Chapter 2, Section 2 Concepts

[Marblehead]

Chapter 2: Adjustment of Controversies

 

Section 2: The world of changes

 

Concepts discussed in Chapter 2, Section 2 are:

 

　

Contraries spring from our subjective individuality

 

 

 

http://oaks.nvg.org/zhuangzi2-.html

 

(Link to James Legge's translation of Chuang Tzu, Chapter 2)

[ChiDragon]

　大知过于广博，小知过于精细。大言盛气凌人，小言喋喋不休。他们睡时也心神交错烦乱，他们醒时也形体不得安宁。与社会接触构合纠葛，整天勾心斗角。有的 显得慢不经心，有的却冥恩苦想，有的则小心谨慎。对小的恐惧提心吊胆，对大的恐惧垂头丧气。

 

他们的心计一发就象箭一样疾速，他们的心计探察不发是为了称是 避非；他们停止发言犹如盟誓，为了以守取胜；他们衰败好似秋风冬寒的景象，这是说他们一天天在消弱；

 

他们沉溺在所作所为的活动之中，再无法使他们恢复原 状；他们隐藏心灵不言不语，说明他们老而枯竭败坏；接近死亡的心灵，再也不能使它恢复生机。高兴、愤怒、悲哀、欢乐，优虑、叹息、变态、恐惧，轻浮、安 逸、放荡、娇淫：象乐声从空虚的乐器中产生出来，又象菌类从地上的蒸气中产生出来一样。交互更替在眼前，而不知道它们是怎样萌发出来的。

 

Great knowledge is much too broad; and small knowledge is much too scrupulous. Big talks are brash. Small talks are too talkative. When they are asleep, their minds were still perturbed with disturbance; when they are awake, their overall being was unpeaceful. When they associate with society, they were intrigue against each other. Some of them were carefree; and some were troubled with vexed issues. Some were very careful and prudent. Some were haunted with constant fear with the small issues. Some become depressed with bigger issues.

 

When they are carrying out their plans, it was like the fast speed of a shooting arrow. At times, they did not carry out their plans is because they want to avoid controversy. They stopped to speak is like a vow which was a defensive tactic for the sake of victory.

 

Their decline seems like the scenery of the autumn wind in a chilly winter. For what have being said, they were getting weaker day by day. They become weaken within their normal activities, there was no way that they can return to their original state. They have their hearts hidden within silence which indicates that they were withered and deteriorated. Their hearts were approaching death which cannot be returned with vitality. Joyfulness, angry, sadness, happiness, worries, sigh, metamorphosis, fear, frivolous , peacefulness, dissolute, and wanton: they seem like the musical sounds produced from the empty space of the musical instruments; they also seem like the mushrooms shooting out by the steams from the ground. They were mutually replacing each other; but we don't know how they were sprouted and came about....!!!

 

 

 

Edited September 21, 2013 by ChiDragon

[Marblehead]

Not too bad. Significant differences in word choice between your and Legge's. I actually love Lin Yutang's translation of this section. He used such beautifully descriptive words in his translation. The first time I read it I could actually feel what he was saying.

[ChiDragon]

This seems to be a better interpretation...

大 智者廣博豁達，小聰明者斤斤計較，高談闊論者氣勢激昂，不善言論者爭辯不休，他們睡著的時魂魄也忙著跟人打交道，
一醒來形體便活動起來，與外界接觸交接謀 合，每天勾心鬥角，寬心者，深藏者，隱瞞者，小恐懼就提心吊膽，大恐懼就神志不定。
An intellect is full of wisdom and vast knowledge; a mediocre is always square accounts in every detail. Those who harangues are full of empty talks. Those who are not eloquent always argues endlessly. When they are asleep, their spirits were still socializing with others. When they woke up, their bodies become active by interacting with other people. They were intrigue against each other. People with Indulgence, insidious ones, and recluses become frightened with a little intimidation; They are even more anxious if they were threatened in a bigger scale.

講話像射出利箭，陷在是非之中；不發言將心思像賭咒過不說出，是為保住 勝利之說；就像秋冬降臨一樣，天真本性受磨殆盡；這樣沉溺在自己行為之中，本心沒法回復了；

When they talk , they seem like a shooting arrow which make them vulnerable by putting themselves in a controversial situation. Those who did not speak but complained within their hearts were to kept them ahead of victory. Thus it would seem like greeting the arrival of autumn and winter. The inner nature of oneself was tormented vigorously. One would be immersed oneself in one's own action. Hence, returning back to the starting point is no longer possible.

他們心靈閉塞像被繩索縛住，沿著衰老頹敗，接近死亡的心態。無 法讓它恢復生機了。
Their hearts seem like tied with a knot of a rope and followed along the path of old age and deterioration. With a notion of approaching death, then, there was no chance given for revitalization.

欣喜、憤怒、悲哀、歡樂，他們憂歎反復和恐懼，
Happiness, anger, sadness, and joyfulness causing them to repeatedly worry and regret with fear.

他們輕浮奢華放縱的張狂作態。好像空虛的管蕭發出音樂，暑氣蒸發生出菌類一樣。
Their dissolute extravagance and the indulgent attitude seem like the musical sounds which came from the hollows of a flute; and also it was like the mushrooms produced from the summer steams.

這種種情 態日夜在面前相互對應地更換與替代，誰知道是誰支配的呢。算了吧，算了吧！一旦懂得這一切發生的道理，就明白了天地間生化的道理了。

This kinds of superficial phenomena are mutating and replacing each other up front, who knows who is behind all this....??? Forget it.....!!! Forget it.....!!! As soon as one knows the reasons for all this happening, then, one would have understood the reasons for the vitalization of all in the Universe.

Edited September 22, 2013 by ChiDragon

[Marblehead]

We all are a work in progress.

[ChiDragon]

This seems to be a better interpretation...

An intellect is full of wisdom and vast knowledge; a mediocre is always square accounts in every detail. Those who harangues are full of empty talks. Those who are not eloquent always argues endlessly. When they are asleep, their spirits were still socializing with others. When they woke up, their bodies become active by interacting with other people. They were intrigue against each other. People with Indulgence, insidious ones, and recluses become frightened with a little intimidation; They are even more anxious if they were threatened in a bigger scale.

When they talk , they seem like a shooting arrow which make them vulnerable by putting themselves in a controversial situation. Those who did not speak but complained within their hearts were to kept them ahead of victory. Thus it would seem like greeting the arrival of autumn and winter. The inner nature of oneself was tormented vigorously. One would be immersed oneself in one's own action. Hence, returning back to the starting point is no longer possible.

Their hearts seem like tied with a knot of a rope and followed along the path of old age and deterioration. With a notion of approaching death, then, there was no chance given for revitalization. Happiness, anger, sadness, and joyfulness causing them to repeatedly worry and regret with fear. Their dissolute extravagance and the indulgent attitude seem like the musical sounds which came from the hollows of a flute; and also it was like the mushrooms produced from the summer steams.

This kinds of superficial phenomena are mutating and replacing each other up front, who knows who is behind all this....??? Forget it.....!!! Forget it.....!!! As soon as one knows the reasons for all this happening, then, one would have understood the reasons for the vitalization of all in the Universe.

[Marblehead]

Not too bad. At least you got the concept covered.