夫言者，風波也；行者，實喪也。風波易以動，實喪易以危。故忿設無由，巧言偏辭。獸死不擇音，氣息茀然，於是並生心厲。剋核大至，則必有不肖之心應之，而不知其然也。苟為不知其然也，孰知其所終！故法言曰：『無遷令，無勸成。』過度，益也。遷令、勸成殆事，美成在久，惡成不及改，可不慎與！且夫乘物以遊心，託不得已以養中，至矣。何作為報也！莫若為致命。此其難者。」
Fū yán zhě, fēng bō yě; xíng zhě, shí sàng yě. Fēng bō yì yǐ dòng, shí sàng yì yǐ
wēi. Gù fèn shè wú yóu, qiǎo yán piān cí. Shòu sǐ bù zé yīn, qì xī fú rán, yú
shì bìng shēng xīn lì. Kè hé dà zhì, Zé bì yǒu bù xiào xiào zhī xīn yīng zhī,
ér bù zhī qí rán yě. Gǒu wéi bù zhī qí rán yě, shú zhī qī suǒ zhōng! Gù fǎ yán
yuē: “Wú qiān lìng, wú quán chèng.” Guò dù, yì yě. Qiān lìng, quán chèng dài
shì, měi chéng zài jiǔ, è chéng bù jí gǎi, kě bù shèn yǔ! Qiě fù chéng wù yǐ
yóu xīn, tuō bù dé yǐ yǐ yàng zhōng, zhì yǐ. Hé zuò wéi bào yě! Mò ruò wéi zhì
mìng. Cǐ qí nán zhě.
Rough Translation
One who speaks, wind and waves; one who walks/carries out actions, wealth/gain and
loss; Wind and waves easily taking movement; gain and loss easily taking
dangerous/precarious. [In the beginning] anger builds without cause;
ingenious/clever words incline/slant speech; dying animals do not pick out
tones/pronunciation, spirit stops [and] “like a path overgrown with grass,” in
(this same manner) (side-by-side) are born stern/harsh hearts. Subdue the
seed/core until big, therefore surely have a heart unlike the one you must
have, and you do not know how (it follows). And because not knowing it how it
happens, who knows where it will end!
Polished Translation
In the beginning the Rules of Speech say: "Do not move/shift orders/decrees,
do not urge completion." Go by (standard measures/natural system), and
benefit; Migrating decrees, advising completion, dangerous affairs, beautiful
completion [is at/takes] long time, hateful (dysfunctional) completion does not
attain correct, it can be not acting with care! Moreover
adjust to things/take advantage of things by a wandering heart, trusting do not
grasp at ends, by means of nurturing the center (of things), arrive! What thing
works for the sake of reporting/following orders? Nothing is like (doing
things) for the sake of delivering orders (obeying fate). Here this is the difficult (thing to do).
Discussion
Attempting a direct translation leaves us with: "Subdue the core, until big." We
can assume an understood topic, which might leave us with something like:
"Subduing the core (of the matter)until anger becomes big,
then you certainly have an unsuitable heart."
核 (hé) means "seed" and it can be either literal or figurative. It can be the seed
of a fruit or the core of some kind of principled action, such as governing. In
either case the image of "something growing and coming to fruition"
is the central concept that allows the term to be used figuratively. Pre-Han
literature emphasizes the importance of not forcing affairs, instead allowing
things to happen in a "natural" manner. The debate in these texts is
often about how to best nurture conditions favorable to the natural completion
of affairs, or a seemingly effortless consummation of circumstances into the
desired conclusion.
莫若為致命
Starting with a more literal translation we have "There is nothing (as difficult)
as acting for the sake of delivering orders." I highlight the importance
of this passage because of the importance of 致 (zhì) and 命 (mìng) as
concepts. 命 in particular adds an entire second layer to the passage. The primary layer of meaning in the passage focuses on
the difficulty of following orders and ensuring that effective communication occurs between government officials and opposing factions. 命 can mean
the literal orders you have received from your commanding officer, which fits
well with this layer of meaning. However, 命 can also mean the natural constraints of existence imposed by life, the constraints of
the human condition. This second meaning derives from the idea of the orders of 天 We each have
to accept the natural constraints imposed on us by the conditions of living. It
is this second thing, learning to act within the bounds of our own moral
limits, that is most difficult!
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