养德 · 尊道而贵德

Yǎng Dé

Classical Chinese Text

道生之，德畜之，物形之，势成之。是以万物莫不尊道而贵德。
道之尊，德之贵，夫莫之命而常自然。
故道生之，德畜之，长之育之，亭之毒之，养之覆之。
生而不有，为而不恃，长而不宰，是谓玄德。

Translation & Meaning

大道化生万物，内德滋养万物，质料赋予万物具体形态，时势环境促成万物成熟。因此世间万物没有不尊崇大道而珍贵内德的。 大道之所以崇高，内德之所以珍贵，正在于它们从不发号施令强加干涉，而是恒常顺任万物自然生长。 所以大道生发万物，内德蓄养万物；使它们发育成长，使它们安顿成熟，给它们养护庇荫。生养万物却不占为己有，有所施为却不自恃恩功，引导滋长却不强行主宰，这就叫做深远崇高的“玄德”。

Commentary

青禾散人评注：真正的权威无需强制命令（莫之命而常自然）。父母育子、师长育人、领袖带队皆当如此：护持成长，却尊重其独立天性而不控制主宰。

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 道 (dào): The Way / Logos / to speak
  • 生 (shēng): give birth to / arise
  • 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
  • 德 (dé): Intrinsic Virtue / inner power
  • 畜 (chù): classical character (chù)
  • 物 (wù): things / phenomena / forms
  • 形 (xíng): contrast / appearance
  • 势 (shì): classical character (shì)
  • 成 (chéng): complete / fulfill
  • 是 (shì): this / therefore
  • 以 (yǐ): in order to / by means of
  • 万 (wàn): ten thousand / myriad / all
  • 莫 (mò): classical character (mò)
  • 不 (bù): not / un- / without
  • 尊 (zūn): classical character (zūn)
  • 而 (ér): yet / and / but
  • 贵 (guì): prize / cherish / valuable
  • 夫 (fū): for / indeed / now
  • 命 (mìng): classical character (mìng)
  • 常 (cháng): constant / dynamic invariable
  • 自 (zì): classical character (zì)
  • 然 (rán): classical character (rán)
  • 故 (gù): therefore / thus / consequence
  • 长 (cháng): long / enduring / grow
  • 育 (yù): classical character (yù)
  • 亭 (tíng): classical character (tíng)
  • 毒 (dú): classical character (dú)
  • 养 (yǎng): classical character (yǎng)
  • 覆 (fù): classical character (fù)
  • 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
  • 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
  • 恃 (shì): classical character (shì)
  • 宰 (zǎi): classical character (zǎi)
  • 谓 (wèi): called / named / designated
  • 玄 (xuán): mystery / fathomless depth