3月14日

《莊子》選 ─ 人間世
戰國 莊子 ( 369 - 286 B.C.E.)

山木，自寇也；膏火，自煎也。桂可食，故伐之；漆可用，
故割之。人皆知有用之用，而莫知無用之用也。

【譯文】
生長在山上的樹木，因為自然的需要而被砍伐；膏脂因為
能照明，而被燃燒；桂樹可以食用，所以被砍伐；漆可以
使用，因而被割皮。人們都知道有用的用處，但不懂得無
用的更大用處。

──選自《莊子》

March 14th

Selections from Zhuangzi - Man in the World, Associate with Other Men
Zhuangzi (369 BCE - 286 BCE, Warring States Period)
English translation: James Legge

The mountain by its trees weakens itself.
The grease which ministers to the fire fries itself.
The cinnamon tree can be eaten, and therefore it is
cut down. The varnish tree is useful, and therefore
incisions are made in it. All men know the advantage
of being useful, but no one knows the advantage of
being useless.

── from Zhuangzi