第77章 · 原文
现代白话译文
天的道，不就像张弓射箭一样吗？高了就压低一些，低了就抬高一些；有余的就减少一些，不足的就补充一些。天的道，是减少有余的来补充不足的。人的道却不是这样，是减少不足的来供奉有余的。谁能把有余的拿来供奉给天下呢？只有有道的人。因此圣人有所作为而不自恃，功成而不居功，他不愿意表现自己的贤能。
多版本对照
王弼注（魏晋）
与天地合徳．乃能包之如天之道．如人之量则各有其身．不得相均．如惟无身无私乎．自然然后乃能与天地合徳．言谁能处盈而然虚．损有以补无．和光同尘．荡而均者．唯有道者也．是以圣人不欲示其贤．以均天下.
河上公注（汉）
天之道者，天道也。其犹张弓与者，如张弓于射也。
王夫之《老子衍》（明末清初）
唯弓有「高」「下」，而後人得施其「抑」「舉」；唯人有「有餘」「不足」，而後天得施其「損」「補」。夫自損者固未嘗無損，而受天損者，其禍烈矣。聖人之能不禍於天者，無禍地也。夫豈但勞天下以自奉者為奉有餘哉？人未嘗不肖而欲賢之，人未嘗亂而欲治之，美譽來歸而腥聞贈物，非樂天下之敗以自成乎？故一人安位，天下失據；一日行志，百夫傷心；殺機發於誥誓，而戎馬生於勛名，然則庸人之自奉儉，而賢者之自奉奢，可不畏哉！
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）
天之道，不犹张弓与？高者抑之，下者举之。有余者损之，不足者补之。
郭店楚简异文（战国）
此章缺
English Translations / 英文译本
The way of heaven is like drawing a bow. The high is lowered, the low is raised. The excessive is reduced, the insufficient is supplemented. The way of heaven reduces the excessive and supplements the insufficient. The way of man is not so, it reduces the insufficient to serve the excessive. Who can have the excess to serve the world? Only those with the way. Therefore the sage acts but does not rely, achieves but does not dwell. He does not wish to show his worth.
The way of heaven is like drawing a bow. The high is lowered, the low is raised. The excessive is reduced, the insufficient is supplemented. The way of heaven reduces the excessive and supplements the insufficient. The way of man is not so, it reduces the insufficient to serve the excessive. Who can have the excess to serve the world? Only those with the way. Therefore the sage acts but does not rely, achieves but does not dwell. He does not wish to show his worth.
The way of heaven is like drawing a bow. The high is lowered, the low is raised. The excessive is reduced, the insufficient is supplemented. The way of heaven reduces the excessive and supplements the insufficient. The way of man is not so, it reduces the insufficient to serve the excessive. Who can have the excess to serve the world? Only those with the way. Therefore the sage acts but does not rely, achieves but does not dwell. He does not wish to show his worth.