第二十四章 中和谦卑
企者不立,跨者不行。自见者不明,自是者不彰,自伐者无功,自矜者不长。其在道也,曰:馀食赘形。物或恶之,故有道者不处。
Harmony in toleration
Those who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm; those who stretches his legs does not walk long.
Those who adhere to their own way of thinking cannot be open-minded.
Those who are arrogant of themselves cannot be distinguished.
Those who make claims have no credit.
To persons of the Way, these traits are like leftover of food and waste of action, Which all creatures detest. Therefore those who possess Tao turn away from them.
[译文]
踮着脚是站不久的,跳跃而行是走不远的。固执己见的人,不明事理;自以为是的人,成不了大事;自我吹嘘的人,没有功绩可言;狂妄自大的人,不得长久。对于修道明德的人来说,固执己见、 自以为是、自我吹嘘、狂妄自大这不良习气和禀性是修行人极大的障碍。
这些不良习性令人厌恶, 所以有志修道明德的人一定要去除这些毛病。