第三十九章   得一而安

昔之得一者：天得一以清,地得一以寧,神得一以靈,谷得一以盈,萬物得一以生，侯得一以為天下正。其致之。 謂天無以清，將恐裂； 地無以寧，將恐廢；神無以靈，將恐歇；谷無以盈， 將恐竭；萬物無以生，將恐滅；侯王無以正，將恐蹶。 故貴以賤為本，高以下為基。是以侯王自稱孤、寡、不谷。此非以賤為本邪？非乎？故致數譽無譽。不欲琭琭如玉，珞珞如石。

 [譯文]

遠古天人合一時代：天得道則清凈明朗，地得道則寧靜安詳，人得道則安定平和，川谷得道則豐盛盈滿，萬物得道則發展生長，侯王得道則天下太平。反之，天不能保持清明，難免就會崩裂；地不能保持寧靜，難免就會塌陷；人心迷亂，就失去安定；川谷不盈滿，難免就會干枯；萬物不生長，難免就會滅絕；侯王失去天德根本，難免就會垮臺。所以貴者要以賤者為根本，高者要以下部為基石。侯王們自己賤稱孤家寡人，五谷不分，不正是以卑賤為本嗎？道理不正在此嗎？

道本源的聲譽是無須夸耀的，即使是如玉般美好，沒有德根則沒有任何意義，還不如石塊般樸實無華。

Peace and Haromony

From old, there is harmony with the One:

The sky in harmony with the Oneness is clear,

earth in harmony with the Oneness is stable.

Spirituality in harmony with the Oneness is inspiring,

valley in harmony with the Oneness is fertile,

all things in harmony with the Oneness is reproductive.

leaders in harmony with the Oneness is incorruptible.

On the contrary,

The sky without clarity would probably crack,

earth in without stability would probably quake,

spirituality without inspiration would not thus become divine,

valley without fullness would probably dry up,

all things without reproduction would probably witheraway,

leaders corrupted would probably stumble and fall.

Thereforehumility is the basis for nobility, and the low is the basis for the high.

Thatis why the princes and dukes call themselves "the orphaned,""the lonely one," "the unworthy." Is is not true then thatthey depend upon the common man for support?

Therefore, attain honor without being honored.

The virtues of Tao do not shine like jade,