黄帝内经 英汉对照 上古天真论第一1

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黄帝内经
英汉对照

上古天真论第一

Shanggu Tianzhen Lunpian:

Ancient Ideas on How to preserve Natural Health Energy

昔在黄帝，生而神灵，弱而能言，幼而循齐，长而敦敏，成而登天。

Huangdi, or Yellow Emperor, was born intelligent. He was eloquent from childhood. He behaved righteously when he was young.In his youth, he was honest,sincere and wise. When growing up, he became the Emperor.

乃问于天师曰：“余闻上古之人春秋皆度百岁而动作不衰，今时之人年半百而动作皆衰者，时事异也，人将失之焉？”

He asked Master Qibo, “I am told that people in ancient times all could live for one hundred years without any signs of senility. But people nowadays begin to become old at the age of fifty. Is it due to the changes of environment or the violation of the way ( to preserve health? )”

岐伯对曰：“上古之人，其知道者，法于阴阳，和于术数，食饮有节，起居有常，不妄作劳，故能形与神俱，而尽终其天年，度百岁乃去。

Qibo answered ,”The sages in ancient times who knew the Dao ( the tenets for cultivating health ) followed ( the rules of ) Yin and Yang and adusted Shushu ( the ways to cultivate health). ( They were ) moderate in eating and drinking, regular in working and resting, avoiding any overstrain. That is why ( they could maintain a desirable ) harmony between the Shen (mind or spirit) and the body, enjoying good health and a long life.

今时之人不然也，以酒为浆，以妄为常，醉以入房，以欲竭其精，以耗散其真，不知持满，不时御神。务快其心，逆于生乐，起居无节，故半百而衰也。

People nowadays , on the contrary, just behave oppositely. (They ) drink wine as thin rice gruel, regard wrong as right, and seek **ual pleasure after drinking. (As a result,)  their Jingqi (Essence-Qi ) is exhausted and Zhenqi ( Genuine-Qi ) is wasted. ( They ) seldom ( take measures to ) keep an exuberance ( of Jingqi ) and do not know how to regulate the Shen( mind or spirit ), often giving themselves to sensual pleasure. Being irregular in daily life, ( they begin to ) become old even at the age of fifty.

夫上古圣人之教下也，皆谓之虚邪贼风,避之有时，恬惔虚无，真气从之，精神内守，病安从来。

When the sages in ancient times taught the people,they emphasized ( the importance of ) avoiding Xuxie (Deficience-Evil ) and Zeifeng (Thief-wind ) in good time and keep the mind free from avarice. ( In this way ) Zhenqi in the body will be in harmony, Jingshen ( Essence-Spirit ) will remain inside and diseases will have no way to occur.

是以志闲而少欲，心安而不惧，形劳而不倦，气从以顺，各从其欲，皆得所愿。故美其食，任其服，乐其俗，高下不相慕，其民故曰朴。

(Therefore people in ancient times all lived ) in peace and contentment,without any fear. They worked, but never overstrained themselves,making it smooth for Qi to flow. ( They all felt ) satisfied with their life and enjoyed their tasty food, natural clothes and naïve customs. ( They ) did not desire for high positions and lived simply and naturally.

是以嗜欲不能劳其目，淫邪不能惑其心，愚智贤不肖，不惧于物，故合于道。

That is why improper addiction and avarice could not distract their eyes and ears , obscenity and fallacy could not tempt their mind. Neither the ignorant nor the intelligent and neither the virtuous nor the unworthy feared anything. ( Such a behavior quite ) accorded with the Dao ( the tenets for cultivating health)

所以能年皆度百岁而动作不衰者，以其德全不危也。”