第四十九章

任德

圣人无常心,以百姓心为心。

善者,吾善之;

不善者,吾亦善之;

德善。

信者,吾信之;

不信者,吾亦信之;

德信。

圣人在天下,歙歙为天下浑其心,百姓皆注其耳目,圣人皆孩之。

王弼注

圣人无常心,以百姓心为心。

动常因也。

善者,吾善之;不善者,吾亦善之,

各因其用则善不失也。

德善。

无弃人也。

信者,吾信之;不信者,吾亦信之,德信。圣人在,天下歙歙,为天下浑其心,百姓皆注其耳目,

各用聪明。

圣人皆孩之。

皆使和而无欲,如婴儿也。

夫天地设位,圣人成能,人谋鬼谋,百姓与能者,能者与之,资者取之,能大则大,资贵则贵,物有其宗,事有其主,如此则可冕疏充目而不惧于欺,黈纩塞耳而无戚于慢,又何为劳一身之聪明,以察百姓之情哉。

夫以明察物,物亦竞以其明应之,以不信察物,物亦竞以其不信应之。夫天下之心,不必同其所应,不敢异则莫肯用其情矣。

甚矣,害之大也,莫大于用其明矣,夫在智则人与之讼,在力则人与之争,智不出于人而立乎讼地,则穷矣。力不出于人而立乎争地,则危矣。未有能使人无用其智力乎己者也,如此则己以一敌人,而人以千万敌己也。

若乃多其法网,烦其刑罚,塞其径路,攻其幽宅,则万物失其自然,百姓丧其手足,鸟乱于上,鱼乱于下,是以圣人之于天下,歙歙焉,心无所主也,为天下浑心焉,意无所适莫也。无所察焉,百姓何避,无所求焉,百姓何应,无避无应,则莫不用其情矣。

人无为舍其所能而为其所不能,舍其所长而为其短,如此,则言者言其所知,行者行其所能,百姓各皆注其耳目焉,吾皆孩之而已。

英译 · James Legge

The quality of indulgence

The sage has no invariable mind of his own; he makes the mind of the people his mind.

To those who are good (to me), I am good; and to those who are not good (to me), I am also good; - and thus (all) get to be good. To those who are sincere (with me), I am sincere; and to those who are not sincere (with me), I am also sincere; - and thus (all) get to be sincere.

The sage has in the world an appearance of indecision, and keeps his mind in a state of indifference to all. The people all keep their eyes and ears directed to him, and he deals with them all as his children.