Laozi Through the Lens of the White Rose: Resonance or Dissonance?

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White Rose quotations^42	English translation of the White Rose quotations^43	Classical Chinese transmitted text^44	Lau’s modern English translation^45	Ames’ & Hall’s modern English translation^46
1. „Der, des Verwaltung unauffällig ist, des Volk ist froh. Der, des Verwaltung aufdringlich ist, des Volk ist gebrochen. 2. Elend, ach, ist es, worauf Glück sich aufbaut. Glück, ach, verschleiert nur Elend. Wo soll das hinaus? Das Ende ist nicht abzusehen. 3. Das Geordnete verkehrt sich in Unordnung, das Gute verkehrt sich in Schlechtes. Das Volk gerät in Verwirrung. Ist es nicht so täglich seit langem? 4. Daher ist der Hohe Mensch rechteckig, aber er stößt nicht an, er ist kantig, aber verletzt nicht, er ist aufrecht, aber nicht schroff. Er ist klar, aber will nicht glänzen.“ Lao-tse.	1. ‘If a regime is unobtrusive, its people are happy. If a regime is oppressive, the people are broken. 2. Misery, alas, is what happiness is built upon. Happiness, alas, only veils misery. Where does all this lead? The end is nowhere in sight. 3. Order lapses into disorder, good lapses into evil. The people fall into disarray. Has this not long been the case, day in, day out? 4. Therefore, the wise man is angular, but does not scrape; he has edges, but does not hurt anyone; he stands strong, but without being harsh. He is bright, but he does not wish to gleam.’ Laozi	1. 其政悶悶， 其民淳淳； 其政察察， 其民缺缺。 2. 禍兮福之所倚， 福兮禍之所伏。 孰知其極？其無正？ 3. 正復為奇，善復為妖， 人之迷，其日固久。 4. 是以聖人方而不割， 廉而不劌， 直而不肆， 光而不燿。	1. When the government is muddled The people are simple; When the government is alert The people are cunning. 2. It is on disaster that good fortune perches; It is beneath good fortune that disaster crouches. Who knows the limit? Does not the straightforward exist? 3. The straightforward changes again into the crafty, and the good changes again into the monstrous. Indeed, it is long since the people were perplexed. 4. Therefore, the sage is square-edged but does not scrape, Has corners but does not jab, Extends himself but not at the expense of others, Shines but does not dazzle. [Laozi ch. 58]
1. „Wer unternimmt, das Reich zu beherrschen, und es nach seiner Willkür zu gestalten; ich sehe ihn sein Ziel nicht erreichen; das ist alles“. 2. „Das Reich ist ein lebendiger Organismus; es kann nicht gemacht werden, wahrlich! Wer daran machen will, verdirbt es, wer sich seiner bemächtigen will, verliert es“. 3. Daher: „Von den Wesen gehen manche vorauf, andere folgen ihnen, manche atmen warm, ­manche kalt, manche sind stark, manche schwach, manche erlangen Fülle, andere unterliegen“. 4. „Der hohe Mensch daher läßt ab von Über­triebenheit, läßt ab von Überhebung, läßt ab von Übergriffen“. Lao-tse	1. He who sets out to rule over the empire [Reich] and to shape it as he pleases; I do not see him achieving his aim; that is all. 2. The empire is a living organism; in truth, it cannot be constructed! He who seeks to construct it, corrupts it, he who seeks to grasp it, loses it. 3. Therefore: ‘Some beings go on ahead, others follow them, some have warm breath, others cold, some are strong, others weak, some reach fulfilment, others are overcome.’ 4. The wise man therefore refrains from exaggeration, from extremes, and from excess. Laozi.	1. 將欲取天下而為之，吾見其不得已。 2. 天下神器，不可為也。為者敗之，執者失之。 3.故物或行或隨，或歔或吹，或強或羸，或挫或隳。 4. 是以聖人去甚，去奢，去泰。	1. Whoever takes the empire and wishes to do anything to it I see will have no respite. 2. The empire is a sacred vessel and nothing should be done to it. Whoever does anything to it will ruin it; whoever lays hold of it will lose it. 3. Hence some things lead and some follow; Some breathe gently and some breathe hard; Some are strong and some are weak; Some destroy and some are destroyed. 4. Therefore the sage avoids excess, extravagance, and arrogance. [Laozi ch. 29]	1. If someone wants to rule the world, and goes about trying to do so, I foresee that they simply will not succeed. 2. The world is a sacred vessel, And it is not something that can be ruled. Those who would rule it ruin it; Those who would control it lose it.