Tao Te Ching Chapter 23
paulpengThe Original Chinese Text
希言自然,故飘风不终朝,骤雨不终日。孰为此者?天地。天地尚不能久,而况于人乎?故从事于道者,道者,同于道;德者,同于德;失者，同于失。同于道者,道亦乐得之;同于德者,德亦乐得之;同于失者,失亦乐得之。信不足，焉有不信焉。
Abstaining from speech marks him who is obeying the spontaneity of his nature. A violent wind does not last fora whole morning; a sudden rain does not last for the whole day. To whom is it that these (two) things are owing? ToHeaven and Earth. If Heaven and Earth can not make such(spasmodic) actings last long, how much less can man！
Therefore when one is making the Dao his business,those who are also pursuing it, agree with him in it, and those who are making the manifestation of its course theirobject agree with him in that; while even those who are failing in both these things agree with him where they fail.
Hence,those with whom he agrees as to the Dao havethe happiness of attaining to it; those with whom he agreesas to its manifestation have the happiness of attaining to it;and those with whom he agrees in their failure have also thehappiness of attaining (to the Dao).(But) when there is notfaith sufficient (on his part), a want of faith (in him)ensues(on the part of the others).
【译文】不用声教政令干预黎民是合乎自然的。
因为狂风刮不到第二天的早晨,暴雨下不了一整天。谁制造了狂风暴雨呢?天地。天地造就的风雨尚且不能够持久，何况是人的政令呢?所以从事于道的人,就会把道作为自己的行为准则;从事于德的人，就会把德作为自己的行为准则;从事于失的人，就会把失作为自己的行为准则。把道作为自己行为准则的人，道也会愉快的拥有他，使他得到道的利惠;把德作为自己行为准则的人，德也会愉快的拥有他,使他得到德的利惠;把失作为自己行为准则的人,失也会愉快的拥有他,使他得到失的利惠。许诺没有价值，那里就会产生不信任。
【Translation】It is in accordance with nature to govern the people without using vocal instructions or political decrees.
For a strong wind cannot last until the next morning, nor can a torrential rain fall all day long. Who sends forth the strong wind and torrential rain? It is heaven and earth. Even the storms created by heaven and earth cannot endure indefinitely—how much less can human decrees?
Therefore, those who engage with the Tao take the Tao as their standard of conduct; those who engage with virtue take virtue as their standard; those who engage with loss take loss as their standard.
Those who take the Tao as their standard will be gladly embraced by the Tao, and thus gain its benefits; those who take virtue as their standard will be gladly embraced by virtue, and thus gain its benefits; those who take loss as their standard will be gladly embraced by loss, and thus gain its consequences of loss.
When promises lack sincerity, distrust arises.
【解析】失，是老子思想中的现实世界，是经过人文干预具备了一定文化伦理准则的社会，比如智圣仁义等，这是与永恒存在的自然的道相违背，因此老子称之为失道、失德，不过这种失道失德的现实却是人确实参与其中的,而且能够得到一定的利惠,于是老子有是章之讨论。
【Analysis】: In Laozi's philosophy, "loss" (失) refers to the real world where human intervention has introduced cultural and ethical norms such as wisdom, sagehood, benevolence, and righteousness. These norms run counter to the eternal and natural Tao. Therefore, Laozi termed this state "deviation from the Tao" (失道) and "deviation from virtue" (失德). Nevertheless, this reality of deviating from the Tao and virtue is one in which humans are indeed involved, and from which they can derive certain benefits. Hence, Laozi discusses this in this chapter.
