为道 · 道者万物之奥

Wéi Dào

Classical Chinese Text

道者，万物之奥，善人之宝，不善人之所保。美言可以市尊，美行可以加人。人之不善，何弃之有？故立天子，置三公，虽有拱璧以先驷马，不如坐进此道。古之所以贵此道者何？不曰：求以得，有罪以免邪？故为天下贵。

Translation & Meaning

大道是庇荫天地万物的深邃殿堂，是善良之人奉守的至宝，也是有过失之人赖以悔悟自保的归宿。 美好的言辞可以博取世人尊重，良善的行为可以感化增益他人；哪怕有人一时不善，大道又怎么会遗弃他呢？ 所以在册立天子、设置三公的盛大典礼上，纵使献上双手合抱的美玉与四马拉乘的豪车作为厚礼，也远不如静心进献这一清静大道更为珍贵。 古人为什么如此看重这一大道呢？不正是因为向内求道便能自得本真、迷途知返便能免除罪愆灾祸吗？所以大道成为天下最尊贵的至宝。

Commentary

青禾散人评注：“人之不善，何弃之有？”大道如大地，既托举芳兰，亦容纳荆棘并化腐朽为生机。拱璧驷马皆身外浮财，唯进道醒心最为无价。

Linguistic & Character Analysis

  • 道 (dào): The Way / Logos / to speak
  • 者 (zhě): aspects / those who / things
  • 万 (wàn): ten thousand / myriad / all
  • 物 (wù): things / phenomena / forms
  • 之 (zhī): particle: of / possessive / it
  • 奥 (ào): classical character (ào)
  • 善 (shàn): goodness / skillful / kind
  • 人 (rén): person / human
  • 宝 (bǎo): classical character (bǎo)
  • 不 (bù): not / un- / without
  • 所 (suǒ): place / frontier / that which
  • 保 (bǎo): classical character (bǎo)
  • 美 (měi): beauty / aesthetic ideal
  • 言 (yán): words / speech
  • 可 (kě): can / capable of being
  • 以 (yǐ): in order to / by means of
  • 市 (shì): classical character (shì)
  • 尊 (zūn): classical character (zūn)
  • 行 (xíng): practice / teach / walk
  • 加 (jiā): classical character (jiā)
  • 何 (hé): classical character (hé)
  • 弃 (qì): classical character (qì)
  • 有 (yǒu): manifest being / cosmos / to possess
  • 故 (gù): therefore / thus / consequence
  • 立 (lì): classical character (lì)
  • 天 (tiān): heaven / nature / cosmos
  • 子 (zǐ): child / progeny
  • 置 (zhì): classical character (zhì)
  • 三 (sān): classical character (sān)
  • 公 (gōng): classical character (gōng)
  • 虽 (suī): classical character (suī)
  • 拱 (gǒng): classical character (gǒng)
  • 璧 (bì): classical character (bì)
  • 先 (xiān): before / front
  • 驷 (sì): classical character (sì)
  • 马 (mǎ): classical character (mǎ)
  • 如 (rú): classical character (rú)
  • 坐 (zuò): classical character (zuò)
  • 进 (jìn): classical character (jìn)
  • 此 (cǐ): classical character (cǐ)
  • 古 (gǔ): classical character (gǔ)
  • 贵 (guì): prize / cherish / valuable
  • 曰 (yuē): classical character (yuē)
  • 求 (qiú): classical character (qiú)
  • 得 (dé): obtain / acquire / gain
  • 罪 (zuì): classical character (zuì)
  • 免 (miǎn): classical character (miǎn)
  • 邪 (xié): classical character (xié)
  • 为 (wèi): act / deem / become
  • 下 (xià): under / earthly realm / humble