道德经英文版 The Tao-te Ching Chapter 50

1. Men come forth1 and live; they enter (again) and die.

2. Of every ten three are ministers of life (to themselves); and three are ministers of death.

3. There are also three in every ten whose aim is to live, but whose movements tend to the land (or place) of death. And for what reason? Because of their excessive endeavours to perpetuate2 life.

4. But I have heard that he who is skilful3 in managing the life entrusted4 to him for a time travels on the land without having to shun5 rhinoceros6 or tiger, and enters a host without having to avoid buff coat or sharp weapon. The rhinoceros finds no place in him into which to thrust its horn, nor the tiger a place in which to fix its claws, nor the weapon a place to admit its point. And for what reason? Because there is in him no place of death.

出生入死。生之徒，十有三;死之徒，十有三;人之生，動之于死地，亦十有三。

夫何故?以其生之厚。蓋聞善攝生者，路行不遇兕虎，入軍不被甲兵;兕無所投其角，虎無所用其爪，兵無所容其刃。夫何故?以其無死地。

【译文】

出离维生之道就入于速死之途。人世间，属于长寿的，占十分之三;属于短命的，占十分之三;因为行举失道而自速其死的，也占十分之三。这是什么缘故呢?因为他自执过高而导致奉养所需过重。据说，善于维护生命的人，在陆上行走不会遭遇凶恶的犀牛和猛虎，即使参加战争，也不会受到武器的伤害。对于他，犀牛于其身无处投角，猛虎于其身无处伸爪，武器于其身无处显露锋芒。为什么会这样呢?因为他根本就没有可以让人致其于死命的要害部位。

1 forth        

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。

He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

2 perpetuate        

v.使永存，使永记不忘

参考例句：

This monument was built to perpetuate the memory of the national hero.这个纪念碑建造的意义在于纪念民族英雄永垂不朽。

We must perpetuate the system.我们必须将此制度永久保持。

3 skilful        

(=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的

参考例句：

The more you practise,the more skilful you'll become.练习的次数越多，熟练的程度越高。

He's not very skilful with his chopsticks.他用筷子不大熟练。

4 entrusted        

v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

He entrusted the task to his nephew. 他把这任务托付给了他的侄儿。

She was entrusted with the direction of the project. 她受委托负责这项计划。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 shun        

vt.避开，回避，避免

参考例句：

Materialists face truth,whereas idealists shun it.唯物主义者面向真理，唯心主义者则逃避真理。

This extremist organization has shunned conventional politics.这个极端主义组织有意避开了传统政治。

6 rhinoceros        

n.犀牛

参考例句：

The rhinoceros has one horn on its nose.犀牛鼻子上有一个角。

The body of the rhinoceros likes a cattle and the head likes a triangle.犀牛的形体像牛，头呈三角形。