第二十六章

轻则失根

Light, the Base Will Be Lost

Heaviness is the root of lightness,

and stillness is the master of restlessness.

Therefore, the sage travels all day long

without leaving the vehicle carrying his baggage.

Although attracted by food and scenery,

he is able to neglect them.

Then why is the ruler rash and restless

when governing a large state?

If you are rash,

you will lose your root,

and if you are restless,

you will lose your dominance.

1、“重为轻根，静为躁君”与“君”的英译

开始的时候，我们把这句话译成了 Steadiness is the root of rashness, and stillness is the master of restlessness. 后来想到老子的比喻总是先具体再抽象，所以这里的steadiness和rashness还是需要换词。另外三位译者的译文，就遵循了先具体再抽象的原则。如辜正坤： Heaviness is the root of lightness. Tranquility is the lord of movement. 许渊冲：The heavy is the base of the light; the still is the lord of the rash. Arthur Waley: As the heavy must be the foundation of the light, so quietness is lord and master of activity. “躁”这个字的翻译我们以为还是用rash、still、quiet或者其相应的名词形式为好。至于“根”与“君”，译者的用词虽然不同，但皆算达意。

2、“奈何万乘之主，而以身轻天下”的英译

翻译这句话的时候，我们还是顺着老子开始的思路把“身轻天下”理解成了“治理国家的时候表现得急于求成”，所以我们的译文是Then why is the ruler rash and restless when governing a great state? 与另外三家不一样的还有“万乘之主”的翻译。我们没有直译，而是借助a great state暗喻这个国家的规模。辜正坤的译文Why should a ruler of ten thousand chariots take reckless action to govern the empire?与许渊冲的译文Why should a ruler of ten thousand chariots make little of the country?表达的内涵区别比较明显。我们倾向于前者。Arthur Waley的译文 How much less, then, must be the lord of ten thousand chariots allow himself to be lighter than those he rules? 让我们感觉译者对原文的理解有误。