俗薄 · 大道廢有仁義

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Classical Chinese Text

大道废，有仁义；智慧出，有大伪；六亲不和，有孝慈；国家昏乱，有忠臣。

Translation & Meaning

當渾然天成的大道被廢棄時，世間才開始刻意標榜「仁義」；當世俗巧智盛行時，便滋生出嚴重的虛偽欺詐；當家庭骨肉失和時，才凸顯所謂「孝子慈親」的名目；當國家動盪昏亂時，才顯現出捨生取義的「忠臣」。

Commentary

青禾散人評注：魚相忘於江湖，唯涸轍之時方相濡以沫。凡被社會大肆宣傳標榜的美德口號，往往正是當時社會最為匱乏之物。老子並非否定仁孝，而是呼喚回歸無需標榜的自然本真。

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 大 (dà): classical character (dà)
  • 道 (dào): The Way / Logos / to speak
  • 废 (fèi): classical character (fèi)
  • 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
  • 仁 (rén): benevolence / kindness
  • 义 (yì): classical character (yì)
  • 智 (zhì): classical character (zhì)
  • 慧 (huì): classical character (huì)
  • 出 (chū): emerge / issue forth / originate
  • 伪 (wěi): classical character (wěi)
  • 六 (liù): classical character (liù)
  • 亲 (qīn): classical character (qīn)
  • 不 (bù): not / un- / without
  • 和 (hé): accord / harmonize
  • 孝 (xiào): classical character (xiào)
  • 慈 (cí): classical character (cí)
  • 国 (guó): classical character (guó)
  • 家 (jiā): classical character (jiā)
  • 昏 (hūn): classical character (hūn)
  • 乱 (luàn): chaos / disorder / turmoil
  • 忠 (zhōng): classical character (zhōng)
  • 臣 (chén): classical character (chén)