居位 · 治大國若烹小鮮
Jū Wèi
Classical Chinese Text
治大国，若烹小鲜①，以道莅天下，其鬼不神。非其鬼不神，其神不伤人。非其神不伤人，圣人亦不伤人。夫两不相伤，故德交归焉
Translation & Meaning
治理幅員遼闊的大國，就像煎烹細嫩的小魚一樣（切忌頻繁翻攪折騰）。 依循大道來治理天下，連邪祟鬼怪都不會興風作浪；不僅鬼祟不顯靈作亂，正神也不會降災傷人；不僅鬼神不傷害百姓，在上的聖人也絕不苛政擾民傷人。 上下幽明彼此互不侵擾傷害，所以和諧淳厚的德澤便共同歸聚於人間。
Linguistic & Character Analysis
- 治 (zhì): govern / bring order / rule
- 大 (dà): classical character (dà)
- 国 (guó): classical character (guó)
- 若 (ruò): classical character (ruò)
- 烹 (pēng): classical character (pēng)
- 小 (xiǎo): classical character (xiǎo)
- 鲜 (xiān): classical character (xiān)
- 以 (yǐ): in order to / by means of
- 道 (dào): The Way / Logos / to speak
- 莅 (lì): classical character (lì)
- 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
- 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
- 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
- 鬼 (guǐ): classical character (guǐ)
- 不 (bù): not / un- / without
- 神 (shén): classical character (shén)
- 非 (fēi): is not / false / not equal to
- 伤 (shāng): classical character (shāng)
- 人 (rén): person / human
- 圣 (shèng): sage / enlightened one
- 亦 (yì): classical character (yì)
- 夫 (fū): for / indeed / now
- 两 (liǎng): two / duality / polarity
- 相 (xiāng): mutually / each other
- 故 (gù): therefore / thus / consequence
- 德 (dé): Intrinsic Virtue / inner power
- 交 (jiāo): classical character (jiāo)
- 归 (guī): classical character (guī)
- 焉 (yān): classical character (yān)
Commentary
青禾散人評注：煎小魚若反覆翻動，立成碎末；管組織、育兒女、調身心亦然——朝令夕改、過度折騰是大忌，安穩火候方成佳餚。