天道 · 損有餘而補不足

Tiān Dào

Classical Chinese Text

天之道，其犹张弓与？高者抑下，下者举之，有余者损之，不足者补之。天之道，损有余而补不足。人之道，则不然，损不足以奉有余。孰能有余以奉天下？ 唯有道者。是以圣人为而不恃，功成而不处，其不欲见贤。

Translation & Meaning

自然天道的運作，不正像拉開弓弦調準箭位一樣嗎？弦位過高就往下壓低一些，過低就往上抬高一些；拉得過滿有餘就減損鬆弛一些，張力不足就增補調緊一些。 所以自然天道，總是減損過剩有餘來補益匱乏不足。而世俗偏私的人道卻恰恰相反——往往剝削貧弱不足之人，去供奉本已富足過剩的權貴。 誰能夠把自己富足有餘的財富與能力無私奉獻給天下呢？唯有真正體行大道的人！ 因此聖人有所施為卻不自恃其功，大功告成卻不獨佔高位，他從不刻意顯耀自己的賢能。

Commentary

青禾散人評注：馬太效應（損不足以奉有餘）是世俗貪欲系統的慣性，必然導致極化崩裂；而天道如張弓調弦，損有餘以補不足。有道者順天而行，主動以己之有餘回饋天地社會。

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
  • 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
  • 道 (dào): The Way / Logos / to speak
  • 其 (qí): its / their / his / her
  • 犹 (yóu): classical character (yóu)
  • 张 (zhāng): classical character (zhāng)
  • 弓 (gōng): classical character (gōng)
  • 与 (yǔ): classical character (yǔ)
  • 高 (gāo): high / exalted
  • 者 (zhě): aspects / those who / things
  • 抑 (yì): classical character (yì)
  • 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble
  • 举 (jǔ): classical character (jǔ)
  • 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
  • 余 (yú): classical character (yú)
  • 损 (sǔn): classical character (sǔn)
  • 不 (bù): not / un- / without
  • 足 (zú): classical character (zú)
  • 补 (bǔ): classical character (bǔ)
  • 而 (ér): yet / and / but
  • 人 (rén): person / human
  • 则 (zé): classical character (zé)
  • 然 (rán): classical character (rán)
  • 以 (yǐ): in order to / by means of
  • 奉 (fèng): classical character (fèng)
  • 孰 (shú): classical character (shú)
  • 能 (néng): fruitful / capacity / ability
  • 唯 (wéi): only / precisely because
  • 是 (shì): this / therefore
  • 圣 (shèng): sage / enlightened one
  • 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
  • 恃 (shì): classical character (shì)
  • 功 (gōng): achievement / merit
  • 成 (chéng): complete / fulfill
  • 处 (chù): stays / dwells / position
  • 欲 (yù): intent / desire / craving
  • 见 (jiàn): see / display / manifest
  • 贤 (xián): talents / worthy / clever