(18/1/2017更新:把本篇譯文錄入作品集前,作了許多修改,感謝各位之寶貴意見)
養生主 The Master of Regimen
吾生也有涯,而知也無涯。以有涯隨無涯,殆已;已而為知者,殆而已矣。為善無近名,為惡無近刑,緣督以為經,可以保身,可以全生,可以養親,可以盡年。
Life is finite, but knowledge is not. It is unwise to pursue the
infinite by the finite. And it is very unwise to exhaust oneself vainly, even
when aware of it. Mastering a regimen does not help one to obtain fame
instantly, nor ignoring it would bring
about immediate consequences. Obeying the order of nature can help protect
one’s body, sustain innate abilities, maintain one’s health, and allow men to
enjoy their given lifespan.
庖丁為文惠君解牛,手之所觸,肩之所倚,足之所履,膝之所踦,砉然嚮然,奏刀騞然,莫不中音,合於桑林之舞,乃中經首之會。文惠君曰:「譆!善哉!技蓋至此乎?」
The Butcher was slaughtering a cow for Wen HuiJun1.
Each item his hand touched, his shoulders lied on, his foot stepped upon, and
his knees kneeled on had a harmonic sound. The sounds of his knife striking the
cow were so rhythmic that they were as if accurate tunes of musical scales. The
sounds had matched the melody of JinShou2and the dancing steps of SangLin3. “Oh,” said Wen HuiJun, “what a skill! How did you master such techniques?”