大宗师 The Great Master
知天之所为，知人之所为者，至矣！One who knows what Heaven does and what man does is truly accomplished!
能够通晓天地自然的运化之道，并且了解人的作为，这就达到了认识的极点。
知天之所为者，天而生也；知人之所为者，以其知之所知以养其知之所不知，终其天年而不中道夭者，是知之盛也。One who knows what Heaven does is born of Heaven; one who knows what man does nurtures what he doesn't know with what he does know, and lives out his natural lifespan without dying prematurely on the way. This is the top of knowledge.
能够通晓自然运化之理，是顺应自然而知；明白人的行为，是用其智力所能知道的道理，去顺其智力所不能知道的，直到享尽天年而不半途而废，这就是认识的最高境界了。
虽然，有患：夫知有所待而后当，其所待者特未定也。庸讵知吾所谓天之非人乎？所谓人之非天乎？且有真人而后有真知。However, there is a problem: Knowledge is considered accurate only when it depends on something, but what it depends on is highly uncertain. How can we know that what we call Heaven is not actually man? And what we call man is not actually Heaven? Moreover, only after there are true men can there be true knowledge.
虽然这样，其中还是有隐忧存在。正确的认识必须依赖于一定的条件，而这个条件却是不断变化的，何以知道我所说的出于自然不是人为的呢？我所说的人为不是出于自然呢？先有“真人”然后才有真知。何谓真人？古之真人，不逆寡，不雄成，不谟士。What is a true man? The true men of ancient times did not oppose the few, did not pride themselves on success, and did not scheme for worldly affairs.
什么叫做“真人”呢？古时候的“真人”，不倚众凌寡，不自恃成功雄踞他人，也不图谋琐事。
若然者，过而弗悔，当而不自得也。Those like this, when they make mistakes, do not regret; when they are in the right, do not become complacent.
像这样的人，错过了时机不后悔，赶上了机遇不得意。
若然者，登高不栗，入水不濡，入火不热，是知之能登假于道者也若此。Those like this, when climbing high places, do not tremble; when entering water, do not get wet; when entering fire, do not feel the heat. Such is the ability of their knowledge to ascend to the Way.
象这样的人，登上高处不颤栗，下到水里不会沾湿，进入火中不觉灼热。这只有智慧能通达大道境界的人方才能像这样。
古之真人，其寝不梦，其觉无忧，其食不甘，其息深深。The true men of ancient times slept without dreaming, woke up without worry, ate without craving for taste, and breathed deeply.
古时候的“真人”，他睡觉时不做梦，他醒来时不忧愁，他吃东西时不求甘美，他呼吸时气息深沉。
真人之息以踵，众人之息以喉。屈服者，其嗌言若哇。其耆欲深者，其天机浅。The true men breathe from their heels, while ordinary people breathe from their throats. Those who are submissive speak with a choked voice. Those with deep desires have shallow spiritual insights.
“真人”呼吸凭借的是着地的脚根，而一般人呼吸则靠的只是喉咙。被人屈服时，言语在喉前吞吐就像哇哇地曼语。那些嗜好和欲望太深的人，他们天生的智慧也就很浅。
古之真人，不知说生，不知恶死。其出不欣，其入不距。翛然而往，翛然而来而已矣。The true men of ancient times neither delighted in life nor dreaded death. They did not rejoice when setting out and did not resist when returning. They simply went and came in a carefree manner.
古时候的“真人”，不懂得喜悦生存，也不懂得厌恶死亡；出生不欣喜，入死不推辞；无拘无束地就走了，自由自在地又来了罢了。
不忘其所始，不求其所终。受而喜之，忘而复之。They did not forget where they came from and did not seek where they would end. They accepted things with joy and forgot and returned to the state of nature.
不忘记自己从哪儿来，也不寻求自己往哪儿去，承受什么际遇都欢欢喜喜，忘掉死生像是回到了自己的本然。
是之谓不以心捐道，不以人助天，是之谓真人。This is called not sacrificing the Way with the heart and not assisting Heaven with human effort. This is what a true man is.
这就叫做不用心智去损害大道，也不用人为的因素去帮助自然。这就叫“真人”。
若然者，其心志，其容寂，其颡頯。Those like this have a composed mind, a serene countenance, and a broad forehead.
像这样的人，他的内心忘掉了周围的一切，他的容颜淡漠安闲，他的面额质朴端严；
凄然似秋，暖然似春，喜怒通四时，与物有宜而莫知其极。They are as solemn as autumn, as warm as spring, their joys and angers are in tune with the four seasons, and they are in harmony with things without anyone knowing the limits.
冷肃得像秋天，温暖得像春天，高兴或愤怒跟四时更替一样自然无饰，和外界事物合宜相称而没有谁能探测到他精神世界的真谛。
故圣人之用兵也，亡国而不失人心。利泽施乎万世，不为爱人。Therefore, when the sage uses military force, he can subjugate a state without losing the hearts of the people. He bestows benefits on all generations, not out of love for others.
所以古代圣人使用武力，灭掉敌国却不失掉敌国的民心；利益和恩泽广施于万世，却不是为了偏爱什么人。
故乐通物，非圣人也；有亲，非仁也；天时，非贤也；Therefore, one who takes pleasure in communicating with things is not a sage; one who shows partiality is not benevolent; one who depends on the right time is not a worthy man;
乐于交往取悦外物的人，不是圣人；有偏爱就算不上是“仁”；伺机行事，不是贤人；
利害不通，非君子也；行名失己，非士也；亡身不真，非役人也。one who does not understand the interconnection of benefits and harms is not a gentleman; one who pursues fame and loses himself is not a scholar; one who sacrifices himself without being true to himself is not a master.
不能看到利害的相通和相辅，算不上是君子；办事求名而失掉自身的本性，不是有识之士；丧失身躯却与自己的真性不符，不是能役使世人的人。
若狐不偕、务光、伯夷、叔齐、箕子、胥余、纪他、申徒狄，是役人之役，适人之适，而不自适其适者也。Such as Hu Bu Xie, Wu Guang, Bo Yi, Shu Qi, Ji Zi, Xu Yu, Ji Ta, Shen Tu Di, they are serving the service of others, conforming to the comfort of others, and not enjoying their own comfort.
像狐不偕、务光、伯夷、叔齐、箕子、胥余、纪他、申徒狄，这样的人都是被役使世人的人所役使，都是被安适世人的人所安适，而不是能使自己得到安适的人。
古之真人，其状义而不朋，若不足而不承；与乎其觚而不坚也，张乎其虚而不华也；The true men of ancient times had an appearance that was just but not cliquey, seemed lacking but did not accept help; they were harmonious but not rigid, expansive but not showy;
古时候的“真人”，神情嵬峨而不矜持，好像永远不够，又不接受什么，不想什么东西属于自己；态度安闲自然、特立超群而不执着顽固，襟怀宽阔虚空而不浮华；
邴邴乎其似喜也，崔崔乎其不得已也，滀乎进我色也，与乎止我德也，广乎其似世也，謷乎其未可制也，连乎其似好闭也，悗乎忘其言也。They seemed cheerful, were compelled by necessity, showed a flushed face when approaching, stopped with virtue when interacting, were as broad as the world, were unruly and hard to control, seemed fond of seclusion, and were forgetful of their words.
怡然欣喜像是格外地高兴，一举一动又像是出自不得已！容颜和悦令人喜欢接近，与人交往德性宽和让人乐于归依；气度博大像是宽广的世界！高放自得从不受什么限制，绵邈深远好像喜欢封闭自己，心不在焉的样子又好像忘记了要说的话。
以刑为体，以礼为翼，以知为时，以德为循。Taking punishment as the body, propriety as the wings, knowledge as the timing, and virtue as the guide.
把刑律当作主体，把礼仪当作羽翼，用已掌握的知识去等待时机，用道德来遵循规律。
以刑为体者，绰乎其杀也；以礼为翼者，所以行于世也；Taking punishment as the body means being lenient in killing; taking propriety as the wings means being able to act in the world;
把刑律当作主体的人，那么杀了人也是宽厚仁慈的；把礼仪当作羽翼的人，用礼仪的教诲在世上施行；
以知为时者，不得已于事也；以德为循者，言其与有足者至于丘也，而人真以为勤行者也。taking knowledge as the timing means being compelled by circumstances; taking virtue as the guide means that it is like walking with those who have feet to the hill, and people really think they are diligent walkers.
用已掌握的知识去等待时机的人，是因为对各种事情出于不得已；用道德来遵循规律，就像是说大凡有脚的人就能够登上山丘，而人们却真以为是勤于行走的人。
故其好之也一，其弗好之也一。其一也一，其不一也一。其一与天为徒，其不一与人为徒，天与人不相胜也，是之谓真人。Therefore, whether they like it or not, it is one. Whether it is one or not, it is one. The one is in harmony with Heaven, the one that is not is in harmony with man, and Heaven and man do not overpower each other. This is what a true man is.
所以说人们所喜好的是浑然为一的，人们不喜好的也是浑然为一的。那些同一的东西是浑一的，那些不同一的东西也是浑一的。那些同一的东西跟自然同类，那些不同一的东西跟人同类。自然与人不可能相互对立而相互超越，具有这种认识的人就叫做“真人”。
