俗薄 · 大道废有仁义

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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

当浑然天成的大道被废弃时，世间才开始刻意标榜“仁义”；当世俗巧智盛行时，便滋生出严重的虚伪欺诈；当家庭骨肉失和时，才凸显所谓“孝子慈亲”的名目；当国家动荡昏乱时，才显现出舍生取义的“忠臣”。

Commentary

青禾散人评注：鱼相忘于江湖，唯涸辙之时方相濡以沫。凡被社会大肆宣传标榜的美德口号，往往正是当时社会最为匮乏之物。老子并非否定仁孝，而是呼唤回归无需标榜的自然本真。

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)