北海若曰：「夫自細視大者不盡，自大視細者不明。夫精，小之微也；垺，大之殷也，故異便。此勢之有也。夫精粗者，期於有形者也；無形者，數之所不能分也；不可圍者，數之所不能窮也。可以言論者，物之粗也；可以意致者，物之精也；言之所不能論，意之所不能察致者，不期精粗焉。

Ruo of the Northern Sea said: "Looking at the large from the small one cannot see it all; looking at the small from the large one cannot see it clearly. The fine is the minute within the small; the huge is the vast within the large; so their convenience differs. This is a matter of circumstance. Fine and coarse are limits set on what has form; what has no form cannot be divided by number; what cannot be encompassed cannot be exhausted by number. What can be discussed in words is the coarse of things; what can be reached by the mind is the fine of things; what words cannot discuss and the mind cannot examine is not bounded by fine and coarse.

是故大人之行，不出乎害人，不多仁恩；動不為利，不賤門隸；貨財弗爭，不多辭讓；事焉不借人，不多食乎力，不賤貪汙；行殊乎俗，不多闢異；為在從眾，不賤佞諂；世之爵祿不足以為勸，戮恥不足以為辱；知是非之不可為分，細大之不可為倪。聞曰：『道人不聞，至德不得，大人無己。』約分之至也。」

(Ruo of the Northern Sea continued:) "Therefore the actions of the great man do not come from harming others, nor does he esteem humaneness and kindness; his movements are not for profit, nor does he despise gatekeepers and servants; he does not contend over goods and wealth, nor does he esteem yielding; in his work he does not rely on others, nor does he esteem living by one's own strength, nor despise the greedy; his conduct differs from the common run, but he does not esteem the crooked and strange; his action is to follow the crowd, and he does not despise flatterers; the world's ranks and salaries are not enough to encourage him, and execution and shame are not enough to disgrace him; he knows that right and wrong cannot be taken as boundaries, and that small and large cannot be taken as beginnings. I have heard: 'A man of the Way seeks no renown, a man of supreme virtue seeks no gain, and the great man has no self.' This is the utmost of dividing and binding."

河伯曰：「若物之外，若物之內，惡至而倪貴賤？惡至而倪小大？」

The Lord of the River said: "Whether outside things or within things, from where do we distinguish noble from base? From where do we distinguish small from large?"

北海若曰：「以道觀之，物無貴賤；以物觀之，自貴而相賤；以俗觀之，貴賤不在己。以差觀之，因其所大而大之，則萬物莫不大；因其所小而小之，則萬物莫不小；知天地之為稊米也，知(毫)[豪]末之為丘山也，則差數覩矣。以功觀之，因其所有而有之，則萬物莫不有；因其所無而無之，則萬物莫不無；知東西之相反而不可以相無，則功分定矣。以趣觀之，因其所然而然之，則萬物莫不然；因其所非而非之，則萬物莫不非；知堯、桀之自然而相非，則趣操覩矣。

Ruo of the Northern Sea said: "Seen from the Way, things have no noble or base; seen from things, each regards itself as noble and others as base; seen from custom, noble and base do not lie in oneself. Seen from difference, if one follows what is large in a thing and takes it as large, then none of the ten thousand things is not large; if one follows what is small in a thing and takes it as small, none of the ten thousand things is not small; knowing that Heaven and Earth are a grain of millet and that the tip of a hair (the received text has "hao" of "fine hair", emended to "hao" of "hair tip") is a hill and mountain, the numbers of difference are seen. Seen from function, if one follows what a thing has and takes it as having, none of the ten thousand things is without; if one follows what a thing lacks and takes it as lacking, none of the ten thousand things is not without; knowing that east and west are opposite and yet cannot do without each other, the division of function is fixed. Seen from orientation, if one follows what a thing affirms and takes it as right, none of the ten thousand things is not right; if one follows what a thing denies and takes it as wrong, none of the ten thousand things is not wrong; knowing that Yao and Jie each regarded themselves as right and each other as wrong, the orientation and holding to principle is seen.

昔者堯舜讓而帝，之噲讓而絕；湯武爭而王，白公爭而滅。由此觀之，爭讓之禮，堯桀之行，貴賤有時，未可以為常也。梁麗可以沖城，而不可以窒穴，言殊器也；騏驥驊騮，一日而馳千里，捕鼠不如狸狌，言殊技也；鴟鵂夜撮蚤，察毫末，晝出瞋目而不見丘山，言殊性也。故曰，蓋師是而無非，師治而無亂乎？是未明天地之理，萬物之情者也。是猶師天而無地，師陰而無陽，其不可行明矣。然且語而不捨，非愚則誣也。帝王殊禪，三代殊繼。差其時，逆其俗者，謂之篡夫；當其時，順其俗者，謂之義[之]徒。默默乎河伯！女惡知貴賤之門，小大之家！」

(Ruo of the Northern Sea continued:) "In the past Yao and Shun yielded the throne and were called emperors, while King Kuai of Yan yielded and was cut off; Tang and Wu contended and became kings, while the Duke of Bai contended and perished. From this we see that the rites of contending and yielding, and the conduct of Yao and Jie, have their times of being noble or base and cannot be taken as constant. A beam can ram a city wall but cannot plug a hole, which speaks of the difference of tools; fine steeds such as Qiji and Hualiu can gallop a thousand li in a day, but are not as good as a wildcat or weasel at catching rats, which speaks of the difference of skills; the owl catches fleas at night and sees the tip of a hair, but when it comes out by day, with eyes wide open, it cannot see a hill or mountain, which speaks of the difference of nature. So it is said: how can one take only right as a model and not wrong, take only order as a model and not disorder? These are people who have not understood the principle of Heaven and Earth and the feelings of the ten thousand things. This is like taking only Heaven as a model and not Earth, only yin and not yang; that it cannot be done is clear. Yet to keep on talking without giving up is either foolish or deceptive. The yielding of emperors differs, and the successions of the Three Dynasties differ. Those who missed the time and went against custom are called usurpers; those who met their time and followed custom are called men of righteousness (the received text adds a character here). Be silent, Lord of the River! How would you know the gate of noble and base, the house of small and large!"

河伯曰：「然則我何為乎？何不為乎？吾辭受趣舍，吾終奈何？」

The Lord of the River said: "Then what should I do? What should I not do? As for my declining and accepting, going toward and abandoning, in the end what should I do?"

北海若曰：「以道觀之，何貴何賤，是謂反衍；無拘而志，與道大蹇。何少何多，是謂謝施；無一而行，與道參差。嚴乎若國之有君，其無私德；繇繇乎若祭之有社，其無私福；泛泛乎其若四方之無窮，其無所畛域。兼懷萬物，其孰承翼？是謂無方。萬物一齊，孰短孰長？道無終始，物有死生，不恃其成；一虛一滿，不位乎其形。年不可舉，時不可止；消息盈虛，終則有始。是所以語大義之方，論萬物之理也。物之生也，若驟若馳，無動而不變，無時而不移。何為乎，何不為乎？夫固將自化。」

Ruo of the Northern Sea said: "Seen from the Way, what is noble and what is base? This is called going back and forth; do not confine your will, which would put you greatly at odds with the Way. What is few and what is many? This is called giving way and spreading; do not hold to one thing and act, which would put you out of step with the Way. Be as solemn as a state with a ruler, with no private virtue; as easy as sacrifice with an altar of the soil, with no private blessing; as broad as the four directions without end, with no boundaries. Embracing all things, who will take them under his wing? This is called having no direction. The ten thousand things are all equal; which is short and which is long? The Way has no end or beginning, but things have death and life; one does not rely on one's own completion; now empty, now full, one does not fix one's position on one's own form. Years cannot be lifted up, and time cannot be stopped; waning and waxing, fullness and emptiness, when one ends there is a beginning. This is how to speak of the principle of great righteousness and discuss the pattern of the ten thousand things. The life of things is like a gallop, like a rush; there is no movement without change, no moment without shifting. What is to be done, and what is not to be done? It was originally going to transform of itself."

河伯曰：「然則何貴於道邪？」

The Lord of the River said: "Then why value the Way?"

北海若曰：「知道者必達於理，達於理者必明於權，明於權者不以物害己。至德者，火弗能熱，水弗能溺，寒暑弗能害，禽獸弗能賊。非謂其薄之也，言察乎安危，寧於禍福，謹於去就，莫之能害也。故曰，天在內，人在外，德在乎天。知天人之行，本乎天，位乎得，蹢䠱而屈伸，反要而語極。」

Ruo of the Northern Sea said: "One who knows the Way surely understands principle; one who understands principle surely understands expedience; one who understands expedience does not let things harm him. A man of supreme virtue cannot be burned by fire, drowned by water, harmed by cold or heat, or hurt by birds and beasts. This is not to say that he goes close to them, but that he examines safety and danger, is calm about misfortune and fortune, and is careful in leaving and approaching, so that nothing can harm him. So it is said: Heaven is within, the human is without, and virtue lies in Heaven. Knowing the conduct of Heaven and the human, based in Heaven, placed in attainment, advancing and retreating, bending and stretching, one returns to the pivotal point and speaks to the utmost."

曰：「何謂天？何謂人？」

(The Lord of the River) said: "What is called Heaven, and what is called the human?"

北海若曰：「牛馬四足，是謂天；落馬首，穿牛鼻，是謂人。故曰，無以人滅天，無以故滅命，無以得殉名。謹守而勿失，是謂反其真。」

Ruo of the Northern Sea said: "That oxen and horses have four feet is called Heaven; that a horse's head is haltered and an ox's nose is pierced is called the human. So it is said: do not use the human to destroy Heaven, do not use cleverness to destroy fate, do not sacrifice your life for fame by gain. Guard it carefully and do not lose it, and this is called returning to one's true nature."

夔憐蚿，蚿憐蛇，蛇憐風，風憐目，目憐心。

The Kui pities the Xian, the Xian pities the snake, the snake pities the wind, the wind pities the eye, and the eye pities the mind.

夔謂蚿曰：「吾以一足趻踔而行，予無如矣。今子之使萬足，獨柰何？」

The Kui said to the Xian: "I hop along on one foot, and no one is my match. Now you use ten thousand feet; how do you manage?"

蚿曰：「不然。子不見夫唾者乎？噴則大者如珠，小者如霧，雜而下者不可勝數也。今予動吾天機，而不知其所以然。」

The Xian said: "It is not like that. Have you not seen those who spit? What is sprayed out, the large is like pearls and the small like mist, falling mixed together in numbers beyond counting. Now I move my heavenly mechanism and do not know why it is so."

蚿謂蛇曰：「吾以眾足行，而不及子之無足，何也？」

The Xian said to the snake: "I walk with many feet, yet cannot catch up with you, who have no feet; why?"

蛇曰：「夫天機之所動，何可易邪？吾安用足哉！」

The snake said: "How could what the heavenly mechanism moves be changed? What use do I have for feet!"

蛇謂風曰：「予動吾脊脅而行，則有似也。今子蓬蓬然起於北海，蓬蓬然入於南海，而似無有，何也？」

The snake said to the wind: "I move my spine and ribs to travel, and so I have some resemblance to something. Now you rise whooshing from the Northern Sea and enter whooshing into the Southern Sea, yet seem to be nothing; why?"

風曰：「然，予蓬蓬然起於北海而入於南海也，然而指我則勝我，鰌我亦勝我。雖然，夫折大木，蜚大屋者，唯我能也。故以眾小不勝為大勝也。為大勝者，唯聖人能之。」

The wind said: "So it is: I rise whooshing from the Northern Sea and enter the Southern Sea. Yet one pointing at me with a finger can overcome me, and one kicking me with a foot can also overcome me. Even so, only I can break great trees and blow away great houses. So by not winning many small victories I make a great victory. Only the sage can make a great victory."

孔子遊於匡，宋人圍之數帀，而絃歌不惙。子路入見，曰：「何夫子之娛也？」

Confucius was traveling in Kuang, and the people of Song surrounded him for several rounds, yet he did not stop playing and singing. Zilu went in to see him and said: "Master, why are you so cheerful?"

孔子曰：「來，吾語女。我諱窮久矣，而不免，命也；求通久矣，而不得，時也。當堯舜而天下無窮人，非知得也；當桀紂而天下無通人，非知失也，時勢適然。夫水行不避蛟龍者，漁父之勇也；陸行不避兕虎者，獵夫之勇也；白刃交於前，視死若生者，烈士之勇也；知窮之有命，知通之有時，臨大難而不懼者，聖人之勇也。由處矣！吾命有所制矣。」

Confucius said: "Come, I will tell you. I have avoided hardship for a long time, yet could not escape it; that is fate. I have sought success for a long time, yet could not get it; that is the time. In the time of Yao and Shun the world had no one in hardship, not because of knowledge gained; in the time of Jie and Zhou the world had no one successful, not because of knowledge lost; the times and circumstances happened to be so. One who travels by water and does not avoid dragons has the courage of a fisherman; one who travels by land and does not avoid rhinoceroses and tigers has the courage of a hunter; one who sees death as life when bare blades cross before him has the courage of a martyr; one who knows that hardship has its fate and success has its time, and who does not fear in the face of great difficulty, has the courage of a sage. You, Zilu, rest easy! My fate is determined."

無幾何，將甲者進，辭曰：「以為陽虎也，故圍之。今非也，請辭而退。」

Before long a man in armor came in and apologized, saying: "We took you for Yang Hu, so we surrounded you. Now we see it is not so; we ask to take our leave and withdraw."

公孫龍問於魏牟曰：「龍少學先王之道，長而明仁義之行；合同異，離堅白；然不然，可不可；困百家之知，窮眾口之辯；吾自以為至達已。今吾聞莊子之言，汒焉異之。不知論之不及與，知之弗若與？今吾無所開吾喙，敢問其方。」

Gongsun Long asked Wei Mou: "When I was young I studied the Way of the former kings, and when grown I understood the conduct of humaneness and righteousness; I united sameness and difference, separated hardness and whiteness; made not-so into so, and not-allowable into allowable; I perplexed the knowledge of the hundred schools and exhausted the arguments of all mouths; I thought myself utterly accomplished. Now I have heard the words of Zhuangzi and am bewildered and amazed. I do not know whether my argument is not equal to his, or my knowledge is not equal to his. Now I have no place to open my mouth; may I ask about his method?"

公子牟隱机大息，仰天而笑曰：「子獨不聞夫埳井之鼃乎？謂東海之鱉曰：『吾樂與！出跳梁乎井幹之上，入休乎缺甃之崖；赴水則接腋持頤，蹶泥則沒足滅跗；還虷蟹與科斗，莫吾能若也。且夫擅一壑之水，而跨跱埳井之樂，此亦至矣。夫子奚不時來入觀乎？』東海之鱉左足未入，而右膝已縶矣。於是逡巡而卻，告之海曰：『夫千里之遠，不足以舉其大；千仞之高，不足以極其深。禹之時十年九潦，而水弗為加益；湯之時八年七旱，而崖不為加損。夫不為頃久推移，不以多少進退者，此亦東海之大樂也。』於是埳井之鼃聞之，適適然驚，規規然自失也。

Prince Mou leaned on his armrest, sighed deeply and laughed up at the sky, saying: "Have you not heard of the frog in the collapsed well? It said to the turtle of the Eastern Sea: 'How happy I am! I go out and hop on the well's rail (the well rail, here "gan" is the rail of the well and not "to interfere"), I go in and rest on the edge of a broken brick; jumping into the water I am held up under my armpits and chin, treading in mud it covers my feet and the tops of my feet; looking back at the mosquito larvae, crabs and tadpoles, none can match me. Moreover, to have one gully's water all to myself and to stride over the pleasure of a collapsed well is the utmost. Why do you not come in and look from time to time, sir?' The turtle of the Eastern Sea had not yet put in its left foot when its right knee was already caught. So it hesitated and withdrew, and told it of the sea: 'A thousand li is not enough to describe its size; a thousand ren is not enough to exhaust its depth. In the time of Yu, nine floods in ten years, and the water did not increase for it; in the time of Tang, seven droughts in eight years, and its banks did not recede. Not shifting with the length of time, not advancing or retreating with the amount, this too is the great joy of the Eastern Sea.' Then the frog in the collapsed well, hearing this, was startled and amazed, and lost itself in confusion.

且夫知不知是非之竟，而猶欲觀於莊子之言，是猶使蚊負山，商蚷馳河也，必不勝任矣。且夫知不知論極妙之言，而自適一時之利者，是非埳井之鼃與？且彼方跐黃泉而登大皇，無南無北，奭然四解，淪於不測；無東無西，始於玄冥，反於大通。子乃規規然而求之以察，索之以辯，是直用管闚天，用錐指地也，不亦小乎！子往矣！且子獨不聞夫壽陵餘子之學於邯鄲與？未得國能，又失其故行矣，直匍匐而歸耳。今子不去，將忘子之故，失子之業。」

(Prince Mou continued:) "Moreover, someone who does not know the realm of right and wrong and yet wishes to look at Zhuangzi's words is like making a mosquito carry a mountain or a centipede run across a river; they would certainly not be equal to it. Moreover, someone who does not know how to discuss the most subtle words and merely finds satisfaction in the gain of a moment, is this not the frog in the collapsed well? He treads the Yellow Springs and ascends the Great Heaven, with no south and no north, clearly open on all four sides, sinking into the unfathomable; with no east and no west, beginning in the dark depths and returning to the great thoroughfare. Yet you narrowly seek it with inspection and search for it with argument, which is only peering at the sky through a pipe and pointing at the earth with an awl; is it not small! Go away! And have you not heard of the young man of Shouling who went to Handan to learn to walk (the "young man" here means a youth not yet ranked, not "I")? He did not get the skill of Zhao, and lost his own original gait, and had to crawl home. Now if you do not leave, you will forget what you had and lose your trade."

公孫龍口呿而不合，舌舉而不下，乃逸而走。

Gongsun Long's mouth hung open and could not close, his tongue was raised and could not come down, and so he fled.

莊子釣於濮水，楚王使大夫二人往先焉，曰：「願以境內累矣！」

Zhuangzi was fishing in the Pu River, and the King of Chu sent two grandees to convey his respects first, saying: "We wish to entrust the burden of the state to you!"

莊子持竿不顧，曰：「吾聞楚有神龜，死已三千歲矣，王巾笥而藏之廟堂之上。此龜者，寧其死為留骨而貴乎？寧其生而曳尾於塗中乎？」

Zhuangzi held his rod and did not turn his head, and said: "I have heard that Chu has a sacred tortoise that died three thousand years ago, and the king keeps it wrapped in cloth and in a box in the temple hall. Would this tortoise rather be dead and leave its bones to be honored, or would it rather be alive and dragging its tail in the mud?"

二大夫曰：「寧生而曳尾塗中。」

The two grandees said: "It would rather be alive and dragging its tail in the mud."

莊子曰：「往矣！吾將曳尾於塗中。」

Zhuangzi said: "Go away! I will drag my tail in the mud."

惠子相梁，莊子往見之。或謂惠子曰：「莊子來，欲代子相。」於是惠子恐，搜於國中三日三夜。

Huizi was chancellor of Liang, and Zhuangzi went to see him. Someone said to Huizi: "Zhuangzi is coming, and wants to take your place as chancellor." So Huizi was afraid and searched the state for three days and three nights.

莊子往見之，曰：「南方有鳥，其名為鵷鶵，子知之乎？夫鵷鶵，發於南海而飛於北海，非梧桐不止，非練實不食，非醴泉不飲。於是鴟得腐鼠，鵷鶵過之，仰而視之曰：『嚇！』今子欲以子之梁國而嚇我邪？」

Zhuangzi went to see him and said: "In the south there is a bird whose name is Yuanchu; do you know it? The Yuanchu sets out from the Southern Sea and flies to the Northern Sea, and will not perch on anything but a parasol tree, will not eat anything but bamboo seeds, and will not drink anything but sweet spring water. Then an owl, having got a rotten rat, as the Yuanchu passed by, looked up at it and said: 'Shoo!' Now do you wish to shoo me with your state of Liang?"

莊子與惠子遊於濠梁之上。

Zhuangzi and Huizi were strolling on the bridge over the Hao River.

莊子曰：「鯈魚出游從容，是魚之樂也。」

Zhuangzi said: "The minnows come out and swim at ease; this is the happiness of fish."

惠子曰：「子非魚，安知魚之樂？」

Huizi said: "You are not a fish; how do you know the happiness of fish?"

莊子曰：「子非我，安知我不知魚之樂？」

Zhuangzi said: "You are not I; how do you know that I do not know the happiness of fish?"

惠子曰：「我非子，固不知子矣；子固非魚也，子之不知魚之樂，全矣！」

Huizi said: "I am not you, so of course I do not know you; you are certainly not a fish, so you do not know the happiness of fish, and that is complete!"

莊子曰：「請循其本。子曰『汝安知魚樂』云者，既已知吾知之而問我，我知之濠上也。」

Zhuangzi said: "Let us go back to the beginning. When you said 'How do you know the fish are happy,' you already knew that I knew it and were asking me; I knew it above the Hao."

天下有至樂無有哉？有可以活身者無有哉？今奚為奚據？奚避奚處？奚就奚去？奚樂奚惡？

Is there supreme happiness in the world, or is there not? Is there something that can keep one's person alive, or is there not? Now what to do and what to rely on? What to avoid and where to dwell? What to approach and what to leave? What to delight in and what to hate?

夫天下之所尊者，富貴壽善也；所樂者，身安厚味美服好色音聲也；所下者，貧賤夭惡也；所苦者，身不得安逸，口不得厚味，形不得美服，目不得好色，耳不得音聲。若不得者，則大憂以懼，其為形也亦愚哉！

What the world honors is wealth, rank, long life and goodness; what it delights in is bodily ease, rich flavors, fine clothes, beautiful sights and music; what it looks down on is poverty, lowliness, early death and badness; what it suffers from is the body not getting ease, the mouth not getting rich flavors, the form not getting fine clothes, the eyes not getting beautiful sights and the ears not getting music. If one cannot get these, one worries greatly and fears; to do this for the sake of the body is also too foolish!

夫富者，苦身疾作，多積財而不得盡用，其為形也亦外矣。夫貴者，夜以繼日，思慮善否，其為形也亦疏矣。人之生也，與憂俱生，壽者惽惽，久憂不死，何苦也！其為形也亦遠矣。烈士為天下見善矣，未足以活身。吾未知善之誠善邪？誠不善邪？若以為善矣，不足活身；以為不善矣，足以活人。故曰：「忠諫不聽，蹲循勿爭。」故夫子胥爭之以殘其形，不爭，名亦不成。誠有善無有哉？

The rich toil bitterly with their bodies and work hard, accumulating much wealth that they cannot fully use; to do this for the sake of the body is also too outward. The noble work night and day, pondering whether things are good or not; to do this for the sake of the body is also too remote. A person's life is born together with worry, and the long-lived are befuddled, worrying long and not dying; how bitter! To do this for the sake of the body is also too far off. Martyrs are regarded by the world as good, yet it is not enough to keep their persons alive. I do not know whether that goodness is truly good or truly not good. If one regards it as good, it is not enough to keep one's person alive; if one regards it as not good, it is enough to keep others alive. So it is said: "If loyal remonstrance is not followed, withdraw and do not contend." So Wu Zixu contended and mutilated his own body, and if he had not contended, his name could not have been made. Is there really such a thing as goodness?

今俗之所為與其所樂，吾又未知樂之果樂邪，果不樂邪？吾觀夫俗之所樂，舉群趣者，誙誙然如將不得已，而皆曰樂者，吾未之樂也，亦未之不樂也。果有樂無有哉？吾以無為誠樂矣，又俗之所大苦也。故曰：「至樂無樂，至譽無譽。」

As for what the world does and delights in now, I again do not know whether the delight is truly delight or truly not delight. I see that what the world delights in is rushed to by whole crowds, anxious as if they could not help it, yet all say it is delight; I have never regarded it as delight, nor have I regarded it as not delight. Is there truly delight or not? I take non-action as true delight, yet it is what the world suffers from most. So it is said: "Supreme happiness has no happiness, and supreme praise has no praise."

天下是非果未可定也。雖然，無為可以定是非。至樂活身，唯無為幾存。請嘗試言之。天無為以之清，地無為以之寧。故兩無為相合，萬物皆化生。芒乎芴乎，而無從出乎！芴乎芒乎，而無有象乎！萬物職職，皆從無為殖。故曰，天地無為也而無不為也，人也孰能得無為哉！

The right and wrong of the world truly cannot yet be settled. Even so, non-action can settle right and wrong. Supreme happiness keeps one's person alive, and only non-action nearly preserves it. Let me try to speak of it. Heaven is non-acting and therefore clear, Earth is non-acting and therefore at peace. So when the two join in non-action, the ten thousand things all transform and are born. Vague and obscure, indistinct and hazy, it has nowhere it comes out from! Indistinct and hazy, vague and obscure, it has no form or image! The ten thousand things are many, and all are generated from non-action. So it is said: Heaven and Earth do nothing and yet nothing is left undone; who among people can attain non-action!

莊子妻死，惠子弔之，莊子則方箕踞鼓盆而歌。

Zhuangzi's wife died, and Huizi went to offer condolences, and found Zhuangzi sitting with legs spread, drumming on an earthen basin and singing.

惠子曰：「與人居，長子老身，死不哭亦足矣，又鼓盆而歌，不亦甚乎！」

Huizi said: "You lived with her, raised her children and grew old together; not weeping at her death is already enough, and drumming on a basin and singing, is that not going too far!"

莊子曰：「不然。是其始死也，我獨何能無概然！察其始而本無生，非徒無生也，而本無形，非徙無形也而本無氣。雜乎芒芴之間，變而有氣，氣變而有形，形變而有生。今又變而之死。是相與為春秋冬夏四時行也。人且偃然寢於巨室，而我噭噭然隨而哭之，自以為不通乎命，故止也。」

Zhuangzi said: "It is not so. When she first died, how could I alone not be moved! But I looked into her beginning, and originally she had no life; not only had no life, originally she had no form; not only had no form, originally she had no qi. Mixed in the vague and hazy, it changed and there was qi, the qi changed and there was form, the form changed and there was life. Now there is another change and she has gone to death. This is like the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter running in turn. She is now lying peacefully in a great house, and if I were to follow with wailing and weeping, I would think myself ignorant of fate, so I stopped."

支離叔與滑介叔觀於冥伯之丘，崑崙之虛，黃帝之所休。俄而柳生其左肘，其意蹶蹶然惡之。

Uncle Zhili and Uncle Huajie were observing at the Hill of Mingbo and the ruins of Kunlun, where the Yellow Emperor rested. Suddenly a tumor grew on his left elbow, and he felt a stiff dislike for it.

支離叔曰：「子惡之乎？」

Uncle Zhili said: "Do you dislike it?"

滑介叔曰：「亡，予何惡！生者，假借也。假之而生生者，塵垢也。死生為晝夜。且吾與子觀化而化及我，我又何惡焉！」

Uncle Huajie said: "No, what would I dislike! Life is a loan. What is born from a loan is dust and dirt. Death and life are day and night. Moreover, you and I are observing transformation, and transformation has reached me; what would I dislike!"

莊子之楚，見空髑髏，髐然有形，撽以馬捶，因而問之，曰：「夫子貪生失理，而為此乎？將子有亡國之事，斧鉞之誅，而為此乎？將子有不善之行，愧遺父母妻子之醜，而為此乎？將子有凍餒之患，而為此乎？將子之春秋故及此乎？」

Zhuangzi went to Chu and saw an empty skull, its dry bones in shape, and struck it with a horse whip, and asked it, saying: "Sir, did you come to this by greed for life and loss of principle? Or did you come to this through the ruin of a state or the punishment of axes? Or did you come to this by doing wrong and being ashamed to leave disgrace to your parents, wife and children? Or did you come to this by the trouble of cold and hunger? Or did your years and lifespan simply come to this?"

於是語卒，援髑髏，枕而臥。夜半，髑髏見夢曰：「子之談者似辯士，視子所言，皆生人之累也，死則無此矣。子欲聞死之說乎？」

When he had finished speaking, he pulled the skull over and lay down using it as a pillow. At midnight the skull appeared in a dream and said: "Your talk is like that of a debater. Looking at what you say, all of it is the burden of the living; in death there is none of this. Do you want to hear about death?"

莊子曰：「然。」

Zhuangzi said: "Yes."

髑髏曰：「死，無君於上，無臣於下，亦無四時之事，從然以天地為春秋，雖南面王樂，不能過也。」

The skull said: "In death, above there is no ruler, below there is no minister, and there are no affairs of the four seasons, and one freely takes Heaven and Earth as spring and autumn; even the joy of a king facing south could not exceed it."

莊子不信，曰：「吾使司命復生子形，為子骨肉肌膚，反子父母妻子閭裡知識，子欲之乎？」

Zhuangzi did not believe it and said: "If I had the Lord of Fate restore your form, give you bones, flesh and skin, and send you back to your parents, wife, children and acquaintances in the village, would you want that?"

髑髏深矉蹙頞曰：「吾安能棄南面王樂而復為人閒之勞乎！」

The skull frowned deeply and wrinkled its brow and said: "How could I give up the joy of a king facing south and again take on the toil of the human world!"

顏淵東之齊，孔子有憂色。子貢下席而問曰：「小子敢問，回東之齊，夫子有憂色，何邪？」

Yan Yuan was going east to Qi, and Confucius had a worried look. Zigong left his mat and asked: "May I ask, Hui is going east to Qi, and you, Master, look worried; why?"

孔子曰：「善哉汝問！昔者管子有言，丘甚善之，曰：『褚小者不可以懷大，綆短者不可以汲深。』夫若是者，以為命有所成而形有所適也，夫不可損益。吾恐回與齊侯言堯舜黃帝之道，而重以燧人神農之言。彼將內求於己而不得，不得則惑，人惑則死。

Confucius said: "You ask well! In the past Guanzi had a saying that I, Qiu, thought very good: 'A small bag cannot wrap something large, and a short rope cannot draw from a deep well.' This means that fate has what it completes and the body has what it suits, which cannot be added to or subtracted from. I fear that when he goes back to speak to the Marquis of Qi about the way of Yao, Shun and the Yellow Emperor, and then adds the words of Suiren and Shennong, the Marquis of Qi will seek it within himself and not find it, and not finding it he will be confused, and a confused person dies.

且女獨不聞邪？昔者海鳥止於魯郊，魯侯御而觴之於廟，奏九韶以為樂，具太牢以為膳。鳥乃眩視憂悲，不敢食一臠，不敢飲一杯，三日而死。此以己養養鳥也，非以鳥養養鳥也。夫以鳥養養鳥者，宜棲之深林，遊之壇陸，浮之江湖，食之鰌䱔，隨行列而止，委虵而處。彼唯人言之惡聞，奚以夫譊譊為乎！咸池九韶之樂，張之洞庭之野，鳥聞之而飛，獸聞之而走，魚聞之而下入，人卒聞之，相與還而觀之。魚處水而生，人處水而死，彼必相與異，其好惡故異也。故先聖不一其能，不同其事。名止於實，義設於適，是之謂條達而福持。」

(Confucius continued:) "Moreover, have you not heard? In the past a seabird alighted in the suburbs of Lu, and the Marquis of Lu welcomed it, gave it wine in the temple, played the Nine Shao as music for it, and prepared the grand sacrifice of ox, sheep and pig as its meal. The bird was dazzled, grieved and worried, did not dare eat a piece of meat or drink a cup, and died in three days. This was nourishing a bird by the way of nourishing oneself, not by the way of nourishing a bird. To nourish a bird by the way of nourishing a bird, one should let it perch in a deep forest, roam on the shore, float on rivers and lakes, eat loaches and minnows, stop with the flock, and settle at ease. It only dislikes hearing human voices; what need is there for such clamor! The music of the Xianchi and the Nine Shao, performed in the wilds of Dongting, makes birds hear it and fly, beasts hear it and run, fish hear it and sink, and people hear it and gather round to watch. Fish live in water and people die in water; they surely differ from each other, and their likes and dislikes are therefore different. So the former sages did not take their abilities as the same and did not take their affairs as identical. Names stop at reality and righteousness is set on suitability; this is called being well-ordered and holding to blessing."

列子行食於道從，見百歲髑髏，攓蓬而指之曰：「唯予與汝知而未嘗死，未嘗生也。若果養乎？予果歡乎？」

Liezi was traveling and ate by the roadside, and saw a hundred-year-old skull; he parted the weeds, pointed at it and said: "Only you and I know that you have never died and never lived. Are you really sorrowful? Am I really glad?"

種有幾，得水則為㡭，得水土之際則為鼃蠙之衣，生於陵屯則為陵舄，陵舄得鬱棲則為烏足，烏足之根為蠐螬，其葉為胡蝶。胡蝶胥也化而為蟲，生於灶下，其狀若脫，其名為鴝掇。鴝掇千日為鳥，其名為乾餘骨。乾餘骨之沫為斯彌，斯彌為食醯。頤輅生乎食醯，黃軦生乎九猷，瞀芮生乎腐蠸，羊奚比乎不箰，久竹生青寧，青寧生程，程生馬，馬生人，人又反入於機。萬物皆出於機，皆入於機。

Seeds have germs; with water they become ji, with the edge of water and earth they become the garment of frogs and shells, born on a mound they become ling-xi (plantain), plantain with manure and soil becomes wu-zu, the root of wu-zu becomes a grub and its leaves become butterflies. The butterfly soon transforms into an insect, born under the stove, its shape like a shed skin, called qu-duo. Qu-duo after a thousand days becomes a bird, named Ganyu-gu (the name of a bird; here "yu" is part of a name and not "I"). The foam of Ganyu-gu becomes simi, and simi becomes shixi. Yilu is born from shixi, huangshuang from jiuyou, maorui from fuquan; yangxi paired with bamboo that does not sprout; old bamboo gives birth to qingning, qingning gives birth to cheng, cheng gives birth to the horse, the horse gives birth to man, and man again returns and enters the mechanism. All the ten thousand things come out of the mechanism and enter into the mechanism.

達生之情者，不務生之所無以為；達命之情者，不務知之所無柰何。養形必先之以物，物有餘而形不養者有之矣。有生必先無離形，形不離而生亡者有之矣。生之來不能卻，其去不能止。悲夫！世之人以為養形足以存生；而養形果不足以存生，則世奚足為哉！雖不足為而不可不為者，其為不免矣。

One who understands the true state of life does not strive for what life cannot do; one who understands the true state of fate does not strive to know what cannot be helped. To nourish the body one must first use things, yet there are already cases where there are surplus things and the body is not nourished. To have life one must first not leave the body, yet there are already cases where the body has not left and life is already lost. Life's coming cannot be refused, and its going cannot be stopped. How sad! People in the world think nourishing the body is enough to preserve life; and if nourishing the body truly is not enough to preserve life, then what is there in the world worth doing! Though not worth doing, yet what one cannot but do, that doing is unavoidable.

夫欲免為形者，莫如棄世。棄世則無累，無累則正平，正平則與彼更生，更生則幾矣。事奚足棄而生奚足遺？棄事則形不勞，遺生則精不虧。夫形全精復，與天為一。天地者，萬物之父母也。合則成體，散則成始。形精不虧，是謂能移。精而又精，反以相天。

One who wishes to be free from being enslaved by the body had best abandon the world. Abandoning the world leaves no entanglement; no entanglement means rectitude and balance; with rectitude and balance one is renewed along with that, and renewal brings one near. What is there in affairs worth abandoning, what in life worth discarding? When affairs are abandoned the body is not wearied; when life is discarded the vital essence is not diminished. When the body is whole and the essence restored, one becomes one with Heaven. Heaven and Earth are the parents of the myriad things. Joined, they form a body; scattered, they become a beginning. When body and essence are undiminished, this is called being able to transform. Refined and again refined, one turns back to assist Heaven.

子列子問關尹曰：「至人潛行不窒，蹈火不熱，行乎萬物之上而不慄。請問何以至於此？」

Master Liezi asked Guan Yin: "The perfect man walks under water without choking, treads on fire without being hot, and walks above the myriad things without trembling. May I ask how he comes to this?"

關尹曰：「是純氣之守也，非知巧果敢之列。居，予語女！凡有貌象聲色者，皆物也，物與物何以相遠？夫奚足以至乎先？是色而已。則物之造乎不形而止乎無所化，夫得是而窮之者，物焉得而止焉！彼將處乎不淫之度，而藏乎無端之紀，遊乎萬物之所終始。壹其性，養其氣，合其德，以通乎物之所造。夫若是者，其天守全，其神無郤，物奚自入焉！

Guan Yin said: "This is the keeping of pure qi, and is not a matter of cleverness, skill, or boldness. Sit down, and I will tell you! All that has shape, appearance, sound, and color is a thing; what makes one thing so far different from another? How is any of it worthy of being first? It is only color. Then, one who reaches the point where things are made but do not take form and rest in what is without transformation, who obtains this and exhausts it, how could things stop him! He will dwell within the limit that does not overstep, hide in the thread that has no end, and roam where the myriad things end and begin. He is single-minded in his nature, nourishes his qi, unites with his virtue, and so is open to what makes things. Such a man keeps his Heaven whole and his spirit has no cracks; from where could things enter!

夫醉者之墜車，雖疾不死。骨節與人同而犯害與人異，其神全也，乘亦不知也，墜亦不知也，死生驚懼不入乎其胷中，是故𨕣物而不慴。彼得全於酒而猶若是，而況得全於天乎？聖人藏於天，故莫之能傷也。復讎者不折鏌幹，雖有忮心者不怨飄瓦，是以天下平均。故無攻戰之亂，無殺戮之刑者，由此道也。

(Guan Yin continued:) "A drunken man who falls from a carriage, though hurt, does not die. His bones and joints are the same as others', yet he is harmed differently, because his spirit is whole. He did not know he was riding and did not know he was falling; death, life, alarm, and fear do not enter his chest, and so he meets things without fear. If he can gain wholeness from wine like this, how much more from Heaven? The sage hides in Heaven, so no one can hurt him. One who seeks revenge does not break the sword Moye (the word "gan" in Ganjiang here is a sword's name, not 'interfere'), and even a man full of resentment does not blame a falling tile; and so the world is at peace. The reason there is no disorder of attack and war, and no punishment of slaughter, is this Way.

不開人之天，而開天之天，開天者德生，開人者賊生。不厭其天，不忽於人，民幾乎以其真！」

(Guan Yin continued:) "Do not open up the Heaven of man; open up the Heaven of Heaven. When the Heaven of Heaven is opened, virtue is born; when the Heaven of man is opened, harm is born. Do not despise his Heaven, do not neglect the human; and the people will nearly use their truth!"

仲尼適楚，出於林中，見痀僂者承蜩，猶掇之也。

Confucius went to Chu, and coming out of a forest saw a hunchback catching cicadas with a sticky pole as easily as picking them up.

仲尼曰：「子巧乎！有道邪？」

Confucius said: "How skillful you are! Do you have a Way?"

曰：「我有道也。五六月累丸二而不墜，則失者錙銖；累三而不墜，則失者十一；累五而不墜，猶掇之也。吾處身也，若厥株拘；吾執臂也，若槁木之枝。雖天地之大，萬物之多，而唯蜩翼之知。吾不反不側，不以萬物易蜩之翼，何為而不得。」

(The hunchback) said: "I have a Way. For five or six months I practiced balancing two balls on the pole without dropping them, and then I lost only a tiny amount; balancing three balls without dropping them, I lose one in ten; balancing five balls without dropping them, it is like picking them up. I set my body like a standing stump; I hold my arm like the branch of a withered tree. Although Heaven and Earth are great and the myriad things many, I know only the cicada's wings. I do not turn and do not lean, and I would not trade the myriad things for the cicada's wings; how could I fail?"

孔子顧謂弟子曰：「用志不分，乃凝於神，其痀僂丈人之謂乎！」

Confucius turned to his disciples and said: "When the will is not divided, it is concentrated in spirit; this is what is said of this old hunchback!"

顏淵問仲尼曰：「吾嘗濟乎觴深之淵，津人操舟若神。吾問焉，曰：『操舟可學邪？』曰：『可。善遊者數能。若乃夫沒人，則未嘗見舟而便操之也。』吾問焉而不吾告，敢問何謂也？」

Yan Yuan asked Confucius: "I once crossed the deep pool of Shang, and the ferryman handled the boat like a spirit. I asked him, 'Can handling a boat be learned?' He said: 'It can. One good at swimming can do it after a few tries. As for one who can dive, he can handle a boat without ever having seen one.' I asked him but he would not tell me; may I ask what this means?"

仲尼曰：「善遊者數能，忘水也；若乃夫沒人之未嘗見舟而便操之也，彼視淵若陵，視舟之履猶其車卻也。覆卻萬方陳乎前而不得入其舍，惡往而不暇！以瓦注者巧，以鉤注者憚，以黃金注者㱪。其巧一也，而有所矜，則重外也。凡外重者內拙。」

Confucius said: "One good at swimming can do it after a few tries because he forgets the water; as for one who can dive and handle a boat without ever having seen one, he sees the deep pool as a hill and the capsizing of the boat as a cart backing up. Capsizing and retreat in all their variety are set before him and cannot enter his dwelling; where could he not be at ease! One who bets with tiles is skillful; one who bets with belt hooks is afraid; one who bets with gold is confused. The skill is the same, but when there is something he cares about, he values what is outside. Whoever values what is outside is clumsy within."

田開之見周威公，威公曰：「吾聞祝腎學生，吾子與祝腎遊，亦何聞焉？」

Tian Kaizhi visited Duke Wei of Zhou. Duke Wei said: "I have heard that Zhu Shen studied how to nourish life; you traveled with Zhu Shen, and what did you hear?"

田開之曰：「開之操拔篲以侍門庭，亦何聞於夫子！」

Tian Kaizhi said: "I only held a broom and waited at his gate and courtyard; what could I hear from the Master!"

威公曰：「田子無讓，寡人願聞之。」

Duke Wei said: "Master Tian, do not be modest; I would like to hear."

開之曰：「聞之夫子曰：『善養生者，若牧羊然，視其後者而鞭之。』」

Kaizhi said: "I heard the Master say: 'One who is good at nourishing life is like a shepherd who watches for the sheep that lag behind and whips them.'"

威公曰：「何謂也？」

Duke Wei said: "What does this mean?"

田開之曰：「魯有單豹者，巖居而水飲，不與民共利，行年七十而猶有嬰兒之色，不幸遇餓虎，餓虎殺而食之。有張毅者，高門縣薄，無不走也，行年四十而有內熱之病以死。豹養其內而虎食其外，毅養其外而病攻其內，此二子者，皆不鞭其後者也。」

Tian Kaizhi said: "In Lu there was a man named Shan Bao, who lived in a cave and drank water, and did not share profit with the people; at the age of seventy he still had the complexion of a baby. Unfortunately he met a hungry tiger, and the hungry tiger killed and ate him. There was also Zhang Yi, who visited every house, high gate or low door; at forty he died of an internal fever. Bao nourished his inside and the tiger ate his outside; Yi nourished his outside and disease attacked his inside; both of these men failed to whip what lagged behind in themselves."

仲尼曰：「無入而藏，無出而陽，柴立其中央。三者若得，其名必極。夫畏塗者，十殺一人，則父子兄弟相戒也，必盛卒徒而後敢出焉，不亦知乎！人之所取畏者，袵席之上，飲食之閒，而不知為之戒者，過也！」

Confucius said: "Do not go in and hide, do not come out and show off, but stand in the middle like a withered tree. If one gets all three, his name is sure to reach the highest. Those who fear the road, if one in ten is killed, fathers, sons, and brothers warn each other and are sure to gather a big company before they dare go out; is that not wise! What people ought to fear most is what is on the bed and mat and in food and drink, yet not to know to be on guard against this is a mistake!"

祝宗人玄端以臨牢筴，說彘曰：「汝奚惡死！吾將三月㹖汝，十日戒，三日齊，藉白茅，加汝肩尻乎彫俎之上，則汝為之乎？」為彘謀，曰不如食以糠糟而錯之牢筴之中。自為謀，則苟生有軒冕之尊，死得於腞楯之上、聚僂之中則為之。為彘謀則去之，自為謀則取之，所異彘者何也？

The priest of sacrifice, in dark ceremonial robes, came to the pigsty and urged the pigs: "Why do you hate dying! I will feed you for three months, fast for ten days, abstain for three days, spread white rushes, and set your shoulders and rump on a carved platter; would you want that?" Planning for the pigs, he said it would be better to feed them chaff and dregs and keep them in the pen. Planning for himself, he would gladly have, while alive, the honor of carriage and cap, and after death, to lie on a decorated hearse in his coffin and outer coffin. Planning for the pigs, he discards these; planning for himself, he takes them; how is that different from the pigs?

桓公田於澤，管仲御，見鬼焉。公撫管仲之手曰：「仲父何見？」對曰：「臣無所見。」

Duke Huan was hunting in a marsh, with Guan Zhong driving the chariot, and saw a ghost. Duke Huan pressed Guan Zhong's hand and said: "What did Uncle Zhong see?" He answered: "I saw nothing."

公反，誒詒為病，數日不出。齊士有皇子告敖者曰：「公則自傷，鬼惡能傷公！夫忿滀之氣，散而不反，則為不足；上而不下，則使人善怒；下而不上，則使人善忘；不上不下，中身當心，則為病。」

Duke Huan returned and, with his spirit lost, fell ill, and for several days did not go out. A gentleman of Qi named Huangzi Gao'ao said: "Your Lordship has harmed yourself; how could a ghost harm you! When the qi of anger accumulates and scatters without returning, it becomes deficient; when it rises and does not descend, it makes a man prone to anger; when it descends and does not rise, it makes a man prone to forgetfulness; when it neither rises nor descends and sits in the body right at the heart, it becomes illness."

桓公曰：「然則有鬼乎？」

Duke Huan said: "Then are there ghosts?"

曰：「有。沈有履。灶有髻。戶內之煩壤，雷霆處之；東北方之下者，倍阿鮭蠪躍之；西北方之下者，則泆陽處之。水有罔象，丘有崒，山有夔，野有彷徨，澤有委蛇。」

(Huangzi Gao'ao) said: "There are. In the muck at the bottom there is the Li; the stove has the Ji. In the filthy soil inside the doorway the Thunder-and-Lightning dwells; below the northeast the Beia and Guilong leap about; below the northwest the Yiyang dwells. Water has the Wangxiang, hills have the Xin, mountains have the Kui, wilds have the Pang Huang, and marshes have the Weishe." (Here "muck" means silt at the bottom of water, not the place name Shen.)

公曰：「請問委蛇之狀何如？」

Duke Huan said: "May I ask what the Weishe looks like?"

皇子曰：「委蛇，其大如轂，其長如轅，紫衣而朱冠。其為物也，惡聞雷車之聲，則捧其首而立。見之者殆乎霸。」

Huangzi said: "The Weishe is as big as a cart hub and as long as a shaft, with a purple robe and a red cap. As a creature, it hates hearing the sound of thunder chariots, and then stands holding its head. One who sees it will nearly become a hegemon."

桓公辴然而笑曰：「此寡人之所見者也。」於是正衣冠與之坐，不終日而不知病之去也。

Duke Huan laughed brightly and said: "That is exactly what I saw." Then he straightened his robe and cap and sat with him, and before a day had passed, he did not know that his illness had gone.

紀渻子為王養鬬雞。

Ji Xingzi raised a fighting cock for the king.

十日而問：「雞已乎？」曰：「未也，方虛憍而恃氣。」

After ten days the king asked: "Is the cock ready?" He said: "Not yet; it is still vain and proud, and relies on its spirit."

十日又問，曰：「未也，猶應嚮景。」

After another ten days he asked again, and said: "Not yet; it still responds to sounds and shadows."

十日又問，曰：「未也，猶疾視而盛氣。」

After another ten days he asked again, and said: "Not yet; it still glares and is full of spirit."

十日又問，曰：「幾矣，雞雖有鳴者，已無變矣，望之似木雞矣，其德全矣。異雞無敢應者，反走矣。」

After another ten days he asked again, and said: "Nearly. Though other cocks crow, it no longer changes; looking at it, it is like a wooden cock, its virtue is whole. Other cocks dare not respond to it, and instead run away."

孔子觀於呂梁，縣水三十仞，流沫四十里，黿鼉魚鼈之所不能遊也。見一丈夫遊之，以為有苦而欲死也，使弟子並流而拯之。數百步而出，被髮行歌而遊於塘下。

Confucius was viewing Lüliang, where a waterfall hung thirty ren and the foam flowed forty li, so that even turtles, crocodiles, fish, and tortoises could not swim in it. He saw a man swimming there and thought he was in distress and wanted to die, and sent his disciples along the bank to rescue him. After swimming several hundred paces he came out, hair loose, walking and singing, and strolled beneath the embankment.

孔子從而問焉，曰：「吾以子為鬼，察子則人也。請問，蹈水有道乎？」

Confucius followed him and asked: "I thought you were a ghost, but looking at you, you are a man. May I ask, is there a Way to treading water?"

曰：「亡，吾無道。吾始乎故，長乎性，成乎命。與齊俱入，與汩偕出，從水之道而不為私焉。此吾所以蹈之也。」

(The man) said: "No, I have no Way. I began with the familiar, grew with my nature, and was completed by fate. I go in with the whirlpool and come out with the surge, following the Way of the water and not acting on my own; this is how I tread water."

孔子曰：「何謂始乎故，長乎性，成乎命？」

Confucius said: "What do you mean by beginning with the familiar, growing with nature, and being completed by fate?"

曰：「吾生於陵而安於陵，故也；長於水而安於水，性也；不知吾所以然而然，命也。」

(The man) said: "I was born on the land and am at ease on land: that is the familiar. I grew up in the water and am at ease in water: that is nature. Not knowing why I am so and yet being so: that is fate."

梓慶削木為鐻，鐻成，見者驚猶鬼神。魯侯見而問焉，曰：「子何術以為焉？」

Craftsman Qing carved wood to make a bell stand, and when it was done, those who saw it were amazed as if it were made by ghosts and spirits. The Marquis of Lu saw it and asked him: "By what art did you make it?"

對曰：「臣，工人，何術之有！雖然，有一焉。臣將為鐻，未嘗敢以耗氣也，必齊以靜心。齊三日，而不敢懷慶賞爵祿；齊五日，不敢懷非譽巧拙；齊七日，輒然忘吾有四枝形體也。當是時也，無公朝，其巧專而外骨消；然後入山林，觀天性，形軀至矣，然後成見鐻，然後加手焉，不然則已。則以天合天，器之所以疑神者，其是與！」

He answered: "I am only a craftsman; what art do I have! Even so, there is one thing. When I am about to make a bell stand, I never dare to waste my qi, and I always fast to still my mind. After fasting three days, I no longer dare to think of reward, praise, rank, or salary; after fasting five days, I no longer dare to think of blame, praise, skill, or clumsiness; after fasting seven days, I forget that I have four limbs and a body. At such a time there is no ducal court; my skill is concentrated and outside disturbances vanish; then I enter the mountain forest and observe the natures of trees; when the body of one is right, I see the bell stand complete in it, and only then do I set my hand to it; otherwise I stop. It is simply using Heaven to match Heaven; that the vessel is suspected of being made by spirits is surely due to this!"

東野稷以御見莊公，進退中繩，左右旋中規。莊公以為文弗過也，使之鉤百而反。

Dongye Ji sought an audience with Duke Zhuang on the strength of his chariot-driving, advancing and retreating according to the line and turning left and right according to the compass. Duke Zhuang thought even a pattern could not exceed it, and had him make a hundred circuits and return.

顏闔遇之，入見曰：「稷之馬將敗。」公密而不應。

Yan He met him, went in to see the duke, and said: "Ji's horses are about to break down." The duke was silent and did not answer.

少焉，果敗而反。公曰：「子何以知之？」

Before long, as he predicted, they broke down and returned. The duke said: "How did you know?"

曰：「其馬力竭矣，而猶求焉，故曰敗。」

(Yan He) said: "His horses' strength was already exhausted, and he was still demanding more of them, so I said they would break down."

工倕旋而蓋規矩，指與物化而不以心稽，故其靈臺一而不桎。忘足，履之適也；忘要，帶之適也；知忘是非，心之適也；不內變，不外從，事會之適也。始乎適而未嘗不適者，忘適之適也。

Craftsman Chui turned things and matched the compass and square, his fingers transforming with the thing without measuring with the mind; so his spirit-terrace was unified and not fettered. Forget the feet, and the shoes fit; forget the waist, and the belt fits; when knowledge forgets right and wrong, the mind fits; when within there is no change and without there is no following, and one meets affairs, one fits. Beginning from fitting and never not fitting is the fitting that has forgotten fitting.

有孫休者，踵門而詫子扁慶子曰：「休居鄉不見謂不脩，臨難不見謂不勇；然而田原不遇歲，事君不遇世，賓於鄉裡，逐於州部，則胡罪乎天哉？休惡遇此命也？」

There was one Sun Xiu, who went to the door and asked Master Bian Qingzi in amazement: "Living in the village, I was not called undisciplined; facing danger, I was not called cowardly; yet my fields did not meet good years, I did not meet the right time in serving a ruler, I was rejected by the village and driven out by the district; so what is my offense against Heaven? How did I meet such a fate?"

扁子曰：「子獨不聞夫至人之自行邪？忘其肝膽，遺其耳目，芒然彷徨乎塵垢之外，逍遙乎無事之業，是謂為而不恃，長而不宰。今汝飾知以驚愚，脩身以明汙，昭昭乎若揭日月而行也。汝得全而形軀，具而九竅，無中道夭於聾盲跛蹇而比於人數，亦幸矣，又何暇乎天之怨哉！子往矣！」

Master Bian said: "Have you not heard of the conduct of the perfect man? He forgets his liver and gall, discards his ears and eyes, wanders vaguely beyond dust and dirt, and roams freely in the business of non-action; this is called acting without relying and leading without ruling. Now you adorn your knowledge to frighten the foolish, and cultivate yourself to show up their filth, brightly as if walking carrying the sun and moon. That you can keep your body whole and have the nine openings complete, not dying young in the middle of life from deafness, blindness, or lameness and yet being counted among men, is already fortunate; how can you have leisure to blame Heaven! Go on your way!"

孫子出，扁子入。坐有閒，仰天而歎。弟子問曰：「先生何為歎乎？」

Master Sun went out, and Master Bian came in. After sitting a while, he looked up to heaven and sighed. A disciple asked: "Why does the Master sigh?"

扁子曰：「曏者休來，吾告之以至人之德，吾恐其驚而遂至於惑也。」

Master Bian said: "Just now Xiu came, and I told him of the virtue of the perfect man; I fear he will be startled and end up confused."

弟子曰：「不然。孫子之所言是邪，先生之所言非邪，非固不能惑是；孫子所言非邪？先生所言是邪？彼固惑而來矣，又奚罪焉！」

The disciple said: "It is not so. If what Master Sun said was right and what the Master said was wrong, then the wrong could not confuse the right; if what Master Sun said was wrong and what the Master said was right, then he came already confused; what fault is there!"

扁子曰：「不然。昔者有鳥止於魯郊，魯君說之，為具太牢以饗之，奏九韶以樂之。鳥乃始憂悲眩視，不敢飲食。此之謂以己養養鳥也。若夫以鳥養養鳥者，宜棲之深林，浮之江湖，食之以委蛇，則平陸而已矣。今休，款啟寡聞之民也，吾告以至人之德，譬之若載鼷以車馬，樂鴳以鐘鼓也，彼又惡能無驚乎哉！」

Master Bian said: "It is not so. Formerly a bird came to rest in the outskirts of Lu, and the Marquis of Lu liked it, prepared the great sacrifice of ox, sheep, and pig to entertain it, and played the Jiushao music to please it. The bird then began to grow sad and dizzy, and did not dare to eat or drink. This is called nourishing a bird by the way one nourishes oneself. To nourish a bird by the way of nourishing a bird, one should let it perch in a deep forest, float on rivers and lakes, and feed it with loaches, and level ground would be enough. Now Xiu is a man whose openings have just opened and who has seen and heard little; telling him of the virtue of the perfect man is like loading a mouse onto a carriage and horses, or using bells and drums to amuse a quail; how could it not be startled!"

莊子行於山中，見大木，枝葉盛茂。伐木者止其旁而不取也。問其故，曰：「無所可用。」莊子曰：「此木以不材得終其天年。」

Zhuangzi was walking in the mountains and saw a great tree with luxuriant branches and leaves. The woodcutter stopped beside it and did not take it. Asked the reason, he said: "There is nothing it can be used for." Zhuangzi said: "This tree, because it is useless as timber, is able to live out its natural years."

夫子出於山，舍於故人之家。故人喜，命豎子殺雁而烹之。豎子請曰：「其一能鳴，其一不能鳴，請奚殺？」主人曰：「殺不能鳴者。」

The Master came out of the mountains and stayed at the house of an old friend. The friend was delighted and told a servant boy to kill a goose and cook it. The boy asked: "One can cry out and one cannot; which should I kill?" The host said: "Kill the one that cannot cry out."

明日，弟子問於莊子曰：「昨日山中之木，以不材得終其天年；今主人之雁，以不材死；先生將何處？」

The next day, the disciples asked Zhuangzi: "Yesterday the tree in the mountain, being useless as timber, was able to live out its natural years; now the host's goose, being useless, was killed; where will you stand, Master?"

莊子笑曰：「周將處乎材與不材之間。材與不材之間，似之而非也，故未免乎累。若夫乘道德而浮遊則不然。無譽無訾，一龍一蛇，與時俱化，而無肯專為；一上一下，以和為量，浮遊乎萬物之祖；物物而不物於物，則胡可得而累邪！此神農黃帝之法則也。若夫萬物之情，人倫之傳，則不然。合則離，成則毀；廉則挫，尊則議，有為則虧，賢則謀，不肖則欺。胡可得而必乎哉！悲夫，弟子志之，其唯道德之鄉乎！」

Zhuangzi laughed and said: "Zhou will stand between being useful and useless. Between being useful and useless seems right but in fact is not, so one cannot avoid entanglement. But as for riding on the Way and its virtue and floating freely, it is not so. There is no praise and no blame, now a dragon, now a snake, changing with the times and unwilling to be devoted to one thing alone; now up, now down, taking harmony as one's measure, floating freely in the ancestor of the myriad things; making use of things without being used by things, how could one be entangled! This was the rule of Shennong and the Yellow Emperor. As for the nature of the myriad things and the transmitted practice of human relations, it is not so. When joined, they separate; when completed, they are ruined; the incorruptible is broken, the honored is criticized, the active falls short, the worthy is plotted against, the unworthy is cheated. How can one count on anything! Alas, disciples, remember: only the home of the Way and its virtue!"

市南宜僚見魯侯，魯侯有憂色。市南子曰：「君有憂色，何也？」

Yiliao of Shinan met the Marquis of Lu, and the Marquis had a worried look. Master Shinan said: "Why does Your Lordship look worried?"

魯侯曰：「吾學先王之道，脩先君之業；吾敬鬼尊賢，親而行之，無須臾離居；然不免於患，吾是以憂。」

The Marquis of Lu said: "I study the Way of the former kings and cultivate the work of the former rulers; I revere the spirits and honor the worthy, and practice them myself without leaving my post for a moment; yet I cannot avoid trouble, and so I am worried."

市南子曰：「君之除患之術淺矣！夫豐狐文豹，棲於山林，伏於巖穴，靜也；夜行晝居，戒也；雖飢渴隱約，猶旦胥疏於江湖之上而求食焉，定也；然且不免於罔羅機闢之患。是何罪之有哉？其皮為之災也。今魯國獨非君之皮邪？吾願君刳形去皮，灑心去欲，而遊於無人之野。南越有邑焉，名為建德之國。其民愚而樸，少私而寡慾；知作而不知藏，與而不求其報；不知義之所適，不知禮之所將。猖狂妄行，乃蹈乎大方。其生可樂，其死可葬。吾願君去國捐俗，與道相輔而行。」

Master Shinan said: "Your Lordship's art of removing trouble is shallow! The sleek fox and the patterned leopard live in mountain forests and lie hidden in caves: that is stillness; they go out at night and stay in by day: that is caution; even when hungry, thirsty, and in distress, they still keep far away and go to the rivers and lakes to find food: that is steadiness; yet they cannot avoid the trouble of nets and traps. What is their offense? It is their skin that brings them disaster. Is not the state of Lu your Lordship's skin? I wish Your Lordship would cut away your form and strip off your skin, wash your heart and remove desire, and roam in a wilderness where there are no people. In Southern Yue there is a town called the Land of Established Virtue. Its people are simple and plain, with little selfishness and few desires; they know how to work but not how to store up, they give without seeking return; they do not know what righteousness suits or what ritual is to be practiced. They roam wildly and freely, yet tread on the great square. In life they can be happy, and in death they can be buried. I wish Your Lordship would leave the state, cast away custom, and travel in step with the Way."

君曰：「彼其道遠而險，又有江山，我無舟車，柰何？」

The Marquis said: "The road there is long and dangerous, and there are rivers and mountains, and I have no boat or carriage; what shall I do?"

市南子曰：「君無形倨，無畱居，以為君車。」

Master Shinan said: "Do not be proud of your form, do not linger where you dwell; take these as your carriage."

君曰：「彼其道幽遠而無人，吾誰與為鄰？吾無糧，我無食，安得而至焉？」

The Marquis said: "The road there is remote and without people; whom shall I have as neighbors? I have no grain and no food; how can I get there?"

市南子曰：「少君之費，寡君之慾，雖無糧而乃足。君其涉於江而浮於海，望之而不見其崖，愈往而不知其所窮。送君者皆自崖而反。君自此遠矣！故有人者累，見有於人者憂。故堯非有人，非見有於人也。吾願去君之累，除君之憂，而獨與道遊於大莫之國。方舟而濟於河，有虛船來觸舟，雖有惼心之人不怒；有一人在其上，則呼張歙之；一呼而不聞，再呼而不聞，於是三呼邪，則必以惡聲隨之。向也不怒而今也怒，向也虛而今也實。人能虛己以遊世，其孰能害之！」

Master Shinan said: "Reduce your expenses and reduce your desires, and even without grain you will have enough. You will cross the river and float on the sea, and looking you will not see the shore, and the farther you go, the less you will know where it ends. Those who see you off will all return from the shore. Your Lordship will be far away from here! Therefore one who possesses others is burdened, and one who is possessed by others is troubled. So Yao did not possess others and was not possessed by others. I wish to remove Your Lordship's burden and take away your trouble, and have you roam alone with the Way in the Land of Great Emptiness. When two boats are lashed together to cross a river, and an empty boat bumps into one, even a man of narrow heart will not be angry; but if there is a person in that boat, one shouts for him to pull away or draw close; if shouted once and he does not hear, shouted again and he does not hear, then the third time there will surely be harsh words. Before, not angry, and now angry; before, empty, and now full. If a person can empty himself to roam through the world, who can harm him!"

北宮奢為衞靈公賦斂以為鐘，為壇乎郭門之外。三月而成上下之縣。

Bei Gong She levied taxes for Duke Ling of Wei in order to make bells, and built an altar outside the outer gate. In three months he completed the upper and lower bell frames.

王子慶忌見而問焉，曰：「子何術之設？」

Prince Qingji saw him and asked: "What art did you apply?"

奢曰：「一之閒，無敢設也。奢聞之，『既彫既琢，復歸於樸。』侗乎其無識，儻乎其怠疑；萃乎芒乎，其送往而迎來；來者勿禁，往者勿止；從其強梁，隨其曲(傳)[傅]，因其自窮。故朝夕賦斂而毫毛不挫，而況有大塗者乎！」

She said: "Within the One, I dare not apply any. I have heard: 'Once carved and polished, return to plainness.' Be blank as if without knowledge, be vague as if lazy and hesitant; gather and yet be dim, send off the departing and greet the arriving; do not forbid what comes, do not stop what goes; go along with the strong and aggressive, follow the bending and flexible (the source text has "chuan", corrected here to "fu"), and by their own nature let them exhaust themselves. So I levy taxes morning and evening without a hair being harmed, how much more one who has a great road!"

孔子圍於陳蔡之間，七日不火食。

Confucius was besieged between Chen and Cai, and for seven days had no cooked food.

大公任往弔之，曰：「子幾死乎？」曰：「然。」

Grand Duke Ren came to condole with him and said: "Are you nearly dead?" He said: "Yes."

「子惡死乎？」曰：「然。」

"Do you hate dying?" He said: "Yes."

任曰：「予嘗言不死之道。東海有鳥焉，其名曰意怠。其為鳥也，翂翂翐翐，而似無能；引援而飛，迫脅而棲；進不敢為前，退不敢為後；食不敢先嘗，必取其緒。是故其行列不斥，而外人卒不得害，是以免於患。直木先伐，甘井先竭。子其意者飾知以驚愚，修身以明汙，昭昭乎如揭日月而行，故不免也。昔吾聞之大成之人曰：『自伐者無功，功成者墮，名成者虧。』孰能去功與名而還與眾人！道流而不明，居得行而不名處；純純常常，乃比於狂；削跡捐勢，不為功名。是故無責於人，人亦無責焉。至人不聞，子何喜哉？」

Ren said: "Let me try to tell you of the Way of not dying. In the Eastern Sea there is a bird named Yidai. As a bird, it flies slowly and low, as if without ability; it flies drawing others along and perches crowded together; in going forward it does not dare to be in front, in going back it does not dare to be behind; in eating it does not dare to taste first, and must take the leftovers. Therefore its ranks do not exclude it, and outsiders can never harm it, and so it avoids trouble. The straight tree is felled first, the sweet well runs dry first. Your idea is probably to adorn knowledge to frighten the foolish and cultivate yourself to show up others' filth, brightly as if walking carrying the sun and moon; therefore you cannot avoid it. Formerly I heard a man of great accomplishment say: 'One who boasts has no merit; one whose merit is complete falls; one whose name is complete is diminished.' Who can remove merit and fame and return them to the multitude! The Way flows without making its dwelling manifest, and has gains in action without dwelling on fame; being pure and constant, one is compared to a madman; cut away traces and cast off power, and do not work for merit and fame. Therefore one does not blame others, and others do not blame him. The perfect man does not seek renown; why do you delight in it?"

孔子曰：「善哉！」辭其交遊，去其弟子，逃於大澤；衣裘褐，食杼栗；入獸不亂群，入鳥不亂行。鳥獸不惡，而況人乎！

Confucius said: "Good!" He took leave of his friends, left his disciples, and fled to the great marsh; he wore fur and coarse cloth and ate acorns and chestnuts; entering a herd of beasts he did not disturb the herd, and entering a flock of birds he did not disturb the ranks. Birds and beasts did not dislike him, how much less people!

孔子問子桑雽曰：「吾再逐於魯，伐樹於宋，削跡於衞，窮於商周，圍於陳蔡之間。吾犯此數患，親交益疏，徙友益散，何與？」

Confucius asked Sangyu Hu: "I was twice driven out in Lu, had a tree cut down over me in Song, had my traces wiped out in Wei, was reduced to hardship in Shang and Zhou, and was besieged between Chen and Cai. I met with these several troubles, and my close friends grew more distant and my companions who moved with me scattered more; why?"

子桑雽曰：「子獨不聞假人之亡與？林回棄千金之璧，負赤子而趨。或曰：『為其布與？赤子之布寡矣；為其累與？赤子之累多矣；棄千金之璧，負赤子而趨，何也？』林回曰：『彼以利合，此以天屬也。』夫以利合者，迫窮禍患害相棄也；以天屬者，迫窮禍患害相收也。夫相收之與相棄亦遠矣，且君子之交淡若水，小人之交甘若醴；君子淡以親，小人甘以絕。彼無故以合者，則無故以離。」

Sangyu Hu said: "Have you not heard of the flight of the men of Jia? Lin Hui discarded a jade disc worth a thousand in gold and ran carrying a baby on his back. Someone said: 'Was it for money? The baby's value is small. Was it for the burden? The baby's burden is great. Why discard a jade disc worth a thousand in gold and run carrying a baby?' Lin Hui said: 'That one was joined by profit; this one belongs to me by Heaven.' Those joined by profit abandon each other when pressed by hardship, disaster, and harm; those who belong to each other by Heaven take each other in when pressed by hardship, disaster, and harm. Taking each other in and abandoning each other are far apart. Moreover, the friendship of the gentleman is as plain as water, and the friendship of the petty man is as sweet as sweet wine; the gentleman's is plain but close, the petty man's is sweet but breaks off. What joins without a reason will separate without a reason."

孔子曰：「敬聞命矣！」徐行翔佯而歸，絕學捐書，弟子無挹於前，其愛益加進。

Confucius said: "I respectfully hear your instruction!" He walked slowly, strolling back, gave up learning and cast away his books, and no disciples bowed before him, yet his love for them grew all the more.

異日，桑雽又曰：「舜之將死，真泠禹曰：『汝戒之哉！形莫若緣，情莫若率。緣則不離，率則不勞；不離不勞，則不求文以待形；不求文以待形，固不待物。』」

After some days, Sangyu said again: "When Shun was about to die, he warned Yu: 'Be on your guard! Form is not as good as accommodation, feeling is not as good as following. Accommodate and you do not separate; follow and you do not tire; not separating and not tiring, you do not seek adornment to deal with the form; not seeking adornment to deal with the form, you originally do not depend on things.'"

莊子衣大布而補之，正緳係履而過魏王。魏王曰：「何先生之憊邪？」

Zhuangzi, wearing coarse cloth that was patched, tidied his belt and tied his shoes and went to see the King of Wei. The King of Wei said: "Why are you so weary, sir?"

莊子曰：「貧也，非憊也。士有道德不能行，憊也；衣弊履穿，貧也，非憊也；此所謂非遭時也。王獨不見夫騰猿乎？其得柟梓豫章也，攬蔓其枝而王長其間，雖羿、蓬蒙不能眄睨也。及其得柘棘枳枸之間也，危行側視，振動悼慄；此筋骨非有加急而不柔也，處勢不便，未足以逞其能也。今處昏上亂相之間，而欲無憊，奚可得邪？此比干之見剖心徵也夫！」

Zhuangzi said: "This is poverty, not weariness. A man with the Way and virtue who cannot practice them is weary; torn clothes and worn-out shoes are poverty, not weariness; this is called not meeting the right time. Has Your Majesty not seen the leaping monkey? When it gets a nanzi tree or a camphor tree, it clambers on the branches and vines and reigns as king and chief among them, and even Yi and Pengmeng could not look askance at it. But when it falls among the thorny mulberry, trifoliate orange, and bent trees, it walks carefully and looks sideways, trembling and shaking; this is not that its sinews and bones have tightened and lost their suppleness, but that its situation is inconvenient and does not allow it to display its ability. Now living between a benighted ruler and a chaotic minister, to wish not to be weary, how could it be possible? This is demonstrated by Bi Gan having his heart cut out!" (Here "gan" in "Bi Gan" is a personal name, not 'interfere'.)

孔子窮於陳蔡之間，七日不火食，左據槁木，右擊槁枝，而歌猋氏之風，有其具而無其數，有其聲而無宮角，木聲與人聲，犁然有當於人之心。

Confucius was in distress between Chen and Cai, with no cooked food for seven days; with his left hand he leaned on a dry tree and with his right hand he tapped a dry branch, singing the folk song of Biaoshi, with an instrument but no counted rhythm, with sound but no gong or jue notes, the sound of wood and the sound of man, so clear that it hit the heart exactly.

顏回端拱還目而窺之。仲尼恐其廣己而造大也，愛己而造哀也，曰：「回，無受天損易，無受人益難。無始而非卒也，人與天一也。夫今之歌者其誰乎？」

Yan Hui stood properly with folded hands and turned his eyes to peek. Confucius feared that he would enlarge himself and make greatness, or love himself and make sorrow, and said: "Hui, to not receive loss from Heaven is easy; to not receive gain from man is hard. What has no beginning is not an end; man and Heaven are one. Who is it that is singing now?"

回曰：「敢問無受天損易。」

Hui said: "May I ask how not receiving loss from Heaven is easy."

仲尼曰：「飢渴寒暑，窮桎不行，天地之行也，運物之洩也，言與之偕逝之謂也。為人臣者，不敢去之。執臣之道猶若是，而況乎所以待天乎！」

Confucius said: "Hunger, thirst, cold, heat, hardship, and fetters that stop one from walking are the movement of Heaven and Earth and the venting of the turning of things; this means passing away with them. A minister does not dare leave them. If holding to the way of a minister is already like this, how much more in dealing with Heaven!"

「何謂無受人益難？」

"What is meant by not receiving gain from man being hard?"

仲尼曰：「始用四達，爵祿並至而不窮，物之所利，乃非己也，吾命其在外者也。君子不為盜，賢人不為竊。吾若取之，何哉！故曰，鳥莫知於鷾鴯，目之所不宜處不給視，雖落其實，棄之而走。其畏人也，而襲諸人間。社稷存焉爾。」

Confucius said: "When one is first employed, one is successful in all directions, rank and salary all arrive without end, and the benefits given by things are not one's own but my fate located outside. The gentleman does not steal and the worthy does not pilfer. If I took them, what for! So it is said, no bird is wiser than the swallow: places that its eyes are not suited to it does not even look at, and even if a fruit falls, it drops it and runs away. It fears people, yet enters their dwellings. The altars of soil and grain exist here."

「何謂無始而非卒？」

"What is meant by what has no beginning is not an end?"

仲尼曰：「化其萬物而不知其禪之者，焉知其所終？焉知其所始？正而待之而已耳。」

Confucius said: "Transforming the myriad things without knowing what replaces it, how can one know its end? How can one know its beginning? One just waits for it upright."

「何謂人與天一邪？」

"What is meant by man and Heaven being one?"

仲尼曰：「有人，天也；有天，亦天也。人之不能有天，性也，聖人晏然體逝而終矣！」

Confucius said: "That there is man is Heaven; that there is Heaven is also Heaven. That man cannot possess Heaven is nature; the sage calmly recognizes and passes away and reaches the end!"

莊周遊於雕陵之樊，覩一異鵲自南方來者，翼廣七尺，目大運寸，感周之顙而集於栗林。莊周曰：「此何鳥哉，翼殷不逝，目大不覩？」蹇裳躩步，執彈而留之。覩一蟬，方得美蔭而忘其身；螳螂執翳而搏之，見得而忘其形；異鵲從而利之，見利而忘其真。莊周怵然曰：「噫！物固相累，二類相召也。」捐彈而反走，虞人逐而誶之。

Zhuang Zhou was roaming in the fenced park of Diaoling, and saw a strange magpie come from the south, with a wingspan of seven feet and eyes an inch across, which brushed Zhou's forehead and perched in a chestnut grove. Zhuang Zhou said: "What bird is this, with great wings that do not fly away and large eyes that do not see?" He lifted his robes and hurried forward, holding a slingshot to wait for it. He saw a cicada, which had just found a fine shade and forgotten itself; a mantis raised its arm to seize it, and, seeing what it was about to gain, forgot its own form; the strange magpie followed to take advantage, and seeing the profit forgot its own truth. Zhuang Zhou was startled and said: "Ah! Things are originally entangled with one another, and two kinds call each other." He threw down the slingshot and ran back, and the park keeper chased and scolded him.

莊周反入，三日不庭。藺且從而問之：「夫子何為頃間甚不庭乎？」

Zhuang Zhou returned and went in, and was unhappy for three days. Lin Ju followed and asked him: "Master, why have you been so unhappy lately?"

莊周曰：「吾守形而忘身，觀於濁水而迷於清淵。且吾聞諸夫子曰：『入其俗，從其(俗)[令]。』今吾遊於雕陵而忘吾身，異鵲感吾顙，遊於栗林而忘真，栗林虞人以吾為戮，吾所以不庭也。」

Zhuang Zhou said: "I kept to form and forgot my body; I watched muddy water and lost myself in a clear pool. Moreover I heard the Master say: 'When you enter a place, follow its rules.' (The source text has "custom", corrected to "rules".) Now I roamed in Diaoling and forgot my body, the strange magpie brushed my forehead, I roamed in the chestnut grove and forgot the truth, and the park keeper of the chestnut grove took me as an insult; this is why I was unhappy."

陽子之宋，宿於逆旅。逆旅人有妾二人，其一人美，其一人惡，惡者貴而美者賤。陽子問其故，逆旅小子對曰：「其美者自美，吾不知其美也；其惡者自惡，吾不知其惡也。」

Yangzi went to Song and lodged at an inn. The innkeeper had two concubines, one beautiful and one ugly; the ugly one was honored and the beautiful one was despised. Yangzi asked the reason, and the inn's servant boy answered: "The beautiful one thinks herself beautiful, and I do not know that she is beautiful; the ugly one thinks herself ugly, and I do not know that she is ugly."

陽子曰：「弟子記之：行賢而去自賢之行，安往而不愛哉！」

Yangzi said: "Disciples, remember: act worthily and remove the conduct of thinking yourself worthy, and where will you go and not be loved!"

田子方侍坐於魏文侯，數稱谿工。

Tian Zifang was sitting in attendance with Marquis Wen of Wei, and repeatedly praised Xi Gong.

文侯曰：「谿工，子之師邪？」

Marquis Wen said: "Is Xi Gong your teacher?"

子方曰：「非也，無擇之里人也；稱道數當，故無擇稱之。」

Zifang said: "No; he is a fellow villager of Wuze; his statements of principle were often fitting, so Wuze praises him."

文侯曰：「然則子無師邪？」

Marquis Wen said: "Then do you have no teacher?"

子方曰：「有。」

Zifang said: "I do."

曰：「子之師誰邪？」

(Marquis Wen) said: "Who is your teacher?"

子方曰：「東郭順子。」

Zifang said: "Dongguo Shunzi."

文侯曰：「然則夫子何故未嘗稱之？」

Marquis Wen said: "Then why have you never praised him?"

子方曰：「其為人也真，人貌而天虛，緣而葆真，清而容物。物無道，正容以悟之，使人之意也消。無擇何足以稱之！」

Zifang said: "He is true in being a person, with a human form but the emptiness of Heaven, going along with things and preserving the true, pure and able to accommodate things. When things lack the Way, he straightens his appearance to awaken them, and lets the human intent dissolve. How could Wuze be worthy of praising him!"

子方出，文侯儻然終日不言，召前立臣而語之曰：「遠矣，全德之君子！始吾以聖知之言、仁義之行為至矣。吾聞子方之師，吾形解而不欲動，口鉗而不欲言。吾所學者直土梗耳，夫魏真為我累耳！」

After Zifang went out, Marquis Wen was blank and did not speak all day, and summoned the ministers standing before him and told them: "How far away he is, the gentleman of complete virtue! At first I thought that the words of sages and wisdom and the conduct of benevolence and righteousness were the utmost. Having heard of Zifang's teacher, my body is loosened and I do not want to move, my mouth is clamped and I do not want to speak. What I have learned is only an earthen figure; Wei has really become my burden!"

溫伯雪子適齊，舍於魯。魯人有請見之者，溫伯雪子曰：「不可。吾聞中國之君子，明乎禮義而陋於知人心，吾不欲見也。」

Wen Bo Xuezi went to Qi and lodged in Lu. A man of Lu asked to see him, and Wen Bo Xuezi said: "I cannot. I have heard that the gentlemen of the Central States understand ritual and righteousness but are clumsy in knowing the hearts of men; I do not wish to see him."

至於齊，反舍於魯，是人也又請見。溫伯雪子曰：「往也蘄見我，今也又蘄見我，是必有以振我也。」

On reaching Qi, he returned and lodged in Lu, and that man again asked to see him. Wen Bo Xuezi said: "Before he asked to see me, and now again he asks to see me; there must be something in him that can move me."

出而見客，入而歎。明日見客，又入而歎。其僕曰：「每見之客也，必入而歎，何耶？」

He went out to see the guest and came in sighing. The next day he saw the guest and came in sighing again. His attendant said: "Every time you see this guest you come in sighing; why?"

曰：「吾固告子矣：『中國之民，明乎禮義而陋乎知人心。』昔之見我者，進退一成規，一成矩，從容一若龍，一若虎。其諫我也似子，其道我也似父，是以歎也。」

(Wen Bo Xuezi) said: "I told you before: 'The people of the Central States understand ritual and righteousness but are clumsy in knowing the hearts of men.' The man who saw me earlier advanced and retreated precisely by the compass and by the square, his composure now like a dragon and now like a tiger. He remonstrated with me like a son and guided me like a father, and that is why I sighed."

仲尼見之而不言。子路曰：「吾子欲見溫伯雪子久矣，見之而不言，何邪？」

Confucius saw him and did not speak. Zilu said: "You had wished to see Wen Bo Xuezi for a long time, and having seen him you did not speak; why?"

仲尼曰：「若夫人者，目擊而道存矣，亦不可以容聲矣！」

Confucius said: "With such a man, when eyes meet the Way is already there, and there is no room even for a sound!"

顏淵問於仲尼曰：「夫子步亦步，夫子趨亦趨，夫子馳亦馳；夫子奔逸絕塵，而回瞠若乎後矣！」

Yan Yuan asked Confucius: "When the Master walks I walk, when the Master trots I trot, when the Master gallops I gallop; but when the Master races off beyond the dust, Hui stares and is left behind!"

夫子曰：「回，何謂邪？」

The Master said: "Hui, what do you mean?"

曰：「夫子步，亦步也；夫子言，亦言也；夫子趨，亦趨也；夫子辯，亦辯也；夫子馳，亦馳也；夫子言道，回亦言道也；及奔逸絕塵而回瞠若乎後者，夫子不言而信，不比而周，無器而民滔乎前，而不知所以然而已矣。」

(Yan Yuan) said: "When the Master walks, I walk; when the Master speaks, I speak; when the Master trots, I trot; when the Master argues, I argue; when the Master gallops, I gallop; when the Master expounds the Way, Hui also expounds the Way; but as for racing off beyond the dust with Hui staring and left behind, it is that the Master is trusted without speaking, is universal without forming cliques, and has no rank yet the people crowd before him, though I do not know why it is so."

仲尼曰：「惡！可不察與！夫哀，莫大於心死，而人死亦次之。日出東方而入於西極，萬物莫不比方，有目有趾者，待是而後成功，是出則存，是入則亡。萬物亦然，有待也而死，有待也而生。吾一受其成形，而不化以待盡，效物而動，日夜無隙，而不知其所終；薰然其成形，知命不能規乎其前，丘以是日徂。

Confucius said: "Ah! May one not examine this! There is no sorrow greater than the death of the heart; the death of the person is secondary. The sun comes out from the east and enters at the far west, and none of the myriad things fails to be measured by this; those with eyes and toes wait for it and then succeed; when it comes out they live, and when it goes in they perish. The myriad things are also like this: they die depending on something and live depending on something. Once I receive this form, I do not transform while waiting for it to be exhausted, but move imitating things, day and night without gap, without knowing where it ends; gently formed, I know that fate cannot be planned ahead of it, and so Qiu advances day by day.

吾終身與汝交一臂而失之，可不哀與！女殆著乎吾所以著也。彼已盡矣，而女求之以為有，是求馬於唐肆也。吾服女也甚忘，女服吾也甚忘。雖然，女奚患焉！雖忘乎故吾，吾有不忘者存。」

(Confucius continued:) "All my life I have passed by you arm to arm, and may I not grieve! You are probably stuck on what I show. That is already over, and you seek it believing it exists; this is looking for a horse in an empty market. I treat you with much forgetting, and you treat me with much forgetting. Even so, what are you worried about! Even if you forget the old me, what I have that is not forgotten is still there."

孔子見老聃，老聃新沐，方將被髮而干，慹然似非人。孔子便而待之，少焉見，曰：「丘也眩與？其信然與？曏者先生形體掘若槁木，似遺物離人而立於獨也。」

Confucius visited Lao Dan, who had just washed his hair and was letting it dry loose (here "gan" means dry, not interfere), still as if not a person. Confucius stepped aside and waited, and when he saw him after a while he said: "Are my eyes dazzled, or is it really so? Just now, Master, your body stood upright like a withered tree, as if cast off from things and parted from people, standing alone."

老聃曰：「吾遊心於物之初。」

Lao Dan said: "I was roaming my mind at the beginning of things."

孔子曰：「何謂邪？」

Confucius said: "What do you mean?"

曰：「心困焉而不能知，口闢焉而不能言，嘗為汝議乎其將。至陰肅肅，至陽赫赫；肅肅出乎天，赫赫發乎地；兩者交通成和而物生焉，或為之紀而莫見其形。消息滿虛，一晦一明，日改月化，日有所為，而莫見其功。生有所乎萌，死有所乎歸，始終相反乎無端，而莫知乎其所窮。非是也，且孰為之宗！」

(Lao Dan) said: "My mind is stuck there and cannot know, my mouth is closed and cannot speak; let me try to discuss a rough outline for you. The utmost yin is cold and still; the utmost yang is hot and blazing; the cold and still comes out of Heaven, the hot and blazing arises from Earth; the two interact and form harmony and things are produced, and perhaps there is something that governs them, yet no form is seen. Waning and waxing, fullness and emptiness, now dark now bright, the sun changing and the moon transforming, each day there is something done, yet no achievement is seen. Life has a place from which it sprouts, death has a place to which it returns, beginning and end are opposed and have no ends, and no one knows where they run out. If not this, then who is their ancestor!"

孔子曰：「請問遊是。」

Confucius said: "May I ask about roaming in this."

老聃曰：「夫得是，至美至樂也。得至美而遊乎至樂，謂之至人。」

Lao Dan said: "To attain this is the utmost beauty and utmost joy. One who attains the utmost beauty and roams in the utmost joy is called a perfect man."

孔子曰：「願聞其方。」

Confucius said: "I wish to hear its method."

曰：「草食之獸不疾易藪，水生之蟲不疾易水，行小變而不失其大常也，喜怒哀樂不入於胸次。夫天下也者，萬物之所一也。得其所一而同焉，則四支百體將為塵垢，而死生終始將為晝夜而莫之能滑，而況得喪禍福之所介乎！棄隸者若棄泥塗，知身貴於隸也，貴在於我而不失於變。且萬化而未始有極也，夫孰足以患心！已為道者解乎此。」

(Lao Dan) said: "Grass-eating beasts are not troubled by changing marshes, and water insects are not troubled by changing water; they make small changes and do not lose the great constant, and joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness do not enter their breasts. The world is that in which the myriad things are one. One who obtains what is one and is the same with it will treat his four limbs and hundred parts as dust and dirt, and death, life, end, and beginning as day and night that cannot disturb him, how much more what gain, loss, misfortune, and fortune bring in between! Casting off servitude like casting off mud, he knows his body is more precious than servitude. What is precious lies in me and is not lost in change. Moreover the ten thousand transformations have never had an end; who is worth worrying the heart over! One who has already become the Way understands this."

孔子曰：「夫子德配天地，而猶假至言以修心，古之君子，孰能脫焉？」

Confucius said: "The Master's virtue matches Heaven and Earth, and yet you still borrow perfect words to cultivate your mind; of the gentlemen of ancient times, who could escape this?"

老聃曰：「不然。夫水之於汋也，無為而才自然矣。至人之於德也，不修而物不能離焉，若天之自高，地之自厚，日月之自明，夫何脩焉！」

Lao Dan said: "It is not so. Water relating to well water does nothing and its substance is natural. The perfect man relating to virtue does not cultivate it, and yet things cannot leave him, as Heaven is high by itself, Earth is thick by itself, and the sun and moon are bright by themselves; what is there to cultivate!"

孔子出，以告顏回曰：「丘之於道也，其猶醯雞與！微夫子之發吾覆也，吾不知天地之大全也。」

Confucius went out and told Yan Hui: "Qiu in respect of the Way is probably like a little midge in a vinegar jar! Without the Master lifting off my covering, I would not have known the great wholeness of Heaven and Earth."

莊子見魯哀公，哀公曰：「魯多儒士，少為先生方者。」

Zhuangzi saw Duke Ai of Lu, and Duke Ai said: "Lu has many Confucian scholars, but few who practice your kind of teaching."

莊子曰：「魯少儒。」

Zhuangzi said: "Lu has few Confucian scholars."

哀公曰：「舉魯國而儒服，何謂少乎？」

Duke Ai said: "The whole of Lu wears Confucian dress; how can you say few?"

莊子曰：「周聞之，儒者冠圜冠者，知天時；履句屨者，知地形；緩佩玦者，事至而斷。君子有其道者，未必為其服也；為其服者，未必知其道也。公固以為不然，何不號於國中曰：『無此道而為此服者，其罪死！』」

Zhuangzi said: "I have heard that a Confucian who wears a round cap knows the seasons of Heaven; one who wears square shoes knows the shape of the land; one who wears a jade ring on a silk cord can decide when affairs arrive. A gentleman who has that Way does not necessarily wear that dress; one who wears that dress does not necessarily know that Way. If Your Grace thinks it is not so, why not proclaim in the state: 'Whoever wears this dress without this Way shall be put to death!'"

於是哀公號之五日，而魯國無敢儒服者，獨有一丈夫儒服而立乎公門。公即召而問以國事，千轉萬變而不窮。

So Duke Ai proclaimed this for five days, and no one in Lu dared wear Confucian dress; only a single man wore Confucian dress and stood at the ducal gate. The duke summoned him and asked him about affairs of state, and he turned and answered through a thousand variations without running dry.

莊子曰：「以魯國而儒者一人耳，可謂多乎？」

Zhuangzi said: "With a whole state of Lu and only one Confucian, can one say there are many?"

百里奚爵祿不入於心，故飯牛而牛肥，使秦穆公忘其賤，與之政也。有虞氏死生不入於心，故足以動人。

Baili Xi did not let rank and salary enter his heart, so he fed cattle and the cattle grew fat, and made Duke Mu of Qin forget his low origin and hand the government to him. Youyu did not let death or life enter his heart, and so was able to move people.

宋元君將畫圖，眾史皆至，受揖而立；舐筆和墨，在外者半。有一史後至者，儃儃然不趨，受揖不立，因之舍。公使人視之，則解衣般礡臝。君曰：「可矣，是真畫者也。」

Lord Yuan of Song was about to have a picture painted, and all the painters came, received the bow and courtesy, and stood in attendance; those licking their brushes and mixing ink were half outside. One painter came late, calm and unhurried, received the bow and courtesy but did not stand, and went straight to his lodging. The lord sent someone to look, and found he had loosened his clothes and was sitting with legs spread and bare. The lord said: "He will do; this is a true painter."

文王觀於臧，見一丈夫釣，而其釣莫釣；非持其釣有釣者也，常釣也。

King Wen was sightseeing at Zang, and saw a man fishing, but his fishing was not really fishing; he was not one who held a hook with something to catch, but was one who always fished this way.

文王欲舉而授之政，而恐大臣父兄之弗安也；欲終而釋之，而不忍百姓之無天也。於是旦而屬之大夫曰：「昔者寡人夢見良人，黑色而劔，乘駁馬而偏朱蹄，號曰：『寓而政於臧丈人，庶幾乎民有瘳乎！』」

King Wen wished to employ him and hand the government over to him, but feared the great ministers, fathers, and elder brothers would be uneasy; wishing to give up in the end, he could not bear that the people should be without a Heaven. So in the morning he told the grandees: "Last night I dreamed of a good man, dark-skinned and bearded, riding a piebald horse with partly red hoofs, who commanded: 'Entrust your government to the old man of Zang, and the people may be saved!'"

諸大夫蹴然曰：「先君王也。」

The grandees were constrained and said: "That was the former king."

文王曰：「然則卜之。」

King Wen said: "Then let us consult the divination."

諸大夫曰：「先君之命，王其無它，又何卜焉！」

The grandees said: "It was the former king's command; Your Majesty should have no other thought, so why consult divination!"

遂迎臧丈人而授之政。典法無更，偏令無出。三年，文王觀於國，則列士壞植散群，長官者不成德，斔斛不敢入於四竟。列士壞植散群，則尚同也；長官者不成德，則同務也，斔斛不敢入於四竟，則諸侯無二心也。

So he welcomed the old man of Zang and handed the government over to him. The statutes were not changed and no partial decrees were issued. After three years, King Wen looked around the state: the officers had dismantled their cliques and dispersed their groups, the heads of offices did not make their own virtue, and the measures did not dare to enter the four borders. The officers dismantling their cliques and dispersing their groups is honoring unity; the heads of offices not making their own virtue is sharing the work; and measures not daring to enter the four borders is that the lords had no divided loyalty.

文王於是焉以為大師，北面而問曰：「政可以及天下乎？」臧丈人昧然而不應，泛然而辭，朝令而夜遁，終身無聞。

King Wen then took him as Grand Teacher and, facing north, asked: "Can the government be extended to the whole world?" The old man of Zang was vague and gave no answer, and left casually; he received the command in the morning and fled at night, and was never heard of for the rest of his life.

顏淵問於仲尼曰：「文王其猶未邪？又何以夢為乎？」

Yan Yuan asked Confucius: "Probably King Wen had not yet reached it? Why did he need to use a dream?"

仲尼曰：「默，汝無言！夫文王盡之也，而又何論剌焉！彼直以循斯須也。」

Confucius said: "Silence, do not say that! King Wen had done his utmost already; why discuss and criticize! He was merely going along with that moment."

列禦寇為伯昏無人射，引之盈貫，措杯水其肘上，發之，適矢復沓，方矢復寓。當是時，猶象人也。

Lie Yukou shot an arrow for Bohun Wuren, drawing the bow to full, with a cup of water set on his elbow; as he released, the arrowhead fell and the next arrow was already nocked. At that time he was like a wooden figure.

伯昏無人曰：「是射之射，非不射之射也。嘗與汝登高山，履危石，臨百仞之淵，若能射乎？」

Bohun Wuren said: "This is a shooting with shooting, not a shooting without shooting. Let me try climbing a high mountain with you, stepping on precarious rocks, overlooking a pool a hundred ren deep; could you still shoot?"

於是無人遂登高山，履危石，臨百仞之淵，背逡巡，足二分垂在外，揖禦寇而進之。禦寇伏地，汗流至踵。

So Wuren climbed the high mountain, stepped on precarious rocks, and overlooked the pool a hundred ren deep, then turned his back and retreated until two tenths of his feet hung over the edge, and bowed to invite Yukou forward. Yukou lay flat on the ground, sweat flowing down to his heels.

伯昏無人曰：「夫至人者，上闚青天，下潛黃泉，揮斥八極，神氣不變。今汝怵然有恂目之志，爾於中也殆矣夫！」

Bohun Wuren said: "The perfect man looks up to the blue sky, dives down to the Yellow Springs, and sweeps to the eight extremes, with spirit and qi unchanged. Now you are frightened and your will is dizzy; in hitting the mark you are in danger!"

肩吾問於孫叔敖曰：「子三為令尹而不榮華，三去之而無憂色。吾始也疑子，今視子之鼻間栩栩然，子之用心獨柰何？」

Jianwu asked Sunshu Ao: "You were Prime Minister three times without glory, and dismissed three times without looking worried. At first I doubted you, but now seeing you cheerful in the face, how does your mind work?"

孫叔敖曰：「吾何以過人哉！吾以其來不可卻也，其去不可止也，吾以為得失之非我也，而無憂色而已矣。我何以過人哉！且不知其在彼乎？其在我乎？其在彼邪？亡乎我；在我邪？亡乎彼。方將躊躇，方將四顧，何暇至乎人貴人賤哉！」

Sunshu Ao said: "What do I have beyond others! I thought that its coming could not be refused and its going could not be stopped, and that gain and loss were not mine, and so I had no worried look, that is all. What do I have beyond others! Moreover, I do not know whether it is on that side, or in me? If it is on that side, then it is not in me; if it is in me, then it is not on that side. I am just hesitating and looking about in all directions; how would I have leisure to consider whether people are noble or lowly!"

仲尼聞之曰：「古之真人，知者不得說，美人不得濫，盜人不得劫，伏戲黃帝不得友。死生亦大矣，而無變乎己，況爵祿乎！若然者，其神經乎大山而無介，入乎淵泉而不濡，處卑細而不憊，充滿天地，既以與人，己愈有。」

Confucius heard it and said: "The true man of ancient times could not be persuaded by the wise, could not be seduced by beauty, could not be coerced by robbers, and Fuxi and the Yellow Emperor could not make a friend of him. Death and life are great, yet they did not change him, how much more rank and salary! Such a man's spirit passes through great mountains without barrier, enters deep springs without being wet, and dwells in lowliness without weariness, filling Heaven and Earth, and having already given to others, he has even more himself."

楚王與凡君坐，少焉，楚王左右曰凡亡者三。凡君曰：「凡之亡也，不足以喪吾存。夫『凡之亡不足以喪吾存』，則楚之存不足以存存。由是觀之，則凡未始亡而楚未始存也。」

The King of Chu sat with the Lord of Fan, and soon the King's attendants said that Fan had been destroyed three times. The Lord of Fan said: "The destruction of Fan is not enough to lose my survival. 'The destruction of Fan is not enough to lose my survival'; then Chu's survival is not enough to preserve that survival either. From this it follows that Fan has never perished and Chu has never survived."

知北遊於玄水之上，登隱弅之丘，而適遭無為謂焉。知謂無為謂曰：「予欲有問乎若：何思何慮則知道？何處何服則安道？何從何道則得道？」三問而無為謂不答也。非不答，不知答也。

Knowledge wandered north to the bank of the Xuan Water, climbed the Hill of Yinfen, and happened to meet Do-Nothing Say-Nothing. Knowledge said to Do-Nothing Say-Nothing: "I want to ask you: how to think and how to ponder in order to know the Way? How to dwell and how to conduct oneself in order to be at ease in the Way? From where and by what road does one attain the Way?" He asked three times and Do-Nothing Say-Nothing did not answer. It was not that he did not answer, but that he did not know how to answer.

知不得問，反於白水之南，登狐闋之上，而睹狂屈焉。知以之言也問乎狂屈。狂屈曰：「唉！予知之，將語若，中欲言而忘其所欲言。」

Knowledge, getting no answer, returned to the south of the Bai River, climbed to the top of Mount Huque, and there saw Kuang Qu. Knowledge put the same questions to Kuang Qu. Kuang Qu said: "Ah! I know, and I will tell you," but halfway through, wanting to speak, he forgot what he had wanted to say.

知不得問，反於帝宮，見黃帝而問焉。黃帝曰：「無思無慮始知道，無處無服始安道，無從無道始得道。」

Knowledge, getting no answer, returned to the imperial palace, saw the Yellow Emperor and asked him. The Yellow Emperor said: "Without thinking and without deliberation, one first begins to know the Way; without dwelling anywhere and without following anything, one first begins to be at peace in the Way; without following any path and without any road, one first begins to attain the Way."

知問黃帝曰：「我與若知之，彼與彼不知也，其孰是邪？」

Knowledge asked the Yellow Emperor: "You and I know it, while he and he do not know it; which of us is right?"

黃帝曰：「彼無為謂真是也，狂屈似之；我與汝終不近也。夫知者不言，言者不知，故聖人行不言之教。道不可致，德不可至。仁可為也，義可虧也，禮相偽也。故曰，『失道而後德，失德而後仁，失仁而後義，失義而後禮。禮者，道之華而亂之首也。』故曰，『為道者日損，損之又損之以至於無為，無為而無不為也。』今已為物也，欲復歸根，不亦難乎！其易也，其唯大人乎！

The Yellow Emperor said: "That Wuwei Wei (Do-Nothing-Say-Nothing) is truly right, and Kuang Qu resembles him; you and I in the end do not come near it. Those who know do not speak, and those who speak do not know, so the sage practices the teaching without words. The Way cannot be summoned, and virtue cannot be reached. Humaneness can be practiced, righteousness can be diminished, and ritual is mutual falsification. So it is said: 'When the Way is lost, there is virtue; when virtue is lost, there is humaneness; when humaneness is lost, there is righteousness; when righteousness is lost, there is ritual. Ritual is the flower of the Way and the beginning of disorder.' So it is said: 'One who pursues the Way decreases daily, decreasing and decreasing until reaching non-action, and with non-action there is nothing left undone.' Now that one has already become a thing, to wish to return to the root again is hard, is it not! Only the great man can do it easily!

生也死之徙，死也生之始，孰知其紀！人之生，氣之聚也；聚則為生，散則為死。若死生為徙，吾又何患！故萬物一也。是其所美者為神奇，其所惡者為臭腐。臭腐復化為神奇，神奇復化為臭腐。故曰：『通天下一氣耳。』聖人故貴一。」

(The Yellow Emperor continued:) Life is the migration of death, and death is the beginning of life; who knows their thread! A person's life is a gathering of qi; when it gathers there is life, and when it disperses there is death. If death and life are migrations, what is there for me to grieve! So the myriad things are one. What they find beautiful they regard as wondrous, and what they find hateful they regard as foul and rotten. The foul and rotten again turns into the wondrous, and the wondrous again turns into the foul and rotten. So it is said: 'The whole world is nothing but one qi.' This is why the sage values the One."

知謂黃帝曰：「吾問無為謂，無為謂不應我，非不我應，不知應我也。吾問狂屈，狂屈中欲告我而不我告，非不我告，中欲告而忘之也。今予問乎若，若知之，奚故不近？」

Knowledge said to the Yellow Emperor: "I asked Wuwei Wei, and Wuwei Wei did not answer me; it was not that he did not answer me, but that he did not know how to answer me. I asked Kuang Qu, and Kuang Qu wanted halfway to tell me but did not tell me; it was not that he would not tell me, but that halfway through, wanting to tell me, he forgot. Now I ask you, and you know; why do you say you do not come near it?"

黃帝曰：「彼其真是也，以其不知也；此其似之也，以其忘之也；予與若終不近也，以其知之也。」

The Yellow Emperor said: "He is truly right, because he does not know; the other resembles it, because he forgot; you and I in the end do not come near it, because we know."

狂屈聞之，以黃帝為知言。

Kuang Qu heard this and thought the Yellow Emperor understood words.

天地有大美而不言，四時有明法而不議，萬物有成理而不說。聖人者，原天地之美而達萬物之理。是故至人無為，大聖不作，觀於天地之謂也。

Heaven and Earth have great beauty and do not speak of it; the four seasons have clear laws and do not discuss them; the myriad things have complete principles and do not explain them. The sage traces back the beauty of Heaven and Earth and penetrates the principles of the myriad things. So the perfect person does not act and the great sage does not create; this means looking to Heaven and Earth.

今彼神明至精，與彼百化。物已死生方圓，莫知其根也，扁然而萬物自古以固存。六合為巨，未離其內；秋豪為小，待之成體。天下莫不沉浮，終身不故；陰陽四時運行，各得其序。惛然若亡而存，油然不形而神，萬物畜而不知。此之謂本根，可以觀於天矣。

Now that spiritual brightness and utmost essence are together with the hundred transformations. Things have already died and lived, been square and round, and no one knows their root; all-pervading, the myriad things have existed from antiquity. The six directions are huge, yet have never left its interior; the tip of an autumn hair is small, yet awaits it to take form. There is nothing in the world that does not rise and sink, and throughout life none keeps to the old; yin and yang and the four seasons move on, each obtaining its order. Dim as if gone and yet present, flowing without form and yet spiritual, the myriad things are nurtured by it without knowing. This is called the root, and by it one can observe Heaven.

齧缺問道乎被衣，被衣曰：「若正汝形，一汝視，天和將至；攝汝知，一汝度，神將來舍。德將為汝美，道將為汝居，汝瞳焉如新生之犢而無求其故！」

Nie Que asked Beiyi about the Way, and Beiyi said: "Straighten your form and unify your gaze, and the harmony of Heaven will come; gather in your knowledge and unify your measure, and the spirit will come to dwell. Virtue will be your beauty and the Way will be your dwelling; you will be dazed like a newborn calf and not seek its reason!"

言未卒，齧缺睡寐。被衣大說，行歌而去之，曰：「形若槁骸，心若死灰，真其實知，不以故自持。媒媒晦晦，無心而不可與謀。彼何人哉！」

Before he had finished speaking, Nie Que fell asleep. Beiyi was greatly pleased and left singing, saying: "The body is like a withered skeleton and the heart like dead ashes; truly that is his real knowing, and he does not use reasons to hold himself. Dim and obscure, without a heart, one cannot plan with him. What kind of man is he!"

舜問乎丞曰：「道可得而有乎？」

Shun asked Cheng: "Can the Way be attained and possessed?"

曰：「汝身非汝有也，汝何得有夫道！」

(Cheng) said: "Your very body is not yours; how could you possess the Way!"

舜曰：「吾身非吾有也，孰有之哉？」

Shun said: "If my body is not mine, whose is it?"

曰：「是天地之委形也；生非汝有，是天地之委和也；性命非汝有，是天地之委順也；孫子非汝有，是天地之委蛻也。故行不知所往，處不知所持，食不知所味。天地之強陽氣也，又胡可得而有邪！」

(Cheng) said: "It is the form entrusted by Heaven and Earth; life is not yours, it is the harmony entrusted by Heaven and Earth; your nature and destiny are not yours, they are the compliance entrusted by Heaven and Earth; your descendants are not yours, they are the molted skin entrusted by Heaven and Earth. So when you walk you do not know where you are going, when you stay you do not know what you hold, and when you eat you do not know what you taste. The vigorous yang qi of Heaven and Earth, how can it be attained and possessed!"

孔子問於老聃曰：「今日晏閒，敢問至道。」

Confucius asked Lao Dan: "Today you are at leisure; may I ask about the perfect Way."

老聃曰：「汝齊戒，疏𤅢而心，澡雪而精神，掊擊而知！夫道，窅然難言哉！將為汝言其崖略。

Lao Dan said: "Fast and purify, clear your heart (the base text has a rare variant character here), wash your spirit, and break your knowledge! The Way is deep and dim and hard to speak of! I will give you a rough outline of its shores.

夫昭昭生於冥冥，有倫生於無形，精神生於道，形本生於精，而萬物以形相生。故九竅者胎生，八竅者卵生。其來無跡，其往無崖，無門無房，四達之皇皇也。邀於此者，四肢彊，思慮恂達，耳目聰明。其用心不勞，其應物無方。天不得不高，地不得不廣，日月不得不行，萬物不得不昌，此其道與！

(Lao Dan continued:) The bright is born of the dark, the ordered is born of the formless, the spirit is born of the Way, the bodily form is born of essence, and the myriad things are born from each other through form. So those with nine orifices are born from wombs and those with eight orifices are born from eggs. Its coming has no trace, its going has no shore; it has no door and no room, and is open to the four directions and magnificent. Those who meet with this have strong limbs, penetrating thought, and sharp ears and eyes. They use their minds without toil and respond to things without fixed places. Heaven cannot but be high, Earth cannot but be broad, the sun and moon cannot but move, and the myriad things cannot but flourish; this is the Way!

且夫博之不必知，辯之不必慧，聖人以斷之矣！若夫益之而不加益，損之而不加損者，聖人之所保也。淵淵乎其若海，(巍巍)[魏魏]乎其終則復始也。運量萬物而不匱。則君子之道，彼其外與！萬物皆往資焉而不匱。此其道與！

(Lao Dan continued:) Moreover, breadth is not necessarily knowledge and eloquence is not necessarily wisdom; the sage has already cut these off! What is increased without increasing further and decreased without decreasing further is what the sage preserves. Deep as the sea, lofty (the base text reads 'lofty', corrected to another form), when it ends it begins again. It carries and measures the myriad things without lack. Then the Way of the gentleman is probably outside! The myriad things all draw on it without lack. This is the Way!

中國有人焉，非陰非陽，處於天地之間，直且為人，將反於宗。自本觀之，生者，喑醷物也。雖有壽夭，相去幾何？須臾之說也，奚足以為堯桀之是非！果蓏有理，人倫雖難，所以相齒。聖人遭之而不違，過之而不守。調而應之，德也；偶而應之，道也；帝之所興，王之所起也。

(Lao Dan continued:) There are people in the central lands who are neither yin nor yang, living between Heaven and Earth, only temporarily being human, and will return to the source. Seen from the root, life is the gathering of the qi of things. Though there is long life and early death, how much do they differ? In a moment, how could it be enough to make a Yao and Jie of right and wrong! Fruits and melons have their principles; though human relations are hard, they are used to arrange one another. The sage meets them without violating them and passes through them without clinging. To respond in harmony is virtue; to respond in matching is the Way; this is what emperors arose from and kings began from.

人生天地之間，若白駒之過郤，忽然而已。注然勃然，莫不出焉；油然寥然，莫不入焉。已化而生，又化而死。生物哀之，人類悲之。解其天弢，墮其天袟，紛乎宛乎，魂魄將往，乃身從之，乃大歸乎！不形之形，形之不形，是人之所同知也，非將至之所務也，此眾人之所同論也。彼至則不論，論則不至。明見無值，辯不若默。道不可聞，聞不若塞。此之謂大得。」

(Lao Dan continued:) A person's life between Heaven and Earth is like a white colt passing a crack, gone in a flash. Surging and welling up, nothing does not come out; flowing and going quiet, nothing does not go in. Having been transformed it is born, and being transformed again it dies. Living things mourn it, and humans grieve for it. Untie that bow-case of Heaven, destroy that book-cover of Heaven, in confusion and twisting the soul is about to go, and the body follows it; this is the great return! The formless form, the form that is formless, is what all people know, and is not what one about to attain it works at; it is what the multitude discuss together. One who attains does not discuss, and one who discusses does not attain. Seeing clearly without a meeting, debating is not as good as silence. The Way cannot be heard; hearing is not as good as stopping the ears. This is called the great attainment."

東郭子問於莊子曰：「所謂道，惡乎在？」

Master Dongguo asked Zhuangzi: "Where is what is called the Way?"

莊子曰：「無所不在。」

Zhuangzi said: "There is nowhere it is not."

東郭子曰：「期而後可。」

Master Dongguo said: "You must specify it before I can accept that."

莊子曰：「在螻蟻。」

Zhuangzi said: "It is in the ants."

曰：「何其下邪？」

(Master Dongguo) said: "Why so low?"

曰：「在稊稗。」

(Zhuangzi) said: "It is in the tares and weeds."

曰：「何其愈下邪？」

(Master Dongguo) said: "Why even lower?"

曰：「在瓦甓。」

(Zhuangzi) said: "It is in tiles and bricks."

曰：「何其愈甚邪？」

(Master Dongguo) said: "Why still worse?"

曰：「在屎溺。」

(Zhuangzi) said: "It is in excrement and urine."

東郭子不應。莊子曰：「夫子之問也，固不及質。正獲之問於監市履狶也，每下愈況。汝唯莫必，無乎逃物。至道若是，大言亦然。周徧鹹三者，異名同實，其指一也。

Master Dongguo did not reply. Zhuangzi said: "Your question, sir, indeed did not reach the substance. Zheng Huo asked the market inspector about pressing a pig with the foot to test its fatness; the lower down, the better the comparison. If you only do not insist on a certain answer, nothing can escape the Way. The perfect Way is like this, and great words are also like this. 'Universal,' 'all-embracing' and 'entire' are three names for the same reality, and what they point to is one.

嘗相與遊乎無何有之宮，同合而論，無所終窮乎！嘗相與無為乎！澹而靜乎！漠而清乎！調而閒乎！寥已吾志，無往焉而不知其所至。去而來而不知其所止，吾已往來焉而不知其所終；彷徨乎馮閎，大知入焉而不知其所窮。物物者與物無際，而物有際者，所謂物際者也；不際之際，際之不際者也。謂盈虛衰殺，彼為盈虛非盈虛，彼為衰殺非衰殺，彼為本末非本末，彼為積散非積散也。」

(Zhuangzi continued:) Let us try wandering together in the palace of Nothing-Whatever, merging and discussing without end! Let us try non-action together! Calm and still! Silent and clear! Harmonious and at leisure! My will has been emptied out; I go without knowing where I arrive. Having gone, I come again without knowing where I stop; I have gone and come without knowing the end. Wandering in the vast and empty place, the great knowledge enters without knowing its limit. That which makes things be things has no boundary with things, while things have boundaries; this is what is called the boundary of things; the boundary that is not a boundary is the boundary that is not a boundary. As for fullness and emptiness, decline and decay, it makes fullness and emptiness yet is not fullness and emptiness, it makes decline and decay yet is not decline and decay, it makes root and branch yet is not root and branch, it makes accumulation and dispersal yet is not accumulation and dispersal."

妸荷甘與神農同學於老龍吉。神農隱幾，闔戶晝瞑。妸荷甘日中奓戶而入，曰：「老龍死矣！」神農隱幾擁杖而起，嚗然放杖而笑，曰：「天知予僻陋慢訑，故棄予而死。已矣夫子！無所發予之狂言而死矣夫！」

E Hegan and Shennong studied together under Laolong Ji. Shennong was leaning on his armrest with the door shut, dozing in the daytime. E Hegan pushed open the door at noon and came in, saying: "Laolong is dead!" Shennong, leaning on his armrest, took up his staff and rose, then flung the staff down with a clack and laughed, saying: "Heaven knows I am crude and lazy, so he left me behind and died. It is over, Master! He died without leaving me any wild words to enlighten me!"

弇堈弔聞之，曰：「夫體道者，天下之君子所繫焉。今於道，秋豪之端萬分未得處一焉，而猶知藏其狂言而死，又況夫體道者乎！視之無形，聽之無聲，於人之論者，謂之冥冥，所以論道，而非道也。」

Yan Gangdiao heard this and said: "One who embodies the Way is who the gentlemen of the world are tied to. Now, as to the Way, he had not attained even one ten-thousandth of the tip of an autumn hair, and yet he still knew to hide his wild words and die; how much more one who embodies the Way! Look at it and it has no form, listen to it and it has no sound; in people's discussions it is called dim and dark, so what is used to discuss the Way is not the Way."

於是泰清問乎無窮曰：「子知道乎？」

Then Taiqing asked Wuqiong (Limitless): "Do you know the Way?"

無窮曰：「吾不知。」

Wuqiong said: "I do not know."

又問乎無為，無為曰：「吾知道。」

He also asked Wuwei (Non-action), and Wuwei said: "I know."

曰：「子之知道，亦有數乎？」

(Taiqing) said: "Does your knowing have a measure?"

曰：「有。」

(Wuwei) said: "It does."

曰：「其數若何？」

(Taiqing) said: "What is its measure?"

無為曰：「吾知道之可以貴，可以賤，可以約，可以散，此吾所以知道之數也。」

Wuwei said: "I know that the Way can be honored, can be lowly, can be gathered, and can be scattered; this is the measure by which I know."

泰清以之言也問乎無始，曰：「若是，則無窮之弗知與無為之知，孰是而孰非乎？」

Taiqing took these words and asked Wushi (Beginningless), saying: "If so, then of Wuqiong's not knowing and Wuwei's knowing, which is right and which is not?"

無始曰：「不知深矣，知之淺矣；弗知內矣，知之外矣。」

Wushi said: "Not knowing is deep and knowing is shallow; not knowing is inner and knowing is outer."

於是泰清中而歎曰：「弗知乃知乎！知乃不知乎！孰知不知之知？」

Then Taiqing sighed midway and said: "Is not knowing then knowing! Is knowing then not knowing! Who knows the knowing of not knowing?"

無始曰：「道不可聞，聞而非也；道不可見，見而非也；道不可言，言而非也。知形形之不形乎！道不當名。」

Wushi said: "The Way cannot be heard; what is heard is not it. The Way cannot be seen; what is seen is not it. The Way cannot be spoken; what is spoken is not it. Know that what gives form to form is itself without form! The Way should not have a name."

無始曰：「有問道而應之者，不知道也。雖問道者，亦未聞道。道無問，問無應。無問問之，是問窮也；無應應之，是無內也。以無內待問窮，若是者，外不觀乎宇宙，內不知乎大初，是以不過乎崑崙，不遊乎太虛。」

Wushi said: "One who is asked about the Way and answers does not know the Way. Even the one who asks about the Way has never heard the Way. The Way has no asking, and asking has no answering. To ask where there is nothing to ask is to ask about emptiness; to answer where there is nothing to answer is to have nothing within. To treat one who asks about emptiness with having nothing within: such a person, outside, does not look upon the universe, and inside does not know the Great Beginning, and so does not cross Kunlun and does not wander in the Great Void."

光曜問乎無有曰：「夫子有乎？其無有乎？」

Guangyao asked Wuyou (Nonexistence): "Master, do you exist, or do you not exist?"

光曜不得問，而孰視其狀貌，窅然空然，終日視之而不見，聽之而不聞，搏之而不得也。

Guangyao, getting no answer, looked carefully at his appearance: deep and empty; looking at him all day he could not see him, listening he could not hear him, and grasping at him he could not get hold of him.

光曜曰：「至矣，其孰能至此乎！予能有無矣，而未能無無也。及為無有矣，何從至此哉！」

Guangyao said: "This is the utmost! Who could reach this point! I can have nothing, but I cannot yet make nothing nothing. When it comes to being Nonexistence, from where does one arrive here!"

大馬之捶鉤者，年八十矣，而不失豪芒。大馬曰：「子巧與？有道與？」

There was a hook-forger at the Grand Marshal's, eighty years old, who never missed by a hair. The Grand Marshal said: "Are you skilled? Do you have a Way?"

曰：「臣有守也。臣之年二十而好捶鉤，於物無視也，非鉤無察也。是用之者，假不用者也以長得其用，而況乎無不用者乎！物孰不資焉！」

(The hook-forger) said: "I have something I keep. From the age of twenty I loved forging hooks, and I looked at nothing else; unless it was a hook I did not examine it. In this way I use it by borrowing what is not used to make long use of it, and how much more one who uses everything! What thing does not draw on it!"

冉求問於仲尼曰：「未有天地可知邪？」

Ran Qiu asked Zhongni: "Can one know the time before Heaven and Earth existed?"

仲尼曰：「可。古猶今也。」

Zhongni said: "One can. The past is like the present."

冉求失問而退。明日復見，曰：「昔者吾問『未有天地可知乎？』夫子曰：『可。古猶今也。』昔日吾昭然，今日吾昧然。敢問何謂也？」

Ran Qiu could not go on asking and withdrew. The next day he came again and said: "Earlier I asked 'Can one know the time before Heaven and Earth existed?' and you said: 'One can. The past is like the present.' Yesterday I was clear, today I am confused. May I ask what it means?"

仲尼曰：「昔之昭然也，神者先受之；今之昧然也，且又為不神者求邪？無古無今，無始無終。未有子孫而有子孫，可乎？」

Zhongni said: "Yesterday you were clear because your spirit received it first; today you are confused, are you again seeking it through what is not spirit? There is no past and no present, no beginning and no end. Would it be acceptable to have descendants before there ever were descendants?"

冉求未對。仲尼曰：「已矣，末應矣！不以生生死，不以死死生。死生有待邪？皆有所一體。有先天地生者物邪？物物者非物，物出不得先物也，猶其有物也。猶其有物也，無已。聖人之愛人也終無已者，亦乃取於是者也。」

Ran Qiu had not yet answered. Zhongni said: "Enough, do not answer! Do not use life to give birth to death, nor use death to put life to death. Do death and life depend on anything? They are all one body. Is there any thing born before Heaven and Earth? That which makes things be things is not a thing; things cannot come forth before things, for there are already things. There are already things, without end. The sage's love of people that never ends is also modeled on this."

顏淵問乎仲尼曰：「回嘗聞諸夫子曰：『無有所將，無有所迎。』回敢問其遊。」

Yan Yuan asked Zhongni: "I once heard the Master say: 'Nothing to send off, nothing to welcome.' May I ask about such wandering."

仲尼曰：「古之人，外化而內不化，今之人，內化而外不化。與物化者，一不化者也。安化安不化，安與之相靡，必與之莫多。狶韋氏之囿，黃帝之圃，有虞氏之宮，湯武之室。君子之人，若儒墨者師，故以是非相x韲x*也，而況今之人乎！聖人處物不傷物。不傷物者，物亦不能傷也。唯無所傷者，為能與人相將迎。山林與！皋壤與！使我欣欣然而樂與！樂未畢也，哀又繼之。哀樂之來，吾不能禦，其去弗能止。悲夫，世人直為物逆旅耳！夫知遇而不知所不遇，知能能而不能所不能。無知無能者，固人之所不免也。夫務免乎人之所不免者，豈不亦悲哉！至言去言，至為去為。齊知之所知，則淺矣。」

Zhongni said: "People of old were transformed outside and not transformed inside; people today are transformed inside and not transformed outside. What transforms with things is the one that does not transform. Being at ease in transformation and at ease in non-transformation, being at ease in rubbing against them, one certainly does not seek more from them. The park of Xiwei, the garden of the Yellow Emperor, the palace of Youyu, the houses of Tang and Wu. Gentlemen of this kind, like the teachers of the Confucians and Mohists, still use right and wrong to [damaged character in the base text, see the note below] one another, to say nothing of people today! The sage dwells among things without harming things. One who does not harm things cannot be harmed by things. Only one who harms nothing can send off and welcome people. Mountains and forests! Banks and marshes! They make me glad and happy! Before the joy is over, sorrow follows. Sorrow and joy come, and I cannot resist them; they go, and I cannot stop them. How sad, that people of the world are merely inns for things! They know what they meet but do not know what they do not meet, they can do what they can do but cannot do what they cannot do. Not knowing and not being able are, of course, what no one avoids. To strive to avoid what people cannot avoid, is that not also sad! The perfect speech does away with speech, and the perfect action does away with action. To unify what one knows is shallow."

Truecharacterresembles敕over韭,but束shouldbereplacedwith朿.UTF-8無其正字，只好暫用相似字。應該是敕(朿+攴)在上，韭在下。見中文大辭典。

(Note in the base text, not part of the scripture:) The correct form of this character looks like the character for 'command' placed above the character for 'leek', but with the component 'bundle' replaced by 'thorn'. UTF-8 does not contain this correct character, so a similar character has been used for now. It should be the command character (thorn plus the 'tap' radical) on top and the leek below. See the Zhongwen Da Cidian.

老聃之役有庚桑楚者，偏得老聃之道，以北居畏壘之山，其臣之畫然知者去之，其妾之挈然仁者遠之；擁腫之與居，鞅掌之為使。居三年，畏壘大壤。畏壘之民相與言曰：「庚桑子之始來，吾灑然異之。今吾日計之而不足，歲計之而有餘。庶幾其聖人乎！子胡不相與屍而祝之，社而稷之乎？」

Among the disciples of Lao Dan there was one called Gengsang Chu, who had obtained a part of Lao Dan's Way. He went north to live on Mount Weilei. Among his attendants, those who clearly displayed knowledge left him, and among his concubines, those who showed off humaneness stayed distant; those who were swollen and clumsy lived with him, and those who were busy were at his service. After three years Weilei had a great harvest. The people of Weilei said to each other: "When Master Gengsang first came, we felt startled that he was strange. Now if we count by the day it is not enough, but if we count by the year there is a surplus. He is probably a sage! Why do you not together make him the impersonator of the dead at sacrifices, and set up altars of soil and grain for him?"

庚桑子聞之，南面而不釋然。弟子異之。庚桑子曰：「弟子何異於予？夫春氣發而百草生，正得秋而萬寶成。夫春與秋，豈無得而然哉？天道已行矣。吾聞至人，屍居環堵之室，而百姓猖狂不知所如往。今以畏壘之細民而竊竊焉欲俎豆予於賢人之間，我其杓之人邪？吾是以不釋於老耼之言。」

Master Gengsang heard this, faced south, and was not at ease. His disciples found it strange. Master Gengsang said: "Why do my disciples find me strange? When the spring qi stirs, the hundred plants grow, and just as autumn arrives the myriad fruits ripen. Do spring and autumn act like this without anything attained? The Way of Heaven has already been operating. I have heard that the perfect person dwells like an impersonator of the dead in a house of four walls, while the hundred clans run wild not knowing where to go. Now these petty people of Weilei whisper that they want to place me among the worthy and offer sacrificial vessels to me; am I one to be a model? That is why I am not at ease about Lao Dan's words."

弟子曰：「不然。夫尋常之溝，巨魚無所還其體，而鯢鰌為之制；步仞之丘陵，巨獸無所隱其軀，而㜸狐為之祥。且夫尊賢授能，先善與利，自古堯舜以然，而況畏壘之民乎！夫子亦聽矣！」

The disciples said: "It is not so. In a ditch eight or ten feet deep, a big fish has no place to turn, yet the loach and eel can prevail; on a hill of a few paces high, a huge beast has no place to hide its body, yet the fox spirit takes it as auspicious. Moreover, honoring the worthy, entrusting the able, putting goodness and benefit first has been so since Yao and Shun, to say nothing of the people of Weilei! Master, please just allow it!"

庚桑子曰：「小子來！夫函車之獸，介而離山，則不免於罔罟之患；吞舟之魚，碭而失水，則蟻能苦之。故鳥獸不厭高，魚鼈不厭深。夫全其形生之人，藏其身也，不厭深眇而已矣！且夫二子者，又何足以稱揚哉！是其於辯也，將妄鑿垣牆而殖蓬蒿也，簡髮而櫛，數米而炊，竊竊乎又何足以濟世哉！舉賢則民相軋，任知則民相盜。之數物者，不足以厚民。民之於利甚勤，子有殺父，臣有殺君，正晝為盜，日中穴阫。吾語女，大亂之本，必生於堯舜之間，其末存乎千世之後。千世之後，其必有人與人相食者也。」

Master Gengsang said: "Come here, children! A beast that can hold a carriage in its mouth, if it leaves the mountains alone, cannot escape the trouble of nets and snares; a fish that can swallow a boat, if it is washed out of the water, can be tormented by ants. So birds and beasts do not tire of heights, and fish and turtles do not tire of depths. One who preserves his form and life hides his body and simply does not tire of depth and obscurity! Moreover, those two men, how are they worthy of praise! In making distinctions they would recklessly breach walls to plant weeds, pick out hairs to comb them, and count rice grains to cook them, and how could such petty stirring help the world! Promote the worthy and the people trample one another; employ the clever and the people steal from one another. These few things are not enough to benefit the people. The people are very diligent about profit: there are sons who kill their fathers and ministers who kill their rulers, who rob in broad daylight and dig through walls at noon. I tell you, the root of great disorder will certainly be born between Yao and Shun, and its branches will exist a thousand generations later. A thousand generations later there will certainly be people eating people."

南榮趎蹵然正坐曰：「若趎之年者已長矣，將惡乎託業以及此言邪？」

Nanrong Chu sat up straight in alarm and said: "For someone like me whose years are already many, what studies can I rely on to reach such words?"

庚桑子曰：「全汝形，抱汝生，無使汝思慮營營。若此三年，則可以及此言矣。」

Master Gengsang said: "Preserve your form, guard your life, and do not let your thoughts bustle about. In this way, in three years you may reach such words."

南榮趎曰：「目之與形，吾不知其異也，而盲者不能自見；耳之與形，吾不知其異也，而聾者不能自聞；心之與形，吾不知其異也，而狂者不能自得。形之與形亦闢矣，而物或間之邪，欲相求而不能相得？今謂趎曰：『全汝形，抱汝生，勿使汝思慮營營。』趎勉聞道達耳矣！」

Nanrong Chu said: "For the eyes in relation to the body, I do not know how they differ, yet the blind cannot see by themselves; for the ears in relation to the body, I do not know how they differ, yet the deaf cannot hear by themselves; for the heart in relation to the body, I do not know how they differ, yet the mad cannot attain by themselves. Body and body are also open to each other, but perhaps things come between them, so that they seek one another but cannot reach one another? Now you tell me: 'Preserve your form, guard your life, and do not let your thoughts bustle about.' I strive to hear the Way, but it only reaches my ears!"

庚桑子曰：「辭盡矣。曰，奔蜂不能化藿蠋，越雞不能伏鵠卵，魯雞固能矣。雞之與雞，其德非不同也，有能與不能者，其才固有巨小也。今吾才小，不足以化子。子胡不南見老子！」

Master Gengsang said: "I have said all I can. It is said that the wasp cannot hatch a bean caterpillar, the Yue chicken cannot hatch a swan's egg, but the Lu chicken can. Chicken and chicken, their natures are not different; one can and one cannot because their capacities are by nature large or small. Now my capacity is small and not enough to transform you. Why do you not go south and see Laozi!"

南榮趎贏糧，七日七夜至老子之所。

Nanrong Chu, carrying provisions, arrived at Laozi's place after seven days and seven nights.

老子曰：「子自楚之所來乎？」南榮趎曰：「唯。」

Laozi said: "Did you come from the land of Chu?" Nanrong Chu said: "Yes."

老子曰：「子何與人偕來之眾也？」南榮趎懼然顧其後。

Laozi said: "Why did you come with so many people?" Nanrong Chu turned and looked behind him in fright.

老子曰：「子不知吾所謂乎？」

Laozi said: "Do you not know what I mean?"

南榮趎俯而慙，仰而歎曰：「今者吾忘吾答，因失吾問。」

Nanrong Chu bowed his head in shame, then lifted it and sighed, saying: "Just now I forgot my answer and so lost my question."

老子曰：「何謂也？」

Laozi said: "What do you mean?"

南榮趎曰：「不知乎？人謂我朱愚。知乎？反愁我軀。不仁則害人，仁則反愁我身；不義則傷彼，義則反愁我己。我安逃此而可？此三言者，趎之所患也，願因楚而問之。」

Nanrong Chu said: "If I do not know, people say I am dull. If I know, it worries my body. If I am not humane, I harm others; if I am humane, it worries my person. If I am not righteous, I injure the other; if righteous, it worries myself. How can I escape these before I am right? These three sentences are what afflict me, and I wish to ask about them by borrowing the name of Chu."

老子曰：「向吾見若眉睫之間，吾因以得汝矣。今汝又言，而信之。若規規然若喪父母，揭竿而求諸海也。女亡人哉！惘惘乎，汝欲反汝情性而無由入，可憐哉！」

Laozi said: "Just now I looked between your brows and lashes, and from that I had already grasped you. Now you speak, and it is confirmed. You are anxious like one who has lost his parents, holding a pole and going into the sea to search for them. You are a lost person! Bewildered, you want to return to your nature and feelings but have no way in. Pitiable!"

南榮趎請入就舍，召其所好，去其所惡，十日自愁，復見老子。

Nanrong Chu asked to enter and stay in the guest house; he called back what he liked and discarded what he disliked, and after ten days of worrying by himself, he went again to see Laozi.

老子曰：「汝自灑濯，熟哉鬱鬱乎！然而其中津津乎猶有惡也。夫外韄者不可繁而捉，將內揵；內韄者不可繆而捉，將外揵。外內韄者，道德不能持，而況放道而行者乎！」

Laozi said: "You wash yourself, thoroughly; yet you are still gloomy! Still within you there is a trickle of evil. What is bound outside cannot be caught by fussy grasping, and you will have to lock it from within; what is bound inside cannot be caught by entangled grasping, and you will have to lock it from outside. For those bound both outside and inside, the Way and virtue cannot hold, to say nothing of one who goes abroad leaving the Way alone!"

南榮趎曰：「里人有病，里人問之，病者能言其病，病者猶未病也。若趎之聞大道，譬猶飲藥以加病也，趎願聞衞生之經而已矣。」

Nanrong Chu said: "When a person in the village is ill, and the villagers ask him, if the sick man can state his illness, he is not yet truly ill. As for me hearing the great Way, it is like drinking medicine to worsen the illness; I only wish to hear the classic of guarding life."

老子曰：「衞生之經，能抱一乎？能勿失乎？能無卜筮而知吉凶乎？能止乎？能已乎？能捨諸人而求諸己乎？能翛然乎？能侗然乎？能兒子乎？兒子終日嗥而嗌不嗄，和之至也；終日握而手不掜，共其德也；終日視而目不瞚，偏不在外也。行不知所之，居不知所為，與物委蛇而同其波。是衞生之經已。」

Laozi said: "The classic of guarding life: can you embrace the One? Can you not lose it? Can you know good and ill fortune without divination? Can you stop? Can you cease? Can you put down others and seek yourself? Can you be unconstrained? Can you be simple and open? Can you be like an infant? An infant cries all day yet its throat is not hoarse, because its harmony is perfect; it grips all day yet its hand does not curl, because it shares in that virtue; it looks all day yet its eye does not blink, because it is not attached to anything outside. When it walks it does not know where it goes, when it stays it does not know what it does, and it goes along with things, following their waves. This is the classic of guarding life."

南榮趎曰：「然則是至人之德已乎？」

Nanrong Chu said: "Then is this the virtue of the perfect person?"

曰：「非也。是乃所謂冰解凍釋者，能乎？夫至人者，相與交食乎地而交樂乎天，不以人物利害相攖，不相與為怪，不相與為謀，不相與為事，翛然而往，侗然而來。是謂衞生之經已。」

(Laozi) said: "No. This is only what is called ice dissolving and melting, can you do it? The perfect person eats together with others on Earth and enjoys together with others in Heaven, is not entangled by human and material benefits and harms, does not make strange things with others, does not plan with others, does not undertake business with others, goes freely and comes simply. This is called the classic of guarding life."

曰：「然則是至乎？」

(Nanrong Chu) said: "Then is this the utmost?"

曰：「未也。吾固告汝曰：『能兒子乎！』兒子動不知所為，行不知所之，身若槁木之枝而心若死灰。若是者，禍亦不至，福亦不來。禍福無有，惡有人災也！」

(Laozi) said: "Not yet. I originally told you: 'Can you be like an infant!' An infant moves without knowing what it does and walks without knowing where it goes; its body is like the branch of a dry tree and its heart like dead ashes. One like this is not reached by calamity and not visited by fortune. With neither calamity nor fortune, how could there be human disasters!"

宇泰定者，發乎天光。發乎天光者，人見其人，[物見其物。]人有脩者，乃今有恆；有恆者，人舍之，天助之。人之所舍，謂之天民；天之所助，謂之天子。

One whose inner space is greatly settled emits the light of Heaven. One who emits the light of Heaven is seen by people as a person (the base text supplies: and things see him as a thing). People who cultivate this now have constancy; one with constancy is where people come to dwell and Heaven comes to help. Those whom people dwell with are called people of Heaven, and those whom Heaven helps are called sons of Heaven.

學者，學其所不能學也；行者，行其所不能行也；辯者，辯其所不能辯也。知止乎其所不能知，至矣；若有不即是者，天鈞敗之。

Those who study, study what cannot be studied; those who act, act what cannot be acted; those who debate, debate what cannot be debated. To stop knowledge at what it cannot know is to reach the utmost; if anyone is not like this, the Heavenly potter's wheel ruins him.

備物以將形，藏不虞以生心，敬中以達彼，若是而萬惡至者，皆天也，而非人也，不足以滑成，不可內於靈臺。靈臺者有持，而不知其所持，而不可持者也。

Preparing goods to nourish the body, hiding the unexpected to give birth to the heart, being reverent within so as to reach beyond: if myriad evils come in this way, they are all Heaven and not human, not enough to disturb completion, and not to be admitted into the spirit-terrace. The spirit-terrace has what it holds, yet does not know what it holds, and yet it cannot be held.

不見其誠己而發，每發而不當，業入而不捨，每更為失。為不善乎顯明之中者，人得而誅之；為不善乎幽閒之中者，鬼得而誅之。明乎人、明乎鬼者，然後能獨行。

If one does not see one's own sincerity and sets forth, every setting forth is unfitting, work enters without being let go, and every change is a loss. One who does what is not good in the light, people can punish him; one who does what is not good in the dark, ghosts can punish him. One who is clear before people and clear before ghosts can then walk alone.

券內者，行乎無名；券外者，志乎期費。行乎無名者，唯庸有光；志乎期費者，唯賈人也。人見其跂，猶之魁然。與物窮者，物入焉；與物且者，其身之不能容，焉能容人！不能容人者無親，無親者盡人。兵莫憯於志，鏌鋣為下；寇莫大於陰陽，無所逃於天地之間。非陰陽賊之，心則使之也。

One who is in accord with the inner acts in namelessness; one who is in accord with the outer has his aims in seeking and spending. One who acts in namelessness is only ordinary and yet has radiance; one whose aims are in seeking and spending is only a merchant. People see him standing on tiptoe and still think him tall. One who exhausts himself with things, things enter; one who is careless with things cannot even be contained in his own body, how could he contain others! One who cannot contain others has no kin, and one without kin treats all people as outsiders. No weapon is more grievous than the will, with Moye still lower; no bandit is greater than yin and yang, and there is no escaping them between Heaven and Earth. It is not yin and yang that harm him; it is his heart that makes him so.

道通，其分也。其成也毀也。所惡乎分者，其分也以備；所以惡乎備者，其有以備。故出而不反，見其鬼；出而得，是謂得死。滅而有實，鬼之一也。以有形者象無形者而定矣！

The Way is open, and this is its division. Its completion is also its destruction. What is disliked about division is that it divides by completeness; what is disliked about completeness is that it has the use to complete. So one who goes out and does not return sees ghosts; one who goes out and gains something, this is called gaining death. When something has been extinguished and yet there is still substance, it is a kind of ghost. To use what has form to resemble what has no form: then one is settled!

出無本，入無竅，有實而無乎處，有長而無乎本剽，有所出而無竅者有實。有實而無乎處者，宇也；有長而無本剽者，宙也。有乎生，有乎死；有乎出，有乎入。入出而無見其形，是謂天門。天門者，無有也。萬物出乎無有。有不能以有為有，必出乎無有，而無有一無有。聖人藏乎是。

What comes out has no root, what goes in has no aperture; there is substance without place, there is length without beginning or end, there is something that comes out without aperture which is substance. Substance without place is space (yu); length without beginning or end is time (zhou). There is birth and there is death; there is going out and there is going in. Going in and out without showing form: this is called the gate of Heaven. The gate of Heaven is nonexistence. The myriad things come out of nonexistence. Being cannot use being to make being; it must come from nonexistence, and nonexistence is a single nonexistence. The sage hides here.

古之人，其知有所至矣。惡乎至？有以為未始有物者，至矣，盡矣，弗可以加矣！其次以為有物矣，將以生為喪也，以死為反也，是以分已。其次曰始無有，既而有生，生俄而死；以無有為首，以生為體，以死為尻；孰知有無死生之一守者，吾與之為友。是三者雖異，公族也，昭景也，著戴也，甲氏也，著封也：非一也。

The people of old had a knowing that reached something. What did it reach? Some held that there had never been anything at all, which reached the end and exhausted it, so that nothing could be added! Next, some held that there were things, and took life as loss and death as return, and so already had divisions. Next, some said: at first there was no being, then there was life, and life soon died; they took nonexistence as the head, life as the body, and death as the rump; who knows that being and nonbeing, death and life, are maintained as one, I will take him as a friend. These three, though different, are of one clan, as the Zhao and Jing clans are known by what they honor and the Jia clan by its fief: they are not one.

有生，黬也，披然曰移是。嘗言移是，非所言也。雖然，不可知者也。臘者之有膍胲，可散而不可散也；觀室者周於寢廟，又適其偃焉！為是舉移是。

Having life is a darkness and cloud, confusedly speaking of this and that. Let me try to speak of this and that; it is not what one should speak of. Even so, it cannot be known. At the year-end sacrifice there are the spleen and hooves, which can be divided and yet cannot be divided; one viewing the houses goes through the ancestral temples and then also goes to the privy! For this I raise the matter of this and that.

請常言移是。是以生為本，以知為師，因以乘是非。果有名實，因以己為質。使人以為己節，因以死償節。若然者，以用為知，以不用為愚；以徹為名，以窮為辱。移是，今之人也，是蜩與學鳩同於同也。

Let me speak further of this and that. It takes life as root, knowledge as teacher, and so rides on right and wrong. If indeed there are names and realities, then it takes itself as substance. It leads people to think it is their own integrity, and so repays that integrity with death. Such people take use as knowledge and non-use as stupidity; take success as fame and failure as shame. This and that are people today, and this is the cicada and the little dove sharing the same sameness.

蹍市人之足，則辭以放驁，兄則以嫗，大親則已矣。故曰，至禮有不人，至義不物，至知不謀，至仁無親，至信闢金。

If one steps on a stranger's foot in the market, one apologizes with indulgence and arrogance; if it is an elder brother, one comforts him; if it is a close relative, one lets it go. So it is said: perfect ritual has those who do not treat people as people, perfect righteousness does not treat things as things, perfect knowledge does not plan, perfect humaneness has no kin, and perfect trust sets gold aside.

徹志之勃，解心之謬，去德之累，達道之塞。貴富顯嚴名利六者，勃志也。容動色理氣意六者，謬心也。惡欲喜怒哀樂六者，累德也。去就取與知能六者，塞道也。此四六者，不蕩胸中則正，正則靜，靜則明，明則虛，虛則無為而無不為也。道者，德之欽也；生者，德之光也；性者，生之質也。性之動，謂之為，為之偽謂之失。知者，接也；知者，謨也。知者之所不知，猶睨也。動以不得已之謂德，動無非我之謂治，名相反而實相順也。

Break through the perversities of the will, release the errors of the heart, remove the burdens on virtue, and open the blockages of the Way. Honor, wealth, prominence, dignity, fame and profit, these six perplex the will. Appearance, movement, color, reasoning, qi and intention, these six err the heart. Hatred, desire, joy, anger, sorrow and delight, these six burden virtue. Leaving, approaching, taking, giving, knowing and ability, these six block the Way. If these four sixes do not stir in the breast, one is upright; uprightness is stillness; stillness is clarity; clarity is emptiness; and emptiness is non-action with nothing left undone. The Way is what virtue reveres; life is the radiance of virtue; nature is the substance of life. The stirring of nature is called acting, and the falsity of acting is called loss. Knowing is contact; knowing is planning. What the knower does not know is still like looking sideways. Moving because one cannot do otherwise is called virtue; moving with nothing but myself is called governing; the names oppose each other but the realities accord.

羿工乎中微而拙乎使人無己譽；聖人工乎天而拙乎人；夫工乎天而俍乎人者，唯全人能之。唯蟲能蟲，唯蟲能天。全人惡天，惡人之天，而況吾天乎人乎！

Yi was skilled at hitting fine targets but poor at making people not praise him; the sage is skilled in Heaven but poor with people; one who is skilled in Heaven and also good with people is only the complete person. Only an insect can act as an insect, and only an insect can unite with Heaven. The complete person dislikes Heaven, dislikes the Heaven of people, to say nothing of my taking Heaven as human and human as Heaven!

一雀適羿，羿必得之，或也。以天下為之籠，則雀無所逃。是故湯以胞人籠伊尹，秦穆公以五羊之皮籠百里奚。是故非以其所好籠之而可得者，無有也。

When a sparrow passes by Yi, Yi will certainly get it, but only by chance. If the whole world is made a cage, the sparrow has no way to escape. So Tang used a cook to cage Yi Yin, and Duke Mu of Qin used five sheepskins to cage Baili Xi. So there is no one who could be caged without using what he likes and yet be obtained.

介者拸畫，外非譽也。胥靡登高而不懼，遺死生也。夫復謵不餽而忘人，忘人，因以為天人矣！故敬之而不喜，侮之而不怒者，唯同乎天和者為然。出怒不怒，則怒出於不怒矣；出為無為，則為出於無為矣！欲靜則平氣，欲神則順心。有為也。欲當則緣於不得已，不得已之類，聖人之道。

One who has suffered the foot-cutting punishment discards ornament, putting praise and blame outside. A convict climbs high without fear, abandoning life and death. One who is threatened and does not return it and yet forgets others, forgetting others, is then thought of as a person of Heaven! So one who is respected and not pleased, insulted and not angry, is only one who is united with Heaven's harmony. Anger issues and yet is not anger, so anger comes from non-anger; action issues and yet is not action, so action comes from non-action! To wish for stillness, level the qi; to wish for spirit, accord the heart. This is acting. To wish to be fitting, follow what cannot be avoided; things of the kind that cannot be avoided are the Way of the sage.

徐無鬼因女商見魏武侯，武侯勞之曰：「先生病矣！苦於山林之勞，故乃肯見於寡人。」

Xu Wugui, through Nü Shang, went to see Marquis Wu of Wei. The Marquis consoled him, saying: "You are ill, sir! You are suffering from the hardships of the mountains and forests, and so you were willing to come and see me."

徐無鬼曰：「我則勞於君，君有何勞於我！君將盈耆欲，長好惡，則性命之情病矣；君將黜耆欲，掔好惡，則耳目病矣。我將勞君，君有何勞於我！」武侯超然不對。

Xu Wugui said: "It is I who should console you, my lord; what is there for you to console me about! If you fill your appetites and increase your likes and dislikes, the feelings of your nature and destiny become ill; if you reject your appetites and reduce your likes and dislikes, your ears and eyes become ill. I will console you; what is there for you to console me about!" The Marquis was dismayed and did not reply.

少焉，徐無鬼曰：「嘗語君，吾相狗也。下之質執飽而止，是狸德也；中之質若視日，上之質若亡其一。吾相狗，又不若吾相馬也。吾相馬，直者中繩，曲者中鉤，方者中矩，圓者中規，是國馬也，而未若天下馬也。天下馬有成材，若卹若失，若喪其一，若是者，超軼絕塵，不知其所。」武侯大悅而笑。

After a while Xu Wugui said: "Let me tell you, my lord, how I judge dogs. The lowest kind is satisfied when fed, which is the virtue of the wild cat; the middle kind looks as if gazing at the sun; the highest kind seems to have forgotten itself. My judging of dogs is not as good as my judging of horses. In judging horses, one that is straight accords with the plumb line, one that curves accords with the hook, one that is square accords with the carpenter's square, and one that is round accords with the compass; this is a horse of the state, and yet not as good as a horse of the world. A horse of the world has natural talent, appears anxious, appears at a loss, as if it has lost itself; such a horse leaps beyond all, treads without dust, and one does not know where it goes." The Marquis was delighted and laughed.

徐無鬼出，女商曰：「先生獨何以說吾君乎？吾所以說吾君者，橫說之則以《詩》、《書》、《禮》、《樂》，從說則以《金板》、《六弢》，奉事而大有功者不可為數，而吾君未嘗啟齒。今先生何以說吾君，使吾君說若此乎？」

When Xu Wugui went out, Nü Shang said: "What did you, sir, alone use to please our ruler? What I use to please our ruler is, speaking across, the Odes, Documents, Rites and Music, and speaking along, the Golden Tablets and the Six Quivers; those I have served with great merit cannot be counted, yet our ruler has never opened his mouth to laugh. Now what did you use to please our ruler, so that our ruler is pleased to this degree?"

徐無鬼曰：「吾直告之吾相狗馬耳。」

Xu Wugui said: "I only told him how I judge dogs and horses."

女商曰：「若是乎？」

Nü Shang said: "Is that so?"

曰：「子不聞夫越之流人乎？去國數日，見其所知而喜；去國旬月，見所嘗見於國中者喜；及期年也，見似人者而喜矣；不亦去人滋久，思人滋深乎？夫逃虛空者，藜藋柱乎鼪鼬之逕，踉位其空，聞人足音跫然而喜矣，又況乎昆弟親戚之謦欬其側者乎！久矣夫莫以真人之言謦欬吾君之側乎！」

(Xu Wugui) said: "Have you not heard of the exile from Yue? A few days after leaving his state, he is glad to see someone he knows; a month after leaving, he is glad to see someone he once saw in the state; when a year has passed, he is glad to see anyone who looks like a person; is it not that the longer one has been away from people, the deeper one's longing for people? One who has fled into emptiness, where goosefoot and bean-leaves block the weasel paths, stands stumbling in the empty ground, and hears the sound of a human footstep and is glad, to say nothing of brothers and relatives coughing beside him! It has been long, very long, since anyone coughed beside our ruler with the words of a true person!"

徐無鬼見武侯，武侯曰：「先生居山林，食芧栗，厭蔥韭，以賓寡人，久矣夫！今老邪？其欲幹酒肉之味邪？其寡人亦有社稷之福邪？」

Xu Wugui saw Marquis Wu, and Marquis Wu said: "You, sir, have lived in the mountains and forests, eaten acorns and chestnuts, been full on scallions and leeks, and have left me aside for a long time! Are you now old? Do you want to seek the taste of wine and meat (here 'gan' means to seek, not to interfere)? Or is it that I too have the blessing of the altars of soil and grain?"

徐無鬼曰：「無鬼生於貧賤，未嘗敢飲食君之酒肉，將來勞君也。」

Xu Wugui said: "I, Wugui, was born poor and lowly and have never dared eat or drink your wine and meat; I have come to console you, my lord."

君曰：「何哉！奚勞寡人？」

The ruler said: "What! How will you console me?"

曰：「勞君之神與形。」

(Xu Wugui) said: "To console your spirit and body, my lord."

武侯曰：「何謂邪？」

Marquis Wu said: "What do you mean?"

徐無鬼曰：「天地之養也一，登高不可以為長，居下不可以為短。君獨為萬乘之主，以苦一國之民，以養耳目鼻口，夫神者不自許也。夫神者，好和而惡姦；夫姦，病也，故勞之。唯君所病之何也？」

Xu Wugui said: "The nourishment of Heaven and Earth is one; those who climb high cannot be considered long and those who dwell low cannot be considered short. You alone are the lord of ten thousand chariots and trouble the people of a state in order to feed your ears, eyes, nose and mouth, yet the spirit does not allow it of itself. The spirit loves harmony and hates crookedness; crookedness is a sickness, so I console it. But what is your illness, my lord?"

武侯曰：「欲見先生久矣。吾欲愛民而為義偃兵，其可乎？」

Marquis Wu said: "I have long wanted to see you, sir. I wish to love the people and stop the troops for righteousness; is that acceptable?"

徐無鬼曰：「不可。愛民，害民之始也；為義偃兵，造兵之本也；君自此為之，則殆不成。凡成美，惡器也；君雖為仁義，幾且偽哉！形固造形，成固有伐，變固外戰。君亦必無盛鶴列於麗譙之間，無徙驥於錙壇之宮，無藏逆於得，無以巧勝人，無以謀勝人，無以戰勝人。夫殺人之士民，兼人之土地，以養吾私與吾神者，其戰不知孰善？勝之惡乎在？君若勿已矣！脩胷中之誠，以應天地之情而勿攖。夫民死已脫矣，君將惡乎用夫偃兵哉！」

Xu Wugui said: "It is not. Loving the people is the beginning of harming the people; stopping the troops for righteousness is the root of making troops. If you go on from here, you will hardly succeed. Whatever completes beauty is an instrument of evil; though you practice humaneness and righteousness, it is near to becoming false! Form by nature gives rise to form, completion by nature gives rise to boasting, and change by nature gives rise to outer wars. You must also not display crane formations between the city towers, nor move fine horses in the palace of the altars, nor hide rebellion in your gains, nor defeat others with cleverness, nor defeat others with schemes, nor defeat others with battle. To kill others' officers and people and annex others' land in order to feed my private desires and my spirit, how would battle know which is good? And where is the victory? If you cannot stop! Cultivate the sincerity in your breast in order to respond to the feelings of Heaven and Earth, and do not disturb them. When the people's deaths have already been avoided, where would you still need to stop troops, my lord!"

黃帝將見大隗乎具茨之山，方明為御，昌㝢驂乘，張若謵朋前馬，昆閽滑稽後車；至於襄城之野，七聖皆迷，無所問塗。

The Yellow Emperor was about to go to Mount Juci to see Dagui. Fangming drove the chariot, Changyu rode in the third seat, Zhang Ruo and Xipeng were ahead of the horses, and Kunhun and Huaji behind the carriage; when they reached the wilds of Xiangcheng, the seven sages were all lost and had no one to ask the way.

適遇牧馬童子，問塗焉，曰：「若知具茨之山乎？」曰：「然。」

They happened to meet a boy tending horses and asked him the way, saying: "Do you know Mount Juci?" He said: "I do."

「若知大隗之所存乎？」曰：「然。」

"Do you know where Dagui lives?" He said: "I do."

黃帝曰：「異哉小童！非徒知具茨之山，又知大隗之所存。請問為天下。」

The Yellow Emperor said: "How remarkable, little boy! You know not only Mount Juci but also where Dagui lives. May I ask about governing the world."

小童曰：「夫為天下者，亦若此而已矣，又奚事焉！予少而自遊於六合之內，予適有瞀病，有長者教予曰：『若乘日之車而遊於襄城之野。』今予病少痊，予又且復遊於六合之外。夫為天下亦若此而已。予又奚事焉！」

The boy said: "Governing the world is just like this, and what is there to do! When I was young I wandered by myself within the six directions, and I happened to have a disease of blurred vision, and an elder taught me: 'Ride in the chariot of the sun and wander in the wilds of Xiangcheng.' Now my illness is a little better, and I shall wander again beyond the six directions. Governing the world is just like this. What would I do!"

黃帝曰：「夫為天下者，則誠非吾子之事。雖然，請問為天下。」小童辭。

The Yellow Emperor said: "Governing the world is indeed not your business. Even so, may I ask about governing the world." The boy declined.

黃帝又問。小童曰：「夫為天下者，亦奚以異乎牧馬者哉！亦去其害馬者而已矣！」

The Yellow Emperor asked again. The boy said: "How is governing the world different from tending horses! It is only removing what harms the horses, and that is all!"

黃帝再拜稽首，稱天師而退。

The Yellow Emperor bowed twice with his head to the ground, called him Heavenly Teacher, and withdrew.

知士無思慮之變則不樂，辯士無談說之序則不樂，察士無淩誶之事則不樂，皆囿於物者也。

Knowledgeable men are not happy without changes of thought and deliberation, debaters are not happy without an order of discourse, and scrutinizing men are not happy without attacks and cross-examinations; all are enclosed by things.

招世之士興朝，中民之士榮官，筋力之士矜難，勇敢之士奮患，兵革之士樂戰，枯槁之士宿名，法律之士廣治，禮教之士敬容，仁義之士貴際。農夫無草萊之事則不比，商賈無市井之事則不比。庶人有旦暮之業則勸，百工有器械之巧則壯。錢財不積則貪者憂，權勢不尤則誇者悲。勢物之徒樂變，遭時有所用，不能無為也。此皆順比於歲，不物於易者也。馳其形性，潛之萬物，終身不反，悲夫！

The men who attract the age rise at court, the men of the middle class take pride in office, the men of strength boast of facing danger, the courageous men rise up in trouble, the men of arms and armor delight in battle, the withered scholars rest in fame, the men of law extend government, the men of ritual teaching revere deportment, and the men of humaneness and righteousness value social exchange. Farmers without weeds and brush to deal with do not cling together, and merchants without market business do not cling together. Commoners work diligently when they have morning-and-evening work, and the hundred craftsmen flourish when they have skilled tools. If money and wealth do not accumulate, the greedy worry; if power and position are not prominent, the vain grieve. Those whose position and things are of one kind delight in change, and when they meet their time they find use, and cannot be non-acting. These all follow clinging to the years and cannot be masters amid change. They gallop their forms and natures and sink into the myriad things, never returning for life; how sad!

莊子曰：「射者非前期而中，謂之善射，天下皆羿也，可乎？」

Zhuangzi said: "One who shoots without a target set in advance and still hits is called a good archer; if everyone in the world were a Yi, would that be acceptable?"

惠子曰：「可。」

Huizi said: "It would."

莊子曰：「天下非有公是也，而各是其所是，天下皆堯也，可乎？」

Zhuangzi said: "There is no common right in the world, and each takes what he holds as right to be right; if everyone in the world were a Yao, would that be acceptable?"

惠子曰：「可。」

Huizi said: "It would."

莊子曰：「然則儒墨楊秉四，與夫子為五，果孰是邪？或者若魯遽者邪？其弟子曰：『我得夫子之道矣！吾能冬爨鼎而夏造冰矣。』魯遽曰：『是直以陽召陽，以陰召陰，非吾所謂道也。吾示子乎吾道。』於是為之調瑟，廢一於堂，廢一於室，鼓宮宮動，鼓角角動，音律同矣。夫或改調一弦，於五音無當也，鼓之，二十五絃皆動，未始異於聲，而音之君已。且若是者邪？」

Zhuangzi said: "Then the four schools, Confucian, Mohist, Yang and Bing, and you, sir, make five; which one is right in the end? Or is it like Lu Ju? His disciple said: 'I have attained the Master's Way! I can heat a cauldron in winter and make ice in summer.' Lu Ju said: 'This is only using yang to summon yang and yin to summon yin; it is not what I call the Way. Let me show you my Way.' Then he tuned two zithers for him, placed one in the hall and one in the room; when he plucked the gong note, the gong note moved, and when he plucked the jue note, the jue note moved, since their tones were the same. Or if one string is retuned so it matches none of the five notes, when it is plucked all twenty-five strings move; they are not different in sound, and the lord of the notes is already there. Are you like that?"

惠子曰：「今乎儒墨楊秉，且方與我以辯，相拂以辭，相鎮以聲，而未始吾非也，則奚若矣？」

Huizi said: "Now the Confucians, Mohists, Yangists and Bingists are just debating with me, opposing me with words and pressing me down with sounds, and they have never taken me to be wrong; what then?"

莊子曰：「齊人蹢子於宋者，其命閽也不以完，其求鈃鍾也以束縛，其求唐子也而未始出域，有遺類矣！夫楚人寄而蹢閽者，夜半於無人之時而與舟人鬬，未始離於岑而足以造於怨也。」

Zhuangzi said: "A man of Qi who sent his own son to Song, appointed a gatekeeper who was not physically whole, sought a bell but bound it with ropes, and looked for a lost child but never left his borders, was losing sight of categories! A man of Chu who lodged away from home and sent his gatekeeper off fought with the boatman at midnight when no one was about, and without leaving the shore was enough to create resentment."

莊子送葬，過惠子之墓，顧謂從者曰：「郢人堊慢其鼻端若蠅翼，使匠人斲之。匠石運斤成風，聽而斲之，盡堊而鼻不傷，郢人立不失容。宋元君聞之，召匠石曰：『嘗試為寡人為之。』匠石曰：『臣則嘗能斲之。雖然，臣之質死久矣。』自夫子之死也，吾無以為質矣，吾無與言之矣。」

Zhuangzi, escorting a funeral, passed by Huizi's tomb and turned to his followers, saying: "A man of Ying smeared white chalk on the tip of his nose, as thin as a fly's wing, and had the carpenter chop it off. The carpenter Shi swung his axe with a gust of wind and let himself chop, and the chalk was gone but the nose was not harmed, while the man of Ying stood without losing his composure. Lord Yuan of Song heard of it, summoned the carpenter Shi and said: 'Try it for me.' The carpenter Shi said: 'I used to be able to chop. Even so, my partner has long been dead.' Since the Master died, I have had no one to take as my partner, no one to talk with."

管仲有病，桓公問之曰：「仲父之病病矣，可不謂，雲至於大病，則寡人惡乎屬國而可？」

Guan Zhong fell ill, and Duke Huan asked him: "Uncle Zhong, your illness is serious; may I not speak of it, and speaking of the great illness, to whom should I entrust the state?"

管仲曰：「公誰欲與？」

Guan Zhong said: "Whom does my lord wish to give it to?"

公曰：「鮑叔牙。」

The Duke said: "Bao Shuya."

曰：「不可。其為人絜廉善士也，其於不己若者不比之，又一聞人之過，終身不忘。使之治國，上且鉤乎君，下且逆乎民。其得罪於君也，將弗久矣！」

(Guan Zhong) said: "It cannot be. He is a man of clean integrity and a good officer, but he does not draw close to those who are not his equal, and once he hears of another's fault he does not forget it all his life. If he were made to govern the state, above he would hook his ruler and below he would go against the people. His offending his lord will not be long delayed!"

公曰：「然則孰可？」

The Duke said: "Then who would be acceptable?"

對曰：「勿已，則隰朋可。其為人也，上忘而下畔，愧不若黃帝而哀不己若者。以德分人謂之聖，以財分人謂之賢。以賢臨人，未有得人者也；以賢下人，未有不得人者也。其於國有不聞也，其於家有不見也。勿已，則隰朋可。」

He answered: "If there is no alternative, then Xi Peng will do. As a person, those above forget him and those below cling to him; he is ashamed not to be like the Yellow Emperor and pities those not as good as himself. One who shares virtue with others is called a sage, and one who shares wealth with others is called worthy. To rule over others by being worthy has never won people; to place oneself beneath others by being worthy has never failed to win them. In the state he leaves things unheard, in the family he leaves things unseen. If there is no alternative, then Xi Peng will do."

吳王浮於江，登乎狙之山。眾狙見之，恂然棄而走，逃於深蓁。有一狙焉，委蛇攫，見巧乎王。王射之，敏給搏捷矢。王命相者趨射之，狙執死。

The King of Wu sailed on the river and climbed Mount Ju. The many monkeys saw him, and, frightened, dropped everything and ran, fleeing into the deep thickets. One monkey, swinging about with a leisurely twist, showed off its skill before the king. The king shot at it, and it nimbly caught the flying arrow. The king ordered those around him to hurry and shoot it, and the monkey was seized and died.

王顧謂其友顏不疑曰：「之狙也，伐其巧恃其便以敖予，以至此殛也！戒之哉！嗟乎，無以汝色驕人哉！」顏不疑歸而師董梧以助其色，去樂辭顯，三年而國人稱之。

The king turned to his friend Yan Buyi and said: "This monkey, boasting of its skill and relying on its agility to look down on me, came to this place of death! Be warned! Ah, do not be proud before others with your expression!" Yan Buyi went back and studied with Dong Wu to help correct his expression, got rid of pleasure and gave up display, and after three years the people of the state praised him.

南伯子綦隱幾而坐，仰天而噓。顏成子入見曰：「夫子，物之尤也。形固可使若槁骸，心固可使若死灰乎？」

Nanbo Ziqi sat leaning on his armrest, looking up at the sky and exhaling. Yan Chengzi came in, saw him and said: "Master, you stand out among beings. Can the body truly be made like withered bones, and the mind truly be made like dead ashes?"

曰：「吾嘗居山穴之中矣。當是時也，田禾一覩我，而齊國之眾三賀之。我必先之，彼故知之；我必賣之，彼故鬻之。若我而不有之，彼惡得而知之？若我而不賣之，彼惡得而鬻之？嗟乎！我悲人之自喪者，吾又悲夫悲人者，吾又悲夫悲人之悲者，其後而日遠矣。」

(Nanbo Ziqi) said: "I once lived in a mountain cave. At that time, when Tian He saw me, the people of Qi congratulated me three times. I must first have had it, and so he knew it; I must have sold it, and so he traded it. If I had not had it, how could he have known? If I had not sold it, how could he have traded it? Ah! I grieve for those who lose themselves, and I grieve for those who grieve for them, and I grieve for those who grieve for those grieving, and from then on I have grown further away day by day."

仲尼之楚，楚王觴之。孫叔敖執爵而立，市南宜僚受酒而祭，曰：「古之人乎！於此言已。」

Zhongni went to Chu, and the King of Chu gave him wine. Sunshu Ao stood holding the cup, and Shinan Yiliao took the wine and made the libation, saying: "Men of old! Here is where they speak."

曰：「丘也聞不言之言矣，未之嘗言，於此乎言之。市南宜僚弄丸而兩家之難解，孫叔敖甘寢秉羽而郢人投兵。丘願有喙三尺。」

(Zhongni) said: "I have heard the speech that is not speech, and never spoke it, but here I speak of it. Shinan Yiliao played with pellets and the troubles of two houses were resolved; Sunshu Ao slept in peace holding a feather fan and the men of Ying laid down their weapons. I wish I had a beak three feet long."

彼之謂不道之道，此之謂不言之辯，故德總乎道之所一。而言休乎知之所不知，至矣。道之所一者，德不能同也；知之所不能知者，辯不能舉也；名若儒墨而兇矣。故海不辭東流，大之至也；聖人幷包天地，澤及天下，而不知其誰氏。是故生無爵，死無諡，實不聚，名不立，此之謂大人。狗不以善吠為良，人不以善言為賢，而況為大乎！夫為大不足以為大，而況為德乎！夫大備矣，莫若天地；然奚求焉，而大備矣。知大備者，無求，無失，無棄，不以物易己也。反己而不窮，循古而不摩，大人之誠。

(Zhongni continued:) That is called the Way that is not a way, and this is called the disputation that is not speech, so virtue embraces what the Way makes one. And speech stops at what knowledge does not know, which is the utmost. What the Way makes one, virtue cannot make the same; what knowledge cannot know, disputation cannot bring up; a name like Confucian or Mohist is ominous. So the sea does not refuse to flow east, which is the utmost of greatness; the sage embraces Heaven and Earth, his grace reaches all under Heaven, and one does not know whose clan he is. So in life he has no rank, in death he has no posthumous title, substance does not accumulate, name is not established; this is called the great man. A dog is not counted good because it barks well, and a person is not counted worthy because he speaks well, much less being called great! Being great is not enough to be great, much less being virtuous! Greatness is already complete, and nothing compares to Heaven and Earth; yet what is there to seek, since greatness is already complete? One who knows greatness is complete seeks nothing, loses nothing, abandons nothing, and does not exchange himself for things. Returning to himself without exhaustion, following the ancients without being worn down, is the sincerity of the great man.

子綦有八子，陳諸前，召九方歅曰：「為我相吾子，孰為祥？」

Ziqi had eight sons, lined up before him, and he called Jiufang Yin and said: "Read the faces of my sons for me; which is auspicious?"

九方歅曰：「梱也為祥。」

Jiufang Yin said: "Kun is auspicious."

子綦瞿然喜曰：「奚若？」曰：「梱也將與國君同食以終其身。」

Ziqi looked astonished and pleased and said: "How so?" He said: "Kun will eat at the same table as the ruler until the end of his life."

子綦索然出涕曰：「吾子何為以至於是極也！」

Ziqi wept sadly and said: "How has my son come to this extreme!"

九方歅曰：「夫與國君同食，澤及三族，而況父母乎！今夫子聞之而泣，是禦福也。子則祥矣，父則不祥。」

Jiufang Yin said: "To eat with the ruler brings grace to three clans, how much more to parents! Now you, sir, hear it and weep, which is resisting good fortune. The son is auspicious, but the father is not."

子綦曰：「歅，汝何足以識之。而梱祥邪？盡於酒肉，入於鼻口矣，而何足以知其所自來？吾未嘗為牧而牂生於奧，未嘗好田而鶉生於宎，若勿怪，何邪？吾所與吾子遊者，遊於天地。吾與之邀樂於天，吾與之邀食於地；吾不與之為事，不與之為謀，不與之為怪；吾與之乘天地之誠而不以物與之相攖，吾與之一委蛇而不與之為事所宜。今也然有世俗之償焉！凡有怪徵者，必有怪行，殆乎。非我與吾子之罪，幾天與之也！吾是以泣也。」

Ziqi said: "Yin, how are you fit to recognize this. Is Kun auspicious? It is all wine and meat, entering the nose and mouth, so how could you know where it comes from? I never herded sheep, yet a ewe gave birth in the southwest corner of my house; I never loved hunting, yet quail were born in the southeast corner of my house; if this is not strange, what is? What I and my sons wander in is Heaven and Earth. I and he seek joy from Heaven, and I and he seek food from the earth; I do not do deeds with him, plan with him, or make wonders with him; I and he ride the sincerity of Heaven and Earth and do not entangle each other with things, I and he let everything be as it will and do not do what is fitting for tasks. And now there is worldly repayment! Whoever has strange omens will surely have strange conduct, and is in danger. It is not the fault of me or my son, it is almost Heaven's gift to him! That is why I weep."

無幾何而使梱之於燕，盜得之於道，全而鬻之則難，不若刖之則易。於是乎刖而鬻之於齊，適當渠公之街，然身食肉而終。

Not long after, Kun was sent to Yan, and bandits seized him on the road; to sell him whole would be hard, and it was easier to cut off his feet. So they cut off his feet and sold him in Qi, where he happened to be set to watch the street gate for Duke Qu, and so he ate meat for the rest of his life.

齧缺遇許由，曰：「子將奚之？」

Nie Que met Xu You and said: "Where are you going?"

曰：「將逃堯。」

(Xu You) said: "I am about to flee from Yao."

曰：「奚謂邪？」

(Nie Que) said: "How so?"

曰：「夫堯，畜畜然仁，吾恐其為天下笑。後世其人與人相食與！夫民，不難聚也；愛之則親，利之則至，譽之則勸，致其所惡則散。愛利出乎仁義，捐仁義者寡，利仁義者眾。夫仁義之行，唯且無誠，且假乎禽貪者器。是以一人之斷制利天下，譬之猶一覕也。夫堯知賢人之利天下也，而不知其賊天下也，夫唯外乎賢者知之矣。」

(Xu You) said: "Yao, anxiously talking about humaneness, I fear he will be laughed at by the world. In later ages perhaps people will eat one another! The people are not hard to gather; love them and they become close, benefit them and they come, praise them and they strive, give them what they dislike and they scatter. Love and benefit come from humaneness and righteousness; few cast away humaneness and righteousness, and many use them. The practice of humaneness and righteousness will lack sincerity, and will even be lent as tools to the greedy. So to benefit the world by one person's decision is like a glance. Yao knows that a worthy man benefits the world but does not know that he also does it harm; only one who sets worthiness outside himself knows it."

有暖姝者，有濡需者，有卷婁者。

There are the self-satisfied, there are the clingers, and there are the bent-backed.

所謂暖姝者，學一先生之言，則暖暖姝姝而私自說也，自以為足矣，而未知未始有物也，是以謂暖姝者也。

The so-called self-satisfied one has learned the words of one teacher and so, smug and complacent, privately delights in himself, thinks it is enough, and does not know there has never been anything, hence he is called self-satisfied.

濡需者，豕蝨是也，擇疏鬣自以為廣宮大囿，奎蹏曲隈，乳間股腳，自以為安室利處，不知屠者之一旦鼓臂布草操煙火，而己與豕俱焦也。此以域進，此以域退，此其所謂濡需者也。

The clinger is the louse on a pig. Picking a sparse patch of bristle it thinks it is a vast palace or great park, and in the bend of the hoof, between the teats and thighs, it thinks it is a safe room and a profitable place, not knowing that when the butcher one day waves his arm, spreads straw and takes smoke and fire, it will be scorched along with the pig. This is advancing as the domain where one is advances and retreating as the domain where one is retreats; this is what is called the clinger.

卷婁者，舜也。羊肉不慕蟻，蟻慕羊肉，羊肉羶也。舜有羶行，百姓悅之，故三徙成都，至鄧之虛而十有萬家。堯聞舜之賢，舉之童土之地，曰冀得其來之澤。舜舉乎童土之地，年齒長矣，聰明衰矣，而不得休歸，所謂卷婁者也。

The bent-backed one is Shun. Mutton does not envy ants, but ants envy mutton, because mutton smells strong. Shun had a strong smell in his conduct, and the people delighted in him, so he moved three times and each place became a city, and by the ruins of Deng there were a hundred thousand households. Yao heard that Shun was worthy and raised him from the wasteland, saying he hoped to gain the grace that would come with him. Shun was raised from the wasteland, but his years grew long and his clarity declined, and he could not rest and go back; this is the so-called bent-backed one.

是以神人惡眾至，眾至則不比，不比則不利也。故無所甚親，無所甚疏，抱德煬和以順天下，此謂真人。於蟻棄知，於魚得計，於羊棄意。

So the divine man dislikes the multitude coming; when the multitude comes they do not cling, and if they do not cling there is no benefit. So he has no special intimates and no special strangers, embraces virtue and basks in harmony to accord with all under Heaven; this is called the true man. Toward ants he discards knowledge; toward fish he gains a plan; toward sheep he discards intention.

以目視目，以耳聽耳，以心復心。若然者，其平也繩，其變也循。古之真人，以天待(之)[人]，不以人入天。古之真人，得之也生，失之也死；得之也死，失之也生。

Seeing with the eye, hearing with the ear, and returning the mind to the mind. For one like this, his evenness is like a plumb line and his change is like following. The true men of old treated people with Heaven, and did not use people to enter Heaven. The true men of old: gaining it was life and losing it was death; gaining it was death and losing it was life.

藥也其實，堇也，桔梗也，雞也，豕零也，是時為帝者也，何可勝言！

As for medicine, in fact it is aconite, balloon flower, euryale seed and polyporus; these take turns as the chief in their seasons, and how could they be exhausted!

句踐也以甲楯三千棲於會稽。唯種也能知亡之所以存，唯種也不知其身之所以愁。故曰，鴟目有所適，鶴脛有所節，解之也悲。

Goujian, with three thousand armored men with shields, took refuge on Kuaiji. Only Wen Zhong could know how the lost could be preserved, and only Wen Zhong did not know why he himself would come to grief. So it is said that the owl's eye has what suits it, the crane's shank has its proper length, and to unfasten it is to grieve.

故曰，風之過河也有損焉，日之過河也有損焉。請只風與日相與守河，而河以為未始其攖也，恃源而往者也。故水之守土也審，影之守人也審，物之守物也審。

So it is said that wind passing over a river loses something, and the sun passing over a river loses something. Let the wind and the sun guard the river together, and the river considers that it was never disturbed, and flows relying on its source. So water guarding earth is careful, shadow guarding a person is careful, and things guarding things are careful.

故目之於明也殆，耳之於聰也殆，心之於殉也殆。凡能其於府也殆，殆之成也不給改。禍之長也茲萃，其反也緣功，其果也待久。而人以為己寶，不亦悲乎！故有亡國戮民無已，不知問是也。

So the eye is in danger from brightness, the ear is in danger from keenness, and the mind is in danger from being sacrificed to things. Those who are capable in storehouses and treasuries are in danger, and once the danger is made it is too late to correct. Calamity grows and gathers more, its return follows achievement, and its result takes long to wait for. And people treat it as their treasure; is that not sad! So there is the ruin of states and slaughter of people without end, and they do not know to ask about this.

故足之於地也踐，雖踐，恃其所不蹍而後善博也；人之於知也少，雖少，恃其所不知而後知天之所謂也。知大一，知大陰，知大目，知大均，知大方，知大信，知大定，至矣。大一通之，大陰解之，大目視之，大均緣之，大方體之，大信稽之，大定持之。

So the foot treads on the earth; though it treads, it relies on what it does not tread to be able to be broad and wide; a person's knowledge is little; though little, it relies on what he does not know to know what Heaven means. To know the Great One, to know the Great Yin, to know the Great Eye, to know the Great Equality, to know the Great Square, to know the Great Trust, to know the Great Stillness is the utmost. The Great One connects it, the Great Yin unfastens it, the Great Eye sees it, the Great Equality follows it, the Great Square embodies it, the Great Trust tests it, and the Great Stillness holds it.

盡有天，循有照，冥有樞，始有彼。則其解之也似不解之者，其知之也似不知之也，不知而後知之。其問之也，不可以有崖，而不可以無崖。頡滑有實，古今不代，而不可以虧，則可不謂有大揚搉乎！闔不亦問是已，奚惑然為！以不惑解惑，復於不惑，是尚大不惑。

Heaven is exhausted and has it, following has illumination, the obscure has the pivot, and the beginning has the other. Then to unfasten it is like not unfastening it, to know it is like not knowing it, and only after not knowing does one know it. Asking about it, it cannot have a limit, and cannot be without a limit. The tangled has substance, past and present do not replace one another, and it cannot be diminished, so can one fail to say there is a great outline! Why not ask about this too, why be so bewildered! To resolve bewilderment with non-bewilderment and return to non-bewilderment is still great non-bewilderment.

則陽遊於楚，夷節言之於王，王未之見，夷節歸。

Ze Yang traveled in Chu, and Yi Jie spoke of him to the king, but the king did not see him, and Yi Jie went back.

彭陽見王果曰：「夫子何不譚我於王？」

Peng Yang saw Wang Guo and said: "Master, why do you not speak of me to the king?"

王果曰：「我不若公閱休。」

Wang Guo said: "I am not equal to Gong Yuexiu."

彭陽曰：「公閱休奚為者邪？」

Peng Yang said: "What does Gong Yuexiu do?"

曰：「冬則擉鼈於江，夏則休乎山樊。有過而問者，曰：『此予宅也。』夫夷節已不能，而況我乎！吾又不若夷節。夫夷節之為人也，無德而有知，不自許，以之神其交固，顛冥乎富貴之地，非相助以德，相助消也。夫凍者假衣於春，暍者反冬乎冷風。夫楚王之為人也，形尊而嚴；其於罪也，無赦如虎；非夫佞人正德，其孰能橈焉！

(Wang Guo) said: "In winter he spears turtles in the river, and in summer he rests by the mountain hedge. If someone passes by and asks, he says: 'This is my house.' Yi Jie already could not do it, so how could I! And I am not equal to Yi Jie. As a person, Yi Jie has no virtue but has knowledge, does not allow himself, and with this makes his associates marvelous and firm, topsy-turvy in places of wealth and rank, not helping one another by virtue but helping one another to wear down. Those who are cold borrow clothes from spring, and those who are heatstruck instead ask winter for cool wind. The King of Chu, as a person, is noble in form and stern; toward crimes he does not pardon, like a tiger; if not a flatterer or one of upright virtue, who could move him?

故聖人，其窮也使家人忘其貧，其達也使王公忘爵祿而化卑。其於物也，與之為娛矣；其於人也，樂物之通而保己焉；故或不言而飲人以和，與人並立而使人化。父子之宜，彼其乎歸居，而一閒其所施。其於人心者若是其遠也。故曰待公閱休。」

(Wang Guo continued:) So the sage, in poverty, makes his family forget poverty, and in success makes kings and dukes forget their rank and salary and become humble. Toward things, he takes joy in them together; toward people, he delights in the freedom of things and preserves himself; so sometimes without speaking he gives people harmony to drink, standing alongside people he lets them transform. In the suitability of father and son, he is as in a retired home, and puts his giving aside in one place at leisure. He is so far from the human heart. So it is said to wait for Gong Yuexiu."

聖人達綢繆，周盡一體矣，而不知其然，性也。復命搖作而以天為師，人則從而命之也。憂乎知而所行恆無幾時，其有止也若之何！

The sage penetrates and understands intricacies, is all-encompassing and complete in one body, and does not know why it is so; this is nature. In returning to his mandate and in action he takes Heaven as teacher, and people then name him accordingly. Being anxious over knowledge, what he does lasts but a short time; what does it matter if he says it has a stop!

生而美者，人與之鑑，不告則不知其美於人也。若知之，若不知之，若聞之，若不聞之，其可喜也終無已，人之好之亦無已，性也。聖人之愛人也，人與之名，不告則不知其愛人也。若知之，若不知之，若聞之，若不聞之，其愛人也終無已，人之安之亦無已，性也。

One who is born beautiful is given a mirror by others, and without being told does not know that he is more beautiful than others. As though knowing, as though not knowing, as though hearing, as though not hearing, his delightfulness never ends, and people's liking never ends; this is nature. The sage loves people, and people give him a name, and without being told he does not know he loves people. As though knowing, as though not knowing, as though hearing, as though not hearing, his love for people never ends, and people's contentment with him never ends; this is nature.

舊國舊都，望之暢然；雖使丘陵草木之緡，入之者十九，猶之暢然。況見見聞聞者也，以十仞之臺縣眾閒者也。

An old state and old capital: when seen, one feels at ease; even if hills and grasses and trees cover and block it, nine out of ten who enter still feel at ease. How much more with what one sees as one sees it and hears as one hears it, like a ten-ren terrace hung amid the people.

冉相氏得其環中以隨成，與物無終無始，無幾無時。日與物化者，一不化者也，闔嘗舍之！夫師天而不得師天，與物皆殉，其以為事也若之何？夫聖人未始有天，未始有人，未始有始，未始有物，與世偕行而不替，所行之備而不洫，其合之也若之何？湯得其司御門尹登恆為之傅之，從師而不囿；得其隨成。為之司其名；之名嬴法，得其兩見。仲尼之盡慮，為之傅之。容成氏曰：「除日無歲，無內無外。」

Ran Xiang attained the center of the ring and followed its completion, without end or beginning with things, without seeds or seasons. Day after day transforming with things, there is one that does not transform; when has he ever abandoned it! Taking Heaven as teacher but not obtaining it, sacrificing oneself with things and making it a task, what then? The sage has never had Heaven, never had Man, never had a beginning, never had things, and travels with the world without being abandoned or replaced; what he does is complete and does not stagnate; what then of its union? Tang obtained Si Yu, the gatekeeper Deng Heng, as his tutor, followed the teacher without being confined, and obtained Sui Cheng, who managed his name for him; the name Ying Fa obtained two views. Zhongni exhausted his thoughts and served as his tutor. Rong Chengshi said: "Remove the day and there is no year, no inside and no outside."

魏瑩與田侯牟約，田侯牟背之，魏瑩怒，將使人剌之。

Wei Ying made a treaty with Marquis Mou of Tian, and Marquis Mou of Tian broke the treaty; Wei Ying was angry and was about to send someone to assassinate him.

犀首[公孫衍]聞而恥之，曰：「君為萬乘之君也，而以匹夫從讎！衍請受甲二十萬，為君攻之，虜其人民，係其牛馬，使其君內熱發於背。然後拔其國。忌也出走，然後抶其背，折其脊。」

Xishou Gongsun Yan (the source text has a gloss here: Gongsun Yan) heard of it and thought it shameful, and said: "You are the ruler of ten thousand chariots, yet you seek revenge by the means of a common man! Yan requests to receive two hundred thousand armored soldiers to attack him for you, to take his people captive, tie up his oxen and horses, and make his ruler's inner heat break out on his back. Then take his state. If Tian Ji also flees, then whip his back and break his spine."

季子聞而恥之，曰：「築十仞之城，城者既十仞矣，則又壞之，此胥靡之所苦也。今兵不起七年矣，此王之基也。衍亂人，不可聽也。」

Jizi heard of it and thought it shameful, and said: "If one builds a wall of ten ren, and the wall is already ten ren, and then tears it down, this is what convict laborers suffer. Now it has been seven years without troops being raised, and this is the king's foundation. Yan is a man of disorder and should not be listened to."

華子聞而醜之，曰：「善言伐齊者，亂人也；善言勿伐者，亦亂人也；謂伐之與不伐亂人也者，又亂人也。」

Huazi heard of it and thought it ugly, and said: "One who speaks well of attacking Qi is a man of disorder; one who speaks well of not attacking is also a man of disorder; one who says that both attacking and not attacking are men of disorder is again a man of disorder."

君曰：「然則若何？」

The ruler said: "Then what should I do?"

曰：「君求其道而已矣！」

(Huazi) said: "You should only seek the Way!"

惠子聞之而見戴晉人。戴晉人曰：「有所謂蝸者，君知之乎？」

Huizi heard of it and introduced Dai Jinren. Dai Jinren said: "There is a thing called a snail; do you know it?"

曰：「然。」

(The ruler) said: "I know it."

「有國於蝸之左角者曰觸氏，有國於蝸之右角者曰蠻氏。時相與爭地而戰，伏屍數萬，逐北旬有五日而後反。」

"There is a state on the snail's left horn called the Chu clan, and a state on the snail's right horn called the Man clan. From time to time they fight each other over land, with tens of thousands of corpses lying, and the pursuit of the defeated lasts fifteen days before they return."

君曰：「噫！其虛言與？」

The ruler said: "Hmm! Is this an empty tale?"

曰：「臣請為君實之。君以意在四方上下有窮乎？」

(Dai Jinren) said: "Allow your servant to make it real for you. Do you think, in your mind, that the four directions and up and down have an end?"

君曰：「無窮。」

The ruler said: "They have no end."

曰：「知遊心於無窮，而反在通達之國，若存若亡乎？」

(Dai Jinren) said: "If you know to let your heart wander in the limitless and then turn back to look at the states where people travel, do they seem to exist or not exist?"

君曰：「然。」

The ruler said: "They do seem so."

曰：「通達之中有魏，於魏中有梁，於梁中有王。王與蠻氏，有辯乎？」

(Dai Jinren) said: "Within the travelable lands there is Wei, within Wei there is Liang, and within Liang there is the king. Is there any difference between the king and the Man clan?"

君曰：「無辯。」

The ruler said: "No difference."

客出而君惝然若有亡也。

The guest went out, and the ruler was dazed as though he had lost something.

客出，惠子見。君曰：「客，大人也，聖人不足以當之。」

After the guest left, Huizi went in to see him. The ruler said: "That guest is a great man; a sage is not enough to match him."

惠子曰：「夫吹莞也，猶有嗃也；吹劍首者，吷而已矣。堯舜，人之所譽也；道堯舜於戴晉人之前，譬猶一吷也。」

Huizi said: "When one blows a pipe there is still a booming sound; when one blows the hilt of a sword, there is only a faint whistle. Yao and Shun are praised by people; to praise Yao and Shun before Dai Jinren is like a single faint whistle."

孔子之楚，舍於蟻丘之漿。其鄰有夫妻臣妾登極者，子路曰：「是稯稯何為者邪？」

Confucius went to Chu and lodged at the house of a seller of drinks at Ant Hill. In the neighboring house a husband and wife and servants had climbed onto the roof, and Zilu said: "What are all these people crowding for?"

仲尼曰：「是聖人僕也。是自埋於民，自藏於畔。其聲銷，其志無窮，其口雖言，其心未嘗言，方且與世違而心不屑與之俱。是陸沈者也，是其市南宜僚邪？」

Zhongni said: "These are the sage's servants. They bury themselves among the people and hide themselves at the field edge. Their voices are gone and their aims are limitless; though the mouth speaks, the mind has never spoken, and they are going against the world while their hearts disdain to be with the world. These are men who sink on dry land. Is this Shinan Yiliao?"

子路請往召之。

Zilu asked to go and summon him.

孔子曰：「已矣！彼知丘之著於己也，知丘之適楚也，以丘為必使楚王之召己也，彼且以丘為佞人也。夫若然者，其於佞人也羞聞其言，而況親見其身乎！而何以為存？」

Confucius said: "Never mind! He knows that Qiu is prominent in himself and knows that Qiu has come to Chu, and thinks that Qiu will surely have the King of Chu summon him, and he will take Qiu for a flatterer. Such a man is ashamed even to hear the talk of flatterers, how much more to see them in person! How would you get him to stay?"

子路往視之，其室虛矣。

Zilu went to look, and the house was already empty.

長梧封人問子牢曰：「君為政焉勿鹵莽，治民焉勿滅裂。昔予為禾，耕而鹵莽之，則其實亦鹵莽而報予；芸而滅裂之，其實亦滅裂而報予。予來年變齊，深其耕而熟耰之，其禾蘩以滋，予終年厭飧。」

The border warden of Changwu asked Zi Lao: "In governing, do not be careless; in ruling the people, do not be perfunctory. Long ago I planted grain, and plowed carelessly, and the crop repaid me carelessly; I weeded perfunctorily, and the crop repaid me perfunctorily. The next year I changed my method, plowed deeply and harrowed thoroughly, and the grain grew thick and abundant, and I ate my fill all year."

莊子聞之曰：「今人之治其形，理其心，多有似封人之所謂，遁其天，離其性，滅其情，亡其神，以眾為。故鹵莽其性者，欲惡之孽，為性萑葦蒹葭，始萌以扶吾形，尋擢吾性；並潰漏發，不擇所出，漂疽疥癕，內熱溲膏是也。」

Zhuangzi heard of it and said: "People now govern their bodies and put order in their hearts, and many are like what the warden said, fleeing from Heaven, leaving their nature, destroying their feeling, and losing their spirit, in order to join the crowd. So those who are careless with their nature, the harm of desire and hatred, are like reeds and rushes to nature: at first they sprout to support the plant's form, and then they pull out the plant's nature; they burst out and break open all together, without choosing where they come from, as in floating abscesses, scabs, boils, inner heat and diabetes."

柏矩學於老耼，曰：「請之天下遊。」

Bo Ju studied with Lao Dan and said: "Please let me go and travel under Heaven."

老耼曰：「已矣！天下猶是也。」

Lao Dan said: "Never mind! The world is the same as here."

又請之，老耼曰：「汝將何始？」

He asked again, and Lao Dan said: "Where will you begin?"

曰：「始於齊。」

(Bo Ju) said: "I will begin with Qi."

至齊，見辜人焉，推而強之，解朝服而幕之，號天而哭之，曰：「子乎！子乎！天下有大菑，子獨先離之，曰莫為盜！莫為殺人！榮辱立，然後覩所病；貨財聚，然後覩所爭。今立人之所病，聚人之所爭，窮困人之身使無休時，欲無至此，得乎！」

On reaching Qi, he saw an executed man, pushed him upright, took off his court robe and covered him, and cried out to Heaven and wept for him, saying: "Alas! Alas! The world has a great disaster, and you alone were first to meet it. They say do not be a thief! Do not kill! Honor and disgrace were set up, and then people saw what they suffer from; goods and wealth were gathered, and then people saw what they fight over. Now they set up what people suffer from and gather what people fight over, wearing out people's bodies so that they have no time to rest; to want to avoid ending up like this, is it possible!"

「古之君人者，以得為在民，以失為在己；以正為在民，以枉為在己；故一形有失其形者，退而自責。今則不然，匿為物而愚不識，大為難而罪不敢，重為任而罰不勝，遠其塗而誅不至。民知力竭，則以偽繼之，日出多偽，士民安取不偽！伕力不足則偽，知不足則欺，財不足則盜。盜竊之行，於誰責而可乎？」

(Bo Ju continued:) "The rulers of old put gain on the people and loss on themselves; put what is right on the people and what is crooked on themselves; so if one body failed to fulfill its form, he withdrew and blamed himself. Now it is not so; they hide things and make fools of those who do not know, make difficulties large and blame those who dare not, make duties heavy and punish those who cannot bear them, make roads long and execute those who do not arrive. When the people know their strength is exhausted, they continue with deceit; as deceit rises daily, how can scholars and people avoid being false! When strength is insufficient they deceive, when knowledge is insufficient they cheat, and when wealth is insufficient they steal. With theft so widespread, whom should one hold to account?"

蘧伯玉行年六十而六十化，未嘗不始於是之而卒詘之以非也，未知今之所謂是之非五十九非也。萬物有乎生而莫見其根，有乎出而莫見其門。人皆尊其知之所知，而莫知恃其知之所不知而後知，可不謂大疑乎！已乎！已乎！且無所逃。此所謂然與，然乎？

Qu Boyu, in his sixtieth year, had changed sixty times, and never failed to begin by thinking something right and end by rejecting it as wrong, not knowing whether what is now called right is not what he rejected at fifty-nine. Myriad things have where they are born but their roots cannot be seen, and have where they come out but their gates cannot be seen. People all honor what their knowledge can know, but do not know that they come to know by relying on what their knowledge does not know; can this not be called great doubt! Enough! Enough! And there is nowhere to flee. What is called so, is it really so?

仲尼問於大史大弢、伯常騫、狶韋曰：「夫衞靈公飲酒湛樂，不聽國家之政；田獵畢弋，不應諸侯之際；其所以為靈公者何邪？」

Zhongni asked the grand historians Da Tao, Bo Changqian and Xi Wei: "Duke Ling of Wei indulged in wine and pleasure and did not heed state affairs; he hunted with nets and arrows and did not attend the feudal lords' gatherings; for what reason was he called Ling?"

大弢曰：「是因是也。」

Da Tao said: "It is because of this."

伯常騫曰：「夫靈公有妻三人，同濫而浴。史鰌奉御而進所，搏幣而扶翼。其慢若彼之甚也，見賢人若此其肅也，是其所以為靈公也。」

Bo Changqian said: "Duke Ling had three wives who bathed together in one tub. The historian Qiu was received to present something, and held the silks and offered them with arms outspread. His negligence was that grave, yet he showed such respect when seeing a worthy man; this is why he was called Ling."

狶韋曰：「夫靈公也死，卜葬於故墓不吉，卜葬於沙丘而吉。掘之數仞，得石槨焉，洗而視之，有銘焉，曰：『不馮其子，靈公奪而裡之。』夫靈公之為靈也久矣，之二人何足以識之！」

Xi Wei said: "When Duke Ling died, divination for burial in the old tomb was inauspicious, but divination for burial at Shaqiu was auspicious. They dug several ren and found a stone outer coffin, washed it and saw an inscription saying: 'Not relying on his son, Duke Ling took it over and lives here' (here 'lives' means dwell, not distance). Duke Ling's being called Ling had been so for a long time, so how could those two know it!"

少知問於大公調曰：「何謂丘裡之言？」

Shao Zhi asked Da Gongdiao: "What is meant by the words of the neighborhood?"

大公調曰：「丘裡者，合十姓百名而以為風俗也，合異以為同，散同以為異。今指馬之百體而不得馬，而馬係於前者，立其百體而謂之馬也。是故丘山積卑而為高，江河合水而為大，大人合併而為公。是以自外入者，有主而不執；由中出者，有正而不距。四時殊氣，天不賜，故歲成；五官殊職，君不私，故國治；文武大人不賜，故德備；萬物殊理，道不私，故無名。無名故無為，無為而無不為。時有終始，世有變化。禍福淳淳，至有所拂者而有所宜；自殉殊面，有所正者有所差。比於(太)[大]澤，百材皆度；觀於大山，木石同壇。此之謂丘裡之言。」

Da Gongdiao said: "A neighborhood is made by joining ten surnames and a hundred names into one custom, joining differences to make a sameness and scattering sameness to make differences. Now if one points to a horse's hundred parts, one does not get a horse, yet when a horse is tethered in front of us, it is by setting up its hundred parts that we call it a horse. So hills and mountains accumulate lowness to become high, rivers and streams join waters to become great, and the great man joins everything to become impartial. So what enters from outside has a host and is not seized; what goes out from within has correctness and is not refused. The four seasons have different qi, and Heaven does not favor any, so the year is completed; the five offices have different duties, and the ruler does not favor any, so the state is governed; the civil and military great men are not favored, so virtue is complete; the principles of myriad things differ, and the Way does not favor any, so it has no name. Having no name, it does nothing, and doing nothing leaves nothing undone. Times have endings and beginnings, and ages have changes. Calamity and blessing are earnest, and what most goes against has its fitness; each sacrificing itself to a different side, what has something right also has something wrong. Compared with a great marsh, all timber has its measure; looking at a great mountain, trees and stones share the same altar. This is called the words of the neighborhood."

少知曰：「然則謂之道，足乎？」

Shao Zhi said: "Then is it enough to call it the Way?"

大公調曰：「不然。今計物之數，不止於萬，而期曰萬物者，以數之多者號而讀之也。是故天地者，形之大者也；陰陽者，氣之大者也；道者為之公。因其大以號而讀之則可也，已有之矣，乃將得比哉！則若以斯辯，譬猶狗馬，其不及遠矣。」

Da Gongdiao said: "No. Now to count the number of things does not stop at ten thousand, yet we agree to call them the ten thousand things, using a name of large number to refer to them. So Heaven and Earth are the greatest of forms, yin and yang are the greatest of qi, and the Way is their common ground. By its greatness one may call and speak of it and that is enough; since this name already exists, what is there to compare it with! If one used this to argue, it would be like dog and horse, falling far short."

少知曰：「四方之內，六合之裡，萬物之所生惡起？」

Shao Zhi said: "Within the four directions and within the six realms, where does the birth of myriad things begin?"

大公調曰：「陰陽相照相蓋相治，四時相代相生相殺，欲惡去就於是橋起，雌雄片合於是庸有。安危相易，禍福相生，緩急相摩，聚散以成。此名實之可紀，精微之可志也。隨序之相理，橋運之相使，窮則反，終則始。此物之所有，言之所盡，知之所至，極物而已。覩道之人，不隨其所廢，不原其所起，此議之所止。」

Da Gongdiao said: "Yin and yang shine on one another, cover one another and govern one another; the four seasons replace one another, give birth to one another and kill one another; desire and aversion, going and staying, rise up thereupon, and male and female pairing is constant thereupon. Safety and danger exchange, calamity and blessing give birth to each other, slowness and haste rub against each other, and gathering and scattering complete one another. These are what names and realities can record and what subtlety can note. They follow the order and regulate each other, turn and employ each other, reverse when exhausted, and begin again at the end. This is what things have, what words can exhaust, and what knowledge can reach, which extends only as far as things. One who sees the Way does not follow what it abandons and does not trace back to where it arises; discussion stops here."

少知曰：「季真之莫為，接子之或使，二家之議，孰正於其情，孰徧於其理？」

Shao Zhi said: "Ji Zhen's 'nothing does it' and Jiezi's 'something causes it,' of these two schools of discussion, which is correct to the facts, and which is one-sided as to principle?"

大公調曰：「雞鳴狗吠，是人之所知；雖有大知，不能以言讀其所自化，又不能以意其所將為。斯而析之，精至於無倫，大至於不可圍，或之使，莫之為，未免於物而終以為過。或使則實，莫為則虛。有名有實，是物之居；無名無實，在物之虛。可言可意，言而愈疏。未生不可忌，已死不可徂。死生非遠也，理不可覩。或之使，莫之為，疑之所假。吾觀之本，其往無窮；吾求之末，其來無止。無窮無止，言之無也，與物同理；或使莫為，言之本也，與物終始。道不可有，有不可無。道之為名，所假而行。或使莫為，在物一曲，夫胡為於大方？言而足，則終日言而盡道；言而不足，則終日言而盡物。道物之極，言默不足以載；非言非默，議有所極。」

Da Gongdiao said: "The crowing of cocks and barking of dogs are known by people; though one has great knowledge, he cannot use words to describe what they are transformed from, and cannot use intention to anticipate what they will become. Analyzing it in this way, the fine reaches the incomparable and the great reaches what cannot be encircled; 'something causes it' and 'nothing does it' cannot escape things and in the end are taken as faults. 'Something causes it' tends toward substance and 'nothing does it' tends toward emptiness. Having name and substance is where things dwell; having no name and no substance is in the emptiness of things. What can be said and thought of gets more distant the more it is explained. What is not yet born cannot be avoided, and what has died cannot be stopped. Life and death are not far apart, yet the principle cannot be seen. 'Something causes it' and 'nothing does it' are what doubt borrows. When I look at its root, the going extends without limit; when I seek its end, the coming arrives without stopping. Without limit and without stopping, speech about it is empty, sharing the principle of things; 'something causes it' or 'nothing does it' are the root of speech, and begin and end with things. The Way cannot be said to exist, and what exists cannot be said not to exist. The Way is a name, which is borrowed and used. 'Something causes it' and 'nothing does it' are a corner of things, so how could they reach the great square? If speech is sufficient, then speaking all day exhausts the Way; if speech is not sufficient, then speaking all day exhausts things. The limit of the Way and things cannot be carried by speech or silence; neither speech nor silence, discussion has its limit."

外物不可必，故龍逢誅，比干戮，箕子狂，惡來死，桀紂亡。人主莫不欲其臣之忠，而忠未必信，故伍員流於江，萇弘死於蜀，藏其血三年而化為碧。人親莫不欲其子之孝，而孝未必愛，故孝己憂而曾參悲。木與木相摩則然，金與火相守則流。陰陽錯行，則天地大絯，於是乎有雷有霆，水中有火，乃焚大槐。有甚憂兩陷而無所逃，螴蜳不得成，心若縣於天地之間，慰暋沈屯，利害相摩，生火甚多，眾人焚和，月固不勝火，於是乎有僓然而道盡。

External things cannot be insisted upon, so Long Feng was executed, Bi Gan was slain, Jizi feigned madness, E Lai died, and Jie and Zhou perished. No ruler fails to want his ministers to be loyal, yet loyalty is not necessarily trusted, so Wu Yuan was cast adrift in the river and Chang Hong died in Shu, his blood stored for three years and turned into jade. No parents fail to want their sons to be filial, yet filial piety is not necessarily loved, so Xiao Ji grieved and Zeng Shen was sorrowful. When wood rubs on wood it burns, and when metal meets fire it flows. When yin and yang move wrongly, Heaven and Earth are greatly alarmed, and then there is thunder and lightning, and fire within water burns a great locust tree. There are those with deep anxiety caught between two traps with nowhere to flee, who cannot finish their trembling, their hearts hanging between Heaven and Earth, pressed and anguished, with advantage and harm rubbing together, kindling much fire, the multitude burning the harmony; the moon cannot overcome fire, and so there is collapse and the Way is exhausted.

莊周家貧，故往貸粟於監河侯。監河侯曰：「諾。我將得邑金，將貸子三百金，可乎？」

Zhuang Zhou's family was poor, so he went to borrow millet from the Marquis in charge of the river. The Marquis said: "Good. I will soon receive the gold from my fief, and will lend you three hundred in gold; will that do?"

莊周忿然作色曰：「周昨來，有中道而呼者。周顧視車轍，中有鮒魚焉。周問之曰：『鮒魚來，子何為者耶？』對曰：『我，東海之波臣也。君豈有斗升之水而活我哉？』周曰：『諾，我且南遊吳越之王，激西江之水而迎子，可乎？』鮒魚忿然作色曰：『吾失我常與，我無所處。吾得斗升之水然活耳，君乃言此，曾不如早索我於枯魚之肆！』」

Zhuang Zhou flushed with anger and said: "When Zhou came yesterday, someone was calling on the road. Zhou looked back at the wheel rut, and there was a carp in it. Zhou asked it: 'Carp, what are you doing?' It answered: 'I am a wave-minister of the Eastern Sea. Do you have a peck or a pint of water to keep me alive?' Zhou said: 'Good. I am about to travel south to the kings of Wu and Yue and divert the waters of the Western River to welcome you; will that do?' The carp flushed with anger and said: 'I have lost what I always keep company with, and have nowhere to be. If I got a peck or a pint of water I could live, but you say this, so you would do better to look for me soon in the dried fish shop!'"

任公子為大鉤巨緇，五十犗以為餌，蹲乎會稽，投竿東海，旦旦而釣，期年不得魚。已而大魚食之，牽巨鉤，錎沒而下騖，揚而奮鬐，白波若山，海水震蕩，聲侔鬼神，憚赫千里。任公子得若魚，離而臘之，自制河以東，蒼梧已北，莫不厭若魚者。已而後世輇才諷說之徒，皆驚而相告也。夫揭竿累，趣灌瀆，守鯢鮒，其於得大魚難矣，飾小說以幹縣令，其於大達亦遠矣，是以未嘗聞任氏之風俗，其不可與經於世亦遠矣。

The young lord Ren made a huge hook and a great black line, used fifty fattened oxen as bait, squatted on Kuaiji and cast his rod into the Eastern Sea, fishing every day for a full year without catching a fish. Later a great fish took it, dragging the huge hook, sinking and racing down, then raising its fins, with white waves like mountains, the sea water shaking, its sound like ghosts and spirits, frightening for a thousand li. The young lord Ren got this fish, cut it open and made it into dried strips, and from east of the Zhe River to north of Cangwu, none did not eat their fill of this fish. After this, the idle talkers of later ages of petty talent all told one another in astonishment. Those who hold a slender rod with a fine line and run to irrigation ditches, guarding minnows and small carp, will find it hard to get a great fish; those who embellish small talk to seek (here "seek" means to ask for, not to interfere with) a magistrate's favor are far from reaching the great. So one who has never heard of the customs of the Ren family is far from being able to manage the world with them.

儒以《詩》、《禮》發冢，大儒臚傳曰：「東方作矣，事之何若？」

Confucians used the Songs and the Rites to dig up a grave, and the senior Confucian called down from above: "The east is brightening; how is the work going?"

小儒曰：「未解裙襦，口中有珠。詩固有之曰：『青青之麥，生於陵陂。生不佈施，死何含珠為！』接其鬢，壓其顪，儒以金椎控其頤，徐別其頰，無傷口中珠！」

The junior Confucian said: "We have not yet undone the skirt and jacket, and there is a pearl in the mouth. The Songs indeed say: 'The green wheat grows on the hillside. If in life he gave nothing, why does he hold a pearl in death!' Press his temples, hold down his beard, and the Confucian strikes his jaw with a gold hammer, slowly separating his cheeks, so as not to damage the pearl in his mouth!"

老萊子之弟子出薪，遇仲尼，反以告，曰：「有人於彼，脩上而趨下，末僂而後耳，視若營四海，不知其誰氏之子。」

A disciple of Laolaizi went out to cut firewood, met Zhongni, came back and reported: "There is a man over there with a long upper body and short lower body, slightly hunched back and ears set back, with a gaze as though managing the four seas; I do not know whose son he is."

老萊子曰：「是丘也。召而來。」

Laolaizi said: "That is Qiu. Call him here."

仲尼至。曰：「丘！去汝躬矜與汝容知，斯為君子矣。」

Zhongni arrived. He said: "Qiu! Get rid of the pride on your body and the cleverness in your appearance, and then you will be a gentleman."

仲尼揖而退，蹙然改容而問曰：「業可得進乎？」

Zhongni bowed and withdrew, changed his expression with unease and asked: "Can my learning make progress?"

老萊子曰：「夫不忍一世之傷而驁萬世之患，抑固窶邪，亡其略弗及邪？惠以歡為驁，終身之醜，中民之行進焉耳，相引以名，相結以隱。與其譽堯而非桀，不如兩忘而閉其所譽。反無非傷也。動無非邪也。聖人躊躇以興事，以每成功。柰何哉其載焉終矜爾！」

Laolaizi said: "You cannot bear the harm of one generation and yet look down on the troubles of ten thousand generations; is it that you are originally poor and narrow, or that your wisdom and strategy are insufficient? You take kindness and joy as pride, which is lifelong shame, and the conduct of middling people is drawn to that place, drawing one another with names and binding one another with secrecy. Rather than praise Yao and condemn Jie, it is better to forget both and shut your mouth against praise. Turning back is always an injury. Action is always crooked. The sage hesitates before beginning a matter, and so he often succeeds. What can be done, you carry all this about and always cling to it!"

宋元君夜半而夢人被髮闚阿門，曰：「予自宰路之淵，予為清江使河伯之所，漁者餘且得予。」

Lord Yuan of Song dreamed at midnight of a man with disheveled hair peeping at the side gate, who said: "I came from the Abyss of Zai Road. I was sent as envoy from the Clear River to the Lord of the River, and the fisherman Yu Qie (a personal name, in which 'Yu' is not 'I') caught me."

元君覺，使人占之，曰：「此神龜也。」

Lord Yuan awoke and had someone interpret the dream, who said: "This is a divine tortoise."

君曰：「漁者有餘且乎？」

The lord said: "Is there a fisherman called Yu Qie?"

左右曰：「有。」

Those around him said: "There is."

君曰：「令餘且會朝。」

The lord said: "Have Yu Qie come to court."

明日，餘且朝。君曰：「漁何得？」

The next day Yu Qie came to court. The lord said: "What did you catch while fishing?"

對曰：「且之網得白龜焉，其圓五尺。」

He answered: "Qie's net caught a white tortoise, five feet around."

君曰：「獻若之龜。」

The lord said: "Present your tortoise."

龜至，君再欲殺之，再欲活之，心疑，卜之。曰：「殺龜以卜吉。」乃刳龜，七十二鑽而無遺筴。

When the tortoise arrived, the lord at one moment wanted to kill it and at another to keep it alive, doubted in his mind, and divined. It said: "Killing the tortoise for divination is auspicious." So they split the tortoise and drilled seventy-two times without a single failed prediction.

仲尼曰：「神龜能見夢於元君，而不能避餘且之網；知能七十二鑽而無遺筴，不能避刳腸之患。如是，則知有所困，神有所不及也。雖有至知，萬人謀之。魚不畏網而畏鵜鶘。去小知而大知明，去善而自善矣。嬰兒生無石師而能言，與能言者處也。」

Zhongni said: "The divine tortoise could appear in Lord Yuan's dream but could not avoid Yu Qie's net; its wisdom could drill seventy-two times without a failed prediction, yet could not avoid the calamity of having its entrails cut out. In this case wisdom has its difficulties and the spirit has what it cannot reach. Even with supreme wisdom, ten thousand men may plot against it. Fish do not fear nets but fear pelicans. Get rid of small knowledge and great knowledge becomes clear; get rid of the good and one is good oneself. An infant is born without a great teacher and can speak, because it lives with people who can speak."

惠子謂莊子曰：「子言無用。」

Huizi said to Zhuangzi: "Your words are useless."

莊子曰：「知無用而始可與言用矣。夫地非不廣且大也，人之所用容足耳。然則廁足而墊之致黃泉，人尚有用乎？」惠子曰：「無用。」

Zhuangzi said: "One who knows what is useless can then be spoken to about what is useful. The earth is not lacking in breadth and size, yet what a person uses is only the room for his feet. Then if you dug away everything outside the footprints down to the Yellow Springs, would the person still have use for it?" Huizi said: "No use."

莊子曰：「然則無用之為用也亦明矣。」

Zhuangzi said: "Then the usefulness of the useless is clear."

莊子曰：「人有能遊，且得不遊乎？人而不能遊，且得遊乎？夫流遁之志，決絕之行，噫，其非至知厚德之任與！覆墜而不反，火馳而不顧，雖相與為君臣，時也，易世而無以相賤。故曰至人不留行焉。

Zhuangzi said: "For one who can wander, can he help wandering? For one who cannot wander, can he wander? That drifting aim and cut-off conduct, ah, that is not what supreme knowledge and thick virtue undertake! Fallen and not returning, rushing like fire and not looking back, though they are ruler and minister to one another, it is only for a time, and once the generation changes there is no way to look down on one another. So it is said that the perfect man does not linger in conduct.

夫尊古而卑今，學者之流也。且以狶韋氏之流觀今之世，夫孰能不波，唯至人乃能遊於世而不僻，順人而不失己。彼教不學，承意不彼。

(Zhuangzi continued:) To honor the past and despise the present is the habit of scholars. Moreover, if one looks at the present age through the lens of the school of Xi Wei, who would not be tossed about, and only the perfect man can wander through the world without being one-sided, following others without losing himself. He teaches without studying, takes up the meaning without making himself into that other.

目徹為明，耳徹為聰，鼻徹為顫，口徹為甘，心徹為知，知徹為德。凡道不欲壅，壅則哽，哽而不止則跈，跈則眾害生。物之有知者恃息，其不殷，非天之罪。天之穿之，日夜無降，人則顧塞其竇。胞有重閬，心有天遊。室無空虛，則婦姑勃谿；心無天遊，則六鑿相攘，大林丘山之善於人也，亦神者不勝。

(Zhuangzi continued:) When the eye penetrates, it is clarity; when the ear penetrates, it is keenness; when the nose penetrates, it is smelling; when the mouth penetrates, it is sweetness; when the mind penetrates, it is knowing; when knowing penetrates, it is virtue. The Way does not want to be blocked; blocked, it chokes; choking without stopping, it tramples; trampling gives rise to many harms. Things that have awareness depend on breath, and if breath is not strong, it is not Heaven's fault. Heaven pierces through it, day and night without decreasing, but people instead stop up that opening. The womb has a double hollow, and the mind has a heavenly wandering. If a house has no empty space, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law quarrel; if the mind has no heavenly wandering, the six orifices push against one another. The benefit of great forests and mountains to people is something that even the spirit cannot fully overcome.

德溢乎名，名溢乎暴，謀稽乎誸，知出乎爭，柴生乎守，官事果乎眾宜。春雨日時，草木怒生，銚鎒於是乎始脩，草木之到植者過半而不知其然。

(Zhuangzi continued:) Virtue overflows into name, name overflows into display, planning is checked by urgency, knowledge arises from contention, blockage and stuffing arise from clinging, and official affairs are accomplished through the mutual fitness of the many. When spring rain comes in season, plants and trees burst forth in growth, and hoes and spades are then taken up to tend them, yet more than half the plants and trees are laid low and no one knows why.

靜然可以補病，眥𡟬可以休老，寧可以止遽。雖然，若是，勞者之務也，非佚者之所未嘗過而問焉。聖人之所以駴天下，神人未嘗過而問焉；賢人之所以駴世，聖人未嘗過而問焉；君子所以駴國，賢人未嘗過而問焉；小人所以合時，君子未嘗過而問焉。演門有親死者，以善毀爵為官師，其黨人毀而死者半。堯與許由天下，許由逃之；湯與務光，務光怒之，紀他聞之，帥弟子而踆於窾水，諸侯弔之，三年，申徒狄因以踣河。荃者所以在魚，得魚而忘荃；蹄者所以在兔，得兔而忘蹄；言者所以在意，得意而忘言。吾安得夫忘言之人而與之言哉！」

(Zhuangzi continued:) Quiet can heal illness, rubbing the eyelids can ease old age, and calm can stop haste. Even so, such things are the business of the laboring and not something the leisured have ever concerned themselves with. What startles the world as sage, a divine man has never concerned himself with; what startles the age as worthy, the sage has never concerned himself with; what startles the state as gentleman, the worthy man has never concerned himself with; what suits the time as petty man, the gentleman has never concerned himself with. There was a man at Yanmen whose parent died, and because he was good at grieving to the point of wasting he was given rank as an official-teacher, and half of his followers died from grief and wasting. Yao offered the world to Xu You, and Xu You fled; Tang offered it to Wu Guang, and Wu Guang became angry; Ji Ta heard of it and, leading his disciples, squatted by the Kuan River, and the feudal lords went to offer condolences, and after three years Shentu Di threw himself into the river because of it. The fish trap is for catching fish, and once the fish is caught one forgets the trap; the snare is for catching rabbits, and once the rabbit is caught one forgets the snare; words are for catching meaning, and once the meaning is caught one forgets the words. Where can I find someone who has forgotten words, so that I may talk with him!"

寓言十九，重言十七，巵言日出，和以天倪。

Imputed words (speaking by lodging the argument in someone else, not the later literary genre called "fable") make up nine parts in ten, quoted words (borrowing the words of elders to end disputes, not repeating a sentence) seven in ten, and goblet words (Zhuangzi's own coinage: words that turn with things like a wine vessel that tips when empty and stops when full, not words spoken after drinking) issue day after day, harmonized by the heavenly division.

寓言十九，藉外論之。親父不為其子媒。親父譽之，不若非其父者也；非吾罪也，人之罪也。與己同則應，不與己同則反；同於己為是之，異於己為非之。

Imputed words are nine in ten, by borrowing from outside to argue. A father does not act as matchmaker for his own son. A father praising him is not as good as someone who is not his father; it is not my fault, it is the fault of people. They agree with those who agree with themselves and oppose those who do not agree with themselves; they take as right what is the same as themselves and as wrong what differs from themselves.

重言十七，所以已言也，是為耆艾。年先矣，而無經緯本末以期年耆者，是非先也。人而無以先人，無人道也；人而無人道，是之謂陳人。

Quoted words are seven in ten, used to bring discussion to an end, and these are the elders. They are first in years, yet lack the warp and woof, root and branch, to fit those years; these are not truly first. A person who has nothing that places him before others has no human way; a person without the human way is called an old relic.

巵言日出，和以天倪，因以曼衍，所以窮年。不言則齊，齊與言不齊，言與齊不齊也，故曰無言。言無言，終身言，未嘗不言；終身不言，未嘗不言。有自也而可，有自也而不可；有自也而然，有自也而不然。惡乎然？然於然。惡乎不然？不然於不然。惡乎可？可於可。惡乎不可？不可於不可。物固有所然，物固有所可，無物不然，無物不可。非巵言日出，和以天倪，孰得其久！萬物皆種也，以不同形相禪，始卒若環，莫得其倫，是謂天均。天均者，天倪也。

Goblet words issue day after day, harmonized by the heavenly division, following their spreading flow, and so live out the years. Without speech, all is equal; the equal and speech are not equal, and speech and the equal are not equal, so it is called no speech. Speaking no speech, one speaks all one's life and has never spoken; not speaking all one's life, one has never not spoken. There is a reason for allowing, and a reason for not allowing; there is a reason for saying so, and a reason for saying not so. Why so? So in what is so. Why not so? Not so in what is not so. Why allowable? Allowable in what is allowable. Why not allowable? Not allowable in what is not allowable. Things originally have what is so about them, and things originally have what is allowable about them; no thing is not so, no thing is not allowable. Without goblet words issuing day after day, harmonized by the heavenly division, who could last long! The myriad things are all seeds, passing one to another in different forms, beginning and ending like a ring, and one cannot get the order of it; this is called the heavenly balance. The heavenly balance is the heavenly division.

莊子謂惠子曰：「孔子行年六十而六十化，始時所是，卒而非之，未知今之所謂是之非五十九非也。」

Zhuangzi said to Huizi: "Confucius in his sixtieth year had changed sixty times; what he first held right he ended by rejecting, not knowing whether what he now calls right was not what he rejected at fifty-nine."

惠子曰：「孔子勤志服知也。」

Huizi said: "Confucius labored in aim and submitted to knowledge."

莊子曰：「孔子謝之矣，而其未之嘗言也。孔子云：『夫受才乎大本，復靈以生。』鳴而當律，言而當法，利義陳乎前，而好惡是非直服人之口而已矣。使人乃以心服，而不敢蘁立，定天下之定。已乎已乎！吾且不得及彼乎！」

Zhuangzi said: "Confucius has already dismissed that, and he never said it. Confucius said: 'Talent is received from the great root, and returning to the spirit it lives.' His cries fit the pitch, his words fit the law, benefit and righteousness are laid out in front, and likes, dislikes, right and wrong only subdue people's mouths. To make people submit in heart, and not dare to oppose and stand firm, to settle what the world should settle. Enough, enough! I cannot even catch up to him!"

曾子再仕而心再化，曰：「吾及親仕，三釜而心樂；後仕，三千鍾而不洎，吾心悲。」

Zengzi took office twice and his heart changed twice. He said: "When I took office while my parents were alive, three fu of grain made my heart happy; later when I took office, three thousand zhong, I could not catch up to provide for them, and my heart grieved."

弟子問於仲尼曰：「若參者，可謂無所縣其罪乎？」

A disciple asked Zhongni: "As for someone like Shen, can he be said to be without attachment?"

曰：「既已縣矣。夫無所縣者，可以有哀乎？彼視三釜三千鍾，如觀雀蚊虻相過乎前也。」

(Zhongni) said: "He was already attached. One who is without attachment, can he have sorrow? He would look at three fu and three thousand zhong as he would at sparrows and mosquitoes passing before his face."

顏成子游謂東郭子綦曰：「自吾聞子之言，一年而野，二年而從，三年而通，四年而物，五年而來，六年而鬼入，七年而天成，八年而不知死，不知生，九年而大妙。

Yan Chengzi You said to Dongguo Ziqi: "Since I heard your words, in one year I became rustic, in two years I became compliant, in three years I became penetrating, in four years I became one with things, in five years things came to me, in six years spirits entered, in seven years Heaven was completed, in eight years I did not know death or life, and in nine years came great wonder.

生有為，死也。勸公，以其死也，有自也；而生陽也，無自也。而果然乎？惡乎其所適？惡乎其所不適？天有曆數，地有人據，吾惡乎求之？莫知其所終，若之何其無命也？莫知其所始，若之何其有命也？有以相應也，若之何其無鬼邪？無以相應也，若之何其有鬼邪？」

(Yan Chengzi You continued:) Life having action is death. Encouraging the duke, because his death has a cause, while life is yang and has no cause. Is it truly so? Where is what is suitable? Where is what is unsuitable? Heaven has its calendar, earth has what people rely on; where should I seek? Not knowing its end, how can one say there is no fate? Not knowing its beginning, how can one say there is fate? If there is something to answer to, how can one say there are no ghosts? If there is nothing to answer to, how can one say there are ghosts?"

眾罔兩問於景曰：「若向也俯而今也仰，向也括[撮]而今也被髮，向也坐而今也起，向也行而今也止，何也？」

The many penumbrae asked the shadow: "A moment ago you looked down and now you look up, a moment ago your hair was bound and now it is loose, a moment ago you sat and now you stand, a moment ago you walked and now you stop; why?"

景曰：「搜搜也，奚稍問也！予有而不知其所以。予，蜩甲也，蛇蛻也，似之而非也。火與日，吾屯也；陰與夜，吾代也。彼吾所以有待邪？而況乎以[無]有待者乎！彼來則我與之來，彼往則我與之往，彼強陽則我與之強陽。強陽者，又何以有問乎？」

The shadow said: "How trivial, why ask! I have it but do not know why it is so. I am like a cicada's shell or a snake's slough, resembling it but not it. Fire and sun, I gather; shade and night, I fade. Is that what I depend on? How much more that which depends on nothing! If it comes, I come with it; if it goes, I go with it; if it is bold and bright, I am bold and bright with it. As for the bold and bright, what is there to ask?"

陽子居南之沛，老耼西遊於秦，邀於郊，至於梁而遇老子。老子中道仰天而歎曰：「始以汝為可教，今不可也。」

Yangzi Ju went south to Pei, and Lao Dan traveled west to Qin; they arranged to meet in the suburbs, and he met Laozi at Liang. Laozi looked up to Heaven on the road and sighed: "At first I thought you could be taught, but now you cannot."

陽子居不答。至舍，進盥漱巾櫛，脫履戶外，膝行而前，曰：「曏者弟子欲請夫子，夫子行不閒，是以不敢。今閒矣，請問其過。」

Yangzi Ju did not answer. On reaching the inn, he presented washing water, mouth-rinse, towel and comb, left his shoes outside the door, advanced on his knees and said: "Just now your disciple wanted to ask you, Master, but you were walking and had no leisure, so I did not dare. Now that you are at leisure, please tell me my fault."

老子曰：「而睢睢盱盱，而誰與居？大白若辱，盛德若不足。」

Laozi said: "You stare with wide eyes and glare around; who would live with you? The greatest whiteness seems sullied, and the fullest virtue seems insufficient."

陽子居蹵然變容曰：「敬聞命矣！」

Yangzi Ju started and changed color and said: "I respectfully accept your instruction!"

其往也，舍者迎將，其家公執席，妻執巾櫛，舍者避席，煬者避灶。其反也，舍者與之爭席矣！

When he went, the people at the inn welcomed and saw him off, the master of the house brought the mat, his wife brought the towel and comb, the lodgers gave way from their seats, and those warming by the fire gave way from the stove. When he came back, the people at the inn competed with him for seats!

堯以天下讓許由，許由不受。又讓於子州支父，子州之父曰：「以我為天子，猶之可也。雖然，我適有幽憂之病。方且治之，未暇治天下也。」夫天下至重也，而不以害其生，又況他物乎！唯無以天下為者，可以託天下也。

Yao offered the world to Xu You, and Xu You did not accept it. He offered it to Zizhou Zhifu, and Zizhou Zhifu said: "To make me Son of Heaven would also be acceptable. Even so, I happen to have an illness of deep melancholy. I am just treating it, and have no leisure to govern the world." The world is the weightiest thing, yet he would not use it to harm his own life, much less other things! Only one who does not take the world as his business can be entrusted with the world.

舜讓天下於子州支伯，子州支伯曰：「予適有幽憂之病，方且治之，未暇治天下也。」故天下大器也，而不以易生，此有道者之所以異乎俗者也。

Shun offered the world to Zizhou Zhibo, and Zizhou Zhibo said: "I happen to have an illness of deep melancholy, and am just treating it, so I have no leisure to govern the world." So the world is a great vessel, yet he would not exchange it for his life; this is why men of the Way differ from the common.

舜以天下讓善卷，善卷曰：「餘立於宇宙之中，冬日衣皮毛，夏日衣葛絺；春耕種，形足以勞動；秋收斂，身足以休食；日出而作，日入而息，逍遙於天地之間而心意自得。吾何以天下為哉！悲夫，子之不知餘也！」遂不受。於是去而入深山，莫知其處。

Shun offered the world to Shan Juan, but Shan Juan said, "I stand in the midst of the universe. In winter I wear furs, in summer I wear fine hemp; in spring I plow and plant, and my body is strong enough to labor; in autumn I harvest, and my body is able to rest and eat and drink; I rise at sunrise and rest at sunset, roam freely between heaven and earth, and my mind is content. What would I do with the world! How sad that you do not know me!" So he did not accept. He then left and went into the deep mountains, and no one knew where he lived.

舜以天下讓其友石戶之農。石戶之農曰：「捲捲乎後之為人，葆力之士也！」以舜之德為未至也。於是夫負妻戴，攜子以入於海，終身不反也。

Shun offered the world to his friend, the farmer of Shihu. The farmer of Shihu said, "How earnest you are, my lord! You are a man who exerts himself!" He thought Shun's virtue had not yet reached the mark. So the husband carried a load on his back and the wife on her head, and taking their children they entered the sea and never returned in their lives.

大王亶父居邠，狄人攻之；事之以皮帛而不受，事之以犬馬而不受，事之以珠玉而不受，狄人之所求者土地也。大王亶父曰：「與人之兄居而殺其弟，與人之父居而殺其子，吾不忍也。子皆勉居矣！為吾臣與為狄人臣奚以異！且吾聞之，不以所用養害所養。」因杖筴而去之。民相連而從之，遂成國於岐山之下。夫大王亶父，可謂能尊生矣。能尊生者，雖貴富不以養傷身，雖貧賤不以利累形。今世之人，居高官尊爵者，皆重失之，見利輕亡其身，豈不惑哉！

Danfu the Great King lived in Bin, and the Di attacked him. He served them with furs and silk and they would not accept; he served them with dogs and horses and they would not accept; he served them with pearls and jade and they would not accept. What the Di wanted was land. Danfu the Great King said, "To live with a man's elder brother and kill his younger brother, to live with a man's father and kill his son, I cannot bear. All of you, live well! What is the difference between being my subject and being a subject of the Di! Moreover I have heard that one should not use what one uses to nourish to harm those one nourishes." So he leaned on his staff and left. The people followed him in a continuous line, and so a state was formed at the foot of Mount Qi. Danfu the Great King may be said to be one who could honor life. One who can honor life, even if wealthy and noble, does not harm his body by what nourishes it, and even if poor and lowly, does not burden his body for profit. People in the world today who hold high office and noble rank all value losing it and, seeing profit, easily lose their lives; is that not delusion!

越人三世弒其君，王子搜患之，逃乎丹穴。而越國無君，求王子搜不得，從之丹穴。王子搜不肯出，越人薰之以艾。乘以王輿。王子搜援綏登車，仰天而呼曰：「君乎，君乎！獨不可以舍我乎！」王子搜非惡為君也，惡為君之患也。若王子搜者，可謂不以國傷生矣，此固越人之所欲得為君也。

The people of Yue had murdered their ruler for three generations. Prince Sou was troubled by this and fled to the Cinnabar Cave. Yue had no ruler, and they sought Prince Sou but could not find him, then followed him to the Cinnabar Cave. Prince Sou would not come out, so the people of Yue smoked him out with mugwort and brought a royal carriage. Prince Sou took hold of the mounting strap, got in the carriage, looked up to Heaven and cried out, "Ruler! Ruler! Could you not have let me go!" Prince Sou did not dislike being ruler; he disliked the troubles of being ruler. One like Prince Sou may be said not to harm life for the sake of a state, and this is exactly why the people of Yue wanted to have him as ruler.

韓魏相與爭侵地。子華子見昭僖侯，昭僖侯有憂色。子華子曰：「今使天下書銘於君之前，書之言曰：『左手攫之則右手廢，右手攫之則左手廢，然而攫之者必有天下。』君能攫之乎？」

Han and Wei were fighting over a piece of land. Zihuazi saw Marquis Zhaoxi, who looked worried. Zihuazi said, "Suppose now that the world were to inscribe a writing before you, and the words said: 'If the left hand grasps, the right hand is crippled; if the right hand grasps, the left hand is crippled; yet the one who grasps will surely have the world.' Would you grasp it?"

昭僖侯曰：「寡人不攫也。」

Marquis Zhaoxi said, "I would not grasp it."

子華子曰：「甚善！自是觀之，兩臂重於天下也，身亦重於兩臂。韓之輕於天下亦遠矣，今之所爭者，其輕於韓又遠。君固愁身傷生以憂戚不得也！」

Zihuazi said, "Very good! From this it follows that two arms are weightier than the world, and the body is weightier still than the two arms. Han is far lighter than the world, and what you are now fighting over is far lighter than Han. Yet you grieve and harm your body and life in worry that you will not obtain it!"

僖侯曰：「善哉！教寡人者眾矣，未嘗得聞此言也。」子華子可謂知輕重矣。

The marquis said, "Good! Many have instructed me, but I have never heard these words." Zihuazi may be said to know what is light and what is heavy.

魯君聞顏闔得道之人也，使人以幣先焉。顏闔守陋閭，苴布之衣而自飯牛。魯君之使者至，顏闔自對之。使者曰：「此顏闔之家與？」顏闔對曰：「此闔之家也。」使者致幣，顏闔對曰：「恐聽者謬而遺使者罪，不若審之。」使者還，反審之，復來求之，則不得已。故若顏闔者，真惡富貴也。

The ruler of Lu heard that Yan He was a man who had attained the Way and sent someone first with gifts. Yan He was living in a humble village gate, wearing coarse cloth and feeding his own ox. When the Lu ruler's envoy arrived, Yan He answered himself. The envoy said, "Is this the house of Yan He?" Yan He replied, "This is He's house." The envoy presented the gifts, and Yan He replied, "I fear the listener may have been mistaken and leave the envoy at fault; it would be better to check." The envoy went back, checked, and came again to look for him, but he could no longer be found. So one like Yan He truly hated wealth and honor.

故曰，道之真以治身，其緒餘以為國家，其土苴以治天下。由此觀之，帝王之功，聖人之餘事也，非所以完身養生也。今世俗之君子，多危身棄生以殉物，豈不悲哉！凡聖人之動作也，必察其所以之與其所以為。今且有人於此，以隨侯之珠彈千仞之雀，世必笑之，是何也？則其所用者重而所要者輕也。夫生者，豈特隨侯之重哉！

So it is said: the true essence of the Way is used to govern the self, its leftover remainder is used to manage a state, and its dregs are used to govern the world. Seen this way, the achievements of emperors and kings are the sage's leftover business and are not used to keep oneself whole and nourish life. Today's gentlemen in the world mostly endanger their lives and abandon living to sacrifice themselves for things; is that not sad! In all the sage's actions, he must examine where he goes and what he does it for. Suppose someone here used the Marquis of Sui's pearl to shoot a sparrow a thousand ren high; people of the world would surely laugh at him, and why? Because what is used is weighty and what is sought is light. And life is far weightier than the Marquis of Sui's pearl!

子列子窮，容貌有飢色。客有言之於鄭子陽者，曰：「列禦寇，葢有道之士也，居君之國而窮，君無乃為不好士乎？」鄭子陽即令官遺之粟。子列子見使者，再拜而辭。

Master Liezi was poor, and his face showed signs of hunger. A guest spoke of him to Ziyang of Zheng, saying, "Lie Yukou is perhaps a man of the Way, living in your state yet poor. Do you not like gentlemen, my lord?" Ziyang of Zheng then ordered an official to send him grain. Master Liezi saw the envoy, bowed twice and declined.

使者去，子列子入，其妻望之而拊心曰：「妾聞為有道者之妻子，皆得佚樂，今有飢色。君過而遺先生食，先生不受，豈不命邪！」

After the envoy left, Master Liezi went in, and his wife looked at him, beat her breast and said, "I have heard that the wife of one who has the Way can be at ease and happy, but now we have a look of hunger. The lord came to send you food, and you did not accept it; is this not fate!"

子列子笑謂之曰：「君非自知我也，以人之言而遺我粟，至其罪我也又且以人之言，此吾所以不受也。」其卒，民果作難而殺子陽。

Master Liezi laughed and said to her, "The lord does not know me by himself; he sent me grain because of others' words, and when he punishes me it will also be because of others' words. This is why I did not accept it." Later the people indeed rose in rebellion and killed Ziyang.

楚昭王失國，屠羊說走而從於昭王。昭王反國，將賞從者，及屠羊說。屠羊說曰：「大王失國，說失屠羊；大王反國，說亦反屠羊。臣之爵祿已復矣，又何賞之有！」

King Zhao of Chu lost his state, and Tu Yang Yue fled and followed King Zhao. When King Zhao returned to the state and was about to reward those who followed him, it came to Tu Yang Yue. Tu Yang Yue said, "When Your Majesty lost the state, I lost my sheep-butchering; when Your Majesty returned to the state, I also returned to my sheep-butchering. My title and salary have been restored, so what is there to reward!"

王曰：「強之。」

The king said, "Press him."

屠羊說曰：「大王失國，非臣之罪，故不敢伏其誅；大王反國，非臣之功，故不敢當其賞。」

Tu Yang Yue said, "Your Majesty's losing the state was not my fault, so I dare not submit to execution; Your Majesty's returning to the state was not my merit, so I dare not accept a reward."

王曰：「見之！」

The king said, "See him!"

屠羊說曰：「楚國之法，必有重賞大功而後得見，今臣之知不足以存國而勇不足以死寇。吳軍入郢，說畏難而避寇，非故隨大王也。今大王欲廢法毀約而見說，此非臣之所以聞於天下也。」

Tu Yang Yue said, "By Chu's law, one must have a great reward for great merit before one may have an audience. Now my knowledge is not enough to preserve the state and my courage not enough to die fighting the invaders. When the Wu army entered Ying, I feared hardship and avoided the invaders; it was not that I deliberately followed Your Majesty. Now Your Majesty wishes to abolish the law and break the agreement to see me, and this is not what I would have heard throughout the world."

王謂司馬子綦曰：「屠羊說居處卑賤而陳義甚高，子綦為我延之以三旌之位。」

The king said to Sima Ziqi, "Tu Yang Yue lives in a low and humble station but expresses very lofty righteousness. Ziqi, invite him for me to take a position of the three banners."

屠羊說曰：「夫三旌之位，吾知其貴於屠羊之肆也；萬鍾之祿，吾知其富於屠羊之利也；然豈可以貪爵祿而使吾君有妄施之名乎！說不敢當，願復反吾屠羊之肆。」遂不受也。

Tu Yang Yue said, "I know the position of the three banners is nobler than a sheep-butchering shop; I know a salary of ten thousand zhong is richer than the profit of butchering sheep; but how could I be greedy for rank and salary and give my ruler the name of making groundless grants! I dare not accept, and wish to return to my sheep-butchering shop." So he did not accept.

原憲居魯，環堵之室，茨以生草；蓬戶不完，桑以為樞；而甕牖二室，褐以為塞；上漏下溼，匡坐而弦。

Yuan Xian lived in Lu, in a room with walls on four sides, roofed with fresh grass; the wicker door was not whole and he used mulberry wood for the pivot; a window made from a jar's mouth divided the room into two, stuffed with coarse cloth; it leaked above and was damp below, and he sat upright and played the zither and sang.

子貢乘大馬，中紺而表素，軒車不容巷，往見原憲。原憲華冠縰履，杖藜而應門。

Zigong, riding a large horse, with a dark-blue lining and plain outer cover, in a carriage too wide for the lane, went to see Yuan Xian. Yuan Xian, in a flowery cap and worn shoes, leaning on a goosefoot staff, answered the door.

子貢曰：「嘻！先生何病？」

Zigong said, "Ah! What illness do you have, Master?"

原憲應之曰：「憲聞之，無財謂之貧，學而不能行謂之病。今憲，貧也，非病也。」子貢逡巡而有愧色。

Yuan Xian answered him, "I have heard that having no wealth is called poverty, and learning without being able to practice it is called illness. Now I am poor, not ill." Zigong hesitated and looked ashamed.

原憲笑曰：「夫希世而行，比周而友，學以為人，教以為己，仁義之慝，輿馬之飾，憲不忍為也。」

Yuan Xian laughed and said, "To go along with the world's ways, to make friends by forming cliques, to learn for the sake of others and teach for the sake of oneself, the wickedness behind benevolence and righteousness, the decoration of carriages and horses; I cannot bear to do these."

曾子居衞，縕袍無表，顏色腫噲，手足胼胝。三日不舉火，十年不製衣，正冠而纓絕，捉衿而肘見，納屨而踵決。曳縰而歌商頌，聲滿天地，若出金石。天子不得臣，諸侯不得友。故養志者忘形，養形者忘利，致道者忘心矣。

Master Zeng lived in Wei, wearing a quilted robe with no outer cloth, his face swollen and puffy, his hands and feet calloused. He went three days without lighting a fire and ten years without making new clothes; when he straightened his cap, the cap string broke; when he grasped his lapel, his elbows showed; when he put on his shoes, his heels split. Dragging his worn shoes he chanted the Hymns of Shang, and his voice filled heaven and earth as though it came from bronze and stone. The Son of Heaven could not make him a subject and the lords could not make him a friend. So one who nourishes the will forgets the body, one who nourishes the body forgets profit, and one who attains the Way forgets the mind.

孔子謂顏回曰：「回，來！家貧居卑，胡不仕乎？」

Confucius said to Yan Hui, "Hui, come here! Your family is poor and your position is low; why do you not take office?"

顏回對曰：「不願仕。回有郭外之田五十畝，足以給飦粥；郭內之田十畝，足以為絲麻；鼓琴足以自娛，所學夫子之道者足以自樂也。回不願仕。」

Yan Hui answered, "I do not wish to take office. I have fifty mu of land outside the outer wall, enough to supply me with gruel; I have ten mu inside the wall, enough for silk and hemp; playing the zither is enough to amuse myself, and the Master's Way that I have studied is enough to give me joy. I do not wish to take office."

孔子愀然變容曰：「善哉回之意！丘聞之：『知足者不以利自累也，審自得者失之而不懼，行修於內者無位而不作。』丘誦之久矣，今於回而後見之，是丘之得也。」

Confucius was moved and changed his expression, saying, "How good is Hui's intent! I have heard: 'One who knows contentment is not burdened by profit; one who is careful in finding contentment in himself does not fear loss; one who cultivates conduct within does not feel shame without rank.' I have recited this for a long time, and only now see it in Hui; this is something I have gained."

中山公子牟謂瞻子曰：「身在江海之上，心居乎魏闕之下，柰何？」

Prince Mou of Zhongshan said to Zhan Zi, "My body is on the rivers and seas, but my heart is below the palace gate of Wei. What should I do?"

瞻子曰：「重生。重生則利輕。」

Zhan Zi said, "Value life. If you value life, profit becomes light."

中山公子牟曰：「雖知之，未能自勝也。」

Prince Mou of Zhongshan said, "Though I know this, I cannot overcome it myself."

瞻子曰：「不能自勝則從，神無惡乎？不能自勝而強不從者，此之謂重傷。重傷之人，無壽類矣！」

Zhan Zi said, "If you cannot overcome it yourself, then go along with it; does your spirit not dislike this? If you cannot overcome it yourself and force yourself not to go along with it, this is called a double injury. Those who suffer double injury are not among the long-lived!"

魏牟，萬乘之公子也，其隱巖穴也，難為於布衣之士；雖未至乎道，可謂有其意矣。

Wei Mou was a prince of a state of ten thousand chariots, and his hiding in a cave was harder than for a commoner; though he had not yet reached the Way, it can be said he had the intention.

孔子窮於陳蔡之間，七日不火食，藜羹不糝，顏色甚憊，而絃歌於室。顏回擇菜，子路子貢相與言曰：「夫子再逐於魯，削跡於衞，伐樹於宋，窮於商周，圍於陳蔡，殺夫子者無罪，藉夫子者無禁。絃歌鼓琴，未嘗絕音，君子之無恥也若此乎？」

Confucius was in straits between Chen and Cai, for seven days without lighting a fire to cook, with only goosefoot soup with no grain, looking very worn, yet playing the zither and singing in the room. Yan Hui picked vegetables, and Zilu and Zigong said to each other, "The Master was driven out of Lu twice, had his tracks erased in Wei, had a tree cut down over him in Song, was in straits in Shang and Zhou, and is now surrounded between Chen and Cai. Those who would kill the Master have no guilt, and those who insult the Master are not forbidden. He plays zither and sings and has never broken off the music; is this how shameless a gentleman is?"

顏回無以應，入告孔子。孔子推琴喟然而歎曰：「由與賜，細人也。召而來，吾語之。」

Yan Hui had no answer and went in to tell Confucius. Confucius pushed away his zither and sighed, saying, "You and Ci are petty people. Call them in and I will tell them."

子路子貢入。子路曰：「如此者可謂窮矣！」

Zilu and Zigong went in. Zilu said, "A situation like this can be called being in straits!"

孔子曰：「是何言也！君子通於道之謂通，窮於道之謂窮。今丘抱仁義之道以遭亂世之患，其何窮之為！故內省而不窮於道，臨難而不失其德，天寒既至，霜雪既降，吾是以知松柏之茂也。陳蔡之隘，於丘其幸乎！」

Confucius said, "What kind of talk is this! A gentleman who has reached the Way is called successful, and one who is exhausted in the Way is called in straits. Now I hold the Way of benevolence and righteousness and meet the troubles of a disordered age; how is that being in straits! So when one looks within and is not exhausted in the Way, and meets calamity without losing his virtue, when the cold of the year arrives and frost and snow have fallen, I thereby know the flourishing of the pine and cypress. The narrow pass between Chen and Cai is perhaps a fortune for me!"

孔子削然反琴而絃歌，子路扢然執幹而舞。子貢曰：「吾不知天之高也，地之下也。」

Confucius calmly returned to his zither and sang, and Zilu vigorously took up a shield (here 'gan' is a shield, not 'interfere') and danced. Zigong said, "I did not know how high Heaven is or how low the earth is."

古之得道者，窮亦樂，通亦樂。所樂非窮通也，道德於此，則窮通為寒暑風雨之序矣。故許由娛於潁陽而共伯得乎共首。

The ancients who attained the Way were joyful in poverty and joyful in success. What they were joyful in was not poverty or success; virtue lay in this, and then poverty and success were only the order of cold and heat, wind and rain. So Xu You enjoyed himself at Yingyang, and Gong Bo found his place at Gongshou.

舜以天下讓其友北人無擇，北人無擇曰：「異哉後之為人也，居於畎畝之中而遊堯之門！不若是而已，又欲以其辱行漫我。吾羞見之。」因自投清泠之淵。

Shun offered the world to his friend Beiren Wuze, and Beiren Wuze said, "How strange you are, my lord, living among the fields and yet roaming at Yao's gate! Not only that, but you want to stain me with your shameful conduct. I am ashamed to see you." So he threw himself into the Qingling Abyss.

湯將伐桀，因卞隨而謀，卞隨曰：「非吾事也。」

When Tang was about to attack Jie, he consulted Bian Sui, who said, "It is not my business."

湯曰：「孰可？」

Tang said, "Who could do it?"

曰：「吾不知也。」

(Bian Sui) said, "I do not know."

湯又因務光而謀，務光曰：「非吾事也。」

Tang then consulted Wu Guang, who said, "It is not my business."

湯曰：「孰可？」

Tang said, "Who could do it?"

曰：「吾不知也。」

(Wu Guang) said, "I do not know."

湯曰：「伊尹何如？」

Tang said, "What about Yi Yin?"

曰：「強力忍垢，吾不知其他也。」

(Wu Guang) said, "He is strong and bears disgrace; I know nothing else."

湯遂與伊尹謀伐桀，剋之，以讓卞隨。卞隨辭曰：「後之伐桀也謀乎我，必以我為賊也；勝桀而讓我，必以我為貪也。吾生乎亂世，而無道之人再來漫我以其辱行，吾不忍數聞也。」乃自投椆水而死。

Tang then planned the attack on Jie with Yi Yin, won, and offered the world to Bian Sui. Bian Sui declined, saying, "When you attacked Jie you consulted me, so you surely regarded me as a villain; having defeated Jie you now yield to me, so you must regard me as greedy. I was born in a disordered age, and now a man without the Way comes again to stain me with his shameful conduct; I cannot bear to hear it repeatedly." So he threw himself into the Chou River and died.

湯又讓務光，曰：「知者謀之，武者遂之，仁者居之，古之道也。吾子胡不立乎？」

Tang then offered it to Wu Guang, saying, "The wise plan, the martial complete, and the benevolent dwell in it; this is the Way of the ancients. Why do you not take the throne?"

務光辭曰：「廢上，非義也；殺民，非仁也；人犯其難，我享其利，非廉也。吾聞之曰，非其義者，不受其祿，無道之世，不踐其土。況尊我乎！吾不忍久見也。」乃負石而自沈於廬水。

Wu Guang declined, saying, "To depose a superior is not righteous; to kill the people is not benevolent; for others to take the risk and I to enjoy the profit is not honest. I have heard that if it is not righteous one does not accept the salary, and in an age without the Way one does not tread on its soil. How much less to be honored by it! I cannot bear to see it for long." So he carried a stone on his back and sank himself in the Lu River.

昔周之興，有士二人處於孤竹，曰伯夷叔齊。二人相謂曰：「吾聞西方有人，似有道者，試往觀焉。」至於岐陽，武王聞之，使叔旦往見之，與盟曰：「加富二等，就官一列。」血牲而埋之。

In former times, when Zhou arose, there were two gentlemen living in Guzhu, named Boyi and Shuqi. The two said to each other, "I hear there is a man in the west who seems to have the Way; let us try to go see him." When they reached the south side of Mount Qi, King Wu heard of it and sent Shu Dan to see them, to make a covenant with them, saying, "We will raise your wealth by two grades and give you an official rank of the first order." They sealed it with animal blood and buried it.

二人相視而笑，曰：「嘻，異哉！此非吾所謂道也。昔者神農之有天下也，時祀盡敬而不祈喜；其於人也，忠信盡治而無求焉。樂與政為政，樂與治為治，不以人之壞自成也，不以人之卑自高也，不以遭時自利也。今周見殷之亂而遽為政，上謀而下行貨，阻兵而保威，割牲而盟以為信，揚行以說眾，殺伐以要利，是推亂以易暴也。吾聞古之士，遭治世不避其任，遇亂世不為苟存。今天下闇，殷德衰，其並乎周以塗吾身也，不如避之以絜吾行。」二子北至於首陽之山，遂餓而死焉。若伯夷叔齊者，其於富貴也，苟可得已，則必不賴。高節戾行，獨樂其志，不事於世。此二士之節也。

The two looked at each other and laughed, saying, "Ah, how strange! This is not what we call the Way. In the past when Shennong had the world, he offered seasonal sacrifices with full reverence and did not pray for blessings; toward people, he was loyal and honest and did all he could to govern and asked for nothing. If glad to take part in government he governed, if glad to share in order he ordered; he did not use others' ruin to make himself, did not use others' lowliness to raise himself, and did not use meeting a good time to profit himself. Now Zhou, seeing Yin's disorder, hurries to rule, using schemes above and goods below, relying on soldiers to preserve authority, cutting up animals to make covenants as a sign of good faith, displaying conduct to please the multitude, using killing and attack to seek profit; this is pushing disorder to replace violence. I have heard that the gentlemen of old, in a well-ordered age, did not avoid their duties, and in a disordered age did not live carelessly. Now the world is dark and Yin's virtue is declining; to stand beside Zhou and smear our bodies is not as good as avoiding it to keep our conduct clean." The two went north to Mount Shouyang, and starved to death there. People like Boyi and Shuqi, with regard to wealth and honor, even if they could obtain it would surely not depend on it. With lofty integrity and unyielding conduct, they found joy only in their own aims and did not serve the world. This was the integrity of the two gentlemen.

孔子與柳下季為友，柳下季之弟名曰盜蹠。盜蹠從卒九千人，橫行天下，侵暴諸侯，穴室樞戶，驅人牛馬，取人婦女，貪得忘親，不顧父母兄弟，不祭先祖。所過之邑，大國守城，小國入保，萬民苦之。

Confucius was a friend of Liuxia Ji, and Liuxia Ji's younger brother was named Robber Zhi. Robber Zhi had nine thousand followers, roamed across the world, plundered and abused the lords, broke into rooms and prized open doors, drove off people's oxen and horses, took people's women, was so greedy he forgot his kin, paid no regard to parents and brothers, and did not sacrifice to his ancestors. In the towns he passed, large states guarded their walls and small states took refuge inside, and the myriad people suffered from him.

孔子謂柳下季曰：「夫為人父者，必能詔其子；為人兄者，必能教其弟。若父不能詔其子，兄不能教其弟，則無貴父子兄弟之親矣。今先生，世之才士也，弟為盜蹠，為天下害，而弗能教也，丘竊為先生羞之。丘請為先生往說之。」

Confucius said to Liuxia Ji, "A father must be able to instruct his son, and an elder brother must be able to teach his younger brother. If a father cannot instruct his son and an elder brother cannot teach his younger brother, there is no way to value the closeness of father and son or brothers. Now you, sir, are a talented gentleman of the age, yet your younger brother has become Robber Zhi, a plague to the world, and you cannot teach him; I am privately ashamed for you. I ask to go and persuade him for you."

柳下季曰：「先生言為人父者必能詔其子，為人兄者必能教其弟，若子不聽父之詔，弟不受兄之教，雖今先生之辯，將柰之何哉？且蹠之為人也，心如湧泉，意如飄風，強足以距敵，辯足以飾非，順其心則喜，逆其心則怒，易辱人以言。先生必無往。」

Liuxia Ji said, "You say that a father must be able to instruct his son and an elder brother must be able to teach his younger brother, but if a son does not heed his father's instruction and a younger brother does not accept his elder brother's teaching, what will you do about him, even with the eloquence you have now? Moreover, Zhi as a person has a mind like a gushing spring and thoughts like a whirlwind, is strong enough to resist enemies and eloquent enough to disguise wrongs; he is pleased when you go along with his heart and angry when you go against it, and easily insults people with words. You must not go."

孔子不聽，顏回為馭，子貢為右，往見盜蹠。盜蹠乃方休卒徒大山之陽，膾人肝而餔之。孔子下車而前，見謁者曰：「魯人孔丘，聞將軍高義，敬再拜謁者。」

Confucius did not listen. Yan Hui drove the carriage and Zigong rode on the right, and they went to see Robber Zhi. Robber Zhi was resting his followers on the south side of Mount Tai, mincing human liver to eat. Confucius got down from the carriage, stepped forward, and said to the announcer, "Kong Qiu of Lu, having heard of the General's lofty righteousness, respectfully bows twice to the announcer."

謁者入通，盜蹠聞之大怒，目如明星，髮上指冠，曰：「此夫魯國之巧偽人孔丘非邪？為我告之：『爾作言造語，妄稱文武，冠枝木之冠，帶死牛之脅，多辭繆說，不耕而食，不織而衣，搖唇鼓舌，擅生是非，以迷天下之主，使天下學士不反其本，妄作孝弟，而儌倖於封侯富貴者也。子之罪大極重，疾走歸！不然，我將以子肝益晝餔之膳。』」

The announcer went in to report, and Robber Zhi, on hearing, was furious, his eyes like bright stars and his hair standing up against his cap. He said, "Is this not that cunning and deceitful man Kong Qiu of Lu? Tell him: 'You fabricate sayings and make up words, falsely claim Wen and Wu, wear a cap like tree branches and a belt of dead ox hide, speak many words and false doctrines, eat without plowing and dress without weaving, wag your lips and drum your tongue, arbitrarily produce right and wrong, mislead the rulers of the world, and keep the scholars of the world from returning to their roots, falsely make filial piety and fraternal duty and so hope to get lucky with enfeoffment and wealth. Your crime is great and heavy; go back quickly! If not, I will put your liver in my daytime meal."

孔子復通曰：「丘得幸於季，願望履幕下。」

Confucius reported again, "I have the good fortune of knowing Ji, and wish to be allowed to look at your footwear beneath the tent."

謁者復通，盜蹠曰：「使來前！」

The announcer reported again, and Robber Zhi said, "Let him come forward!"

孔子趨而進，避席反走，再拜盜蹠。盜蹠大怒，兩展其足，案劍瞋目，聲如乳虎，曰：「丘來前！若所言，順吾意則生，逆吾心則死。」

Confucius hurried forward, avoided the seat and walked backward, and bowed twice to Robber Zhi. Robber Zhi was furious, spread his legs wide, grasped his sword and glared, with a voice like a nursing tigress, and said, "Qiu, come forward! If what you say pleases me you live; if it goes against my heart you die."

孔子曰：「丘聞之，凡天下有三德：生而長大，美好無雙，少長貴賤見而皆說之，此上德也；知維天地，能辯諸物，此中德也；勇悍果敢，聚眾率兵，此下德也。凡人有此一德者，足以南面稱孤矣。今將軍兼此三者，身長八尺二寸，面目有光，唇如激丹，齒如齊貝，音中黃鍾，而名曰盜蹠，丘竊為將軍恥不取焉。將軍有意聽臣，臣請南使吳越，北使齊魯，東使宋衞，西使晉楚，使為將軍造大城數百里，立數十萬戶之邑，尊將軍為諸侯，與天下更始，罷兵休卒，收養昆弟，共祭先祖。此聖人才士之行，而天下之願也。」

Confucius said, "I have heard that there are three virtues under Heaven: to be born tall and large, handsome without equal, delighting all who see him, young and old, noble and lowly, is the highest virtue; to know how to bind heaven and earth and distinguish all things is the middle virtue; to be brave, fierce and decisive, gathering crowds and leading troops, is the lower virtue. A person with any one of these is enough to sit facing south and call himself sovereign. Now the General has all three, standing eight feet two inches tall, with a shining face, lips like bright cinnabar, teeth like even shells, and a voice that matches the Huangzhong pitch, yet is named Robber Zhi; I privately am ashamed for the General and do not endorse it. If the General is willing to listen to me, I ask to go as envoy to Wu and Yue in the south, Qi and Lu in the north, Song and Wei in the east, and Jin and Chu in the west, and have them build a great city of several hundred li for the General and set up a town of several hundred thousand households, honor the General as a lord, start anew with the world, disband soldiers and rest the troops, gather in your brothers and together sacrifice to the ancestors. This is the conduct of sages and talented gentlemen and what the world hopes for."

盜蹠大怒曰：「丘來前！夫可規以利而可諫以言者，皆愚陋恆民之謂耳。今長大美好，人見而悅之者，此吾父母之遺德也。丘雖不吾譽，吾獨不自知邪？

Robber Zhi was furious and said, "Qiu, come forward! Those who can be persuaded by profit and remonstrated with by words are all just the talk of foolish, common people. That I am tall, large, handsome and pleasing to all who see me is the virtue left by my parents. Even if Qiu does not praise me, do I not know it myself?

且吾聞之，好面譽人者，亦好背而毀之。今丘告我以大城眾民，是欲規我以利而恆民畜我也，安可久長也！城之大者，莫大乎天下矣。堯舜有天下，子孫無置錐之地；湯武立為天子，而後世絕滅；非以其利大故邪？

(Robber Zhi continued:) Moreover I have heard that those who like to praise people to their faces also like to slander them behind their backs. Now Qiu tells me of great cities and many people, which is trying to persuade me with profit and keep me like a common person; how could it last long! No city is larger than the world. Yao and Shun had the world, yet their descendants had no land to plant an awl; Tang and Wu were set up as Sons of Heaven, yet their later generations were wiped out; is this not because their profit was so great?

且吾聞之，古者禽獸多而人少，於是民皆巢居以避之，晝拾橡栗，暮棲木上，故命之曰有巢氏之民。古者民不知衣服，夏多積薪，冬則煬之，故命之曰知生之民。神農之世，臥則居居，起則于于。民知其母，不知其父，與麋鹿共處，耕而食，織而衣，無有相害之心，此至德之隆也。然而黃帝不能致德，與蚩尤戰於涿鹿之野，流血百里。堯舜作，立群臣，湯放其主，武王殺紂。自是之後，以強陵弱，以眾暴寡。湯武以來，皆亂人之徒也。

(Robber Zhi continued:) Moreover I have heard that in ancient times there were many beasts and few people, so the people all lived in nests to avoid them, gathering acorns and chestnuts by day and roosting in trees at night, and so they were called the people of the Nest-Dwellers. In ancient times the people did not know clothing; in summer they piled up much firewood and in winter burned it to keep warm, and so they were called the people who knew how to live. In the age of Shennong they lay down at ease and rose in comfort. The people knew their mothers but did not know their fathers, lived together with elk and deer, plowed to eat and wove to wear, with no heart to harm one another; this was the height of perfect virtue. Yet the Yellow Emperor could not achieve such virtue and fought Chi You in the wilds of Zhuolu, and blood flowed for a hundred li. When Yao and Shun arose they set up ministers, Tang banished his lord and King Wu killed Zhou. After that, the strong oppressed the weak and the many abused the few. From Tang and Wu on, all were people of disorder.

今子脩文武之道，掌天下之辯，以教後世，縫衣淺帶，矯言偽行，以迷惑天下之主，而欲求富貴焉，盜莫大於子。天下何故不謂子為盜丘，而乃謂我為盜蹠？

(Robber Zhi continued:) Now you cultivate the Way of Wen and Wu, hold all the arguments of the world to teach later ages, wear wide-sleeved robes and a shallow belt, with deceitful words and false conduct to mislead the rulers of the world and hope to seek wealth and honor; no robber is greater than you. Why does the world not call you Robber Qiu, but calls me Robber Zhi?

子以甘辭說子路而使從之，使子路去其危冠，解其長劍，而受教於子，天下皆曰孔丘能止暴禁非。其卒之也，子路欲殺衞君而事不成，身菹於衞東門之上，是子教之不至也。

(Robber Zhi continued:) You used sweet words to persuade Zilu to follow you, made him take off his tall cap and unfasten his long sword and receive your teaching, and the world all said Kong Qiu could stop violence and forbid wrong. In the end Zilu wanted to kill the ruler of Wei, the matter failed, and his body was pickled above the east gate of Wei; this is where your teaching failed him.

子自謂才士聖人邪，則再逐於魯，削跡於衞，窮於齊，圍於陳蔡，不容身於天下。子教子路菹此患，上無以為身，下無以為人，子之道豈足貴邪？

(Robber Zhi continued:) You call yourself a talented scholar and sage, yet you were twice driven out of Lu, had your tracks erased in Wei, were stranded in Qi, besieged between Chen and Cai, and found no place in the world to settle your person. You taught Zilu to meet the disaster of being minced, so that above you cannot act for yourself and below you cannot act for others; how is your Way worth honoring?

世之所高，莫若黃帝，黃帝尚不能全德，而戰於涿鹿之野，流血百里。堯不慈，舜不孝，禹偏枯，湯放其主，武王伐紂，文王拘羑里。此六子者，世之所高也，孰論之，皆以利惑其真而強反其情性，其行乃甚可羞也。

(Robber Zhi continued:) None in the world is exalted higher than the Yellow Emperor, and even the Yellow Emperor could not keep his virtue whole, fighting in the wilds of Zhuolu until blood flowed for a hundred li. Yao was unkind, Shun was unfilial, Yu was half-paralyzed, Tang banished his ruler, King Wu attacked Zhou, and King Wen was confined at Youli. These six men are the ones the world exalts, but examined seriously, all were led astray from their truth by profit and forcibly went against their nature, and their conduct was deeply shameful.

世之所謂賢士，伯夷叔齊。伯夷叔齊辭孤竹之君而餓死於首陽之山，骨肉不葬。鮑焦飾行非世，抱木而死。申徒狄諫而不聽，負石自投於河，為魚鼈所食。介子推至忠也，自割其股以食文公，文公後背之，子推怒而去，抱木而燔死。尾生與女子期於梁下，女子不來，水至不去，抱梁柱而死。此六子者，無異於磔犬流豕操瓢而乞者，皆離名輕死，不念本養壽命者也。

(Robber Zhi continued:) Those the world calls worthy gentlemen are Bo Yi and Shu Qi. Bo Yi and Shu Qi declined the throne of Guzhu and starved to death on Mount Shouyang, their bodies unburied. Bao Jiao adorned his conduct and condemned the world, and died clutching a tree. Shentu Di remonstrated and was not heeded, and carried a stone and threw himself into the river, to be eaten by fish and turtles. Jie Zitui was utterly loyal and cut flesh from his own thigh to feed Duke Wen; Duke Wen later turned against him, and Zitui left in anger and was burned to death clutching a tree. Wei Sheng agreed to meet a woman under a bridge; the woman did not come, the water rose and he did not leave, and died clutching the bridge pillar. These six are no different from dogs butchered, pigs adrift, or beggars holding gourds; all left life lightly for the sake of fame, not caring for the root, and not nourishing their lifespan.

世之所謂忠臣者，莫若王子比干伍子胥。子胥沉江，比干剖心，此二子者，世謂忠臣也，然卒為天下笑。自上觀之，至於子胥比干，皆不足貴也。

(Robber Zhi continued:) Those the world calls loyal ministers are none greater than Prince Bi Gan (a personal name) and Wu Zixu. Zixu was sunk in the river and Bi Gan had his heart cut out; these two the world calls loyal ministers, yet in the end they were laughed at by the world. Seen from above, even Zixu and Bi Gan are not worth honoring.

丘之所以說我者，若告我以鬼事，則我不能知也；若告我以人事者，不過此矣，皆吾所聞知也。

(Robber Zhi continued:) What Qiu came to say to me, if he were telling me about ghosts, I could not know; if he is telling me about human affairs, it comes to no more than this, and all of it I have already heard.

今吾告子以人之情，目欲視色，耳欲聽聲，口欲察味，志氣欲盈。人上壽百歲，中壽八十，下壽六十，除病瘦死喪憂患，其中開口而笑者，一月之中不過四五日而已矣。天與地無窮，人死者有時，操有時之具而托於無窮之閒，忽然無異騏驥之馳過隙也。不能說其志意，養其壽命者，皆非通道者也。

(Robber Zhi continued:) Now let me tell you the nature of man: the eyes want to see colors, the ears want to hear sounds, the mouth wants to taste flavors, and the will and spirit want to be filled. A person's highest lifespan is a hundred years, the middle eighty, the lowest sixty; subtract illness, thinness, death, mourning, and worries, and the days in which one opens one's mouth and laughs amount to no more than four or five in a month. Heaven and earth are endless, while human death has its time; to lodge a vessel with a limit in the infinite is no different from a fine steed galloping past a crack. Those who cannot please their minds and nourish their lifespan are not people who understand the Way.

丘之所言，皆吾之所棄也，亟去走歸，無復言之！子之道，狂狂汲汲，詐巧虛偽事也，非可以全真也，奚足論哉！」

(Robber Zhi continued:) What Qiu says is all what I have discarded. Hurry back and say no more! Your Way is frantic and anxious, the business of cunning and falseness; it cannot keep the truth whole; how is it worth discussing!"

孔子再拜趨走，出門上車，執轡三失，目芒然無見，色若死灰，據軾低頭，不能出氣。歸到魯東門外，適遇柳下季。柳下季曰：「今者闕然數日不見，車馬有行色，得微往見蹠邪？」

Confucius bowed twice and hurried away, went out the gate and got in his carriage, three times lost his grip on the reins, his eyes were dazed and saw nothing, his face was like dead ashes, he leaned on the crossbar with his head lowered and could not breathe. Returning to the east gate of Lu, he happened to meet Liuxia Ji. Liuxia Ji said: "These days I have not seen you for several days, and your carriage and horses look as if you had been on a journey; surely you did not go to see Zhi?"

孔子仰天而歎曰：「然！」

Confucius looked up to heaven and sighed, saying: "Yes!"

柳下季曰：「蹠得無逆汝意若前乎？」

Liuxia Ji said: "Surely Zhi did not go against your will as I said before?"

孔子曰：「然。丘所謂無病而自灸也，疾走料虎頭，編虎須，幾不免虎口哉！」

Confucius said: "He did. Qiu is what is called one who without illness cauterizes himself, who hurried to stroke the tiger's head and braid the tiger's whiskers, and almost did not escape the tiger's mouth!"

子張問於滿苟得曰：「盍不為行？無行則不信，不信則不任，不任則不利。故觀之名，計之利，而義真是也。若棄名利，反之於心，則夫士之為行，不可一日不為乎！」

Zizhang asked Man Goude: "Why do you not practice good conduct? Without conduct there is no trust, without trust there is no appointment, and without appointment there is no benefit. So if one considers fame and calculates profit, only righteousness is truly right. If one abandons fame and profit and returns to the heart, then for a gentleman's conduct, can it be neglected for a single day!"

滿苟得曰：「無恥者富，多信者顯。夫名利之大者，幾在無恥而信。故觀之名，計之利，而信真是也。若棄名利，反之於心，則夫士之為行，抱其天乎！」

Man Goude said: "The shameless are rich, and those with much trust are eminent. Those with the greatest fame and profit almost all lie in shamelessness and trust. So if one considers fame and calculates profit, only trust is truly right. If one abandons fame and profit and returns to the heart, then for a gentleman's conduct, he is holding to his Heaven!"

子張曰：「昔者桀紂貴為天子，富有天下，今謂臧聚曰，汝行如桀紂，則有怍色，有不服之心者，小人所賤也。仲尼墨翟，窮為匹夫，今謂宰相曰，子行如仲尼墨翟，則變容易色稱不足者，士誠貴也。故勢為天子，未必貴也；窮為匹夫，未必賤也；貴賤之分，在行之美惡。」

Zizhang said: "In the past Jie and Zhou were noble as Sons of Heaven and rich in possessing the world; now if you tell a servant that your conduct is like Jie and Zhou, he looks ashamed and has an unconvinced heart, and this is what petty people despise. Zhongni and Mo Di, though poor as commoners, if now you tell a prime minister that his conduct is like Zhongni and Mo Di, he changes color and says he is not worthy of the comparison, because gentlemen are truly noble. So being a Son of Heaven by position is not necessarily noble, and being poor as a commoner is not necessarily lowly; the distinction between noble and lowly lies in the goodness or badness of one's conduct."

滿苟得曰：「小盜者拘，大盜者為諸侯，諸侯之門，義士存焉。昔者桓公小白殺兄入嫂而管仲為臣，田成子常殺君竊國而孔子受幣。論則賤之，行則下之，則是言行之情悖戰於胸中也，不亦拂乎！故《書》曰：『孰惡孰美？成者為首，不成者為尾。』」

Man Goude said: "A petty thief is detained, and a great thief becomes a feudal lord; at the gate of the feudal lords, righteous gentlemen exist. In the past Duke Huan Xiaobai killed his brother and took his sister-in-law, yet Guan Zhong became his minister; Tian Chengzi Chang killed his ruler and stole the state, and Confucius accepted his gifts. In discussion they despise it, in conduct they stoop below it, so the feelings of word and deed fight in the chest; is that not perverse! So the Book of Documents says: 'Which is evil, which is good? The successful becomes the head, the unsuccessful becomes the tail.'"

子張曰：「子不為行，即將疏戚無倫，貴賤無義，長幼無序；五紀六位，將何以為別乎？」

Zizhang said: "If you do not practice conduct, then kinship near and distant will have no order, noble and lowly will have no righteousness, and old and young will have no sequence; the five bonds and six positions, what will you use to distinguish them?"

滿苟得曰：「堯殺長子，舜流母弟，疏戚有倫乎？湯放桀，武王殺紂，貴賤有義乎？王季為適，周公殺兄，長幼有序乎？儒者偽辭，墨子兼愛，五紀六位將有別乎？

Man Goude said: "Yao killed his eldest son and Shun banished his younger brother by the same mother; did near and distant kin have order? Tang banished Jie and King Wu killed Zhou; did noble and lowly have righteousness? Wang Ji became heir and the Duke of Zhou killed his brother; did old and young have sequence? Confucians use false words, and Mozi spoke of universal love; will the five bonds and six positions have distinctions?

且子正為名，我正為利。名利之實，不順於理，不監於道。吾日與子訟於無約，曰『小人殉財，君子殉名。其所以變其情，易其性，則異矣；乃至於棄其所為而殉其所不為，則一也。』故曰，無為小人，反殉而天；無為君子，從天之理。若枉若直，相而天極；面觀四方，與時消息。若是若非，執而圓機；獨成而意，與道徘徊。無轉而行，無成而義，將失而所為。無赴而富，無殉而成，將棄而天。

(Man Goude continued:) Moreover you are working for fame and I am working for profit. The reality of fame and profit does not conform to principle and is not examined by the Way. I debate with you day after day without agreement, saying: 'The petty man dies for wealth and the gentleman dies for fame. How they change their feelings and alter their nature is different; but in abandoning what they should do and dying for what they should not do, they are one.' So it is said: do not be a petty man, return and follow your Heaven; do not be a gentleman, follow the principle of Heaven. Whether crooked or straight, look to your Heaven's pole; face the four quarters and wax and wane with the time. Whether right or wrong, hold to your round pivot; alone fulfill your intent and wander with the Way. Do not devote yourself to turning your conduct, do not devote yourself to completing your righteousness, or you will lose what you do. Do not rush toward your riches, do not die for your accomplishment, or you will discard your Heaven.

比干剖心，子胥抉眼，忠之禍也；直躬證父，尾生溺死，信之患也；鮑子立乾，申子不自理，廉之害也；孔子不見母，匡子不見父，義之失也。此上世之所傳，下世之所語，以為士者正其言、必其行，故服其殃、離其患也。」

(Man Goude continued:) Bi Gan had his heart cut out and Zixu had his eyes gouged; these were the calamities of loyalty. Straight Gong bore witness against his father and Wei Sheng drowned; these were the troubles of trustworthiness. Master Bao stood and dried up to death (here "dry" means dried out) and Master Shen did not plead his own case; these were the harms of integrity. Confucius did not see his mother, and Kuangzi did not see his father; these were the failings of righteousness. These were passed down from earlier ages and spoken of in later ages, as that gentlemen should make their words right and their conduct certain, and so they bore the disaster and met the trouble."

無足問於知和曰：「人卒未有不興名就利者。彼富則人歸之，歸則下之，下則貴之。夫見下貴者，所以長生安體樂意之道也。今子獨無意焉，知不足邪，意知而力不能行邪，故推正不妄邪？」

Wuzu asked Zhihe: "In the end no one fails to promote fame and pursue profit. When one is rich, people turn to him; those who turn to him lower themselves before him; those who lower themselves honor him. Seeing being lowered to and honored is the way to long life, a peaceful body, and a joyful mind. Now you alone have no interest in this; is it that your knowledge is insufficient, or that you know but your strength cannot carry it out, and so you push for rightness and do not act recklessly?"

知和曰：「今夫此人以為與己同時而生，同鄉而處者，以為夫絕俗過世之士焉；是專無主正，所以覽古今之時，是非之分也，與俗化。世去至重，棄至尊，以為其所為也；此其所以論長生安體樂意之道，不亦遠乎！慘怛之疾，恬愉之安，不監於體；怵惕之恐，欣懽之喜，不監於心；知為為而不知所以為，是以貴為天子，富有天下，而不免於患也。」

Zhihe said: "Now, those who are born in the same time as oneself and live in the same village are thought of as gentlemen who have cut themselves off from the vulgar and surpassed the world; this is solely without a master of rightness, and so one surveys the times of past and present and the divisions of right and wrong, and is transformed with the vulgar. The world throws away what is most weighty and abandons what is most honored to do what it does; that is how they discuss the way to long life, a peaceful body, and a joyful mind; is that not far off! The pain of grief and the peace of ease are not examined by the body; the fear of alarm and the joy of delight are not examined by the mind; they know to do what they do but do not know why they do it, and so, though noble as a Son of Heaven and rich in possessing the world, they cannot escape trouble."

無足曰：「夫富之於人，無所不利，窮美究埶，至人之所不得逮，賢人之所不能及，俠人之勇力而以為威強，秉人之知謀以為明察，因人之德以為賢良，非享國而嚴若君父。且夫聲色滋味權勢之於人，心不待學而樂之，體不待象而安之。夫欲惡避就，固不待師，此人之性也。天下雖非我，孰能辭之！」

Wuzu said: "Wealth, for a person, benefits in everything: it exhausts beauty and exhausts power, which the perfect person cannot reach and the worthy cannot match; it lets one wield the courage and strength of others as one's own might, hold the wisdom and plans of others as one's own discernment, and rely on the virtue of others as one's own worth; it is not that one enjoys a state and yet is stern as a lord or father. Moreover sounds, colors, flavors, and power, for a person, the mind enjoys without waiting to learn and the body is at ease without waiting to imitate. That desires and aversions, avoidance and approach, do not wait for a teacher is human nature. Even if the world rejects me, who can renounce it!"

知和曰：「知者之為，故動以百姓，不違其度，是以足而不爭，無以為故不求。不足故求之，爭四處而不自以為貪；有餘故辭之，棄天下而不自以為廉。廉貪之實，非以迫外也，反監之度。勢為天子而不以貴驕人，富有天下而不以財戲人。計其患，慮其反，以為害於性，故辭而不受也，非以要名譽也。堯舜為帝而雍，非仁天下也，不以美害生；善卷許由得帝而不受，非虛辭讓也，不以事害己。此皆就其利、辭其害，而天下稱賢焉，則可以有之，彼非以興名譽也。」

Zhihe said: "What the wise do is to move for the sake of the people without going against the measure, and so they are sufficient and do not contend, and do nothing and so do not seek. When not sufficient, they seek, and contend in all quarters without thinking themselves greedy; when they have a surplus, they decline, and abandon the world without thinking themselves honest. The reality of honesty and greed is not forced by the outside but looks back to examine the measure. Though in position a Son of Heaven, they do not use nobility to be arrogant to others; though rich in possessing the world, they do not use wealth to play with others. They reckon the trouble, consider the reversal, and think it would harm their nature, and so decline and do not accept, not to seek reputation. Yao and Shun were emperors and were harmonious and gentle, not because they were benevolent to the world but because they did not let beauty harm life; Shan Juan and Xu You were offered the throne and did not accept it, not because they made empty courtesies but because they did not let affairs harm themselves. All these took their benefit and declined their harm, and if the world called them worthy, they can have that title, though they did not use it to seek reputation."

無足曰：「必持其名，苦體絕甘，約養以持生，則亦久病長阨而不死者也。」

Wuzu said: "If one must hold on to that reputation, toil one's body and cut off sweetness, and live restrained to sustain life, then one is also a person long ill and long in hardship but not dead."

知和曰：「平為福，有餘為害者，物莫不然，而財其甚者也。今富人，耳營鐘鼓莞籥之聲，口嗛於芻豢醪醴之味，以感其意，遺忘其業，可謂亂矣；侅溺於馮氣，若負重行而上阪，可謂苦矣，貪財而取慰，貪權而取竭，靜居則溺，體澤則馮，可謂疾矣；為欲富就利，故滿若堵耳而不知避，且馮而不捨，可謂辱矣；財積而無用，服膺而不捨，滿心戚醮，求益而不止，可謂憂矣；內則疑劫請之賊，外則畏寇盜之害，內周樓疏，外不敢獨行，可謂畏矣。此六者，天下之至害也，皆遺忘而不知察，及其患至，求盡性竭財，單以反一日之無故而不可得也。故觀之名則不見，求之利則不得，繚意體而爭此，不亦惑乎！」

Zhihe said: "Equality is blessing, and surplus is harm; of all things none is not so, and wealth especially. Now the rich, whose ears are busy with the sound of bells, drums, rush pipes, and flutes, and whose mouths are pleased with the flavors of grass-fed and grain-fed meat and sweet wine, thereby stirring their minds and forgetting their work, may be said to be in disorder; sunk in overbearing spirit, like carrying a heavy load up a slope, they may be said to be in bitterness; greedy for wealth they take illness, greedy for power they take exhaustion, living quietly they sink, with a glossy body they swell, and they may be said to be sick; for the sake of wanting wealth and pursuing profit, they are so full they are like people plugging their ears and not knowing to avoid, and bloated yet not letting go, and may be said to be disgraced; wealth piled up without use, clinging to it and not letting go, the whole heart in grief and fear, seeking more without stopping, may be said to be worried; within they suspect thieves who would extort or rob, without they fear the harm of bandits and robbers, within they enclose themselves with tower and sparse barriers, and without they dare not walk alone, and may be said to be afraid. These six are the greatest harms of the world, and all are forgotten and not examined; when the trouble comes, they seek to exhaust their nature and use up their wealth, only to seek one day of being without incident to return, and cannot get it. So if one considers that reputation one will not see it, if one seeks that profit one will not get it, and winding their intent and body in contention over this, is that not bewildering!"

昔趙文王喜劍，劍士夾門而客三千餘人，日夜相擊於前，死傷者歲百餘人，好之不厭。如是三年，國衰，諸侯謀之。

In the past, King Wen of Zhao loved swords, and swordsmen lodged as guests on both sides of his gate, more than three thousand of them, who fought each other before him day and night, with over a hundred dead or wounded every year, yet he loved it and never tired of it. This went on for three years, the state weakened, and the feudal lords schemed against it.

太子悝患之，募左右曰：「孰能說王之意止劍士者，賜之千金。」左右曰：「莊子當能。」

The crown prince Kui was troubled by this and recruited among his attendants, saying: "Whoever can persuade the king's mind and stop the swordsmen, I will give a thousand gold." The attendants said: "Zhuangzi should be able to."

太子乃使人以千金奉莊子。莊子弗受，與使者俱，往見太子曰：「太子何以教周，賜周千金？」

The crown prince then sent someone to offer a thousand gold to Zhuangzi. Zhuangzi did not accept it, but went with the messenger to see the crown prince, saying: "What does the crown prince wish to instruct Zhou, that he gives Zhou a thousand gold?"

太子曰：「聞夫子明聖，謹奉千金以幣從者。夫子弗受，悝尚何敢言！」

The crown prince said: "I have heard that the master is clear and wise, and I respectfully offer a thousand gold as a gift for your attendants. If the master does not accept it, what could I say!"

莊子曰：「聞太子所欲用周者，欲絕王之喜好也。使臣上說大王而逆王意，下不當太子，則身刑而死，周尚安所事金乎？使臣上說大王，下當太子，趙國何求而不得也！」

Zhuangzi said: "I have heard that what the crown prince wishes to use Zhou for is to cut off the king's liking. If I were to persuade the king above and go against the king's will, and below not satisfy the crown prince, then I would be punished and die, and what use would Zhou have for gold? If I persuade the king above and satisfy the crown prince below, what could Zhao seek that it would not obtain!"

太子曰：「然。吾王所見，唯劍士也。」

The crown prince said: "So it is. The only ones my king sees are swordsmen."

莊子曰：「諾。周善為劍。」

Zhuangzi said: "Good. Zhou is good at swordsmanship."

太子曰：「然吾王所見劍士，皆蓬頭突鬢垂冠，曼胡之纓，短後之衣，瞋目而語難，王乃說之。今夫子必儒服而見王，事必大逆。」

The crown prince said: "But the swordsmen my king sees all have tangled hair, bristling temples, low-hanging caps, coarse cap strings, and short-backed clothes, and speak with glaring eyes and difficulty, and only then is the king pleased. If the master must go to see the king in Confucian dress, matters will surely go very wrong."

莊子曰：「請治劍服。」治劍服三日，乃見太子。太子乃與見王，王脫白刃待之。莊子入殿門不趨，見王不拜。王曰：「子欲何以教寡人，使太子先？」

Zhuangzi said: "Please prepare sword clothes." He prepared sword clothes for three days, and only then saw the crown prince. The crown prince then went with him to see the king, and the king was waiting with bared blade. Zhuangzi entered the palace gate without hurrying and did not bow on seeing the king. The king said: "What do you wish to teach me, that you had the crown prince introduce you first?"

曰：「臣聞大王喜劍，故以劍見王。」

(Zhuangzi) said: "I have heard that Your Majesty loves swords, and so I have come to see the king with my sword."

王曰：「子之劍何能禁制？」

The king said: "What can your sword restrain?"

曰：「臣之劍十步一人，千里不留行。」

(Zhuangzi) said: "With my sword, one man in ten paces, and a thousand li without stopping."

王大悅之，曰：「天下無敵矣！」

The king was greatly pleased and said: "Without equal under heaven!"

莊子曰：「夫為劍者，示之以虛，開之以利，後之以發，先之以至。願得試之。」

Zhuangzi said: "In swordsmanship, one shows emptiness, opens with advantage, strikes after the other, and arrives before him. I would like to try it."

王曰：「夫子休就舍，待命令設戲請夫子。」

The king said: "Master, rest at your lodging and wait for my command; I will set up a contest to invite the master."

王乃校劍士七日，死傷者六十餘人，得五六人，使奉劍於殿下，乃召莊子。王曰：「今日試使士敦劍。」

The king then tested the swordsmen for seven days, with over sixty dead or wounded, and got five or six men; he had them carry swords below the hall, and only then summoned Zhuangzi. The king said: "Today let us have the gentlemen test their swords."

莊子曰：「望之久矣。」

Zhuangzi said: "I have long been waiting."

王曰：「夫子所御杖，長短何如？」

The king said: "The staff the master wields, how long or short is it?"

曰：「臣之所奉皆可。然臣有三劍，唯王所用，請先言而後試。」

(Zhuangzi) said: "Any that I am given will do. But I have three swords, which will be used only as Your Majesty chooses; please let me describe them first and then test them."

王曰：「願聞三劍。」

The king said: "I wish to hear of the three swords."

曰：「有天子劍，有諸侯劍，有庶人劍。」

(Zhuangzi) said: "There is the sword of the Son of Heaven, the sword of the feudal lords, and the sword of the commoners."

王曰：「天子之劍何如？」

The king said: "What is the sword of the Son of Heaven like?"

曰：「天子之劍，以燕谿石城為鋒，齊岱為鍔，晉衞為脊，周宋為鐔，韓魏為夾；包以四夷，裹以四時；繞以渤海，帶以常山；制以五行，論以刑德；開以陰陽，持以春夏，行以秋冬。此劍，直之無前，舉之無上，案之無下，運之無旁，上決浮云，下絕地紀。此劍一用，匡諸侯，天下服矣。此天子之劍也。」

(Zhuangzi) said: "The sword of the Son of Heaven has the Yanxi Stone City as its point, Mount Dai of Qi as its edge, Jin and Wei as its spine, Zhou and Song as its guard, and Han and Wei as its hilt; it is wrapped in the four barbarian peoples and sheathed in the four seasons; encircled by the Bohai Sea and belted with Mount Chang; governed by the Five Phases, discussed in terms of punishment and virtue; opened by yin and yang, held by spring and summer, and moved by autumn and winter. This sword, thrust straight, has nothing before it; raised, nothing above; pressed down, nothing below; swung, nothing to the side; above it cuts the floating clouds and below it severs the earth's cords. Once this sword is used, it sets the feudal lords right and the world submits. This is the sword of the Son of Heaven."

文王芒然自失，曰：「諸侯之劍何如？」

King Wen was dazed and lost, and said: "What is the sword of the feudal lords like?"

曰：「諸侯之劍，以知勇士為鋒，以清廉士為鍔，以賢良士為脊，以忠聖士為鐔，以豪桀士為夾。此劍，直之亦無前，舉之亦無上，案之亦無下，運之亦無旁；上法圓天以順三光，下法方地以順四時，中和民意，以安四鄉。此劍一用，如雷霆之震也，四封之內，無不賓服而聽從君命者矣。此諸侯之劍也。」

(Zhuangzi) said: "The sword of the feudal lords has wise and brave gentlemen as its point, pure and honest gentlemen as its edge, worthy and good gentlemen as its spine, loyal and sage gentlemen as its guard, and heroic gentlemen as its hilt. This sword, thrust straight, also has nothing before it; raised, nothing above; pressed down, nothing below; swung, nothing to the side; above it models round heaven to accord with the three lights, below it models square earth to accord with the four seasons, and in the middle it harmonizes the people's will to bring peace to the four quarters. Once this sword is used, it is like the quaking of thunder, and within the four borders none fails to submit and obey the ruler's command. This is the sword of the feudal lords."

王曰：「庶人之劍何如？」

The king said: "What is the sword of the commoners like?"

曰：「庶人之劍，蓬頭突鬢垂冠，曼胡之纓，短後之衣，瞋目而語難。相擊於前，上斬頸領，下決肝肺。此庶人之劍，無異於鬬雞，一旦命已絕矣，無所用於國事。今大王有天子之位而好庶人之劍，臣竊為大王薄之。」

(Zhuangzi) said: "The sword of the commoners has tangled hair, bristling temples, low-hanging caps, coarse cap strings, and short-backed clothes, and they speak with glaring eyes and difficulty. They strike each other in your presence, cutting necks above and splitting livers and lungs below. This sword of the commoners is no different from cockfighting, and once their lives are cut off they are of no use in affairs of state. Now Your Majesty holds the throne of the Son of Heaven yet loves the sword of commoners; I privately think it beneath you."

王乃牽而上殿。宰人上食，王三環之。莊子曰：「大王安坐定氣，劍事已畢奏矣。」

The king then led him up to the hall by the hand. The cook brought food, and the king circled it three times. Zhuangzi said: "Great King, sit calmly and settle your breath; the matter of swords is finished."

於是文王不出宮三月，劍士皆服斃其處也。

After this King Wen did not leave his palace for three months, and the swordsmen all killed themselves in their quarters.

孔子遊乎緇帷之林，休坐乎杏壇之上。弟子讀書，孔子絃歌鼓琴，奏曲未半。

Confucius wandered in the Black Curtain Forest and rested sitting on the Apricot Altar. His disciples were reading, and Confucius was singing and playing the zither; the piece was not yet half played.

有漁父者，下船而來，須眉交白，被髮揄袂，行原以上，距陸而止，左手據膝，右手持頤以聽。曲終而招子貢子路，二人俱對。

There was a fisherman who got off his boat and came, his beard and brows both white, his hair loose and his sleeves flapping; he walked up the bank, stopped when he reached the dry land, rested his left hand on his knee and propped his chin on his right hand to listen. When the piece ended, he beckoned to Zigong and Zilu, and the two of them answered him together.

客指孔子曰：「彼何為者也？」

The guest pointed at Confucius and said: "What does that man do?"

子路對曰：「魯之君子也。」

Zilu answered: "He is a gentleman of Lu."

客問其族。子路對曰：「族孔氏。」

The guest asked about his clan. Zilu answered: "His clan is the Kong clan."

客曰：「孔氏者何治也？」

The guest said: "What does the Kong clan govern?"

子路未應，子貢對曰：「孔氏者，性服忠信，身行仁義，飾禮樂，選人倫，上以忠於世主，下以化於齊民，將以利天下，此孔氏之所治也。」

Zilu did not reply, and Zigong answered: "Master Kong is by nature faithful and sincere, in person practices benevolence and righteousness, adorns ritual and music, selects among human relations, above is loyal to the rulers of the age and below transforms the common people, and intends to benefit the world; this is what the Kong clan governs."

又問曰：「有土之君與？」

He asked again: "Is he a ruler with land?"

子貢曰：「非也。」

Zigong said: "No."

「侯王之佐與？」

"Is he an assistant to a lord or king?"

子貢曰：「非也。」

Zigong said: "No."

客乃笑而還，行言曰：「仁則仁矣，恐不免其身；苦心勞形以危其真。嗚呼！遠哉其分於道也！」

The guest then laughed and turned back, saying as he went: "Benevolent he may be, but I fear he cannot escape harm to his person; he toils his mind and fatigues his body, endangering his truth. Alas! How far he is from the Way!"

子貢還，報孔子。孔子推琴而起，曰：「其聖人與！」乃下求之，至於澤畔，方將杖拏而引其船，顧見孔子，還鄉而立。孔子反走，再拜而進。

Zigong returned and reported to Confucius. Confucius pushed away his zither and rose, saying: "That must be a sage!" He went down to seek him, and when he reached the shore, the man was just about to take up his pole and pull his boat; looking back he saw Confucius, turned around and stood facing him. Confucius turned and hurried back, bowed twice, and came forward.

客曰：「子將何求？」

The guest said: "What do you seek?"

孔子曰：「曩者先生有緒言而去，丘不肖，未知所謂，竊待於下風，幸聞咳唾之音以卒相丘也。」

Confucius said: "Just now, sir, you left some words and departed; Qiu is unworthy and does not understand what you meant, and I privately wait downwind, hoping to hear the sound of your cough and spit and so finally be helped."

客曰：「嘻！甚矣，子之好學也！」

The guest said: "Ah! How excessive your love of learning is!"

孔子再拜而起曰：「丘少而脩學，以至於今，六十九歲矣，無所得聞至教，敢不虛心！」

Confucius bowed twice and rose, saying: "Qiu has cultivated learning since youth, and to this day, at sixty-nine, has had no chance to hear the highest teaching; how dare I not empty my mind!"

客曰：「同類相從，同聲相應，固天之理也。吾請釋吾之所有而經子之所以。子之所以者，人事也。天子諸侯大夫庶人，此四者自正，治之美也，四者離位而亂莫大焉。官治其職，人憂其事，乃無所陵。故田荒室露，衣食不足，徵賦不屬，妻妾不和，長少無序，庶人之憂也；能不勝任，官事不治，行不清白，群下荒怠，功美不有，爵祿不持，大夫之憂也；廷無忠臣，國家昏亂，工技不巧，貢職不美，春秋後倫，不順天子，諸侯之憂也；陰陽不和，寒暑不時，以傷庶物，諸侯暴亂，擅相攘伐，以殘民人，禮樂不節，財用窮匱，人倫不飭，百姓淫亂，天子有司之憂也。今子既上無君侯有司之勢而下無大臣職事之官，而擅飾禮樂，選人倫，以化齊民，不泰多事乎！

The guest said: "Those of the same kind follow one another, and those of the same sound answer one another; this is the principle of Heaven. Let me release what I have to put in order what you do. What you do is human affairs. Of the Son of Heaven, the feudal lords, the grandees, and the commoners, when these four are each upright themselves, this is the beauty of order, and when the four leave their positions there is no greater disorder. When officials govern their duties and people worry about their affairs, then there is no encroachment. So fields wasted and houses exposed, clothing and food insufficient, taxes and levies not met, wife and concubines not in harmony, old and young without order, these are the worries of commoners; ability not equal to the task, official affairs not in order, conduct not clean, the subordinates idle and negligent, no achievement or praise, rank and salary not kept, these are the worries of grandees; no loyal ministers in the court, the state in confusion, craftsmen not skilled, tribute not fine, spring and autumn audiences behind the order, not following the Son of Heaven, these are the worries of the feudal lords; yin and yang not in harmony, cold and heat not in season, injuring the myriad things, the feudal lords violent and disorderly, arbitrarily attacking each other and harming the people, ritual and music without restraint, resources exhausted, human relations not set in order, the people lewd and disorderly, these are the worries of the officials of the Son of Heaven. Now you above have no power of a lord or official and below have no office of a great minister, yet you take it upon yourself to adorn ritual and music and select among human relations in order to transform the common people; is that not meddling too much!

且人有八疵，事有四患，不可不察也。非其事而事之，謂之摠；莫之顧而進之，謂之佞；希意道言，謂之諂；不擇是非而言，謂之諛；好言人之惡，謂之讒；析交離親，謂之賊；稱譽詐偽以敗惡人，謂之慝；不擇善否，兩容頰適，偷拔其所欲，謂之險。此八疵者，外以亂人，內以傷身，君子不友，明君不臣。所謂四患者：好經大事，變更易常，以掛功名，謂之叨；專知擅事，侵人自用，謂之貪；見過不更，聞諫愈甚，謂之很；人同於己則可，不同於己，雖善不善，謂之矜。此四患也。能去八疵，無行四患，而始可教已。」

(The fisherman continued:) Moreover people have eight flaws and affairs have four troubles, which one must examine. To do what is not one's own business is called meddling; to press forward when no one looks to you is called flattery; to anticipate another's wishes and speak in agreement is called fawning; to speak without choosing right or wrong is called sycophancy; to love to speak of others' faults is called slander; to split friendships and sever kin is called villainy; to praise the false and deceitful in order to ruin others is called wickedness; to not distinguish good from bad, accommodating both sides and stealthily taking what they want, is called treachery. These eight flaws, outwardly disorder others and inwardly harm oneself; the gentleman does not befriend such people and the enlightened ruler does not employ them. The so-called four troubles: loving to manage great affairs, changing and altering the constants to hang on to fame and merit, is called grasping; being the only one who knows and taking charge, encroaching on others and using one's own way, is called greed; seeing one's faults and not correcting them, and growing worse on hearing remonstrance, is called obstinacy; thinking it fine if others agree with oneself, and not good even if good if they differ from oneself, is called self-righteousness. These are the four troubles. Only one who can get rid of the eight flaws and not practice the four troubles can then be taught."

孔子愀然而歎，再拜而起曰：「丘再逐於魯，削跡於衞，伐樹於宋，圍於陳蔡。丘不知所失，而離此四謗者何也？」

Confucius was moved and sighed, bowed twice and rose, saying, "I have been driven out of Lu twice, had my tracks erased in Wei, had a tree cut down over me in Song, and was surrounded between Chen and Cai. I do not know what I have done wrong, yet I meet these four slanders; why is that?"

客悽然變容曰：「甚矣子之難悟也！人有畏影惡跡而去之走者，舉足愈數而跡愈多，走愈疾而影不離身，自以為尚遲，疾走不休，絕力而死。不知處陰以休影，處靜以息跡，愚亦甚矣！子審仁義之間，察同異之際，觀動靜之變，適受與之度，理好惡之情，和喜怒之節，而幾於不免矣。謹脩而身，慎守其真，還以物與人，則無所累矣。今不脩身而求之人，不亦外乎！」

The stranger changed his expression sadly and said, "How hard you are to enlighten! There was a man who feared his shadow and hated his footprints and ran away from them; the more often he lifted his feet the more footprints there were, and the faster he ran the more his shadow did not leave his body. He thought he was still too slow, ran without rest, and died of exhausted strength. He did not know that by staying in the shade he could rest his shadow, and by staying still he could stop his footprints; how very foolish! You are careful about the space between benevolence and righteousness, examine the boundary between sameness and difference, observe the changes of movement and rest, set the measure of giving and receiving, order the feelings of like and dislike, and harmonize the measures of joy and anger, and yet you scarcely escape trouble. Carefully cultivate your person, carefully guard your truth, and return things and people to themselves, and you will have no burdens. Now you do not cultivate yourself but seek it from others; is that not external!"

孔子愀然曰：「請問何謂真？」

Confucius was moved and said, "May I ask what is called the truth?"

客曰：「真者，精誠之至也。不精不誠，不能動人。故強哭者雖悲不哀，強怒者雖嚴不威，強親者雖笑不和。真悲無聲而哀，真怒未發而威，真親未笑而和。真在內者，神動於外，是所以貴真也。其用於人理也，事親則慈孝，事君則忠貞，飲酒則歡樂，處喪則悲哀。忠貞以功為主，飲酒以樂為主，處喪以哀為主，事親以適為主，功成之美，無一其跡矣。事親以適，不論所以矣；飲酒以樂，不選其具矣；處喪以哀，無問其禮矣。禮者，世俗之所為也；真者，所以受於天也，自然不可易也。故聖人法天貴真，不拘於俗。愚者反此。不能法天而恤於人，不知貴真，祿祿而受變於俗，故不足。惜哉，子之蚤湛於人偽而晚聞大道也！」

The stranger said, "Truth is the utmost of refinement and sincerity. Without refinement and sincerity one cannot move people. So one who forces himself to cry, though he may grieve, does not truly mourn; one who forces himself to be angry, though stern, does not inspire awe; one who forces himself to be friendly, though he smiles, is not harmonious. True sorrow has no sound yet is mournful; true anger has not been expressed yet inspires awe; true friendliness has not smiled yet is harmonious. When truth is within, spirit moves without, and this is why truth is valued. When applied to human relations, serving parents is kindness and filial piety, serving a ruler is loyalty and constancy, drinking wine is joy, and mourning is grief. Loyalty and constancy take merit as their aim, drinking takes joy as its aim, mourning takes grief as its aim, and serving parents takes comfort as its aim; in the beauty of success, there is no trace of the self. Serving parents for their comfort, one does not ask how it is so; drinking for joy, one does not choose the vessels; mourning for grief, one does not ask about the rites. Ritual is what the world does; truth is what is received from Heaven and cannot be changed. So the sage models himself on Heaven, values truth, and is not bound by custom. The foolish do the opposite. Not able to model themselves on Heaven yet concerned about people, not knowing to value truth, they drudge and are changed by custom, and so are never sufficient. What a pity, that you sank early into human falseness and heard the great Way late!"

孔子又再拜而起曰：「今者丘得遇也，若天幸然。先生不羞而比之服役，而身教之。敢問舍所在，請因受業而卒學大道。」

Confucius bowed twice again and rose, saying, "Now that I have met you, it is like a heavenly fortune. You, Master, are not ashamed to compare me to a servant and personally teach me. May I ask where you dwell, so that I may receive instruction and finish by studying the great Way?"

客曰：「吾聞之，可與往者與之，至於妙道；不可與往者，不知其道，慎勿與之，身乃無咎。子勉之！吾去子矣，吾去子矣！」乃剌船而去，延緣葦間。

The stranger said, "I have heard that one who can be accompanied should be accompanied to reach the wondrous Way; one who cannot be accompanied does not know that Way, and you should be careful not to go with him, so that you will be without fault. Do your best! I leave you now, I leave you now!" He then pushed his boat away and went off, drifting among the reeds.

顏淵還車，子路授綏，孔子不顧，待水波定，不聞拏音而後敢乘。

Yan Yuan turned the carriage around and Zilu handed up the mounting strap, but Confucius did not look back; he waited until the ripples settled and he could no longer hear the sound of the oar before daring to get in.

子路旁車而問曰：「由得為役久矣，未嘗見夫子遇人如此其威也。萬乘之主，千乘之君，見夫子未嘗不分庭伉禮，夫子猶有倨敖之容。今漁父杖拏逆立，而夫子曲要磬折，言拜而應，得無太甚乎？門人皆怪夫子矣，漁人何以得此乎？」

Zilu, leaning on the carriage, asked, "I have served as your attendant for a long time and have never seen the Master treat someone with such awe. Rulers of ten thousand chariots and lords of a thousand chariots, when they see the Master, never fail to meet him as equals in the courtyard, and still the Master has a proud look. Now this fisherman stood opposite you leaning on his oar, and the Master bent his waist like a chime, spoke bowing and answered bowing; is that not going too far? Your disciples are all puzzled, so what has this fisherman done to deserve it?"

孔子伏軾而歎曰：「甚矣，由之難化也！湛於禮儀間矣，而樸鄙之心至今未去。進，吾語汝！夫遇長不敬，失禮也；見賢不尊，不仁也。彼非至人，不能下人，下人不精，不得其真，故長傷身。惜哉！不仁之於人也，禍莫大焉，而由獨擅之。且道者，萬物之所由也，庶物失之者死，得之者生，為事逆之則敗，順之則成。故道之所在，聖人尊之。今之漁父之於道，可謂有矣，吾敢不敬乎！」

Confucius leaned on the carriage rail and sighed, saying, "How hard you are to transform, You! You are sunk in ritual and etiquette, and your rustic, narrow mind has still not gone away. Come forward, and I will tell you! To meet an elder without respect is a breach of ritual; to see a worthy and not honor him is not benevolent. If he were not a perfect person, he could not humble people; if one humbles people without refinement, one does not obtain truth, and so one always injures oneself. What a pity! Unkindness to people brings the greatest misfortune, and You alone monopolize it. Moreover the Way is that from which all things come; when things lose it they die, and when they obtain it they live; in affairs, going against it brings failure and following it brings success. So wherever the Way is, the sage honors it. Now that fisherman can be said to have the Way; dare I not respect him!"

列禦寇之齊，中道而反，遇伯昏瞀人。伯昏瞀人曰：「奚方而反？」

Lie Yukou went to Qi but turned back halfway and met Bohun Wuren. Bohun Wuren said, "Why have you turned back?"

曰：「吾驚焉。」

(Lie Yukou) said, "I was startled."

曰：「惡乎驚？」

(Bohun Wuren) said, "At what?"

曰：「吾嘗食於十漿，而五漿先饋。」

(Lie Yukou) said, "I once ate at ten drink shops, and at five of them they served me first."

伯昏瞀人曰：「若是，則汝何為驚已？」

Bohun Wuren said, "If so, why were you startled?"

曰：「夫內誠不解，形諜成光，以外鎮人心，使人輕乎貴老，而齏其所患。夫漿特為食羹之貨，多餘之贏，其為利也薄，其為權也輕，而猶若是，而況於萬乘之主乎！身勞於國而知盡於事，彼將任我以事而效我以功。吾是以驚。」

(Lie Yukou) said, "When inner sincerity is not released, the body gives off light and spies on others; using outward things to overawe people's hearts makes people treat you more lightly than they honor their elders, and then they bring harm upon themselves. A drink shop only sells soup and drinks, with little surplus profit; its gain is thin and its power light, and still it is like this, so what of a ruler of ten thousand chariots! He wears himself out for the state and exhausts his wisdom on its affairs; he will assign me tasks and demand results from me. That is why I was startled."

伯昏瞀人曰：「善哉觀乎！女處已，人將保女矣！」

Bohun Wuren said, "Good observation! If you just stay at home, people will protect you!"

無幾何而往，則戶外之屨滿矣。伯昏瞀人北面而立，敦杖蹙之乎頤，立有間，不言而出。

Not long after he left, the shoes outside his door were full. Bohun Wuren stood facing north, his staff pressed against his chin, and after standing a while left without a word.

賓者以告列子，列子提屨，跣而走，暨乎門，曰：「先生既來，曾不發藥乎？」

The guest reported to Liezi, and Liezi, carrying his shoes, ran barefoot to the door and said, "Since you have come, Master, will you not give any medicine?"

曰：「已矣，吾固告汝曰人將保汝，果保汝矣。非汝能使人保汝，而汝不能使人無保汝也，而焉用之感豫出異也！必且有感，搖而本才，又無謂也。與汝遊者，又莫汝告也。彼所小言，盡人毒也。莫覺莫悟，何相孰也！巧者勞而知者憂，無能者無所求，飽食而遨遊，汎若不繫之舟，虛而遨遊者也。」

(Bohun Wuren) said, "Enough. I told you that people would protect you, and sure enough they have. It is not that you can make people protect you but that you cannot keep people from protecting you; why would you need to be moved and show differences! You are surely moved by something, shaking your original substance, and it is pointless. Those who associate with you have nothing to tell you; their little talk is all poison to the person. Without awareness or awakening, how can there be familiarity! The clever toil and the wise worry; the incompetent seek nothing, eat their fill and wander, drifting like an unmoored boat; they are empty and wander freely."

鄭人緩也呻吟裘氏之地。祗三年而緩為儒，河潤九里，澤及三族，使其弟墨。儒墨相與辯，其父助翟。十年而緩自殺。其父夢之曰：「使而子為墨者，予也，闔胡嘗視其良，既為秋柏之實矣？」

Huan of Zheng was chanting in the land of Qiu. In only three years Huan became a Confucian, the river moistened nine li and the benefit reached three clans, and he made his younger brother a Mohist. The Confucian and Mohist argued with each other, and their father helped Di. After ten years Huan killed himself. His father dreamed of him and he said, "The one who made your son a Mohist was I; why have you never looked at his goodness, which has already become the fruit of the autumn cypress?"

夫造物者之報人也，不報其人而報其人之天，彼故使彼。夫人以己為有以異於人以賤其親，齊人之井飲者相捽也。故曰今之世皆緩也。自是，有德者以不知也，而況有道者乎！古者謂之遁天之刑。

The Creator repays people, not repaying the person but the person's Heaven; that is how he makes them do what they do. That man thought he differed from others and so despised his parent, like men of Qi at a well fighting over the water. So it is said that in the present age all are like Huan. They think themselves right, and those with virtue do so out of not knowing; how much more those with the Way! In ancient times this was called the penalty of fleeing Heaven.

聖人安其所安，不安其所不安；眾人安其所不安，不安其所安。

The sage rests in what is restful and does not rest in what is not restful; ordinary people rest in what is not restful and do not rest in what is restful.

莊子曰：「知道易，勿言難。知而不言，所以之天也。知而言之，所以之人也。古之人，天而不人。」

Zhuangzi said, "Knowing is easy; not speaking is hard. To know and not speak is how one goes toward Heaven. To know and speak is how one goes toward people. The ancients followed Heaven and not people."

朱泙漫學屠龍於支離益，單千金之家，三年技成而無所用其巧。

Zhu Pingman studied dragon-slaying from Zhili Yi, exhausting a family fortune of a thousand pieces of gold; after three years the skill was complete, but he had nowhere to use his skill.

聖人以必不必，故無兵；眾人以不必必之，故多兵。順於兵，故行有求。兵，恃之則亡。

The sage takes what is necessary as not necessary, and so has no weapons; ordinary people take what is not necessary as necessary, and so have many weapons. Following weapons is how action comes to have demands. One who relies on weapons perishes.

小夫之知，不離苞苴竿牘，敝精神乎蹇淺，而欲兼濟道物，太一形虛。若是者，迷惑於宇宙，形累不知太初。彼至人者，歸精神乎無始而甘冥乎無何有之鄉。水流乎無形，發洩乎太清。悲哉乎！汝為知在毫毛而不知大寧。

The knowledge of petty people does not go beyond gifts, bamboo slips and letters, wearing out their spirit on shallow and trivial matters, yet wanting to benefit both the Way and things, and the Great One's form is empty. People like this are confused about the universe, burdened by form and do not know the Great Beginning. The perfect person returns spirit to the beginningless and sleeps sweetly in the land of nothing at all. Water flows into formlessness and spreads in the Great Purity. How sad! You are knowledgeable about the tip of a hair and do not know great peace.

宋人有曹商者，為宋王使秦。其往也，得車數乘。王說之，益車百乘。反於宋，見莊子，曰：「夫處窮閭阨巷，困窘織屨，槁項黃馘者，商之所短也；一悟萬乘之主而從車百乘者，商之所長也。」

There was a man of Song named Cao Shang, who went to Qin as envoy for the King of Song. When he went he got several carriages. The king of Qin liked him and added a hundred carriages. Returning to Song, he saw Zhuangzi and said, "Living in a poor alley and narrow lane, scraping a living weaving sandals, with a withered neck and yellow face, is what Shang does badly; but being understood by a ruler of ten thousand chariots and having a hundred carriages follow him is what Shang does well."

莊子曰：「秦王有病召醫。破癕潰痤者得車一乘，舐痔者得車五乘，所治癒下，得車愈多。子豈治其痔邪？何得車之多也？子行矣！」

Zhuangzi said, "When the King of Qin is ill he summons doctors. One who lances boils and drains abscesses gets one carriage; one who licks hemorrhoids gets five carriages; the lower the part treated, the more carriages are gained. Did you treat his hemorrhoids? Why did you get so many carriages? Be gone!"

魯哀公問乎顏闔曰：「吾以仲尼為貞幹，國其有瘳乎？」

Duke Ai of Lu asked Yan He, "I take Zhongni as my backbone (here 'gan' means backbone, not 'interfere'); can the state perhaps be saved?"

曰：「殆哉圾乎仲尼！方且飾羽而畫，從事華辭。以支為旨，忍性以視民而不知不信。受乎心，宰乎神，夫何足以上民！彼宜女與？予頤與？誤而可矣！今使民離實學偽，非所以視民也。為後世慮，不若休之。難治也！」

(Yan He) said, "Zhongni is in precarious danger! He is just decorating feathers and painting them, engaged in flowery words. He takes branching as his principle and holds back his nature to face the people, but does not know that it is not believed. Accepted by the heart and governed by the spirit, how could he be fit to dwell above the people! Is he suited to you? Will he nourish you? You might as well be misled! Now to make people leave reality and learn falsehood is not how to govern people. Think for the sake of later ages; better to stop. He is hard to manage!"

施於人而不忘，非天布也，商賈不齒。雖以事齒之，神者弗齒。

To give to others and not forget it is not Heaven's giving, and merchants are not respected. Even if he is respected for his affairs, the divine ones do not respect him.

為外刑者，金與木也；為內刑者，動與過也。宵人之離外刑者，金木訊之；離內刑者，陰陽食之。夫免乎外內之刑者，唯真人能之。

The outer punishments are metal and wood; the inner punishments are movement and fault. When ordinary people meet the outer punishments, metal and wood interrogate them; when they meet the inner punishments, yin and yang devour them. Only the true person can avoid both the outer and inner punishments.

孔子曰：「凡人心險於山川，難於知天。天猶有春秋冬夏旦暮之期，人者厚貌深情。故有貌願而益，有長若不肖，有順懁而達，有堅而縵，有緩而釬。故其就義若渴者，其去義若熱。故君子遠使之而觀其忠，近使之而觀其敬，煩使之而觀其能，卒然問焉而觀其知，急與之期而觀其信，委之以財而觀其仁，告之以危而觀其節，醉之以酒而觀其側，雜之以處而觀其色。九徵至，不肖人得矣。」

Confucius said, "A person's heart is more treacherous than mountains and rivers and harder to know than Heaven. Heaven at least has the periods of spring, autumn, winter and summer, morning and evening, but people have thick appearances and deep feelings. So some look honest but are arrogant, some seem grown-up but are unworthy, some are pliant but succeed, some are firm but lax, some are slow but sharp. So they approach righteousness as if thirsty and leave righteousness as if hot. So the gentleman sends someone far away and observes his loyalty, sends him near and observes his respect, makes him busy and observes his ability, asks him suddenly and observes his knowledge, sets an urgent deadline and observes his good faith, entrusts him with wealth and observes his benevolence, tells him of danger and observes his integrity, gets him drunk and observes his lapses, mixes him with others and observes his expression. When the nine tests are complete, the unworthy person is found."

正考父一命而傴，再命而僂，三命而俯，循牆而走，孰敢不軌！如而夫者，一命而呂鉅，再命而於車上儛，三命而名諸父。孰協唐許！

Zheng Kaofu at his first appointment stooped, at his second bent over, at his third bowed low, and walked along the wall; who would dare to break the rules! One like that fellow, at his first appointment is arrogant, at his second dances on his carriage, and at his third addresses his uncles by name. Who could compare to Tang Yao and Xu You!

賊莫大乎德有心而心有睫，及其有睫也而內視，內視而敗矣。凶德有五，中德為首。何謂中德？中德也者，有以自好也而吡其所不為者也。

No robber is greater than one whose heart has virtue and whose virtue has eyelashes; once there are eyelashes, one looks inward, and looking inward brings ruin. There are five evil virtues, with the middle virtue as chief. What is called the middle virtue? The middle virtue is liking oneself and criticizing what others do not do.

窮有八極，達有三必，形有六府。美髯長大壯麗勇敢，八者俱過人也，因以是窮。緣循，偃佒，困畏不若人，三者俱通達。知慧外通，勇動多怨，仁義多責，達生之性者傀，達於知者肖；達大命者隨，達小命者遭。

Poverty has eight extremes, success has three musts, and the body has six storehouses. Fine beard, tallness, strength, beauty, courage and boldness: eight things all exceeding others, and therefore from this one is in want. Following circumstances, being retiring, and being timid and unlike others: three things all lead to success. Wisdom reaching outward, courage moving with much resentment, and benevolence and righteousness with much blame. One who understands the nature of life is huge in stature but small in knowledge; one who understands great fate follows, and one who understands small fate meets it.

人有見宋王者，錫車十乘。以其十乘驕穉莊子。

Someone saw the King of Song and was given ten carriages. He used his ten carriages to show off to Zhuangzi.

莊子曰：「河上有家貧恃緯蕭而食者，其子沒於淵，得千金之珠。其父謂其子曰：『取石來鍛之！夫千金之珠，必在九重之淵而驪龍頷下。子能得珠者，必遭其睡也。使驪龍而寤，子尚奚微之有哉！』今宋國之深，非直九重之淵也；宋王之猛，非直驪龍也；子能得車者，必遭其睡也。使宋王而寤，子為齏粉夫。」

Zhuangzi said, "By the river there was a poor family that lived by weaving reed mats, and their son dove into the deep and obtained a pearl worth a thousand pieces of gold. His father said to the son, 'Bring a stone and smash it! A thousand-gold pearl must be in a ninefold abyss under the chin of a black dragon. You were able to get it because you met it asleep. If the black dragon had awakened, what would be left of you!' Now Song is deeper than a ninefold abyss, and the King of Song is fiercer than a black dragon; you were able to get the carriages because you met him asleep. If the King of Song had awakened, you would be ground to dust."

或聘於莊子，莊子應其使曰：「子見夫犧牛乎？衣以文繡，食以芻叔。及其牽而入於大廟，雖欲為孤犢，其可得乎！」

Someone invited Zhuangzi to office, and Zhuangzi answered his envoy, "Have you seen the sacrificial ox? It is dressed in embroidered cloth and fed on hay and beans. When it is led into the great temple, though it may wish to be an orphan calf, can it!"

莊子將死，弟子欲厚葬之。莊子曰：「吾以天地為棺槨，以日月為連璧，星辰為珠璣，萬物為齎送。吾葬具豈不備邪？何以加此！」

When Zhuangzi was about to die, his disciples wished to give him a lavish burial. Zhuangzi said, "I take heaven and earth as my coffin and outer coffin, the sun and moon as my paired jade discs, the stars as my pearls and jewels, and the ten thousand things as my funeral gifts. Are my burial goods not complete? What could be added to this!"

弟子曰：「吾恐烏鳶之食夫子也。」

His disciples said, "We fear the crows and kites will eat the Master."

莊子曰：「在上為烏鳶食，在下為螻蟻食，奪彼與此，何其偏也。」

Zhuangzi said, "Above ground I will be eaten by crows and kites, and below ground by mole crickets and ants; taking from one to give to the other, how partial!"

以不平平，其平也不平；以不徵徵，其徵也不徵。明者唯為之使，神者徵之。夫明之不勝神也久矣，而愚者恃其所見入於人，其功外也，不亦悲乎！

Using what is unequal to make equal, that equality too is not equal; using what is not verified to verify, that verification too is not verified. The clear-sighted are only used by others, while the spiritual verifies. That the clear-sighted do not overcome the spiritual has long been so, yet the foolish rely on what they see to enter into people, and their achievement lies outside; is this not sad!

天下之治方術者多矣，皆以其有為不可加矣。古之所謂道術者，果惡乎在？曰：「無乎不在。」曰：「神何由降？明何由出？」「聖有所生，王有所成，皆原於一。」

Those in the world who study techniques are many, and all think that what they have cannot be improved. What the ancients called the arts of the Way, where in fact are they? It is said: "Everywhere." It is asked: "Where does the spirit descend from? Where does brightness come out of?" "The sage is born from something, the king is accomplished from something; all originate in the One."

不離於宗，謂之天人。不離於精，謂之神人。不離於真，謂之至人。以天為宗，以德為本，以道為門，兆於變化，謂之聖人。以仁為恩，以義為理，以禮為行，以樂為和，薰然慈仁，謂之君子。以法為分，以名為表，以參為驗，以稽為決，其數一二三四是也，百官以此相齒，以事為常，以衣食為主，蕃息畜藏，老弱孤寡為意，皆有以養，民之理也。

One who does not depart from the source is called a Heavenly person. One who does not depart from the essence is called a spiritual person. One who does not depart from the truth is called a perfect person. One who takes Heaven as his source, virtue as his root and the Way as his gate, and shows signs in change and transformation, is called a sage. One who takes benevolence as grace, righteousness as principle, ritual as conduct and music as harmony, and is warmly kind and benevolent, is called a gentleman. One who takes law as division, names as markers, comparison as verification and examination as decision, whose numbers are one, two, three, four, is this; the hundred officials rank each other by this, taking affairs as constant, clothing and food as chief concern, breeding and storing, and caring for the old, weak, orphans and widows so that all are nourished; this is the principle of the people.

古之人其備乎！配神明，醇天地，育萬物，和天下，澤及百姓，明於本數，係於末度，六通四辟，小大精粗，其運無乎不在。其明而在數度者，舊法世傳之史尚多有之。其在於《詩》、《書》、《禮》、《樂》者，鄒魯之士搢紳先生多能明之。《詩》以道志，《書》以道事，《禮》以道行，《樂》以道和，《易》以道陰陽，《春秋》以道名分。其數散於天下而設於中國者，百家之學時或稱而道之。

The ancients were complete indeed! They matched spirit and brightness, were pure as Heaven and Earth, nurtured the ten thousand things, harmonized the world, and their grace reached the common people. They understood the basic principles and were tied to the lesser measures; the six directions penetrated and the four quarters opened; small and great, fine and coarse, their operation was present everywhere. What was clear in numbers and measures was still often preserved in the old laws handed down through generations by the historians. What was in the Odes, Documents, Rites and Music was mostly understood by the gentlemen and scholars of Zou and Lu who tucked the tablets into their belts. The Odes express aims, the Documents express affairs, the Rites express conduct, Music expresses harmony, the Changes express yin and yang, and the Spring and Autumn expresses names and divisions. Their numbers scattered throughout the world and were set out in the Central States, and the hundred schools sometimes cited and discussed them.

天下大亂，賢聖不明，道德不一，天下多得一察焉以自好。譬如耳目鼻口，皆有所明，不能相通。猶百家眾技也，皆有所長，時有所用。雖然，不該不徧，一曲之士也。判天地之美，析萬物之理，察古人之全，寡能備於天地之美，稱神明之容。是故內聖外王之道，闇而不明，鬱而不發，天下之人各為其所欲焉以自為方。悲夫，百家往而不反，必不合矣！後世之學者，不幸不見天地之純，古人之大體，道術將為天下裂。

The world fell into great disorder, the worthy and sage were not clear, the Way and virtue were not one, and many in the world obtained one view and took pleasure in themselves. It is like the ears, eyes, nose and mouth, each of which has something it perceives but cannot communicate with the others. It is like the hundred schools and many skills, each having its strength and being used at times. Even so, they are not comprehensive or universal and are the scholars of one corner. They cut up the beauty of Heaven and Earth, split the principles of the ten thousand things, and examine the wholeness of the ancients, so few can embody the beauty of Heaven and Earth and match the appearance of spirit and brightness. So the Way of inner sage and outer king is dark and unclear, stifled and not expressed; people in the world each pursue what they desire and make themselves a method. How sad, the hundred schools go and do not return and surely will not come together! Scholars of later ages, unfortunately, will not see the purity of Heaven and Earth and the great body of the ancients, and the arts of the Way will be torn apart by the world.

不侈於後世，不靡於萬物，不暉於數度，以繩墨自矯而備世之急，古之道術有在於是者。墨翟、禽滑釐聞其風而說之，為之大過，已之大循。作為《非樂》，命之曰《節用》；生不歌，死無服。墨子氾愛兼利而非鬬，其道不怒；又好學而博，不異，不與先王同，毀古之禮樂。

Not extravagant for later ages, not wasteful of the ten thousand things, not showy in measures and numbers, using plumb line and ink to correct oneself and prepare for the world's urgent needs: the ancient arts of the Way were present in this. Mo Di and Qin Guli heard of this way and were pleased, but they did it too much and followed it too strictly. They wrote 'Against Music' and named another essay 'Moderation in Expenditure'; in life no song, in death no mourning dress. Mozi loved universally and benefited all and opposed fighting, and his Way was without anger; he also loved to study and was broad, and did not differ from others, but did not agree with the former kings and tore down the ancient rites and music.

黃帝有《咸池》，堯有《大章》，舜有《大韶》，禹有《大夏》，湯有《大濩》，文王有辟雍之樂，武王周公作《武》。古之喪禮，貴賤有儀，上下有等，天子棺槨七重，諸侯五重，大夫三重，士再重。今墨子獨生不歌，死不服，桐棺三寸而無槨，以為法式。以此教人，恐不愛人；以此自行，固不愛己。未敗墨子道，雖然，歌而非歌，哭而非哭，樂而非樂，是果類乎？其生也勤，其死也薄，其道大觳；使人憂，使人悲，其行難為也，恐其不可以為聖人之道，反天下之心，天下不堪。墨子雖獨能任，柰天下何！離於天下，其去王也遠矣。

The Yellow Emperor had Xianchi, Yao had Dazhang, Shun had Dashao, Yu had Daxia, Tang had Dahu, King Wen had the Biyong music, and King Wu and the Duke of Zhou made Wu. In the mourning rites of the ancients, the noble and humble had different forms and above and below had grades: the Son of Heaven had a coffin and outer coffin of seven layers, lords five, grandees three, and gentlemen two. Now Mozi alone has no song in life and no mourning dress in death, with a three-inch paulownia coffin and no outer coffin, taking this as a standard. Teaching people this, I fear it does not love people; practicing it himself, it certainly does not love himself. It has not yet destroyed the Way of Mozi, but even so, singing that is not singing, weeping that is not weeping, enjoyment that is not enjoyment, is this really of the same kind? His life was toilsome and his death was thin, and his Way was very harsh; it makes people worry and grieve, and his conduct is hard to practice. I fear it cannot be the Way of the sages and goes against the hearts of the world, which the world could not bear. Even if Mozi could bear it alone, what of the world! Separated from the world, he was far from being a king.

墨子稱道曰：「昔禹之湮洪水，決江河而通四夷九州也，名川三百，支川三千，小者無數。禹親自操稾耜而九雜天下之川；腓無胈，脛無毛，沐甚雨，櫛疾風，置萬國。禹大聖也而形勞天下也如此。」使後世之墨者，多以裘褐為衣，以跂蹻為服，日夜不休，以自苦為極，曰：「不能如此，非禹之道也，不足謂墨。」

Mozi praised the Way, saying, "In former times Yu dammed the flood, opened the Yangtze and Yellow rivers and connected the four barbarian regions and nine provinces. There were three hundred famous rivers, three thousand branch rivers, and countless small ones. Yu personally took up the basket and spade and mixed together the world's rivers; his thighs had no flesh and his shins had no hair, he bathed in heavy rain and combed with fierce wind, and established ten thousand states. Yu was a great sage, yet his body toiled for the world like this." He made later Mohists mostly wear fur and coarse cloth as clothes, wear sandals and clogs, and work day and night without rest, taking suffering themselves as the utmost, saying, "If you cannot do so, it is not the Way of Yu and you are not worthy of the name Mohist."

相里勤之弟子五侯之徒，南方之墨者苦獲、已齒、鄧陵子之屬，俱誦《墨經》，而倍譎不同，相謂別墨；以堅白同異之辯相訾，以觭偶不仵之辭相應；以鉅子為聖人，皆願為之屍，冀得為其後世，至今不決。

The disciples of Xiangli Qin, the followers of Wuhou, and the southern Mohists such as Kuhuo, Yichi and Deng Lingzi all recited the Mohist Canon but differed and contradicted, calling each other 'false Mohists,' criticized each other with arguments about hard and white and sameness and difference, and answered each other with sayings about odd and even not matching; they took the Great Master as the sage and all wished to be his successor, and hoped to be his later generation, and this is still undecided.

墨翟禽滑釐之意則是，其行則非也。將使後世之墨者，必自苦以腓無胈脛無毛相進而已矣。亂之上也，治之下也。雖然，墨子真天下之好也，將求之不得也，雖枯槁不捨也。才士也夫！

The intent of Mo Di and Qin Guli was right, but their conduct was wrong. They would make later Mohists surely torment themselves until thighs had no flesh and shins no hair and compete in that, that is all. At best it is an upper level of disorder and a lower level of order. Even so, Mozi truly loved the world, and sought it without being able to find it, and would not give up though he withered. A talented man!

不累於俗，不飾於物，不苟於人，不忮於眾，願天下之安寧以活民命，人我之養畢足而止，以此白心，古之道術有在於是者。宋鈃尹文聞其風而悅之，作為華山之冠以自表，接萬物以別宥為始；語心之容，命之曰「心之行」，以聏合驩，以調海內，請欲置之以為主。見侮不辱，救民之鬬，禁攻寢兵，救世之戰。以此周行天下，上說下教，雖天下不取，強聒而不捨者也，故曰：上下見厭而強見也。

Not burdened by custom, not decorated by things, not careless of others, not harming the multitude, wishing for the peace of the world to preserve the people's lives, stopping when the nourishment of others and self is fully sufficient, and making his heart plain by this: the ancient arts of the Way were present in this. Song Xing and Yin Wen heard of this way and were pleased, made flower-mountain caps to mark themselves, and began dealing with all things by distinguishing and forgiving; speaking of the appearance of the mind, they named it 'the conduct of the mind,' used gentleness to unite joy and to harmonize within the seas, and asked that it be set up as master. Seeing insults without feeling disgrace, they rescued people's fights, forbade attacks and put down arms, rescuing the world from wars. With this they traveled the whole world, persuading above and teaching below, and though the world did not adopt it, they insisted on pressing it and did not give up. So it is said: though disliked above and below, they insisted on being seen.

雖然，其為人太多，其自為太少；曰：「請欲固置五升之飯足矣，先生恐不得飽，弟子雖飢，不忘天下。」日夜不休，曰：「我必得活哉！」圖傲乎救世之士哉！曰：「君子不為苛察，不以身假物。」以為無益於天下者，明之不如已也，以禁攻寢兵為外，以情慾寡淺為內，其小大精粗，其行適至是而止。

Even so, he did too much for others and too little for himself; he said, "I ask that five pints of rice be enough; I fear the Master will not get his fill, and though the disciples are hungry, they do not forget the world." Working day and night without rest, he said, "Must I surely live!" They were gentlemen who strove to rescue the world with pride! He said, "The gentleman is not harsh in scrutiny and does not lend his body to things." Taking what does not benefit the world, making it clear is not as good as stopping it; taking prohibiting attack and stopping arms as the outer and few and shallow desires as the inner, in all matters small and great, fine and coarse, his conduct simply stopped there.

公而不當，易而無私，決然無主，趣物而不兩，不顧於慮，不謀於知，於物無擇，與之俱往，古之道術有在於是者。彭蒙田駢慎到聞其風而悅之，齊萬物以為首，曰：「天能覆之而不能載之，地能載之而不能覆之，大道能包之而不能辯之，知萬物皆有所可，有所不可，故曰選則不徧，教則不至，道則無遺者矣。」

Being impartial without party, easygoing without selfishness, decisive without a master, following things without being double-minded, not looking ahead in thought and not planning with knowledge, not choosing among things and going along with them: the ancient arts of the Way were present in this. Peng Meng, Tian Pian and Shen Dao heard of this way and were pleased, and took equalizing all things as their principle, saying, "Heaven can cover but cannot bear; Earth can bear but cannot cover; the great Way can embrace but cannot distinguish; one knows that all things have what is possible and what is not possible. So if one chooses, it is not universal; if one teaches, it does not reach; but the Way leaves nothing out."

是故慎到棄知去己而緣不得已，泠汰於物以為道理，曰知不知，將薄知而後鄰傷之者也，謑髁無任而笑天下之尚賢也，縱脫無行而非天下之大聖，椎拍輐斷，與物宛轉，舍是與非，苟可以免，不師知慮，不知前後，魏然而已矣。推而後行，曳而後往，若飄風之還，若羽之旋，若磨石之隧，全而無非，動靜無過，未嘗有罪。是何故？夫無知之物，無建己之患，無用知之累，動靜不離於理，是以終身無譽。故曰至於若無知之物而已，無用賢聖，夫塊不失道。豪桀相與笑之曰：「慎到之道，非生人之行而至死人之理，適得怪焉」。

Thus Shen Dao abandoned knowledge and discarded self and followed what could not be avoided, drifting along with things as his principle, saying that knowing is not knowing, and he would slight knowledge and then be hurt by those close to it; with scornful and unreliable ways he laughed at the world's exaltation of the worthy, and with unrestrained and conduct-free ways he condemned the world's great sages, striking, patting, rounding off, and cutting, turning with things, setting aside right and wrong, if only he could avoid trouble, not taking knowledge and deliberation as teacher, not knowing before or after, simply being imposing and alone. Pushed, he moved; pulled, he went, like a whirlwind returning, like a feather spinning, like a millstone turning, complete and without fault, his motion and stillness without error, never guilty of any offense. Why is this? A thing without knowledge has no trouble of establishing itself, no burden of using knowledge, and its motion and stillness never leave principle, and so it has no praise all its life. So he said that one should simply be like a thing without knowledge, with no use for the worthy and sage, for a clod of earth does not lose the Way. The heroes laughed at him together and said: "Shen Dao's Way is not the conduct of the living but the principle of the dead, and it is truly strange."

田駢亦然，學於彭蒙，得不教焉。彭蒙之師曰：「古之道人，至於莫之是莫之非而已矣。其風窢然，惡可而言。」常反人，不見觀，而不免於魭斷。其所謂道非道，而所言之韙不免於非。彭蒙田駢慎到不知道。雖然，概乎皆嘗有聞者也。

Tian Pian was also like this, having studied with Peng Meng and obtained non-teaching. Peng Meng's teacher said: "The men of the Way in ancient times reached the point of neither affirming nor denying anything. Their manner was serene; how could it be spoken of." He always went against others and was not looked at, and could not escape being rounded off and cut. What he called the Way was not the Way, and what he said was right could not escape being wrong. Peng Meng, Tian Pian, and Shen Dao did not know the Way. Even so, they had all roughly heard something of it.

以本為精，以物為粗，以有積為不足，澹然獨與神明居。古之道術有在於是者，關尹老耼聞其風而悅之。建之以常無有，主之以太一，以濡弱謙下為表，以空虛不毀萬物為實。

They took the root as fine and things as coarse, took accumulation as insufficient, and dwelt quietly alone with the spirits and the bright. Some of the ancient arts of the Way lay here, and Guan Yin and Lao Dan heard of their manner and were delighted. They established it with constant non-being and being, took the Great One as its master, took softness, weakness, humility, and lowliness as its outward appearance, and took emptiness and not harming the ten thousand things as its reality.

關尹曰：「在己無居，形物自著。其動若水，其靜若鏡，其應若響。芴乎若亡，寂乎若清，同焉者和，得焉者失。未嘗先人而常隨人。」

Guan Yin said: "In oneself, have no fixed dwelling, and the forms of things reveal themselves. Moving like water, still like a mirror, responding like an echo. Vague as if lost, still as if clear; those who are the same as it are in harmony, those who grasp it lose it. Never ahead of others and always following others."

老耼曰：「知其雄，守其雌，為天下谿；知其白，守其辱，為天下谷。」人皆取先，己獨取後，曰受天下之垢；人皆取實，己獨取虛，無藏也故有餘，巋然而有餘。其行身也，徐而不費，無為也而笑巧；人皆求福，己獨曲全，曰苟免於咎。以深為根，以約為紀，曰堅則毀矣，銳則挫矣。常寬容於物，不削於人，可謂至極。

Lao Dan said: "Know the male, hold to the female, and be a stream of the world; know the white, hold to the disgrace, and be a valley of the world." All others take the first place, he alone takes the last, saying he bears the world's filth; all others take what is full, he alone takes what is empty, having no store and so having a surplus, towering and in surplus. In conducting himself, he was slow and unwasteful, did nothing and laughed at cleverness; all others seek blessing, he alone bends and preserves wholeness, saying he is just avoiding fault. He took depth as root and brevity as guide, saying that what is hard is broken and what is sharp is blunted. He was always tolerant toward things and did not cut into others, and may be called perfect.

關尹老耼乎！古之博大真人哉！

Guan Yin and Lao Dan! Great and true men of old!

芴漠無形，變化無常，死與生與，天地並與，神明往與！芒乎何之，忽乎何適，萬物畢羅，莫足以歸，古之道術有在於是者。莊周聞其風而悅之，以謬悠之說，荒唐之言，無端崖之辭，時恣縱而不儻，不以觭見之也。以天下為沈濁，不可與莊語，以巵言為曼衍，以重言為真，以寓言為廣。獨與天地精神往來而不敖倪於萬物，不譴是非，以與世俗處。其書雖瓌瑋而連犿無傷也。其辭雖參差而諔詭可觀。彼其充實不可以已，上與造物者遊，而下與外死生無終始者為友。其於本也，弘大而闢，深閎而肆，其於宗也，可謂稠適而上遂矣。雖然，其應於化而解於物也，其理不竭，其來不蛻，芒乎昧乎，未之盡者。

Vague and silent without form, changing without constancy, death and life, together with heaven and earth, going with the spirits and the bright! Dim, where does he go; sudden, where does he turn; the ten thousand things are all gathered, and not enough to return to; some of the ancient arts of the Way lay here. Zhuang Zhou heard of their manner and was delighted. With absurd and far-off teachings, wild and unbounded words, and speech without limits, he was at times unrestrained but not partisan, and did not show himself by oddity. He took the world as sunk in muddy turbidity, not fit to be spoken to in earnest words; he used goblet words to flow endlessly, used weighty words to be true, and used allegories to be broad. He alone went back and forth with the spirit of heaven and earth without looking down on the ten thousand things, did not blame right and wrong, and so lived with the vulgar world. His book, though magnificent, is winding without harm. His words, though uneven, are strange and worth looking at. His fullness cannot be stopped; above he roams with the maker of things, and below he befriends those who put aside death and life and have no end or beginning. As to the root, he is vast and open, deep and expansive; as to the source, he may be called dense and fitting and going up to the highest. Even so, in responding to transformation and resolving things, his principles are inexhaustible, his coming does not slough off, and in dimness and obscurity, he has never been fully exhausted.

惠施多方，其書五車，其道舛駁，其言也不中。厤物之意，曰：「至大無外，謂之大一；至小無內，謂之小一。無厚，不可積也，其大千裡。天與地卑，山與澤平。日方中方睨，物方生方死。大同而與小同異，此之謂小同異；萬物畢同畢異，此之謂大同異。南方無窮而有窮，今日適越而昔來。連環可解也。我知天之中央，燕之北越之南是也。氾愛萬物，天地一體也。」

Huishi had many methods, his books filled five carts, his Way was mixed and conflicting, and his words did not hit the mark. His examination of things said: "The utmost great has nothing outside it, and is called the Great One; the utmost small has nothing within it, and is called the Small One. What has no thickness cannot be piled up, yet its size is a thousand li. Heaven is as low as earth, and mountains are level with marshes. The sun at noon is at its decline; things born are dying. The great same differs from the small same, and this is called the small sameness-difference; the ten thousand things are all the same and all different, and this is called the great sameness-difference. The south has no limit yet has a limit; I set out for Yue today and arrived yesterday. Linked rings can be undone. I know the center of the world: it is north of Yan and south of Yue. Love the ten thousand things universally; heaven and earth are one body."

惠施以此為大，觀於天下而曉辯者，天下之辯者相與樂之。卵有毛，雞三足，郢有天下，犬可以為羊，馬有卵，丁子有尾，火不熱，山出口，輪不蹍地，目不見，指不至，至不絕，龜長於蛇，矩不方，規不可以為圓，鑿不圍枘，飛鳥之景未嘗動也，鏃矢之疾而有不行不止之時，狗非犬，黃馬驪牛三，白狗黑，孤駒未嘗有母，一尺之捶，日取其半，萬世不竭。辯者以此與惠施相應，終身無窮。

Huishi took this as great and displayed it to the world to enlighten the debaters, and the debaters of the world enjoyed this with one another. An egg has feathers; a chicken has three legs; Ying has the world; a dog may be a sheep; a horse has eggs; a frog has a tail; fire is not hot; mountains give forth sounds; a wheel does not touch the ground; the eye does not see; a pointer does not arrive; arrival does not cease; a tortoise is longer than a snake; a square is not square; a compass cannot make a circle; a chisel does not enclose its handle; the shadow of a flying bird has never moved; the speed of an arrow has times when it neither moves nor stops; a dog is not a hound; a yellow horse and a black ox make three; a white dog is black; an orphan colt has never had a mother; a one-foot rod, take half each day, and in ten thousand generations it is not exhausted. The debaters answered Huishi with these, without end all their lives.

桓團公孫龍辯者之徒，飾人之心，易人之意，能勝人之口，不能服人之心，辯者之囿也。惠施日以其知與人之辯，特與天下之辯者為怪，此其柢也。

Huan Tuan, Gongsun Long, and the other debaters adorned people's minds and altered people's intentions, were able to defeat people's mouths but could not win their hearts, and were the pen of the debaters. Huishi day after day used his knowledge to debate with others, and especially made himself strange with the debaters of the world; this was his base.

然惠施之口談，自以為最賢，曰天地其壯乎！施存雄而無術。南方有倚人焉曰黃繚，問天地所以不墜不陷，風雨雷霆之故。惠施不辭而應，不慮而對，遍徧為萬物說，說而不休，多而無已，猶以為寡，益之以怪。以反人為實而欲以勝人為名，是以與眾不適也。弱於德，強於物，其塗隩矣。由天地之道觀惠施之能，其猶一蚉一䖟之勞者也。其於物也何庸！夫充一尚可，曰愈貴道，幾矣！惠施不能以此自寧，散於萬物而不厭，卒以善辯為名。惜乎！惠施之才，駘蕩而不得，逐萬物而不反，是窮響以聲，形與影競走也，悲夫！

But Huishi in his speaking took himself as most worthy and said: "Heaven and earth are grand indeed!" Shi had power but lacked art. In the south there was a leaning man called Huang Liao, who asked why heaven and earth do not fall or sink and about the causes of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. Huishi answered without declining and replied without thinking, speaking of all the ten thousand things, speaking without rest, endlessly many, and still thinking it little, adding to it with strange things. He took going against others as reality and hoped to take defeating others as fame, and thus did not fit with the multitude. Weak in virtue and strong in things, his path was obscure. Viewed from the Way of heaven and earth, Huishi's ability was like the toil of a mosquito or gadfly. What use was it to things! One may stretch it to one, and say it is more noble the closer it comes to the Way; that is nearly right! Huishi could not bring himself peace with this, but dispersed among the ten thousand things without tiring, and in the end became known for being good at debate. What a pity! Huishi's talent, expansive but without attainment, chasing after the ten thousand things and not returning, is like exhausting the echo with sound, or the form racing with its shadow; how sad!