道德经英文版 The Tao-te Ching Chapter 22

1. The partial becomes complete; the crooked1, straight; the empty, full; the worn out, new. He whose (desires) are few gets them; he whose (desires) are many goes astray.

2. Therefore the sage2 holds in his embrace the one thing (of humility), and manifests it to all the world. He is free from self- display, and therefore he shines; from self-assertion, and therefore he is distinguished3; from self-boasting, and therefore his merit is acknowledged; from self-complacency, and therefore he acquires superiority. It is because he is thus free from striving that therefore no one in the world is able to strive with him.

3. That saying of the ancients that 'the partial becomes complete' was not vainly spoken:--all real completion is comprehended under it.

曲则全，枉则直，洼则盈，敝则新，少则得，多则惑。

是以圣人抱一为天下式。

不自见，故明;

不自是，故彰;

不自伐，故有功;

不自矜，故长。

夫唯不争，故天下莫能与之争。

古之所谓"曲则全"者，岂虚言哉?诚全而归之。

【译文】

能柔曲因应则能自我成全，懂得枉屈绕行则能迅捷直达，能不断地凹陷成"盅"则能不断地自我充盈，懂得护守现成的稳定则能得到真正的逐渐更新，少取则真得，贪多则反而导致自身的混乱。因此，圣人浑融一体而为天下前行探路。不执着于成名，所以能明于道;不自以为是，所以能明辨是非;不自我夸耀，所以能多有事功;不自我矜持，所以能长远在途。因为他不执着于名而与人争，所以天下没有人能把他作为对立面而与他争。古时候所说的"能柔曲因应则能自我成全"等道理怎么会是空话呢?它实在是一个很全面的概括。

1 crooked        

adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的

参考例句：

He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。

You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。

2 sage        

n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的

参考例句：

I was grateful for the old man's sage advice.我很感激那位老人贤明的忠告。

The sage is the instructor of a hundred ages.这位哲人是百代之师。

3 distinguished        

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。

A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。