1
昔在黃帝，生而神靈，弱而能言，幼而徇齊，長而敦敏，成而登天。
昔在黄帝，生而神灵，弱而能言，幼而徇齐，长而敦敏，成而登天。
Xī zài Huáng Dì, shēng ér shén líng, ruò ér néng yán, yòu ér xùn qí, zhǎng ér dūn mǐn, chéng ér dēng tiān.
古时候的黄帝，生下来就神明灵异，还在幼弱时就能说话，孩童时敏捷而齐肃，长大后笃厚而勤勉，成年便登上了天子之位。
Of old there was Huang Di: born with a numinous acuity, able to speak while still an infant, quick and well-ordered as a child, sincere and diligent as he grew, and when he came to his fullness he ascended.
2
乃問於天師曰：余聞上古之人，春秋皆度百歲，而動作不衰。今時之人，年半百而動作皆衰者，時世異耶？人將失之耶？
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，时世异耶？人将失之耶？
Nǎi wèn yú Tiān Shī yuē: yú wén shàng gǔ zhī rén, chūn qiū jiē dù bǎi suì, ér dòng zuò bù shuāi. jīn shí zhī rén, nián bàn bǎi ér dòng zuò jiē shuāi zhě, shí shì yì yé? rén jiāng shī zhī yé?
于是他向天师问道：我听说上古的人，年岁都能度过百岁，动作却不衰颓；如今的人，年到半百动作就都衰弱了。是时世不同了呢，还是人将要失去这种禀赋呢？
So he asked the Heavenly Master: I have heard that the people of high antiquity all passed their hundred years and yet their actions did not decline. People today are only half a hundred old and their actions have all declined. Is the age different, or are people about to lose this?
Qí Bó duì yuē: shàng gǔ zhī rén, qí zhī dào zhě, fǎ yú yīn yáng, hé yú shù shù, shí yǐn yǒu jié, qǐ jū yǒu cháng, bù wàng zuò láo, gù néng xíng yǔ shén jù, ér jìn zhōng qí tiān nián, dù bǎi suì nǎi qù.
歧伯回答说：上古那些懂得道的人，取法于阴阳，与术数相合，饮食有节制，起居有常规，不胡乱劳作，所以能使形体与精神俱存，享尽天所赋予的年寿，活过百岁才离去。
Qi Bo answered: among the people of high antiquity, those who knew the way took yin and yang as their law and kept themselves in accord with the computed arts; they ate and drank with measure and rose and rested with regularity; they did not labour recklessly. So they were able to keep form and spirit together and come to the end of the years allotted them, passing their hundred before they went.
4
今時之人不然也，以酒爲漿，以妄爲常，醉以入房，以欲竭其精，以耗散其真。不知持滿，不時御神，務快其心，逆於生樂，起居無節，故半百而衰也。
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。
Jīn shí zhī rén bù rán yě, yǐ jiǔ wéi jiāng, yǐ wàng wéi cháng, zuì yǐ rù fáng, yǐ yù jié qí jīng, yǐ hào sàn qí zhēn. bù zhī chí mǎn, bù shí yù shén, wù kuài qí xīn, nì yú shēng lè, qǐ jū wú jié, gù bàn bǎi ér shuāi yě.
如今的人不是这样：把酒当水饮，把妄为当常事，醉后还要入房，因嗜欲而竭尽精气，因耗散而失其真元。不知道保持盈满，不按时调御精神，只求心里痛快，违背生命的乐趣，起居没有节制，所以到半百就衰老了。
People today are not like this: they take wine for their gruel and make recklessness their routine; drunk, they enter the bedchamber; through desire they drain their jing · essence, and through squandering they disperse what is true in them. They do not know how to hold to fullness, they do not govern the shen · spirit in season, they are bent only on pleasing the heart and go against the gladness of living; their rising and resting have no measure, and so at fifty they are declined.
5
夫上古聖人之教下也，皆謂之虛邪賊風，避之有時，恬惔虛无，真氣從之，精神内守，病安從來？是以志閑而少欲，心安而不懼，形勞而不倦。氣從以順，各從其欲，皆得所願。故美其食，任其服，樂其俗，高下不相慕，其民故曰樸。是以嗜欲不能勞其目，淫邪不能惑其心，愚智賢不肖，不懼於物，故合於道。
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？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。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。
Fú shàng gǔ shèng rén zhī jiào xià yě, jiē wèi zhī xū xié zéi fēng, bì zhī yǒu shí, tián dàn xū wú, zhēn qì cóng zhī, jīng shén nèi shǒu, bìng ān cóng lái? shì yǐ zhì xián ér shǎo yù, xīn ān ér bù jù, xíng láo ér bù juàn. qì cóng yǐ shùn, gè cóng qí yù, jiē dé suǒ yuàn. gù měi qí shí, rèn qí fú, lè qí sú, gāo xià bù xiāng mù, qí mín gù yuē pǔ. shì yǐ shì yù bù néng láo qí mù, yín xié bù néng huò qí xīn, yú zhì xián bù xiào, bù jù yú wù, gù hé yú dào.
上古圣人教诲百姓，都这样说：虚邪贼风，要按时回避；心境恬惔虚无，真气就会顺从，精神守持于内，病从哪里来呢？所以心志安闲而欲望少，心境安定而不恐惧，形体劳动而不倦怠。气机因而顺遂，各人都顺从自己的愿望，都能得到所想要的。所以觉得自己的饮食甘美，随任自己的服饰，乐于自己的习俗，地位高下互不相慕，这样的百姓可以称为朴。因此嗜欲不能劳困他的眼睛，淫邪不能惑乱他的心，无论愚者智者贤者不肖者，都不因外物而恐惧，所以合于道。
When the sages of high antiquity taught those below them, they all said this: as for the deficient evils and thieving winds, avoid them in season; be tranquil and detached, empty and without striving, and the true qi will follow you; keep essence and spirit guarded within, and from where could illness come? Therefore the will is at leisure and desires are few, the heart is at peace and knows no fear, the body labours and does not weary. The qi follows and goes smoothly, each follows what he wishes, and all obtain what they want. So they find their food sweet, they are easy in their clothes, they delight in their customs, and high and low do not envy one another — such people may be called the uncarved. Hence craving cannot weary their eyes and debauchery cannot confuse their hearts; the foolish, the wise, the worthy and the worthless alike are not made fearful by things, and so they accord with the way.
6
所以能年皆度百歲，而動作不衰者，以其德全不危也。
所以能年皆度百岁，而动作不衰者，以其德全不危也。
Suǒ yǐ néng nián jiē dù bǎi suì, ér dòng zuò bù shuāi zhě, yǐ qí dé quán bù wēi yě.
他们之所以都能年过百岁而动作不衰，是因为德行完备而不受危害。
The reason they could all pass a hundred years with their actions undeclined is that their de · virtue was complete and nothing in them was endangered.
7
帝曰：人年老而無子者，材力盡邪，將天數然也？
帝曰：人年老而无子者，材力尽邪，将天数然也？
Dì yuē: rén nián lǎo ér wú zǐ zhě, cái lì jìn xié, jiāng tiān shù rán yě?
黄帝说：人年老而没有子女的，是精力材力耗尽了呢，还是天数本该如此？
Huang Di said: when a person is old and has no children, is it that his material strength is spent, or is it simply the number apportioned by heaven?
8
歧伯曰：女子七歲，腎氣盛，齒更髮長。二七而天癸至，任脉通，太衝脉盛，月事以時下，故有子。三七腎氣平均，故真牙生而長極。四七筋骨堅，髮長極，身體盛壯。五七陽明脉衰，面始焦，髮始墮。六七三陽脉衰於上。面皆焦。髮始白。七七任脉虛，太衝脉衰少，天癸竭，地道不通，故形壞而無子也。
歧伯曰：女子七岁，肾气盛，齿更发长。二七而天癸至，任脉通，太冲脉盛，月事以时下，故有子。三七肾气平均，故真牙生而长极。四七筋骨坚，发长极，身体盛壮。五七阳明脉衰，面始焦，发始堕。六七三阳脉衰于上。面皆焦。发始白。七七任脉虚，太冲脉衰少，天癸竭，地道不通，故形坏而无子也。
Qí Bó yuē: nǚ zǐ qī suì, shèn qì shèng, chǐ gēng fà zhǎng. èr qī ér tiān guǐ zhì, rèn mài tōng, tài chōng mài shèng, yuè shì yǐ shí xià, gù yǒu zǐ. sān qī shèn qì píng jūn, gù zhēn yá shēng ér cháng jí. sì qī jīn gǔ jiān, fà cháng jí, shēn tǐ shèng zhuàng. wǔ qī yáng míng mài shuāi, miàn shǐ jiāo, fà shǐ duò. liù qī sān yáng mài shuāi yú shàng. miàn jiē jiāo. fà shǐ bái. qī qī rèn mài xū, tài chōng mài shuāi shǎo, tiān guǐ jié, dì dào bù tōng, gù xíng huài ér wú zǐ yě.
歧伯说：女子七岁，肾气充盛，换牙而头发生长。十四岁天癸到来，任脉通畅，太衝脉旺盛，月经按时而下，所以能生育。二十一岁肾气平和充裕，智齿生出而身体长到极处。二十八岁筋骨坚固，头发生长到极点，身体最强壮。三十五岁阳明脉衰退，面容开始憔悴，头发开始脱落。四十二岁三阳脉在上部衰退，面容都憔悴了，头发开始变白。四十九岁任脉虚，太衝脉衰少，天癸竭尽，地道不通，所以形体败坏而不能生育了。
Qi Bo said: at seven a girl’s kidney qi is full — the teeth change and the hair grows. At fourteen the heavenly water arrives, the conception vessel opens, the great surge vessel is full, and the menses come down in season, so she can bear children. At twenty-one the kidney qi is even and balanced, so the wisdom teeth come and growth reaches its extreme. At twenty-eight the sinews and bones are firm, the hair has grown to its utmost, and the body is at its fullest strength. At thirty-five the yangming vessel declines, the face begins to sear and the hair begins to fall. At forty-two the three yang vessels decline in the upper part; the face is entirely seared and the hair begins to whiten. At forty-nine the conception vessel is empty, the great surge vessel is decayed and scant, the heavenly water is exhausted and the way of the earth is blocked, so the body is broken down and she can have no children.
9
丈夫八歲。腎氣實，髮長齒更。二八腎氣盛。天癸至。精氣溢寫，陰陽和，故能有子。三八腎氣平均，筋骨勁強，故真牙生而長極。四八筋骨隆盛，肌肉滿壯。五八腎氣衰，髮墮齒槁。六八陽氣衰竭於上，面焦，髮鬢頒白。七八肝氣衰，筋不能動。天癸竭，精少，腎藏衰，形體皆極。八八則齒髮去。
丈夫八岁。肾气实，发长齿更。二八肾气盛。天癸至。精气溢写，阴阳和，故能有子。三八肾气平均，筋骨劲强，故真牙生而长极。四八筋骨隆盛，肌肉满壮。五八肾气衰，发堕齿槁。六八阳气衰竭于上，面焦，发鬓颁白。七八肝气衰，筋不能动。天癸竭，精少，肾藏衰，形体皆极。八八则齿发去。
Zhàng fū bā suì. shèn qì shí, fà zhǎng chǐ gēng. èr bā shèn qì shèng. tiān guǐ zhì. jīng qì yì xiě, yīn yáng hé, gù néng yǒu zǐ. sān bā shèn qì píng jūn, jīn gǔ jìng qiáng, gù zhēn yá shēng ér cháng jí. sì bā jīn gǔ lóng shèng, jī ròu mǎn zhuàng. wǔ bā shèn qì shuāi, fà duò chǐ gǎo. liù bā yáng qì shuāi jié yú shàng, miàn jiāo, fà bìn bān bái. qī bā gān qì shuāi, jīn bù néng dòng. tiān guǐ jié, jīng shǎo, shèn zàng shuāi, xíng tǐ jiē jí. bā bā zé chǐ fà qù.
男子八岁，肾气充实，头发生长而换牙。十六岁肾气旺盛，天癸到来，精气盈满而外泄，阴阳和合，所以能生育。二十四岁肾气平和充裕，筋骨强劲，智齿生出而长到极处。三十二岁筋骨隆盛，肌肉丰满壮实。四十岁肾气衰退，头发脱落而牙齿枯槁。四十八岁阳气在上部衰竭，面容憔悴，鬓发斑白。五十六岁肝气衰退，筋脉不能活动；天癸竭尽，精气减少，肾藏衰败，形体都到了极点。六十四岁牙齿头发都脱落了。
At eight a boy’s kidney qi is solid — the hair grows and the teeth change. At sixteen the kidney qi is full, the heavenly water arrives, and the essence qi overflows and is spent; yin and yang harmonise, so he can beget children. At twenty-four the kidney qi is even and balanced and the sinews and bones are strong, so the wisdom teeth come and growth reaches its extreme. At thirty-two the sinews and bones are at their height and the flesh is full and strong. At forty the kidney qi declines, the hair falls and the teeth wither. At forty-eight the yang qi is exhausted in the upper part, the face is seared and the hair at the temples is streaked white. At fifty-six the liver qi declines and the sinews can no longer move; the heavenly water is exhausted, the essence is scant, the kidney storehouse decays, and the body in every part has reached its extreme. At sixty-four the teeth and the hair go.
10
腎者主水，受五藏六府之精而藏之，故五藏盛，乃能冩。今五藏皆衰，筋骨解墮，天癸盡矣，故髮鬢白，身體重，行步不正，而無子耳。
肾者主水，受五藏六府之精而藏之，故五藏盛，乃能写。今五藏皆衰，筋骨解堕，天癸尽矣，故发鬓白，身体重，行步不正，而无子耳。
Shèn zhě zhǔ shuǐ, shòu wǔ zàng liù fǔ zhī jīng ér cáng zhī, gù wǔ zàng shèng, nǎi néng xiè. jīn wǔ zàng jiē shuāi, jīn gǔ jiě duò, tiān guǐ jìn yǐ, gù fà bìn bái, shēn tǐ zhòng, xíng bù bù zhèng, ér wú zǐ ěr.
肾主水，受纳五藏六府的精气而加以贮藏，所以五藏充盛，才能向外泄精。如今五藏都已衰退，筋骨松弛懈堕，天癸已经竭尽，所以鬓发斑白，身体沉重，行走不正，因而没有子女了。
The kidney governs water; it receives the essence of the five viscera and the six palaces and stores it, so that only when the five viscera are full is there anything to spend. Now that the five viscera are all declined, the sinews and bones are slack and fallen and the heavenly water is used up; hence the hair at the temples is white, the body is heavy, the step is unsteady, and there are no children.
11
帝曰：有其年已老而有子者，何也？歧伯曰：此其天壽過度，氣脉常通，而腎氣有餘也。此雖有子，男不過盡八八，女不過盡七七，而天地之精氣皆竭矣。帝曰：夫道者，年皆百數，能有子乎？歧伯曰：夫道者，能卻老而全形，身年雖壽，能生子也。
帝曰：有其年已老而有子者，何也？歧伯曰：此其天寿过度，气脉常通，而肾气有余也。此虽有子，男不过尽八八，女不过尽七七，而天地之精气皆竭矣。帝曰：夫道者，年皆百数，能有子乎？歧伯曰：夫道者，能却老而全形，身年虽寿，能生子也。
Dì yuē: yǒu qí nián yǐ lǎo ér yǒu zǐ zhě, hé yě? Qí Bó yuē: cǐ qí tiān shòu guò dù, qì mài cháng tōng, ér shèn qì yǒu yú yě. cǐ suī yǒu zǐ, nán bù guò jìn bā bā, nǚ bù guò jìn qī qī, ér tiān dì zhī jīng qì jiē jié yǐ. Dì yuē: fú dào zhě, nián jiē bǎi shù, néng yǒu zǐ hū? Qí Bó yuē: fú dào zhě, néng què lǎo ér quán xíng, shēn nián suī shòu, néng shēng zǐ yě.
黄帝说：有人年纪已老却还能有子女，这是为什么？歧伯说：这是他天寿超过了常度，气脉常常通畅，而肾气尚有余。这种人虽有子女，男子不超过六十四岁，女子不超过四十九岁，因为到那时天地的精气都已竭尽了。黄帝说：那得道的人，年纪都到百岁，还能有子女吗？歧伯说：得道的人能够退却衰老而保全形体，年岁虽高，仍能生子。
Huang Di said: there are those already old in years who yet have children — how is that? Qi Bo said: the span allotted them by heaven has passed beyond the measure, the qi and the vessels stay open, and the kidney qi has something left over. Even so, for a man it does not go past sixty-four and for a woman not past forty-nine, for by then the essence qi of heaven and earth is spent. Huang Di said: as for one who has the way — he may be a hundred in years, can he still have children? Qi Bo said: one who has the way can push back age and keep the body whole; though his years be long, he can still beget children.
12
黃帝曰：余聞上古有真人者，提挈天地，把握陰陽。呼吸精氣，獨立守神，肌肉若一。故能壽敝天地，无有終時，此其道生。
黄帝曰：余闻上古有真人者，提挈天地，把握阴阳。呼吸精气，独立守神，肌肉若一。故能寿敝天地，无有终时，此其道生。
Huáng Dì yuē: yú wén shàng gǔ yǒu zhēn rén zhě, tí qiè tiān dì, bǎ wò yīn yáng. hū xī jīng qì, dú lì shǒu shén, jī ròu ruò yī. gù néng shòu bì tiān dì, wú yǒu zhōng shí, cǐ qí dào shēng.
黄帝说：我听说上古有真人，能提挈天地，把握阴阳，呼吸精气，独立而守持精神，肌肉浑然一体，所以寿命能与天地同尽，没有终了之时，这是他得道而生的结果。
Huang Di said: I have heard that in high antiquity there were the zhenren · true persons. They took hold of heaven and earth and grasped yin and yang; they breathed the essence qi, stood alone and guarded the shen · spirit, and their flesh was as one. So their years could stand beside those of heaven and earth and had no time of ending — this was life born of the way.
13
中古之時，有至人者，淳德全道，和於陰陽。調於四時，去世離俗，積精全神，游行天地之間，視聽八達之外。此蓋益其壽命而強者也，亦歸於真人。
中古之时，有至人者，淳德全道，和于阴阳。调于四时，去世离俗，积精全神，游行天地之间，视听八达之外。此盖益其寿命而强者也，亦归于真人。
Zhōng gǔ zhī shí, yǒu zhì rén zhě, chún dé quán dào, hé yú yīn yáng. tiáo yú sì shí, qù shì lí sú, jī jīng quán shén, yóu xíng tiān dì zhī jiān, shì tīng bā dá zhī wài. cǐ gài yì qí shòu mìng ér qiáng zhě yě, yì guī yú zhēn rén.
中古的时候有至人，德性淳厚而道行完备，调和于阴阳，调适于四时，离去世俗，积蓄精气而保全精神，游行于天地之间，视听达于八方之外。这大概是能增益寿命而强健的人，也可以归入真人一类。
In middle antiquity there were the ultimate persons. Their de · virtue was pure and the way complete in them; they were in harmony with yin and yang and in tune with the four seasons; they left the age and kept clear of the common; they stored up essence and made the spirit whole; they travelled between heaven and earth, and their seeing and hearing reached beyond the eight directions. These were the ones who added to the span of their lives and stayed strong, and they too are counted with the true persons.
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其次有聖人者，處天地之和，從八風之理，適嗜欲於世俗之間，无恚嗔之心，行不欲離於世，被服章舉不欲觀於俗，外不勞形於事，内无思想之患，以恬愉爲務，以自得爲功，形體不敝，精神不散，亦可以百數。
其次有圣人者，处天地之和，从八风之理，适嗜欲于世俗之间，无恚嗔之心，行不欲离于世，被服章举不欲观于俗，外不劳形于事，内无思想之患，以恬愉为务，以自得为功，形体不敝，精神不散，亦可以百数。
Qí cì yǒu shèng rén zhě, chǔ tiān dì zhī hé, cóng bā fēng zhī lǐ, shì shì yù yú shì sú zhī jiān, wú huì chēn zhī xīn, xíng bù yù lí yú shì, bèi fú zhāng jǔ bù yù guān yú sú, wài bù láo xíng yú shì, nèi wú sī xiǎng zhī huàn, yǐ tián yú wéi wù, yǐ zì dé wéi gōng, xíng tǐ bù bì, jīng shén bù sàn, yì kě yǐ bǎi shù.
其次有圣人，处于天地的和气之中，顺应八风的条理，在世俗之间适度自己的嗜欲，没有怨恨愤怒之心；行为不想脱离世俗，衣饰举动不想被世俗注目；在外不使形体劳于事务，在内没有思想的忧患；以恬淡愉悦为要务，以自得为功，形体不衰敝，精神不耗散，也可以活到百岁。
Next there were the shengren · sages. They dwelt in the harmony of heaven and earth and followed the order of the eight winds; they measured their appetites among the customs of the age, and had no heart of resentment or anger. In their conduct they did not seek to stand apart from the world, and in their dress and bearing they did not seek to be stared at by the common. Outwardly they did not weary the body with affairs, and inwardly they had no affliction of anxious thought. They made tranquillity and ease their task and counted self-possession their achievement; the body was not worn out and the spirit was not scattered. These too could reach their hundred years.
Qí cì yǒu xián rén zhě, fǎ zé tiān dì, xiàng sì rì yuè. biàn liè xīng chén, nì cóng yīn yáng, fēn bié sì shí, jiāng cóng shàng gǔ, hé tóng yú dào, yì kě shǐ yì shòu ér yǒu jí shí.
其次有贤人，以天地为法则，以日月为取象，分辨陈列星辰，顺从与逆随阴阳，分别四时，追随上古之道，与道相合，也可以增益寿命，但终有极尽之时。
Next there were the xianren · worthy. They took heaven and earth as their rule and the sun and moon as their image; they set out the stars in their ranks, went with and against yin and yang, distinguished the four seasons, followed the high antiquity that went before, and joined in accord with the way. These too can be made to add to their years — but for them there is a time of ending.