sophrosyne / modération / moderação / moderation / moderación / temperantia / tempérance / temperança / comesuração / patientia / patience / paciência

Articles

• XLIV - Le modéré ne périt pas
  25 février, par Cardoso de Castro

  Waley
  Fame or one’s own self, which matters to one most ? One’s own self or things bought, which should count most ? In the getting or the losing, which is worse ? Hence he who grudges expense pays dearest in the end ; He who has hoarded most will suffer the heaviest loss. Be content with what you have and are, and no one can despoil you ; Who stops in time nothing can harm. He is forever safe and secure.
  Wieger
  A. Le corps n’est il pas plus important que la renommée ? La vie n’est elle (...)

• LXVI - Le Sage ne s’oppose à personne
  27 février, par Cardoso de Castro

  Waley
  How did the great rivers and seas get their kingship Over the hundred lesser streams ? Through the merit of being lower than they ; That was how they got their kingship. Therefore the Sage In order to be above the people Must speak as though he were lower than the people. In order to guide them He must put himself behind them. Only thus can the Sage be on top and the people not be crushed by his weight. Only thus can he guide, and the people not be led into harm Indeed in this way (...)

• XII - Renoncer et embrasser
  21 février, par Cardoso de Castro

  Waley
  The fives colours confuse the eye, The fives sounds dull the ear, The five tastes spoil the palate. Excess of hunting and chasing Makes minds go mad. Products that are hard to get Impede their owner’s movements. Therefore the Sage Considers the belly not the eye. Truly, “he rejects that but takes this”.
  Wieger
  A. La vue des couleurs aveugle les yeux de l’homme. L’audition des sons lui fait perdre l’ouïe. La gustation des saveurs use son goût. La course et la chasse, en déchaînant (...)

• LIX - L’essentiel c’est de tempérer son action
  26 février, par Cardoso de Castro

  Waley
  You cannot rule men nor serve heaven unless you have laid up a store ; This “laying up a store” means quickly absorbing, And “quickly absorbing” means doubling one’s garnered “power”. Double your garnered power and it acquires a strength that nothing can overcome. If there is nothing it cannot overcome, it know no bounds, And only what knows no bounds is huge enough to keep a whole kingdom in its grasp. But only he who having the kingdom goes to the Mother can keep it long. This is called (...)

• IX - Aucun extrême ne peut être maintenu
  19 février, par Cardoso de Castro

  Arthur Waley
  Stretch a bow to the very full, And you will wish you had stopped in time ; Temper a sword-edge to its very sharpest, And you will find it soon grows dull. When bronze and jade fill your hall. It can no longer be guarded. Wealth and place breed insolence. That brings ruin in its train. When your work is done, then withdraw ! Such is Heaven’s Way.
  Léon Wieger
  A. Tenir un vase plein, sans que rien découle, est impossible ; mieux eût valu ne pas le remplir. Conserver une (...)