《道德经》英译（第七十八章）

天下莫柔弱于水，

而攻坚强者莫之能胜，

以其无以易之。

柔之胜刚，

天下莫不知，

而莫能行。

是以圣人云：

爱国之垢，

是谓社稷主；

受国之不祥，

是谓天下王。

正言若反。

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Chapter 78

Nothing under heaven is softer or weaker than water,

and yet nothing is better for attacking what is hard and strong,

because of its immutability.

The defeat of the hard by the soft,

The defeat of the strong by the weak—

this is known to all under heaven, yet no one is able to practice it.

Therefore,

in the words of the sage, it is said:

“He who bears abuse directed against the state is called ‘lord of the altars for the gods of soil and grain’;

He who bears the misfortunes of the state is called the ‘king of all under heaven.’”

True words seem contradictory.

（Victor H. Mair 译）