My Translation
Heaven is forever; the Earth is enduring | 天長 地久 |
Heaven and Earth: by what means can they be forever and enduring? | 天地 所以 能 長且久者 |
Because they are not living for themselves | 以 其不 自生 |
Hence they can live forever | 故 能 長生 |
The sage puts himself last, thereby putting himself first | 是以 聖人 後其身 而身先 |
He is outside his self yet his self survives | 外其身 而身存 |
Is it not because he is selfless | 非以 其無私耶 |
That he is able to accomplish his interests? | 故能 成其私 |
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
天長地久。 | 天长地久。 | Tiān cháng dì jiǔ. |
天地所以能長且久者， | 天地所以能长且久者， | Tiān dì suǒ yǐ néng zhǎng qiě jiǔ zhě, |
以其不自生， | 以其不自生， | Yǐ qí bù zì shēng, |
故能長生。 | 故能长生。 | Gù néng cháng shēng. |
是以聖人後其身而身先； | 是以圣人后其身而身先； | Shì yǐ shèng rén hòu qí shēn ér shēn xiān; |
外其身而身存。 | 外其身而身存。 | Wài qí shēn ér shēn cún. |
非以其無私耶？ | 非以其无私耶？ | Fēi yǐ qí wú sī yé? |
故能成其私。 | 故能成其私。 | Gù néng chéng qí sī. |
Literal Translation
天長地久。 | Heaven long earth long-time [enduring while the world lasts (idiom) / eternal] |
天地所以能長且久者， | Heaven earth place thereby can/able long/forever/constantly and/moreover long-time this [place thereby = therefore, as a result] |
以其不自生， | By-means-of its not self living |
故能長生。 | Hence able-to long life |
是以聖人後其身而身先； | Indeed therefore sage man after his self and self first [indeed therefore = therefore, thus, so] |
外其身而身存。 | Outside his self and self exists/survives |
非以其無私耶？ | Must by-means-of his not personal ! [not personal = selfless, unselfish] |
故能成其私。 | Reason able-to accomplish his private |
Year:
2011
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