Extensive interpretation of Tao Te Ching (9)
道德經演義（九）
Stretch a bow to the very full, and you
will wish you had stopped in time.
持而盈之，不如其己。
Temper a sword-edge to its
sharpest, and the edge will not last long.
揣而銳之，不可長保。
When gold and jade fill your
hall, you will not be able to keep them safe.
金玉滿堂，莫之能守。
To be proud with wealth and
honor is to sow the seeds of one’s own down-fall.
富貴而驕，自遺其咎。
Retire when your work is done,
such is Heaven’s way.
功遂身退，天之道。
Xu Wugui(13) (1-5)）。(９。１)
莊子演義雜篇徐無鬼(十三)(1-5)）。(９。１)
1 In the
world, there are many kinds of wretches. Some of them, when they hear
edification from their teacher, become very delighted, as if they have obtained
the truth. They don’t know that in some time, there actually has nothing in the
universe. The truth that they have heard doesn’t exist in that time. Any
edification, if it doesn’t exist through all the time and space, we said that
it is definitely not the truth.
這世上有各種不同的可憐蟲。其中有一類人，他們一聽到老師的教誨，就高興得不得了，以為已經獲知了真理。殊不知，在這浩瀚的宇宙之中，有一段時間基本上是空無一物的。他們聽聞的道理，在那段時間裏根本就不存在。既然不是能貫穿所有時空的道理，自然的也就談不上是什麼永恆不變的真理了。
有暖姝者，有濡需者，有卷婁者。所謂暖姝者，學一先生之言，則暖暖姝姝而私自說也，自以為足矣，而未知未始有物也。是以謂暖姝者也。
2 One kind of them, they are contented with their present situation, just like
the flea lives in the body of a pig. It perches between the manes of the pig.
The flea thinks that it has place to live where is cool in the summer and warm
in the winter; there has enough food to eat, and free from the disturbance of
predator. It is such a wonderful place, to the flea it is its palace. However,
the flea doesn’t expect that there might be one day when the chef put the pig
on fierce fire, and then the flea becomes the mortuary objects of pig barbecue.
另有一類人，他們安於現況，就像豬身上的跳虱一樣; 跳虱棲身于豬的鬃毛之間，自認為在此食宿無慮、冬暖夏涼，又沒有天敵侵擾，簡直有如置身於皇宮一般。殊不知，有一天，廚子生一把火，將豬在烈火下燒烤，結果跳虱就成了全豬大餐的陪葬品了。
3 Those people like the flea, are contented with the present situation. They
actually live in a limited space that they choose by themselves but they don’t
know how small it is.
如這類安於現況者，他們實際上是生活在自己所選擇的有限空間之內而不自覺。
濡需者，豕虱是也，擇疏鬣自以為廣宮大囿。奎蹄曲隈，乳間股腳，自以為安室利處。不知屠者之一旦鼓臂布草操煙火，而己與豕俱焦也。此以域進，此以域退，此其所謂濡需者也。
4 There is another kind of people, who is like Shun. Mutton doesn’t invite ants
to eat it. Ants come because they follow the smell of mutton. Shun was invited
to work because he himself had excellent talent so that he was admired and
supported. In order to escape the following people, Shun had ever moved his
house for three times. When he moved to Deng, tens of thousands of people still
followed him, not being able to throw them off.
至於另一類人，他們有些像舜。羊肉沒有請螞蟻來吃，螞蟻是因為羊肉的羶味，循線而致的。舜被大家請出來做事，是因為他出眾的才華，吸引了無數百姓的擁戴。舜曾遷居三次想找個寧靜的地方過退休生活，然而，當他搬到鄧這個地方時，仍有萬人緊隨而至，想甩都甩不掉。
5 Knowing Shun’s talent,
堯在得知舜的才華之後，下令他治理一塊荒地。堯說，希望跟隨舜的百性，能因他的領導而受益。那時候，舜實際上已經是耄耋之年;
聽力不行，眼睛也看不清楚。可是就因為他的管理能力出眾，百姓一直不肯讓他回家去含飴弄孫。像舜這類的人，我們稱他是駝背族。
卷婁者，舜也。羊肉不慕蟻，蟻慕羊肉，羊肉膻也。舜有膻行，百姓悅之，故三徙成都，至鄧之虛而十有萬家。堯聞舜之賢，舉之童土之地，曰：「冀得其來之澤。」舜舉乎童土之地，年齒長矣，聰明衰矣，而不得休歸，所謂卷婁者也。
Xianchi’s interpretation and remark (9。1)
咸池評述 (9。1)
1 Isn’t it good
to live in a familiar environment aloof and enjoy the rest of life? Old farmer
in hilly place works in day and reposes in the evening. The environment is
simple and even he never experience various aspects of society but isn’t it a
good life?
一個人生活在自己熟悉的環境之中與世無爭，安享天年又有什麽不好呢？比如山居老農，日出而做，日入而息，環境單純，雖然終生沒見過什麽世面，可是如此簡單而怡然的生涯，對他來說，又有什麽可挑剔的呢？
2 Bee and butterfly feel very happy and lucky when they collect some pollute.
They thank nature for the endowment; however, they don’t know that they are
employed by the plant as the tool of pollination. It is not bad to benefit
oneself and others so why do we laugh at their ignorance?
蝴蝶、蜜蜂採得一點花粉及花蜜就高興的不得了，紛紛慶幸，是老天的厚愛，令其享有甜美的糧食。然而，牠們卻不知道，自己正被花草利用，以作為異花授粉的工具。可是利人利己看來似乎也沒什麼壞處，因此，我們又何須嘲笑蝴蝶及蜜蜂被人利用的無知呢！
3 Mr. Liu Qiwei, a famous painter in
劉其偉畫畫，自得其樂，畫到九十歲仍不願停筆。他晚年的作品更具功力，所以，我們又怎麼能取笑劉先生活得這麼辛苦，年歲那麼大了，還要這麼勞累呢！
4 It is happy for a man to love life and to satisfy himself in his living,
place and deeds. We shouldn’t look on common people in the view of practice as
if we look on ants who bustle for a piece of biscuit. We think it unworthy but
ants never think so. Could we laugh at ant's ignorance? Of course we couldn’t
do it.
一個人能歡喜地生活，安於其所生、所居、所為都是有福的。我們千萬不要以修行者的眼光去看世人，就像我們看螞蟻一樣，僅僅為了一塊餅乾而忙得團團轉，終日不得清閒。在我們的立場上看，我們認為螞蟻活得好不值得，可是螞蟻本身則完全沒有這樣的感覺。為此，我們能嘲笑螞蟻的無知嗎？顯然我們不能。
Zhi the Robber (2) (5)。(９．２)
莊子演義雜篇盜跖(二)(5)。(９．２)
5
Taking a headshake, Mangou did not think so.
"What you say is wrong. According to my experience from my traveling
around and close investigation, a guy , who is relentless and bold to reach his
goal by any means of avarice, wrath and obsession, is the one who can attain
position and make fortune.
滿苟得搖搖頭，頗不以為然地說：「你說的那套不對吧！據我遊走各地，仔細觀察的結果。心狠手辣，欲達目的不擇手段，貪、瞋、癡俱全的狠角色，才是升官，發財的料。
滿苟得曰：「無恥者富，多信者顯。
External Things (4) (1-4)。(９．３)
莊子演義雜篇外物(四)(1-4)。(９．３)
1 In order to make sure the ancient regulations and rules of etiquette were
followed, a group of Confucians dug a rich man’s new buried tomb. After whole
night of toil, the captain of the group stood outside the tomb said, “The sun
is rising. How is your work?”
一群儒生為了執行嚴格的禮教制度，他們乘夜挖開了一座鄉裡富人的新墳。辛苦一夜後，站在墓外的領頭儒生對墓中工作的人說：「天已亮了，你們挖的如何？」
儒以《詩》、《禮》發冢。大儒臚傳曰：「東方作矣，事之何若？」
2 A young man said, “It is almost finished. The corpus is coming out. We will
skin the cerecloth soon. Wait! I find a pearl in his mouth.”
一位年輕人說：「一會就好了，屍體已經擺在眼前，只差沒剝開他的裹屍布。等等! 我發現這人嘴裏含著一顆珍珠。』
3 The captain said: “Do you remember the ancient regulation of etiquette? It
says: ‘Green wheat, green wheat. Grow on the mound field. No offering when
living. Why mouth kept pearl in.’ this guy was rich and relentless. How dare he
keep the pearl? Let’s dig it out.”
領頭儒生說: 「古禮中不是有這麼的規定嗎？『青青之麥，生於陵坡，生不佈施，死何含珠為。』這傢伙為富而不仁，嘴裏居然還敢含珠。將之挖出來吧！」
小儒曰：「未解裙襦，口中有珠。」《詩》固有之曰：『青青之麥，生於陵陂。生不布施，死何含珠為？』
4 The digger seized the corpus’s hair and pushed down
his beard, they used iron tool to open his mouth forcefully. They were careful
to protect the pearl; however, broke the bone of the mouth.
這群挖墓者，抓住屍體的鬢髮，按住他的鬍鬚，硬生生地以鐵器將這具屍體的口腔打開，他們小心翼翼地保護那顆珍珠，結果，反而將屍體的嘴骨都弄碎了。
接其鬢，壓其顪，儒以金椎控其頤，徐別其頰，無傷口中珠﹗
Xianchi’s interpretation and remark (9。2) (9。3)
咸池評述
(9。2) (9。3)
1 Keeping pearl
in mouth of the dead man is for auspiciousness, bliss and evilness-prevented.
Nevertheless, the pearl incurs gravedigger who spoils the corpse. It makes the
man being bothered even in the grave after died. Divining auspiciousness begets
misfortune; divining bliss begets disaster. The folk saying is that he who has
jade is innocent but jade incurs thievery, which is the same what the pearl
invited to the corpse.
將珍珠置入亡者口中，其原意是為了保吉祥、求福、更為了驅邪。然而，也正因此名珠而引來盜墓者的覬覦窺伺，導致屍體遭到破壞，可說是死也不得安寧。求吉得凶，求福反而得此惡報。俗語說，其人無罪，懷璧其罪就是這樣的道理。
2 It is enough
for a man to make a plain life with things in this world. Too much stuff would
incur hurt and loss.
由此可見，世俗之物，能應付就好，貪多無益，反受其害。
3 The shameless
gets rich, which sounds arbitrary. What is shamelessness? It is to know nothing
about shame. Shamelessness is avarice, and is ruthless robbery without game
rules, despite of others, and is selfish, bending himself to occupy everything
and neglecting even distribution. Additionally, shamelessness includes: to
acquire something needed by shortcut and low cost way; to buck for interest
despite of love, credit, promise and contact; one product sold to two persons;
dog eating dog, fraud in sale or service, and to overtly agree but covertly
oppose and betrayal.
無恥者富。這句話看起來似乎有些武斷。什麼是無恥？不知廉恥叫無恥。無恥是貪，是不講規矩的奪取，是毫不手軟的奪取，視別人之不足於不顧; 是自私，只顧自己的無限佔有，而不顧分配不均的事實;是不知辛苦工作，但求捷徑、便宜方式以取得個人所需;是為了個人利益，不顧親情、信義;
不履行契約、信諾; 一物兩賣、黑吃黑、買賣不實;已取報酬而不提供服務或服務不合之前之約定; 是欺騙、陽奉陰違，當面一個態度做法，背後又是另外一套;背叛等等都極有可能被人咒罵為無恥之徒。
4 With the
analysis in details, intending to be a rich man, some actions seem are truly
eligible to be cursed of shamelessness.
仔細分析的結果，不難發現，對於一名有錢的人來說，他的某些做為，還真的有被人納入無恥的可能。
5 Of course, not
all rich man has a trait of shamelessness. As the long term investor in the
stock market, what he need is the habit of a simple and plain life, and he must
be not avaricious and holding firm the potential stock on hand; as the holding
time is longer enough, he would become a rich man eventually.
當然，也不是每一個有錢的人都具備無恥的性格。作為一名長期投資股票的投資者，他只須維持簡單而又樸素的生活習慣; 在不貪心、把握著定力的原則下，緊緊地握著有潛力的股票，那麼長期下來他也能夠致富，成為一名富人。
6 This kind of
man may be called miser and niggard at most; shamelessness is possibly too much
to him.
這樣的人頂多被人稱為小氣鬼、吝嗇鬼，至於無恥之徒絕對是沾不上邊的。
Lietse (9) (1-3)。(９．４)
莊子演義雜篇列禦寇(九)(1-3)。(９．４)
1 When Zhengkaofu was appointed
as an official of Song, he lowered his head when walking; when he was promoted,
his head got lower; when he was promoted the third time, he almost crawled on
the ground; at that time, when Zhengkaofu walked on the street, he walked along
the wall closely, being afraid of impeding others’ walk.
宋大夫正考父，當第一次被認命為官時，他將頭低下來走路；當他獲提昇時，他的頭就低到了胸前；最後他被晉級到更高位子時，他整個人差不多是在地上爬行了。這時的正考父在街上都盡量沿著牆邊走，生怕礙著別人的路。
2 As Zhengkaofu with this attitude, how could the people be uncouth and
arrogant?
正考父採取這樣的態度，那麼百姓又有誰敢粗魯而傲慢呢?
正考父一命而傴，再命而僂，三命而俯，循牆而走，孰敢不軌！
3 Some officers were different. Once they took an official post, they put on
air. If they were higher level official, they frivolously dreamed to dance on
the carriage. Someday if they were in important position, they got arrogant,
calling themselves dukes. In the self-cultivation of humble they were less than
Zhengkaofu not mention of
有些官員就不同了。他們一旦坐上官位，就立刻擺起臭架子來。官稍微大一點就輕浮地想在馬車上跳舞。有一天，他們位居要津，就自己稱公，高傲的不得了。他們在謙遜的修養上不如正考父，離堯、舜以及許由等那就更遠了。
如而夫者，一命而呂鉅，再命而於車上舞，三命而名諸父。孰協唐許﹗
Xianchi’s
interpretation and remark(9。4)
咸池評述 (9。4)
1 It is shabby if modesty is only for avoiding other’s
blame and insult.
態度謙遜如果純粹是為了害怕別人的羞辱、責罵，那麼這樣的格調就未免太差了。
2 When someone walk or do things, always fear other’s gossip. Therefore, he dares not to do things boldly and
drastically. If so, he couldn’t
do something great.
做人做事如果總是害怕別人會說閒話，怕別人批評，因而不敢放心大膽、大刀闊斧地做事，那這個人說穿了也成不了什麼大事。
3 Surely, perhaps Chuang Tzu thought that official
should pay attention to governance by non-action. If something great that is
done, it means that official is careless in the past long time ago, so that
trivia becomes overall situation. He has to be bold and drastic to accomplish
it.
當然，也許在莊子的心裡，官員重在無為而治。一旦有大事可做，那無異於表示，在過去那段長遠的日子裡，自己實在是太不小心了，以至於讓小事在不知不覺中釀成了大事，致使它成為今日必須大刀闊斧，否則不足以完成的事。
4
Nevertheless, in modern society, you have to be bold and venturesome enough so
that you can run a big company, or big factory.
不過，話說回來，在現今社會裡，你假如想做一番大事業、開一家大公司，大工廠; 不開創、不創新、不壯大膽子或承擔風險是不行的。
5 Of course,
taking the view of Chuang Tzu, some one would say
that cause is redundant and for worldly affairs, not involve too much, just do
what we have to do; the important point is extension and cultivation of the
inner heart. We have nothing to argue about if people emphasize much of the
inner rather than the external.
當然，也許有人會說，站在莊子的立場，就是連開創事業也是多餘的事; 因為在他而言，世俗之事，只需淺嘗即可，重點在內心世界的開展、培養。如果處世強調重內而輕外，則我們也就沒什麼好爭辯的了。
6 However, we say
so, which doesn’t mean we disagree on modesty. The start of modesty is to
respect, namely to respect other’s independence. Additionally, we have to
beware of and be discreet on the changing world.
不過，這樣說並不表示我們不贊成做人應該謙遜。謙遜的出發點應該是尊重，尊敬別人的獨立及自主性。另外，就是對無常世界的戒懼謹慎。
7 We drastically
understand that each person is sacred and inviolable. Therefore, we dare not to
act wildly against others.
我們深切地明白，每－個人都是神聖而不可侵犯的。因此，我們才不敢肆無忌憚地在人前胡作非為。
8 We know that
the development of everything is uncertain. In essence, we can’t do anything
confidently. When we walk in heavy fog, we slow down to make way. We want to
detect the condition of the road ahead so our heads droop and speed gets slow.
Thus our attitude gets modesty.
在對人、對事方面，我們知道萬事萬物之不可預測的特質; 因此，我們實在不能信心十足地做任何事。當我們走在濃霧之中時，我們自然地會放慢腳步，慢慢地摸索前進。為了想看清楚腳前的路，我們將頭低了下來，速度放慢了下來，如此態度自然的也就謙遜起來了。
9 It is fool to
put one’s air, to be aggressive and to be arrogant. A man his end is miserable,
if he has an exaggerated opinion of his abilities and doesn’t know that it is
difficult to control the changing world.
擺臭架子、囂張、傲慢之徒是愚蠢。這些不知天高地厚，不知人外有人、天外有天，不知世事無常，難以駕馭的人，他們的下場將是很可悲的。
Declination to
Throne (7) (1-7)。(９．５)
莊子演義雜篇讓王(七)(1-7)。(９．５)
1 King Zhao of
楚昭王因敗戰流亡，屠羊說也跟著昭王出走他鄉。
2 After a few years, the king reoccupied his land and came into power again. To
thank those faithful fellows who followed him in the exile, he decided to give
them an audience and some rewards.
幾年後，昭王收復失土，又回到國內主持政務。昭王感謝這些跟著他流亡國外的忠心人士，決定召見他們，並給予一定的獎勵。
楚昭王失國，屠羊說走而從於昭王。昭王反國，將賞從者。
3 When he sent an envoy to Tu Yang Yue, asking him to the palace for audience, Tu Yang Yue; however, declined
it.
當他派人去約見屠羊說時，屠羊說卻拒不前往。
4 He said, “The king lost his country which made me unemployed. Now the king
comes into power, I am employed again. Now that I have job and income, I am
satisfied. What do I asked for?”
他說：「大王失國，我也失去了工作。大王返國，我也回到工作崗位。如今我有工作，有收入，已經很滿意了，我還求什麼呢？」
及屠羊說。屠羊說曰：「大王失國，說失屠羊；大王反國，說亦反屠羊。臣之爵祿已復矣，又何賞之有！」
5 Disagreeing with Tu Yang Yue,
King Zhao insisted that Tu Yang Yue
has to come for audience and reward asking.
昭王不同意屠羊說的推辭，堅持屠羊說一定要來求賞。
6 Tu Yang Yue’s explained:
“The king losing his power has nothing to do with me, a small potato, so losing
power is not my fault. Also, I can’t take the credit on for the king coming
into power, so I should not receive the King’s reward.
屠羊說又說：「大王失國，跟我這小百姓無關。所以，失國一節不能定我的罪。大王返國，這樣的功勞也算不到我頭上。所以，大王的獎賞我不敢領受。」
王曰：「強之！」屠羊說曰：「大王失國，非臣之罪，故不敢伏其誅；大王反國，非臣之功，故不敢當其賞。」
7 The king didn’t give up yet and insisted on giving Tu Yang Yue an audience. Then Tu Yang Yue explained it again.
He said, “According to the law of the state of
昭王還是不肯罷休，一定堅持要見屠羊說。這時我們這位先生又講了。他說：「根據楚國的法律，必須要為國立下大功，才有資格晉見大王，接受重賞。我這個小老百姓，沒有治國之才以報國，也沒有十足的勇氣捍衛國家。當敵軍攻打我們的城府時，我是因為害怕才逃亡的。並不是真正的什麼忠貞之士，一定要跟大王走。今天大王要違背國家的典章制度，以特例來召見我，我想這件事情是非常不妥的，還望大王三思。」
王曰：「見之。」屠羊說曰：「楚國之法，必有重賞大功而後得見。今臣之知不足以存國，而勇不足以死寇。吳軍入郢，說畏難而避寇，非故隨大王也。今大王欲廢法毀約而見說，此非臣之所以聞於天下也。」
Xianchi’s interpretation and
remark (9。5)
咸池評述 (9。5)
1 Reward is not accepted without
making a merit, which Tuyang totally lived up to.
所謂無功不受祿，屠羊說是真正的做到了。
2 Why to insist on not accepting a reward without making a merit, and don’t take the windfall. Why do we only accept the reward by
toil?
為什麼一定要堅持無功不受祿，對從天上掉下來的好處視若無睹，而偏要執著於那些需要我們辛勤工作之後才能獲得的報酬呢？
3 Financial sheet is artificially changed so that it
becomes black from red. Thus stock price is promoted ten percent. Why not?
將報表改一改，白的改成黑的，就能夠將股價推升１０％，這又有什麼不好呢？
4 What is the difference between windfall without work and plod? Why is one acceptable and the other refused? Money and goods do
have no label to distinguish them.
不勞而獲的東西與辛勤工作後的酬勞，這中間有什麼差別？為什麼一個可以要，一個卻不可以受呢？錢就是錢，貨就是貨，貨幣本身並沒有記號去區別這中間的差異嘛？
5 A folk saying in countryside of Wenzhou is that “money
by gamble is temporary and money by work last forever”. It means that people
splurge the money without work which is transient and you cherish the money by
work, because it is accumulated penny by penny. You get use to have it to be
with you and you don’t spend it at random because it
is from your toil; and the money therefore, is more
stable in your pocket.
溫州鄉下有句土話是這樣說的：「賭博錢在眼前，辛苦錢千千萬萬年」。意思是不勞而獲的錢，人們不會曉得珍惜，隨得隨花，只是過眼雲煙，不會持久。而人們自己辛辛苦苦依靠勞力賺來的錢，卻是他們一毛一分逐日累積的成果。第一，你習慣它在你身旁; 第二，你珍惜它的得之不易，所以這種錢放在腰包裡不但不會作怪，也不會想要跳出來的。
6 Do you know that the people who hit great prize of lottery always use up it
in a considerably short time? What’s more the easy
money would bring sequela to you: you
are unwilling to work and had a bad habit of wasting money. Your experience of
speculation makes you have aleatory thought. The
intention of waiting for windfall would simply starve you at end of the day.
你知道嗎？中得樂透獎的人，其絕大部分金錢，往往在極短的時間內就花之殆盡。本來錢花完了也就算了，可是它的後遺症卻在於: 你從此失去了工作的意願，你也已養成了花錢，浪費錢的壞習慣; 至於你投機成功的經驗，更讓你經常存有僥倖的心理; 因此，僅僅是一個簡單的守株待兔就足以餓死你。
7 Not accepting reward without merit is set to avoid
the aleatory thought. We should do everything firmly
step by step, not asking rocketing success; and strictly keep us from making
windfall money.
無功不受祿的意義，就在於避免這種僥倖心理的養成。凡事腳踏實地的作，一步一腳印，不求一步登天，同時嚴格地要求自己不取便宜之財。
8 Dennis Kozlowski, the former CEO of Tyco Company who once was respected and
called God of Marketing in America; however, for eager for quick success and
instant benefit, he was utterly discredited and be mocked as Rogue CEO, when he
was caught in legal problem. Reviewing the past, Mr. Dennis Kozlowski sadly
gave youth a good suggestion: “Do the right thing, not the easy thing”. Take
the right way and do not cut corners, in other words don’t
taking evil means to gain unmerited interest.
美國的經營之神，Tyco公司前任總裁Dennis Kozlowski因為急功好利，最後落得身敗名裂，被人譏笑為當代的惡棍總裁（Rogue CEO）。可是人之將死，其言也善; 他最後留給年輕人的忠告就是: Do the right thing，not the easy thing。走正路，不要抄捷徑。所謂抄捷徑就是走旁門左道，亦即用不當的手法，奪取不正當的利益。
Xianchi’s interpretation and remark of
Tao Te Ching (9) a9
咸池評述道德經演義(九)a9
1 This chapter stresses that how we
adjust ourselves in this world and ward off the trivia and toil that bother our
tranquil life of practice too much.
這一章主要還是著重於教導我們修行的人，應如何在這人世間調適自己，切莫被世間的瑣事、塵勞等過度地干擾我們寧靜的修行生活。
2 Laotse is not like Buddha who asked men of practice to
become monk and to keep far from this world. Like the yogi of mobile yoga, Loatse advocated that a man should practice in the city,
among people and in the society to exercise.
老子不像世尊那樣，乾淨俐落地要求修行者出家學道、遠離紅塵。老子如同行動瑜伽行者，他主張修於市，在人群裡、社會裡修行，以利於鍛鍊自己。
3
“Stretching a bow to the very full, you will wish you had stopped in time”. In
the modern saying, it is “estimate one’s abilities to do thing”. A man of
practice in the city should always remember that his goal is to practice. For example,
he runs a shoe-repairing shop, repairing and making shoes for customers. Once
the income is enough to make the end meet, then stop any idea to expand the
business for making more money. It is totally unnecessary to set up a chain
shops, and push himself so hard and busy that the overload making him
incompetent for his work so as to feel dizzy. One’s ability is competent to be
the leader of a division; and he does well his work in this field, feeling easy
and happy. Thus it is unnecessary for him to be a manager. Also, his ability is
competent for teaching and then he doesn’t need to seek for the position of
dean. The key is to balance your ability in doing work. It is like balancing a
bowl to hold soup. If your bowl is not big enough, too much soup would spill
out to scald your hand; and eventually, you feel uneasy and unnerved. In order
to support our life, sometimes work is inevitable; then do it to the point, but
never indulge in it.
所謂 “持而盈之，不如其己”，白話文應該說的就是量力而為。一位修於鬧市的行者，你最好別忘了，修行才是你真正的任務及目標。在鬧市中開間鞋店，為人補鞋、做鞋，生意上的收入足以滿足生活的需要也就夠了; 切忌貪多，非得弄個聯鎖店，擴大經營，讓自己整天忙個頭昏眼花，導致工作量遠遠超過自己的應付能力，那就不好了。當一個人的能力只能當課長，在課長的工作範圍裡，你能應付自如，輕鬆愉快; 那又何必非要去爭取做什麼經理來折磨自己。同樣的，自己的能力可以將老師的工作做好，那就不一定非要去做校長不可。所以重點在衡量自己的碗有多大，再決定去裝多少湯。因為碗如果不夠大的話，太多的湯就會溢出來燙到你的手，最終破壞了你的平靜心情。工作塵勞如果不能避免，而我們為了填飽肚子必須工作; 在知其不免的情況下，我們就應該曉得如何知其己，適可而止，才不致陷入工作的泥沼中而不能自拔。
4
“Temper a sword-edge to its sharpest, and the edge will not last long. When gold and jade fill your
hall, you will not be able to keep them safe”. The two sentences have the same
meaning as “Stretch a bow to the very full and you will wish you had stopped in
time”. They warn us that men of practice should not put the cart before the
horse, and forgetting practice. It is best not to do cause and to seek for
worldly glory. If we have to, then stop after gaining, never indulge in it and
forget practice.
“揣而銳之，不可長保。金玉滿堂，莫之能守”。其深義與 “持而盈之，不如其己”，是相同的意思，都是警告我們修行的人不可本末倒置，千萬別忘了修行才是重點。能夠不做事業，不求世榮那是最好; 實在不行的話就淺嚐即可，切莫因樂在其中而忘記了修行的功課。
5 “To be proud
with wealth and honor is to sow the seeds of one’s own down-fall”.Laotse
held that the worst is a man who he doesn’t know that he has done things too
far and felt complacent instead that he publicizes and shows his cause and
worldly glory to others. In the eyes of Laotse,
actually he is digging tomb for himself and he is not eligible for practice. Laotse advised “retire when your work is done, such is
Heaven’s way”. In other words, once a man has “sheep”, a stable source of
income, so he could live in a worry-free life. Thus he should practice and
improve culture, roaming comfortably around in the universe and
nature.
“富貴而驕，自遺其咎”。老子認為最不可救藥的是那些已經做過了頭而不自知，反而大肆宣揚，沾沾自喜，並以自己的事業、世榮傲示於人的人。老子說這些人是自尋死路，親手為自己挖墳而不知。這些人是不配修行的。所謂 “功遂身退，天之道”，就是說，對世俗的東西大略應付一下就好了，不得著迷，不得執迷不悟。既然早已擁有了自己的
“羊群”，生活無慮，就應該修身養性，讓自己能輕鬆的遨遊於自然與宇宙之間。