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When man is born, he is tender and weak. In death he is hard and strong. All beings, herbs and trees, are tender and frail when they are born. When dying, they are rigid and withered. Therefore the firm and strong ones are companions of death, the tender and weak ones are companions of life. Therefore, when arms are strong, they will not be victorious. When trees are strong, they unite. The strong and big ones stay below. The tender and weak ones stay above.
- Chinese :
《道德經》: 人之生也柔弱，其死也堅強。萬物草木之生也柔脆，其死也枯槁。故堅強者死之徒，柔弱者生之徒。是以兵強則不勝，木強則共。強大處下，柔弱處上。
《老子河上公章句·戒強》: 人之生也柔弱，其死也堅強。萬物草木之生也柔脆，其死也枯槁。故堅強者死之徒，柔弱者生之徒。是以兵強則不勝，木強則共。強大處下，柔弱處上。
《馬王堆·老子甲德經》: 人之生也柔弱，其死也恆仞賢強。萬物草木之生也柔脆，其死也桔槁。故曰：堅強者死之徒也，柔弱微細，生之徒也。兵強則不勝，木強則恆。強大居下，柔弱微細居上。
《馬王堆·老子乙德經》: 人之生也柔弱，其死也恆信堅強。萬□□木之生也柔脆，其死也桔槁。故曰：堅強死之徒也，柔弱生之徒也。□以兵強則不朕，木強則兢。故強大居下，柔弱居上。 (Ⅰ) - He Shanggong (Chinese) :
人之生也柔弱，其死也堅強。萬物草木之生也柔脆，其死也枯槁。故堅強者死之徒，柔弱者生之徒。是以兵強則不勝，木強則共。強大處下，柔弱處上。 (Ⅱ) - Wing-Tsit Chan (1963) :
When man is born, he is tender and weak. At death he is stiff and hard.
All things, the grass as well as the trees, are tender and supple while alive. When dead, they are withered and dried.
Therefore the stiff and the hard are companions of death. The tender and the weak are companions of life.
Therefore, if the army is strong, it will not win. If a tree is stiff, it will break.
The strong and the great are inferior, while the tender and the weak are superior. (Ⅲ) - Ellen Marie Chen (1989) :
At birth a person is soft (jou) and yielding (jo),
At death hard (chien) and unyielding (ch'iang).
All beings, grass and trees, when alive, are soft and bending,
When dead they are dry and brittle.
Therefore the hard and unyielding are companions of death,
The soft and yielding are companions of life.
Hence an unyielding army (ping) is destroyed (mieh).
An unyielding tree breaks (che).
The unyielding and great takes its place below,
The soft and yielding takes its place above. (Ⅳ) - Ch'u Ta-Kao (1904) :
Man when living is soft and tender; when dead he is hard and tough. All animals and plants when living are tender and fragile; when dead they become withered and dry. Therefore it is said: the hard and the tough are parts of death, the soft and the tender are parts of life. This is the reason why soldiers when they are too tough cannot carry the day; the tree when it is too tough will break. The Position of the strong and great is low, and the position of the weak and tender is high. (Ⅴ) - World by world translation :
Traditional // simplified // pinyin // definition // dictionary
人 // 人 // rén // ① une personne ② être humain ③ homo sapiens // Chinese-French
人 // 人 // rén // ① man ② person ③ people ④ CL:個|个[ge4],位[wei4] // CC-CEDICT
之 // 之 // zhī // ① (remplaçant une personne ou une chose comme complément) ② (particule possessive dans différentes expressions) // Chinese-French
之 // 之 // zhī // ① (possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5]) ② him ③ her ④ it // CC-CEDICT
生 // 生 // shēng // ① vie ② existence ③ élève ④ cru ⑤ inconnu ⑥ étranger ⑦ accoucher ⑧ naître ⑨ pousser ⑩ vivre // Chinese-French
生 // 生 // shēng // ① to be born ② to give birth ③ life ④ to grow ⑤ raw ⑥ uncooked ⑦ student // CC-CEDICT
也 // 也 // yě // ① également ② aussi ③ à la fois ④ même ⑤ voire // Chinese-French
也 // 也 // yě // ① surname Ye // CC-CEDICT
也 // 也 // yě // ① also ② too ③ (in Classical Chinese) final particle implying affirmation // CC-CEDICT
柔弱 // 柔弱 // róu ruò // ① faible ② délicat // Chinese-French
柔弱 // 柔弱 // róu ruò // ① weak ② delicate // CC-CEDICT
其 // 其 // qí // ① son ② sa ③ ses ④ leur ⑤ leurs ⑥ il(s) ⑦ elle(s) ⑧ ceci ⑨ cela // Chinese-French
其 // 其 // qí // ① his ② her ③ its ④ their ⑤ that ⑥ such ⑦ it (refers to sth preceding it) // CC-CEDICT
死 // 死 // sǐ // ① mourir ② à mort ③ extrêmement ④ mort ⑤ rigide // Chinese-French
死 // 死 // sǐ // ① to die ② impassable ③ uncrossable ④ inflexible ⑤ rigid ⑥ extremely ⑦ damned // CC-CEDICT
也 // 也 // yě // ① également ② aussi ③ à la fois ④ même ⑤ voire // Chinese-French
也 // 也 // yě // ① surname Ye // CC-CEDICT
也 // 也 // yě // ① also ② too ③ (in Classical Chinese) final particle implying affirmation // CC-CEDICT
堅強 // 坚强 // jiān qiáng // ① ferme ② fort // Chinese-French
堅強 // 坚强 // jiān qiáng // ① staunch ② strong // CC-CEDICT
萬物 // 万物 // wàn wù // ① tous les êtres vivants // Chinese-French
萬物 // 万物 // wàn wù // ① all living things // CC-CEDICT
草木 // 草木 // cǎo mù // ① prairies et forêts ② végétation ③ la flore // Chinese-French
草木 // 草木 // cǎo mù // ① vegetation ② plants // CC-CEDICT
之 // 之 // zhī // ① (remplaçant une personne ou une chose comme complément) ② (particule possessive dans différentes expressions) // Chinese-French
之 // 之 // zhī // ① (possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5]) ② him ③ her ④ it // CC-CEDICT
生 // 生 // shēng // ① vie ② existence ③ élève ④ cru ⑤ inconnu ⑥ étranger ⑦ accoucher ⑧ naître ⑨ pousser ⑩ vivre // Chinese-French
生 // 生 // shēng // ① to be born ② to give birth ③ life ④ to grow ⑤ raw ⑥ uncooked ⑦ student // CC-CEDICT
也 // 也 // yě // ① également ② aussi ③ à la fois ④ même ⑤ voire // Chinese-French
也 // 也 // yě // ① surname Ye // CC-CEDICT
也 // 也 // yě // ① also ② too ③ (in Classical Chinese) final particle implying affirmation // CC-CEDICT
柔 // 柔 // róu // ① souple ② flexible ③ doux // Chinese-French
柔 // 柔 // róu // ① soft ② flexible ③ supple ④ yielding ⑤ rho (Greek letter Ρρ) // CC-CEDICT
脆 // 脆 // cuì // ① fragile ② cassant ③ croquant ④ croustillant ⑤ sonore ⑥ éclatant // Chinese-French
脆 // 脆 // cuì // ① brittle ② fragile ③ crisp ④ crunchy ⑤ clear and loud voice ⑥ neat // CC-CEDICT
脃 // 脆 // cuì // ① old variant of 脆[cui4] // CC-CEDICT
其 // 其 // qí // ① son ② sa ③ ses ④ leur ⑤ leurs ⑥ il(s) ⑦ elle(s) ⑧ ceci ⑨ cela // Chinese-French
其 // 其 // qí // ① his ② her ③ its ④ their ⑤ that ⑥ such ⑦ it (refers to sth preceding it) // CC-CEDICT
死 // 死 // sǐ // ① mourir ② à mort ③ extrêmement ④ mort ⑤ rigide // Chinese-French
死 // 死 // sǐ // ① to die ② impassable ③ uncrossable ④ inflexible ⑤ rigid ⑥ extremely ⑦ damned // CC-CEDICT
也 // 也 // yě // ① également ② aussi ③ à la fois ④ même ⑤ voire // Chinese-French
也 // 也 // yě // ① surname Ye // CC-CEDICT
也 // 也 // yě // ① also ② too ③ (in Classical Chinese) final particle implying affirmation // CC-CEDICT
枯槁 // 枯槁 // kū gǎo // ① fané ② flétri ③ desséché ④ hâve ⑤ défait ⑥ languissant // Chinese-French
枯槁 // 枯槁 // kū gǎo // ① withered ② haggard ③ languid ④ without energy // CC-CEDICT
故 // 故 // gù // ① incident ② cause ③ à dessein ④ exprès ⑤ raison ⑥ ancien ⑦ mourir // Chinese-French
故 // 故 // gù // ① happening ② instance ③ reason ④ cause ⑤ intentional ⑥ former ⑦ old ⑧ friend ⑨ therefore ⑩ hence ⑪ (of people) to die, dead // CC-CEDICT
堅強 // 坚强 // jiān qiáng // ① ferme ② fort // Chinese-French
堅強 // 坚强 // jiān qiáng // ① staunch ② strong // CC-CEDICT
者 // 者 // zhě // ① (placé après un adjectif ou un verbe est utilisé comme substantif pour désigner une personne ou une chose) // Chinese-French
者 // 者 // zhě // ① (after a verb or adjective) one who (is) ... ② (after a noun) person involved in ... ③ -er ④ -ist ⑤ (used after a number or 後|后[hou4] or 前[qian2] to refer to sth mentioned previously) ⑥ (used after a term, to mark a pause before defining the term) ⑦ (old) (used at the end of a command) ⑧ (old) this // CC-CEDICT
死 // 死 // sǐ // ① mourir ② à mort ③ extrêmement ④ mort ⑤ rigide // Chinese-French
死 // 死 // sǐ // ① to die ② impassable ③ uncrossable ④ inflexible ⑤ rigid ⑥ extremely ⑦ damned // CC-CEDICT
之 // 之 // zhī // ① (remplaçant une personne ou une chose comme complément) ② (particule possessive dans différentes expressions) // Chinese-French
之 // 之 // zhī // ① (possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5]) ② him ③ her ④ it // CC-CEDICT
徒 // 徒 // tú // ① disciple ② apprenti ③ à pied ④ en vain ⑤ seulement // Chinese-French
徒 // 徒 // tú // ① surname Tu // CC-CEDICT
徒 // 徒 // tú // ① disciple ② apprentice ③ believer ④ on foot ⑤ bare or empty ⑥ to no avail ⑦ only ⑧ prison sentence // CC-CEDICT
柔弱 // 柔弱 // róu ruò // ① faible ② délicat // Chinese-French
柔弱 // 柔弱 // róu ruò // ① weak ② delicate // CC-CEDICT
者 // 者 // zhě // ① (placé après un adjectif ou un verbe est utilisé comme substantif pour désigner une personne ou une chose) // Chinese-French
者 // 者 // zhě // ① (after a verb or adjective) one who (is) ... ② (after a noun) person involved in ... ③ -er ④ -ist ⑤ (used after a number or 後|后[hou4] or 前[qian2] to refer to sth mentioned previously) ⑥ (used after a term, to mark a pause before defining the term) ⑦ (old) (used at the end of a command) ⑧ (old) this // CC-CEDICT
生 // 生 // shēng // ① vie ② existence ③ élève ④ cru ⑤ inconnu ⑥ étranger ⑦ accoucher ⑧ naître ⑨ pousser ⑩ vivre // Chinese-French
生 // 生 // shēng // ① to be born ② to give birth ③ life ④ to grow ⑤ raw ⑥ uncooked ⑦ student // CC-CEDICT
之 // 之 // zhī // ① (remplaçant une personne ou une chose comme complément) ② (particule possessive dans différentes expressions) // Chinese-French
之 // 之 // zhī // ① (possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5]) ② him ③ her ④ it // CC-CEDICT
徒 // 徒 // tú // ① disciple ② apprenti ③ à pied ④ en vain ⑤ seulement // Chinese-French
徒 // 徒 // tú // ① surname Tu // CC-CEDICT
徒 // 徒 // tú // ① disciple ② apprentice ③ believer ④ on foot ⑤ bare or empty ⑥ to no avail ⑦ only ⑧ prison sentence // CC-CEDICT
是以 // 是以 // shì yǐ // ① par conséquent ② donc // Chinese-French
是以 // 是以 // shì yǐ // ① therefore ② thus ③ so // CC-CEDICT
兵 // 兵 // bīng // ① soldat ② arme ③ armée ④ militaire ⑤ guerre ⑥ stratégie // Chinese-French
兵 // 兵 // bīng // ① soldiers ② a force ③ an army ④ weapons ⑤ arms ⑥ military ⑦ warlike ⑧ CL:個|个[ge4] // CC-CEDICT
強 // 强 // qiáng // ① fort ② puissant ③ de force // Chinese-French
強 // 强 // qiáng // ① surname Qiang // CC-CEDICT
強 // 强 // qiáng // ① strong ② powerful ③ better ④ slightly more than ⑤ vigorous ⑥ violent ⑦ best in their category, e.g. see 百強|百强[bai3 qiang2] // CC-CEDICT
強 // 强 // qiǎng // ① faire un effort ② forcer // Chinese-French
強 // 强 // qiǎng // ① to force ② to compel ③ to strive ④ to make an effort // CC-CEDICT
強 // 强 // jiàng // ① obstiné ② têtu ③ inflexible // Chinese-French
強 // 强 // jiàng // ① stubborn ② unyielding // CC-CEDICT
則 // 则 // zé // ① règle ② règlement ③ alors ④ donc // Chinese-French
則 // 则 // zé // ① (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but ② then ③ standard ④ norm ⑤ principle ⑥ to imitate ⑦ to follow ⑧ classifier for written items // CC-CEDICT
不勝 // 不胜 // bù shèng // ① très ② extrêmement // Chinese-French
不勝 // 不胜 // bù shèng // ① cannot bear or stand ② be unequal to ③ very ④ extremely // CC-CEDICT
木 // 木 // mù // ① arbre ② bois ③ cercueil ④ engourdi // Chinese-French
木 // 木 // mù // ① surname Mu // CC-CEDICT
木 // 木 // mù // ① tree ② wood ③ coffin ④ wooden ⑤ simple ⑥ numb ⑦ one of the eight ancient musical instruments 八音[ba1 yin1] // CC-CEDICT
強 // 强 // qiáng // ① fort ② puissant ③ de force // Chinese-French
強 // 强 // qiáng // ① surname Qiang // CC-CEDICT
強 // 强 // qiáng // ① strong ② powerful ③ better ④ slightly more than ⑤ vigorous ⑥ violent ⑦ best in their category, e.g. see 百強|百强[bai3 qiang2] // CC-CEDICT
強 // 强 // qiǎng // ① faire un effort ② forcer // Chinese-French
強 // 强 // qiǎng // ① to force ② to compel ③ to strive ④ to make an effort // CC-CEDICT
強 // 强 // jiàng // ① obstiné ② têtu ③ inflexible // Chinese-French
強 // 强 // jiàng // ① stubborn ② unyielding // CC-CEDICT
則 // 则 // zé // ① règle ② règlement ③ alors ④ donc // Chinese-French
則 // 则 // zé // ① (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but ② then ③ standard ④ norm ⑤ principle ⑥ to imitate ⑦ to follow ⑧ classifier for written items // CC-CEDICT
共 // 共 // gòng // ① commun ② général ③ partager ④ ensemble ⑤ au total ⑥ en tout // Chinese-French
共 // 共 // gòng // ① common ② general ③ to share ④ together ⑤ total ⑥ altogether ⑦ abbr. for 共產黨|共产党[Gong4 chan3 dang3], Communist party // CC-CEDICT
強大 // 强大 // qiáng dà // ① puissant // Chinese-French
強大 // 强大 // qiáng dà // ① large ② formidable ③ powerful ④ strong // CC-CEDICT
處 // 处 // chù // ① lieu ② endroit ③ département ④ service // Chinese-French
處 // 处 // chù // ① place ② location ③ spot ④ point ⑤ office ⑥ department ⑦ bureau ⑧ respect ⑨ classifier for locations or items of damage: spot, point // CC-CEDICT
處 // 处 // chǔ // ① s'entendre (bien ou mal) ② se trouver ③ punir ④ habiter // Chinese-French
處 // 处 // chǔ // ① to reside ② to live ③ to dwell ④ to be in ⑤ to be situated at ⑥ to stay ⑦ to get along with ⑧ to be in a position of ⑨ to deal with ⑩ to discipline ⑪ to punish // CC-CEDICT
下 // 下 // xià // ① sous ② suivant ③ prochain ④ bas ⑤ en bas ⑥ diminuer ⑦ descendre ⑧ arriver à (une décision, une conclusion) // Chinese-French
下 // 下 // xià // ① down ② downwards ③ below ④ lower ⑤ later ⑥ next (week etc) ⑦ second (of two parts) ⑧ to decline ⑨ to go down ⑩ to arrive at (a decision, conclusion etc) ⑪ measure word to show the frequency of an action // CC-CEDICT
柔弱 // 柔弱 // róu ruò // ① faible ② délicat // Chinese-French
柔弱 // 柔弱 // róu ruò // ① weak ② delicate // CC-CEDICT
處 // 处 // chù // ① lieu ② endroit ③ département ④ service // Chinese-French
處 // 处 // chù // ① place ② location ③ spot ④ point ⑤ office ⑥ department ⑦ bureau ⑧ respect ⑨ classifier for locations or items of damage: spot, point // CC-CEDICT
處 // 处 // chǔ // ① s'entendre (bien ou mal) ② se trouver ③ punir ④ habiter // Chinese-French
處 // 处 // chǔ // ① to reside ② to live ③ to dwell ④ to be in ⑤ to be situated at ⑥ to stay ⑦ to get along with ⑧ to be in a position of ⑨ to deal with ⑩ to discipline ⑪ to punish // CC-CEDICT
上 // 上 // shàng // ① monter ② grimper ③ partir pour ④ mettre ⑤ fixer ⑥ appliquer (un remède) ⑦ supérieur ⑧ haut ⑨ premier ⑩ précédent // Chinese-French
上 // 上 // shàng // ① on top ② upon ③ above ④ upper ⑤ previous ⑥ first (of multiple parts) ⑦ to climb ⑧ to get onto ⑨ to go up ⑩ to attend (class or university) // CC-CEDICT
上 // 上 // shǎng // ① see 上聲|上声[shang3 sheng1] // CC-CEDICT (Ⅵ) - Yi Wu (1989) :
Life is soft and weak, death is hard and strong.
Plants are soft or fragile while living
And wither and harden while dying.
Therefore death grows in strength and hardness,
And life grows in softness and weakness.
A strong army perishes and a strong tree breaks.
What is hard and strong should not be valued,
And "the Above" should keep soft and weak. (Ⅶ) - Lynn (2004) :
While alive, humans are soft and pliable, but, when dead, they are hard and stiff.
While alive, plants, trees, and all the other myriad things are also soft and fragile, but, when dead, they are dried up and withered.
Thus it is that the hard and stiff are adherents of death, and the soft and pliable are adherents of life.
This is why, if military power is stiff, it will not be victorious.
If a tree is stiff, it will be attacked.
The stiff [strong] and great occupy a position below.
The soft and pliant occupy a position above. (Ⅷ)
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