道德经英文版 The Tao-te Ching Chapter 61

1. What makes a great state is its being (like) a low-lying, down- flowing (stream);--it becomes the centre to which tend (all the small states) under heaven.

2. (To illustrate1 from) the case of all females:--the female always overcomes the male by her stillness. Stillness may be considered (a sort of) abasement3.

3. Thus it is that a great state, by condescending4 to small states, gains them for itself; and that small states, by abasing5 themselves to a great state, win it over to them. In the one case the abasement leads to gaining adherents6, in the other case to procuring7 favour.

4. The great state only wishes to unite men together and nourish them; a small state only wishes to be received by, and to serve, the other. Each gets what it desires, but the great state must learn to abase2 itself.

大国者下流也，天下之牝。

天下之交也，牝常以静胜牡。

为其静也故宜为下。

故大国以下小国，则取小国;

小国以下大国，则取大国。

故或下以取，或下而取。

大国不过欲，兼畜人;小国不过欲，入事人。

夫两者各得其所欲，大者宜为下。

【译文】

大国善处下游，它就可以像天下柔静的雌牝一样。天下雌雄之间的交合，雌牝通常以柔静而胜过俊躁的雄牡。这是因为她柔静而适应于处下的缘故。所以，大国比小国善于处下，则可以主导小国;小国比大国善于处下，则可以谋求主导作用。所以，有的可以凭籍处下态势以占居主导地位，有的则可以使自己善于处下而谋求主导作用。大国不过分贪欲而让小国分享国际资源，小国不过分贪欲而让大国占居领导地位。它们双方要达成如此稳定的利益妥协，大的应该善于处下。

1 illustrate        

v.举例说明，阐明；图解，加插图

参考例句：

The company's bank statements illustrate its success.这家公司的银行报表说明了它的成功。

This diagram will illustrate what I mean.这个图表可说明我的意思。

2 abase        

v.降低，贬抑

参考例句：

He refused to abase himself in the eyes of others.他不愿在他人面前被贬低。

A man who uses bad language will only abase himself.说脏话者只会自贬身分。

3 abasement        

n.滥用

参考例句：

She despised herself when she remembered the utter self-abasement of the past. 当她回忆起过去的不折不扣的自卑时，她便瞧不起自己。

In our world there will be no emotions except fear, rage, triumph, and self-abasement. 在我们的世界里，除了恐惧、狂怒、得意、自贬以外，没有别的感情。 来自英汉文学

4 condescending        

adj.谦逊的,故意屈尊的

参考例句：

He has a condescending attitude towards women. 他对女性总是居高临下。

He tends to adopt a condescending manner when talking to young women. 和年轻女子说话时，他喜欢摆出一副高高在上的姿态。

5 abasing        

使谦卑( abase的现在分词 )； 使感到羞耻； 使降低（地位、身份等）； 降下

参考例句：

6 adherents        

n.支持者，拥护者( adherent的名词复数 )；党羽；徒子徒孙

参考例句：

He is a leader with many adherents. 他是个有众多追随者的领袖。 来自《简明英汉词典》

The proposal is gaining more and more adherents. 该建议得到越来越多的支持者。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 procuring        

v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条

参考例句：

He was accused of procuring women for his business associates. 他被指控为其生意合伙人招妓。 来自辞典例句

She had particular pleasure, in procuring him the proper invitation. 她特别高兴为他争得这份体面的邀请。 来自辞典例句