知足不辱

Contentment Brings No Shame

Which is more intimate, fame or life?

Which is more valuable, life or wealth?

Which is more harmful, gain or loss?

If you love fame and wealth too much,

you will have to pay a higher price;

if you accumulate too much wealth,

you will suffer even greater losses.

Therefore, if you know how to be satisfied,

you will not be humiliated;

if you know enough is enough,

you will not encounter danger.

Only in this way can you maintain long-term peace.

1、“名”、“身”和“货”的英译

“名”是指“名誉”；“身”是“身家性命”，指“生命”；“货”本意是“货物、商品”，此处引申为“财富”。在本章中，老子所要表达的意思之一是珍视生命，不要把名利看得比生命还重。Arthur Waley译成“fame”、“one’s own self”、“things bought”，但对于“货”的理解与原意有出入；辜正坤译成“name”、“body”、“goods”，对于“名”和“货”的理解也与原意有出入；许渊冲译成“fame”、“life” or “health”、“wealth”，符合原意。我们的理解与许渊冲基本相似，也用了“fame”、“life”、“wealth”。

2、“甚爱必大费”的英译

许渊冲译成“The more you love, the more you spend.”；辜正坤译成“Excessive stinginess（小气） will result in great expense”；Arthur Waley译成“He who grudges（吝惜） expense pays dearest in the end”。三位译者的译文都表达了句子的基本意思，但内涵不甚明了。老子在此句中所要表达的意思是过分热衷名利就必定要付出更大的代价，所以我们意译成了“If you love fame and wealth too much, you will have to pay a higher price”。