第59章 · 原文
现代白话译文
治理百姓和侍奉上天，没有比爱惜精力更重要的了。正因为爱惜精力，就是早做准备；早做准备就是不断积累德；不断积累德就能无往不胜；无往不胜就没有人知道他的极限；没有人知道他的极限就可以担负治理国家的重任；有了治理国家的根本就可以长久保持；这就是根深蒂固、长生久视的道理。
多版本对照
王弼注（魏晋）
莫若犹莫过也．啬农夫．农人之治田务去其殊类．归于齐一也．全其自然．不急其荒病．除其所以荒病．上承天命下绥百姓莫过于此．早服常也．唯重积徳不欲营速．故曰早服谓之重徳者也．道无穷也．以有穷而莅国非能有国也．国之所以安谓之母．重积徳是唯图其根．然后营末．乃得其终也.
河上公注（汉）
治人事天者，治人者，治天下也。事天者，侍奉天道也。莫若啬者，莫若爱惜精气也。
王夫之《老子衍》（明末清初）
「人」之情無盡，取而「治」之，則不及情者多矣，「天」之數無極，往而「事」之，則無可極者遠矣。以其敝敝，從其浩浩，此冀彼之恩，而彼冀望此以為怨。怨不可以有國，而敝敝窮年，亦「根」敗「柢」枯，而其」生」不延。迨其不延，悔而思「服」，豈不晚與！守之圜中，鮮所「治」，鮮所「事」。情萬而情情者一，數萬而數數者並一不存。或疑其吝而不德，而不德之德，天人無所邀望於始，則亦無所怨恫於終。而批卻導窾，數給不窮者，寧有訖乎？故牡之觸有窮，而牝之受無所止。「重積德」者，天下歆其受而歸我，席虛以講天下，此「有國」之與「長久」兩難並者，而並之於此。並之於此，則豈有不并於此者哉？
憨山德清《老子道德经解》（明）
此章傷世人之難化，欲在上者當先自化，而後可以化民也。結句乃本意，上文皆借喻以明之耳。經曰，此土眾生，其性剛強，難調難化。故老子專以虛心無為不敢，為立教之本。全篇上下，專尚柔弱而斥剛強。故此云，堅強者死之徒，柔弱者生之徒，乃借人物草木為喻。是以兵喻戒懼，言兵若臨事而懼，不敢輕敵，故能全師以自勝。是以全生為上，而多死為下也。木之枝條，以沖氣為和。故欣欣向榮，而生意自見。是以虛心柔弱在上。若成拱把，則麤幹堅強者在下矣。以此足知戒懼虛心，柔弱翕受者，方可處於民上也。若夫堅強自用，敢於好為，則終無有生意矣。此語大可畏哉。
马王堆帛书异文（西汉）
治人事天，莫若啬。夫唯啬，是以早服。早服是谓重积德。
郭店楚简异文（战国）
此章缺
English Translations / 英文译本
In governing people and serving heaven, nothing is better than frugality. Only through frugality can one submit early. Submitting early is called accumulating much virtue. Accumulating much virtue ensures nothing cannot be overcome. When nothing cannot be overcome, no one knows the limit. When no one knows the limit, one can possess the state. The mother of the state can last long. This is called deep roots and a solid foundation, the way of long life and eternal vision.
In governing people and serving heaven, nothing is better than frugality. Only through frugality can one submit early. Submitting early is called accumulating much virtue. Accumulating much virtue ensures nothing cannot be overcome. When nothing cannot be overcome, no one knows the limit. When no one knows the limit, one can possess the state. The mother of the state can last long. This is called deep roots and a solid foundation, the way of long life and eternal vision.
In governing people and serving heaven, nothing is better than frugality. Only through frugality can one submit early. Submitting early is called accumulating much virtue. Accumulating much virtue ensures nothing cannot be overcome. When nothing cannot be overcome, no one knows the limit. When no one knows the limit, one can possess the state. The mother of the state can last long. This is called deep roots and a solid foundation, the way of long life and eternal vision.