法本 · 贵以贱为本

Fǎ Běn

Classical Chinese Text

昔之得一者，天得一以清；地得一以宁；神①得一以灵；谷得一以盈，万物得一以生；侯王得一以为天下正。
其致之也，谓天无以清，将恐裂；地无以宁，将恐废；神无以灵，将恐歇；谷无以盈，将恐竭；万物无以生，将恐灭；侯王无以正，将恐蹶。
故贵以贱为本，高以下为基。是以侯王自称孤、寡、不谷②。此非以贱为本邪？非乎？故至誉无誉。是故不欲琭琭如玉，珞珞如石。

Translation & Meaning

自古以来契得大道整全之“一”的：天得“一”而澄澈清明，地得“一”而安稳宁静，神明得“一”而灵妙通达，山谷得“一”而泉源充盈，万物得“一”而繁衍生息，侯王得“一”而成为天下安定的表率。推究到极致而言： 天若失去清明，恐将崩裂；地若失去安宁，恐将倾塌；神若失去灵妙，恐将消歇；谷若失去充盈，恐将干涸；万物若失去生机，恐将绝灭；侯王若仗贵居高而失谦德，恐将覆败。 所以尊贵以卑微为根本，崇高以低下为基石。因此侯王自谦为“孤”、“寡”、“不谷”，这难道不是以谦卑为本吗？所以过分追求外在殊荣反而没有真誉。与其炫耀得温润华美如雕玉，不如质朴坚贞如山间顽石。

Commentary

青禾散人评注：“不欲琭琭如玉，珞珞如石。”不慕精致脆弱的虚荣美玉，甘作质朴厚重的大地基石——基石虽处最下，却托起万丈高楼。

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 昔 (xī): classical character (xī)
  • 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
  • 得 (dé): obtain / acquire / gain
  • 一 (yī): classical character (yī)
  • 者 (zhě): aspects / those who / things
  • 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
  • 以 (yǐ): in order to / by means of
  • 清 (qīng): classical character (qīng)
  • 地 (dì): classical character (dì)
  • 宁 (níng): classical character (níng)
  • 神 (shén): classical character (shén)
  • 灵 (líng): classical character (líng)
  • 谷 (gǔ): classical character (gǔ)
  • 盈 (yíng): fulfill / overflow
  • 万 (wàn): ten thousand / myriad / all
  • 物 (wù): things / phenomena / forms
  • 生 (shēng): give birth to / arise
  • 侯 (hóu): classical character (hóu)
  • 王 (wáng): classical character (wáng)
  • 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
  • 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
  • 正 (zhèng): classical character (zhèng)
  • 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
  • 致 (zhì): classical character (zhì)
  • 也 (yě): [modal particle of assertion]
  • 谓 (wèi): called / named / designated
  • 无 (wú): formless void / non-being / without
  • 将 (jiāng): classical character (jiāng)
  • 恐 (kǒng): classical character (kǒng)
  • 裂 (liè): classical character (liè)
  • 废 (fèi): classical character (fèi)
  • 歇 (xiē): classical character (xiē)
  • 竭 (jié): classical character (jié)
  • 灭 (miè): classical character (miè)
  • 蹶 (juě): classical character (juě)
  • 故 (gù): therefore / thus / consequence
  • 贵 (guì): prize / cherish / valuable
  • 贱 (jiàn): classical character (jiàn)
  • 本 (běn): classical character (běn)
  • 高 (gāo): high / exalted
  • 基 (jī): classical character (jī)
  • 是 (shì): this / therefore
  • 自 (zì): classical character (zì)
  • 称 (chēng): classical character (chēng)
  • 孤 (gū): classical character (gū)
  • 寡 (guǎ): classical character (guǎ)
  • 不 (bù): not / un- / without
  • 此 (cǐ): classical character (cǐ)
  • 非 (fēi): is not / false / not equal to
  • 邪 (xié): classical character (xié)
  • 乎 (hū): classical character (hū)
  • 至 (zhì): classical character (zhì)
  • 誉 (yù): classical character (yù)
  • 欲 (yù): intent / desire / craving
  • 琭 (lù): classical character (lù)
  • 如 (rú): classical character (rú)
  • 玉 (yù): classical character (yù)
  • 珞 (luò): classical character (luò)
  • 石 (shí): classical character (shí)