大道废有仁义

　　When the Great Way Declines, Humaneness and Righteousness Arise

　　当大道没有了，才讲仁义；有大道时，仁义一点也显不出来，

　　因为仁义都在「道」里边包括着。

　　When the great Way disappears, people start talking about humaneness and righteousness.

　　When the great Way prevails, humaneness and righteousness are not obvious

　　because everyone takes them for granted.

　　人心不古，道德沦亡。

　　People no longer follow ancient ways;

　　Moral values have declined.

　　世界一天比一天往下流，而不知往上达。以前没有这么多学校，没有这么多人读书，人反而没有这么颠倒卑劣；现在学校多了，读书人也多了，世界坏人反而一天比一天多。

　　The world continues to decline, and there”s no sign of improvement. Although education is more widespread than before, people seem more confused and depraved than ever. Even with more schools and students, there are more wicked people.

　　古来的人读书是要明理，明白做人的道理，怎样诸恶莫作，众善奉行，学习孝悌忠信、礼义廉耻；现在的读书人都为名利。「明理」与「名利」两个音差不多，但是做起来是大相径庭，相离十万八千里。

　　The ancients studied in order to understand principles. They wished to understand how to be human, and how to refrain from evil and to practice good. They learned the virtues of filial piety, fraternity, loyalty, trustworthiness, propriety, righteousness, incorruptibility, and a sense of shame. Nowadays, people study in order to attain fame and profit. In Chinese, the phrases "to understand principles" and "fame and profit" sound similar (both are pronounced ming li), but their meanings are vastly different.

　　为名利而读书的人，只想着要读什么书才可以赚大钱，譬如读医学或科学，都可以赚大钱，而没有想，我读书是将来要为人群谋幸福，学医是要济世救人，利人利己。现在的读书人只会利己，而不知利人。甚至有一些教授学者公开鼓励学生吃迷幻药、行淫欲，或做种种扰人乱世的事，所以将世界弄得一天不如一天。老子说：

　　Those who crave fame and profit study medicine or science in order to make lots of money. They don”t think, "I”m studying so that I can benefit society. I”m studying medicine in order to save lives and benefit others." Nowadays, many students are self-centered. They don”t think about benefiting others. Some professors even encourage students to take drugs, be promiscuous, or take part in socially disruptive activities. As a result, the world grows worse day by day. Lao Zi said,

　　大道废，有仁义；

　　智慧出，有大伪；

　　六亲不和，有孝慈；

　　国家昏乱，有忠臣。

　　When the great Way declines,

　　there is humaneness and righteousness.

　　When wisdom appears,

　　 there is great deceit.

　　When the six types of relatives are not

　　in harmony, there are filial children

　　and caring parents.

　　When the country is in chaos,

　　 loyal ministers come forth.

　　当大道没有了，才讲仁义；若有大道时，仁义一点也显不出来，因为仁义都在「道」里边包括着。当有智慧的人出现时，也就有虚伪的人同时出现，他会欺骗其他的人。

　　When the great Way disappears, people start talking about humaneness and righteousness. When the great Way prevails, humaneness and righteousness are not obvious because everyone takes them for granted. When wise people appear, charlatans also show up.

　　六亲和睦，家庭不争，父慈子孝，兄友弟恭，这才是和乐的家庭。但若六亲不和，父不慈、子不孝，兄弟不友爱时，这时就有真正的孝子显现出来。就好像大舜：

　　When the six types of relatives are in harmony, there is no fighting in the family. Parents are loving and children are filial; elder siblings are friendly and younger siblings are respectful. Families are truly happy and harmonious. However, during a time when relatives are not harmonious, when parents are uncaring, children are unfilial, elder siblings are mean, and younger siblings are disrespectful, then truly caring parents and filial children will appear. Consider the case of Great Shun [Emperor of China 2255-2205 b.c.]:

　　父顽、母嚣、弟傲，

　　舜为克尽孝道。

　　His father was foolish, his mother licentious,

　　and his younger brother arrogant,

　　Yet Shun was able to fulfill his filial duties

　　to perfection.

　　大舜的父亲顽古不化，名叫瞽叟，意谓他虽然有眼睛，但如同瞎子一样，不认识黑白是非、曲直善恶，自己有个好儿子，却不知道。大舜的后母，淫乱阴险，不讲道理，很偏见的。大舜的后弟(象)，非常傲慢，不恭敬大舜。大舜虽然生在这样的家庭中，但他还是尽孝道，孝顺父母，友爱弟弟。

　　The Great Shun”s father was an obstinate and bigoted man named Gu Sou (Blind Old Man), meaning that even though he had eyes, he was just like a blind man. He couldn”t tell white from black, right from wrong, straight from crooked, or good from bad. He didn”t realize what…

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