《庄子》选读

北běi冥míng有yǒu鱼yú，其qí名míng为wéi鲲kūn。鲲kūn之zhī大dà，不知bù zhī其qí几jǐ千qiān里lǐ也yě。化huà而ér为wéi鸟niǎo，其qí名míng为wéi鹏péng。鹏péng之zhī背bèi，不知bù zhī其qí几jǐ千qiān里lǐ也yě；怒nù而ér飞fēi，其qí翼yì若ruò垂chuí天tiān之zhī云yún。

In the northern darkness there is a fish named Kun. Kun's size, no one knows how many thousand li. It changes into a bird named Peng. Peng's back, no one knows how many thousand li; when it rises in flight, its wings are like clouds hanging from the sky.

是shì鸟niǎo也yě，海运hǎi yùn则zé将jiāng徙xǐ于yú南nán冥míng。南nán冥míng者zhě，天tiān池chí也yě。

This bird, when the sea moves, will journey to the southern darkness. The southern darkness is the Pool of Heaven.

释shì读dú：这zhè是shì《逍遥xiāo yáo游yóu》的de开头kāi tóu。一yī条tiáo几jǐ千qiān里lǐ长zhǎng的de大dà鱼yú，变成biàn chéng一yī只zhī几jǐ千qiān里lǐ大dà的de鸟niǎo，庄zhuāng子zi的de想象xiǎng xiàng力lì，一yī开头kāi tóu就jìu把bǎ天地tiān dì打开dǎ kāi了liǎo。

Gloss: the opening of Free and Easy Wandering. A fish thousands of li long becomes a bird thousands of li wide: Zhuangzi's imagination opens the sky on the first line.

蜩tiáo与yǔ学xué鸠jiū笑xiào之zhī曰yuē：我wǒ决jué起qǐ而ér飞fēi，抢qiǎng榆yú枋fāng而ér止zhǐ，时shí则zé不bù至zhì，而ér控kòng于yú地dì而已ér yǐ矣yǐ，奚xī以yǐ之zhī九jǐu万wàn里lǐ而ér南nán为wéi？

The cicada and the little dove laughed at it: I leap up and fly, reach the elm and stop, and if I fall short I land on the ground. Why go ninety thousand li south?

释shì读dú：蝉chán和hé小xiǎo鸟niǎo笑话xiào hua大dà鹏péng：我们wǒ men一yī飞fēi就jìu几jǐ丈zhàng高gāo，你nǐ飞fēi九jǐu万wàn里lǐ去qù南边nán bian干什么gàn shén me？小xiǎo东西dōng xi看kān不bù懂dǒng大dà世界shì jiè，这zhè就是jìu shì庄zhuāng子zi说shuō的de小xiǎo大dà之zhī辩biàn。

Gloss: the cicada and dove mock the great Peng: we fly mere yards; why go ninety thousand li? Small creatures cannot read a great world. Zhuangzi calls it the debate of small and large.

井jǐng蛙wā不bù可以kě yǐ语yǔ于yú海hǎi者zhě，拘jū于yú虚xū也yě；夏xià虫chóng不bù可以kě yǐ语yǔ于yú冰bīng者zhě，笃dǔ于yú时shí也yě。

You cannot discuss the sea with a frog in a well, for it is bound by its place; you cannot discuss ice with a summer insect, for it is bound by its season.

释shì读dú：井jǐng里lǐ的de青蛙qīng wā不bù懂dǒng大海dà hǎi，因为yīn wèi地方dì fāng限制xiàn zhì了liǎo它tā；夏天xià tiān的de虫子chóng zi不bù懂dǒng冰雪bīng xuě，因为yīn wèi季节jì jié限制xiàn zhì了liǎo它tā。人rén的de见识jiàn shi，也yě常常cháng cháng被bèi自己zì jǐ的de环境huán jìng困kùn住zhù。

Gloss: the well frog cannot know the sea, bound by its place; the summer insect cannot know ice, bound by its season. Human vision is likewise trapped by circumstance.

昔xī者zhě庄zhuāng周zhōu梦mèng为wéi胡hú蝶dié，栩xǔ栩xǔ然rán胡hú蝶dié也yě，自zì喻yù适shì志zhì与yǔ，不知bù zhī周zhōu也yě。

Once Zhuang Zhou dreamed he was a butterfly, a butterfly fluttering happily, pleased with himself, and did not know he was Zhou.

俄é然rán觉jiào，则zé蘧qú蘧qú然rán周zhōu也yě。不知bù zhī周zhōu之zhī梦mèng为wéi胡hú蝶dié与yǔ，胡hú蝶dié之zhī梦mèng为wéi周zhōu与yǔ？

Suddenly he woke, and there he was, unmistakably Zhou. But he did not know whether Zhou had dreamed he was a butterfly, or a butterfly was dreaming it was Zhou.

周zhōu与yǔ胡hú蝶dié，则zé必bì有yǒu分fēn矣yǐ。此cǐ之zhī谓wèi物wù化huà。

Between Zhou and the butterfly there must be some boundary. This is called the transformation of things.

释shì读dú：庄zhuāng子zi梦见mèng jiàn自己zì jǐ变成biàn chéng蝴蝶hú dié，醒来xǐng lái后hòu分fēn不bù清qīng：是shì我wǒ梦见mèng jiàn蝴蝶hú dié，还是hái shi蝴蝶hú dié梦见mèng jiàn了liǎo我wǒ？两liǎng千qiān多年duō nián前qián的de这zhè个gè问题wèn tí，到dào今天jīn tiān也yě没有méi yǒu标准biāo zhǔn答案dá àn。

Gloss: Zhuangzi dreamed he was a butterfly and woke unable to tell: did I dream the butterfly, or is it dreaming me? Two thousand years on, the question still has no final answer.

惠huì子zi谓wèi庄zhuāng子zi曰yuē：吾wú有yǒu大dà树shù，人rén谓wèi之zhī樗chū。其qí大dà本běn拥yōng肿zhǒng而ér不bù中zhōng绳shéng墨mò，其qí小xiǎo枝zhī卷juàn曲qǔ而ér不bù中zhōng规矩guī ju。

Huizi said to Zhuangzi: I have a great tree people call useless. Its trunk is too knotted for the plumb line, its branches too twisted for the square.

庄zhuāng子zi曰yuē：今jīn子zi有yǒu大dà树shù，患huàn其qí无wú用yòng，何hé不bù树shù之zhī于yú无wú何hé有yǒu之zhī乡xiāng，广guǎng莫mò之zhī野yě，彷páng徨huáng乎hū无wú为wéi其qí侧cè，逍遥xiāo yáo乎hū寝qǐn卧wò其qí下xià？

Zhuangzi said: you have a great tree and worry it is useless; why not plant it in the land of nothing, the wide empty wilds, wander idly beside it, and sleep free and easy beneath it?

不bù夭yāo斤jīn斧fǔ，物wù无wú害hài者zhě，无wú所suǒ可kě用yòng，安ān所suǒ困kùn苦kǔ哉zāi！

No axe will cut it down, nothing will harm it. If nothing can be done with it, what trouble can it have?

释shì读dú：惠huì子zi嫌xián一yī棵kē大dà树shù没用méi yòng，庄zhuāng子zi却què说shuō：正zhèng因为yīn wèi它tā没用méi yòng，斧fǔ头tóu才cái不bù会huì砍kǎn它tā。没用méi yòng的de用处yòng chu，才cái是shì最zuì大dà的de用处yòng chu。

Gloss: Huizi disdained a useless tree; Zhuangzi replied that precisely because it is useless, no axe touches it. The use of uselessness is the greatest use of all.

庖páo丁dīng为wéi文wén惠huì君jūn解jiě牛níu，手shǒu之zhī所suǒ触chù，肩jiān之zhī所suǒ倚yǐ，足zú之zhī所suǒ履lǚ，膝xī之zhī所suǒ踦yǐ，砉huò然rán向xiàng然rán，奏zòu刀dāo騞huō然rán，莫mò不bù中zhōng音yīn。

A cook carved an ox for Lord Wenhui. Where his hands touched, shoulder leaned, foot stepped, knee pressed, the blade went hiss and swish, every motion in rhythm like music.

庖páo丁dīng释shì刀dāo对duì曰yuē：臣chén之zhī所suǒ好hào者zhě道dào也yě，进jìn乎hū技jì矣yǐ。始shǐ臣chén之zhī解jiě牛níu之zhī时shí，所suǒ见jiàn无非wú fēi牛níu者zhě；三sān年nián之后zhī hòu，未wèi尝cháng见jiàn全quán牛níu也yě。

The cook set down his knife: what I love is the Way, which goes beyond skill. When I first carved oxen I saw the whole ox; after three years I no longer saw it whole.

以yǐ无wú厚hòu入rù有yǒu间jiān，恢huī恢huī乎hū其qí于yú游yóu刃rèn必bì有yǒu余地yú dì矣yǐ，是shì以yǐ十shí九jǐu年nián而ér刀dāo刃rèn若ruò新xīn发fā于yú硎xíng。

With a blade of no thickness I enter the gaps, and there is room and more for the edge to wander; after nineteen years my knife is as fresh as if just sharpened.

释shì读dú：庖páo丁dīng解jiě牛níu。刀dāo子zi十shí九jǐu年nián还huán像xiàng新xīn磨mó的de一样yī yàng，因为yīn wèi他tā顺着shùn zhe牛níu的de纹wén理lǐ走zǒu。庄zhuāng子zi说shuō：做事zuò shì顺着shùn zhe规律guī lǜ来lái，再zài难nán的de事shì也yě不难bù nán。

Gloss: the cook carving the ox. After nineteen years his blade is like new because he follows the ox's grain. Follow the pattern and the hard becomes easy.

鹪jiāo鹩liáo巢cháo于yú深shēn林lín，不过bù guò一yī枝zhī；偃yǎn鼠shǔ饮yǐn河hé，不过bù guò满mǎn腹fù。

The wren nests in a deep forest but needs only one branch; the mole drinks from the river but fills only its belly.

释shì读dú：小xiǎo鸟niǎo在zài深shēn林lín里lǐ做zuò窝wō，其实qí shí只zhī需要xū yào一yī根gēn树枝shù zhī；鼹yǎn鼠shǔ在zài河hé边biān喝hē水shuǐ，喝hē饱bǎo了liǎo一yī肚子dù zi就jìu够gòu。人rén真正zhēn zhèng需要xū yào的de东西dōng xi，其实qí shí很hěn少shǎo。

Gloss: a wren in a deep forest needs one branch; a mole at the river needs one bellyful. What we truly need is very little.

泉quán涸hé，鱼yú相xiāng与yǔ处于chǔ yú陆lù，相xiāng呴xǔ以yǐ湿shī，相xiāng濡rú以yǐ沫mò，不如bù rú相xiāng忘wàng于yú江jiāng湖hú。

When the spring dries, fish are left on land; they moisten each other with breath and wet each other with spit. Better to forget one another in the rivers and lakes.

释shì读dú：泉quán水shuǐ干gàn了liǎo，鱼yú在zài陆地lù dì上shàng互相hù xiāng吐tù沫mò子zi救命jìu mìng。庄zhuāng子zi说shuō：与其yǔ qí这样zhè yàng艰难jiān nán地dì互相hù xiāng帮助bāng zhù，不如bù rú在zài大dà江jiāng大dà湖hú里lǐ自由zì yóu地dì各自gè zì活huó着zhuó。

Gloss: fish stranded on land keep each other wet with spit. Zhuangzi says: rather than struggling to save each other, better to live free in the great waters.

南nán海hǎi之zhī帝dì为wéi倏shū，北běi海hǎi之zhī帝dì为wéi忽hū，中央zhōng yāng之zhī帝dì为wéi浑hún沌dùn。倏shū与yǔ忽hū时shí相xiāng与yǔ遇yù于yú浑hún沌dùn之zhī地dì，浑hún沌dùn待dài之zhī甚shèn善shàn。

The emperor of the South Sea was called Brief, the emperor of the North Sea Sudden, the emperor of the Center was Chaos. Brief and Sudden often met in Chaos's land, and Chaos treated them kindly.

倏shū与yǔ忽hū谋móu报bào浑hún沌dùn之zhī德dé，曰yuē：人rén皆jiē有yǒu七qī窍qiào以yǐ视shì听tīng食shí息xī，此cǐ独dú无wú有yǒu，尝试cháng shì凿záo之zhī。日rì凿záo一yī窍qiào，七qī日rì而ér浑hún沌dùn死sǐ。

Brief and Sudden planned to repay Chaos's kindness: everyone has seven openings to see, hear, eat, and breathe; he alone has none. Let us bore them. They bored one a day, and on the seventh day Chaos died.

释shì读dú：朋友péng you好心hǎo xīn给gěi浑hún沌dùn凿záo七qī窍qiào，一yī天tiān一yī窍qiào，七qī天tiān就jìu把bǎ浑hún沌dùn凿záo死sǐ了liǎo。庄zhuāng子zi最zuì担心dān xīn的de就是jìu shì：用yòng自己zì jǐ的de好心hǎo xīn，去qù改变gǎi biàn别人bié ren本来běn lái的de样子yàng zi。

Gloss: the friends kindly bored seven holes in Chaos, one a day, and on the seventh day Chaos died. What Zhuangzi feared most: using one's kindness to remake what others naturally are.

庄zhuāng子zi与yǔ惠huì子zi游yóu于yú濠háo梁liáng之zhī上shàng。庄zhuāng子zi曰yuē：鲦tiáo鱼yú出游chū yóu从容cóng róng，是shì鱼yú之zhī乐lè也yě。惠huì子zi曰yuē：子zi非fēi鱼yú，安ān知zhī鱼yú之zhī乐lè？庄zhuāng子zi曰yuē：子zi非fēi我wǒ，安ān知zhī我wǒ不知bù zhī鱼yú之zhī乐lè？

Zhuangzi and Huizi strolled on the bridge over the Hao. Zhuangzi said: the minnows swim at ease; that is the joy of fish. Huizi said: you are not a fish; how do you know the fish's joy? Zhuangzi said: you are not me; how do you know I do not know?

释shì读dú：濠háo梁liáng之zhī辩biàn。庄zhuāng子zi站zhàn在zài桥qiáo上shàng说shuō鱼yú很hěn快乐kuài lè，惠huì子zi抬tái杠gāng：你nǐ不bù是shì鱼yú，怎么zěn me知道zhī dào？庄zhuāng子zi回huí他tā：你nǐ不bù是shì我wǒ，怎么zěn me知道zhī dào我wǒ不知bù zhī道dào？两liǎng个gè聪明cōng ming人rén抬tái杠gāng，抬tái成chéng了liǎo两liǎng千qiān年nián的de名míng场面chǎng miàn。

Gloss: the debate on the Hao bridge. Zhuangzi says the fish are happy; Huizi objects you are not a fish; Zhuangzi returns you are not me. Two clever men bickering into a two-thousand-year classic.

昔xī者zhě庄zhuāng周zhōu梦mèng为wéi胡hú蝶dié，栩xǔ栩xǔ然rán胡hú蝶dié也yě，自zì喻yù适shì志zhì与yǔ，不知bù zhī周zhōu也yě。俄é然rán觉jiào，则zé蘧qú蘧qú然rán周zhōu也yě。不知bù zhī周zhōu之zhī梦mèng为wéi胡hú蝶dié与yǔ，胡hú蝶dié之zhī梦mèng为wéi周zhōu与yǔ？

Once Zhuang Zhou dreamt he was a butterfly, flitting happily about, content with himself and not knowing he was Zhou. Suddenly he woke and was unmistakably Zhou. He could not tell: had Zhou dreamt he was a butterfly, or was the butterfly now dreaming it was Zhou?

释shì读dú：庄zhuāng周zhōu梦mèng蝶dié。庄zhuāng子zi梦见mèng jiàn自己zì jǐ变成biàn chéng蝴蝶hú dié，醒来xǐng lái以后yǐ hòu想xiǎng：到底dào dǐ是shì庄zhuāng子zi梦见mèng jiàn蝴蝶hú dié，还是hái shi蝴蝶hú dié正在zhèng zài梦见mèng jiàn庄zhuāng子zi？两liǎng千qiān多年来duō nián lái，没méi人rén能néng回答huí dá这zhè个gè问题wèn tí。

Gloss: Zhuang Zhou's butterfly dream. After waking he wondered: did Zhou dream the butterfly, or is the butterfly dreaming Zhou? For two thousand years no one has answered it.

吾wú生shēng也yě有yǒu涯yá，而ér知zhī也yě无wú涯yá。以yǐ有yǒu涯yá随suí无wú涯yá，殆dài已yǐ！

My life has a limit, but knowledge has none. Chasing the limitless with the limited: dangerous!

释shì读dú：人生rén shēng有限yǒu xiàn，知识zhī shi无限wú xiàn。用yòng有限yǒu xiàn的de生命shēng mìng去qù追zhuī无限wú xiàn的de知识zhī shi，庄zhuāng子zi说shuō这样zhè yàng很hěn危险wēi xiǎn。两liǎng千qiān多年duō nián后hòu，这zhè句jù话huà成chéng了liǎo所有suǒ yǒu读书dú shū人rén的de警告jǐng gào。

Gloss: life is bounded, knowledge boundless. Spending the bounded chasing the boundless is dangerous, says Zhuangzi; two thousand years on, it still warns every reader.

庄zhuāng子zi的de文章wén zhāng，讲jiǎng的de全quán是shì看似kàn sì奇怪qí guài的de故事gù shi，可kě仔细zǐ xì想xiǎng想xiǎng，说shuō的de都dōu是shì怎么zěn me活huó得děi更gèng自由zì yóu、更gèng明白míng bai。

Zhuangzi's essays tell strange-seeming stories, yet look closer: every one is about how to live more freely and see more clearly.