老子道德經 第五章 虛用

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45 KJV)

老子道德經白話解 虛用第五
【經文】
天地不仁，以萬物為芻狗；聖人不仁，以百姓為芻狗。天地之間，其猶橐籥乎？虛而不屈，動而愈出。多言數窮，不如守中。
(芻狗 - 用草紮成的狗，古代祭祀時用為贖罪除禍的替身。)

【翻譯】
天地無私，不會偏愛親近萬物，反而把萬物當做草狗。聖人無私，不會偏愛親近百姓，反而把百姓當做草狗。天地之間，就像是風箱一樣，中間空虛而永遠也不會窮盡，愈動它的出風就愈多。言語過多那麼反而讓法度走向絕路，不如守住中虛無為之道。

天地不情感用事，對萬物一視同仁，聖人不情感用事，對百姓一視同仁。天地之間，不正像風箱一樣嗎？雖空虛卻不會窮竭，越動，它的風就越大。政令繁多反而使人困惑，更行不通，只會加速失敗，不如保持虛靜任其自然發展。

天地沒有任何偏愛把萬物當成芻狗，讓它們自行榮枯。聖人沒有任何偏愛，把百姓當成芻狗，讓他們自行興衰。天地之間，正像一個風箱啊！雖空虛卻不致匱乏，一鼓動就源源不絕。議論太多，很快就會走投無路，還不如守住虛靜的原則。

天地真是一點都不仁慈啊！對待萬物就像對待芻狗一般，在成就妙化萬物的大功後就放任萬物自生自滅。聖人同樣一點都不仁慈，也把百姓當芻狗般對待，在建立好大道的制度後，就任由百姓去自謀生路。天地間，道的作用就像是冶鐵時用的風箱一般！其中空虛卻不曾屈撓，運作的越快萬事萬物就產出越多。說多了反而把道給說僵了，還不如用心去感悟常道，並遵循常道而行。

Chapter 5 The use of emptiness
Heaven and earth do not act from (the impulse of) any wish to be benevolent; they deal with all things as the dogs of grass are dealt with.
The sages do not act from (any wish to be) benevolent; they deal with the people as the dogs of grass are dealt with.
May not the space between heaven and earth be compared to a bellows?
'Tis emptied, yet it loses not its power;
'Tis moved again, and sends forth air the more.
Much speech to swift exhaustion lead we see;
Your inner being guard, and keep it free. (James Legge)

To be impartial, the universe treats all things like straw dogs.
To be impartial, the sage treats all people like straw dogs.
The universe is like a vacuum tube: empty but can never be exhausted
When it is acted upon with force, air comes out.
Verbosity leads to rejection. Finding a point of balance is preferred. (E. C. Chang 張暢繁)

Lao Tzu views heaven as impartial or amoral and does not act on good or evil that is done by men.

Look at the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds, which are higher than you. If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him? If you are righteous, what do you give to him? Or what does he receive from your hand? (Job 35:5-7 ESV)