本章大意：人活着的时候身体是柔软的，死了以后身体就变得僵硬。草木生长时是柔软脆弱的，死了以后就变得干硬枯槁了。所以坚强的东西属于死亡的一类，柔弱的东西属于生长的一类。因此，用兵逞强就会遭到灭亡，树木强大了就会遭到砍伐摧折。凡是强大的，总是处于下位，凡是柔弱的，反而居于上位。

《道德经》（第七十六章）

人之生也柔弱，

其死也坚强。

草木之生也柔脆，

其死也枯槁。

故坚强者死之徒，

柔弱者生之徒。

是以兵强则灭，

木强则折。

强大处下，

柔弱处上。

Chapter 76

Human beings are soft and supple when alive, stiff and straight when dead.

The myriad creatures, the grasses and trees are soft and fragile when alive, dry and withered when dead.

Therefore, it is said:

The rigid person is a disciple of death;

The soft, supple, and delicate are lovers of life.

An army that is inflexible will not conquer;

A tree that is inflexible will snap.

The unyielding and mighty shall be brought low;

The soft, supple, and delicate will be set above.

（Victor H. Mair 译）

Chapter 76

Soft and weak at birth,

a man is rigid hard at death.

Trees and plants are soft and supple alive,

brittle and withered when dead.

Thus the hard and brittle belong to death

and the soft and weak belong to life.

An adamant army may be decimated.

A tree that’s too strong will be crooked.

Thus the hard and strong are subjugated

and the soft and weak triumph.

（Tony Barnstone and Chou Ping 译）

Chapter 76

A man is supple and weak when living, but hard and stiff when dead.

Grass and trees are pliant and fragile when living, but dried and shriveled when dead.

Thus the hard and the strong are the comrades of death;

The supple and the weak are the comrades of life.

Therefore a weapon that is strong will not vanquish;

A tree that is strong will suffer the axe.

The strong and big takes the lower position,

The supple and the weak takes the higher position.

（刘殿爵 译）

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