《道德经》译解(9)功遂身退

                      —《道德经》第九章

图9-1 金玉满堂

持而盈之，不如其已；揣而銳之，不可長保。金玉滿堂，莫之能守；富貴而驕，自遺其咎。功遂身退天之道。

If one fulfills a vessel when it is being moved,

He cannot do better than when it holds still;

If one holds an edge that is tempered to its sharpest,

He cannot long preserve its sharpness.

If one’s hall is filled with gold and jade,

He will not be able to keep them safe.

If one become arrogant with his wealth and honors,

He will not do good to himself.

When one’s work is done successfully, and his name is becoming distinguished,

It is the way of Heaven for him to withdraw into obscurity.

【解】这段话看似比较好理解，主要有点歧义的在首二句“持而……长保”，《道德真經註》 “持，謂不失德也。既不失其德又盈之，勢必傾危。故不如其已者，謂乃更不如無德無功者也。”“既揣末令尖，又銳之令利，勢必摧衂故不可長保也。”

我这里绞尽脑汁把英文用上了相似的排比语句，由于《道德经》原文是简洁明了，朗朗上口；英文翻出这种意味来着实不容易。