2014-01-01
上善若水 | As good as water
“上善若水”语出《老子》：“上善若水，水善利万物而不争。”“上善若水”意为最高境界的善行就像水的品质一样，泽被万物而不争名利。
《老子·道德經》第八章以水比喻最高的道德標准：“上善若水。水善利万物而不爭，處衆人之所惡，故几于道。”水滋潤大地万物，卻不爭奪顯赫的位置，處于大衆討厭的位置，去充滿低洼之地，所以就接近于道了。第七十八章又說：“天下柔弱莫過于水，而攻堅強者莫之能胜，以其無以易之。”指出柔弱胜剛強的道理。
The greatest virtue is like water.“Water nourishes everything but contends for nothing.”
Chapter8 The greatest virtue is like water. The goodness of water is that it benefits the ten thousand creatures; yet itself does not scramble, but is content with the places that all men disdain. It is this that makes water so near to the Way. And if men think the ground the best place for building a house upon, If among thoughts they value those that are profound, If in friendship they value gentleness, In words, truth; in government, good order; In deeds, effectiveness; in actions, timeliness - In each case it is because they prefer what does not lead to strife. And therefore does not go amiss.
