重德 · 重為輕根
Zhòng Dé
Classical Chinese Text
重为轻根，静为躁君。是以君子①终日行不离辎重，虽有荣观，燕处超然。奈何万乘之主⑥，而以身轻天下？轻则失根，躁则失君。
Translation & Meaning
厚重是輕靈的根本，寧靜是躁動的主宰。 因此有修養的君子整日遠行也不離開承載糧草根本的輜重車；縱使身處繁華絢麗的宮闕勝景，依然安閒自得、超然不迷。 為什麼身為擁有萬輛兵車的大國君主，卻因輕率妄動而在天下人面前自輕其身呢？ 輕浮就會喪失立身根本，急躁就會失去內心的主宰。
Linguistic & Character Analysis
- 重 (zhòng): classical character (zhòng)
- 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
- 轻 (qīng): classical character (qīng)
- 根 (gēn): classical character (gēn)
- 静 (jìng): classical character (jìng)
- 躁 (zào): classical character (zào)
- 君 (jūn): classical character (jūn)
- 是 (shì): this / therefore
- 以 (yǐ): in order to / by means of
- 子 (zǐ): child / progeny
- 终 (zhōng): classical character (zhōng)
- 日 (rì): classical character (rì)
- 行 (xíng): practice / teach / walk
- 不 (bù): not / un- / without
- 离 (lí): classical character (lí)
- 辎 (zī): classical character (zī)
- 虽 (suī): classical character (suī)
- 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
- 荣 (róng): classical character (róng)
- 观 (guān): observe / contemplate essence
- 燕 (yàn): classical character (yàn)
- 处 (chù): stays / dwells / position
- 超 (chāo): classical character (chāo)
- 然 (rán): classical character (rán)
- 奈 (nài): classical character (nài)
- 何 (hé): classical character (hé)
- 万 (wàn): ten thousand / myriad / all
- 乘 (chéng): classical character (chéng)
- 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
- 主 (zhǔ): classical character (zhǔ)
- 而 (ér): yet / and / but
- 身 (shēn): classical character (shēn)
- 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
- 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
- 则 (zé): classical character (zé)
- 失 (shī): classical character (shī)
Commentary
青禾散人評注：「輕則失本，躁則失君。」決策與處變之際，最忌心浮氣躁。穩重如山、靜定如淵，方能駕馭一切繁華與風浪。