Chapter 54

1. What (Tao's) skilful¹ planter plants
Can never be uptorn;
What his skilful arms enfold,
From him can ne'er be borne.
Sons shall bring in lengthening² line,
Sacrifices to his shrine³.

2. Tao when nursed within one's self,
His vigour⁴ will make true;
And where the family it rules
What riches will accrue⁵!
The neighbourhood where it prevails
In thriving will abound⁶;
And when 'tis seen throughout the state,
Good fortune will be found.
Employ it the kingdom o'er,
And men thrive all around.

3. In this way the effect will be seen in the person, by the observation of different cases; in the family; in the neighbourhood; in the state; and in the kingdom.

4. How do I know that this effect is sure to hold thus all under the sky? By this (method of observation).

　　善建者不拔，善抱者不脫，子孫以祭祀不輟。
　　修之于身，其德乃真；修之于家，其德乃餘；修之于鄉，其德乃長；修之于邦，其德乃丰；修之于天下，其德乃普。
　　故以身觀身，以家觀家，以鄉觀鄉，以邦觀邦，以天下觀天下。
吾何以知天下然哉？以此。

【译文】
       合道境地的人，他的建树根柢牢固，他的抱持不会脱落，他的事业将世代承继不衰。修道于自身，其德才纯真；修道于家族，其德才充裕；修道于乡里，其德永绵延；修道于邦国，其德才丰厚；修道于天下，其德才普泛。所以，以自身观想德身，以我家观想德家，以自乡观想德乡，以我邦观想德邦，以现今之天下观想厚德之天下。我是怎么知道现今天下之状况的呢？就是拿它与观想的厚德之天下相比较而得知的。

1 skilful   

(=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的

参考例句：

• The more you practise,the more skilful you'll become.练习的次数越多，熟练的程度越高。
• He's not very skilful with his chopsticks.他用筷子不大熟练。

2 lengthening   

（时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的现在分词 )； 加长

参考例句：

• The evening shadows were lengthening. 残阳下的影子越拉越长。
• The shadows are lengthening for me. 我的影子越来越长了。 来自演讲部分

3 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

4 vigour   

（=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力

参考例句：

• She is full of vigour and enthusiasm.她有热情，有朝气。
• At 40,he was in his prime and full of vigour.他40岁时正年富力强。

5 accrue   

v.(利息等)增大，增多

参考例句：

• Ability to think will accrue to you from good habits of study.思考能力将因良好的学习习惯而自然增强。
• Money deposited in banks will accrue to us with interest.钱存在银行，利息自生。

6 abound   

vi.大量存在；(in，with)充满，富于

参考例句：

• Oranges abound here all the year round.这里一年到头都有很多橙子。
• But problems abound in the management of State-owned companies.但是在国有企业的管理中仍然存在不少问题。