Chapter 70

1. My words are very easy to know, and very easy to practise; but there is no one in the world who is able to know and able to practise them.

2. There is an originating and all-comprehending (principle) in my words, and an authoritative¹ law for the things (which I enforce). It is because they do not know these, that men do not know me.

3. They who know me are few, and I am on that account (the more) to be prized. It is thus that the sage² wears (a poor garb³ of) hair cloth, while he carries his (signet of) jade⁴ in his bosom⁵.

       吾言甚易知，甚易行。
       天下莫能知，莫能行。
       言有宗，事有君。
       夫唯无知，是以不我知。
       知我者希，则我者贵。
       是以圣人被褐而怀玉。

【译文】
       我的话很容易理解，很容易实行。而天下却没有人能理解，没有人去实行。言论有宗旨用意，行事有主从动机。正是因为对这用意、动机的不明白，所以才导致对我的不理解。能理解我的人很少，能效法我而在行事中加以贯彻的就更难能可贵。因此，圣人外面穿着的似乎是粗布衣裳，但里面包含着的却是稀世美玉！

1 authoritative   

adj.有权威的，可相信的；命令式的；官方的

参考例句：

• David speaks in an authoritative tone.大卫以命令的口吻说话。
• Her smile was warm but authoritative.她的笑容很和蔼，同时又透着威严。

2 sage   

n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的

参考例句：

• I was grateful for the old man's sage advice.我很感激那位老人贤明的忠告。
• The sage is the instructor of a hundred ages.这位哲人是百代之师。

3 garb   

n.服装，装束

参考例句：

• He wore the garb of a general.他身着将军的制服。
• Certain political,social,and legal forms reappear in seemingly different garb.一些政治、社会和法律的形式在表面不同的外衣下重复出现。

4 jade   

n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠

参考例句：

• The statue was carved out of jade.这座塑像是玉雕的。
• He presented us with a couple of jade lions.他送给我们一对玉狮子。

5 bosom   

n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的

参考例句：

• She drew a little book from her bosom.她从怀里取出一本小册子。
• A dark jealousy stirred in his bosom.他内心生出一阵恶毒的嫉妒。