Dao De Jing, Laozi
Chapter 57
Chapter 57
"By uprightness, govern the kingdom.
By rarely using soldiers
And by means of non-administration
Take the world.
By what means do I know this to be so?
By this:
The world greatly shuns and avoids [the poor]
And the people [remain] completely impoverished.
The people greatly sharpen weapons
[And] the kingdom and households grow dark.
The people [become] excessively crafty and clever
[And] strange things start [to happen].
Laws and directives are increasingly promulgated
[And thus] more robbers and thieves exist.
Therefore do the sages say:
I do not administer, and the people change themselves.
I am pleased with stillness, and the people correct themselves.
I do not [meddle in their] affairs, and the people grow rich by themselves.
I do not desire, and the people simplify themselves."
- Translated by Aalar Fex, Chapter 57
By rarely using soldiers
And by means of non-administration
Take the world.
By what means do I know this to be so?
By this:
The world greatly shuns and avoids [the poor]
And the people [remain] completely impoverished.
The people greatly sharpen weapons
[And] the kingdom and households grow dark.
The people [become] excessively crafty and clever
[And] strange things start [to happen].
Laws and directives are increasingly promulgated
[And thus] more robbers and thieves exist.
Therefore do the sages say:
I do not administer, and the people change themselves.
I am pleased with stillness, and the people correct themselves.
I do not [meddle in their] affairs, and the people grow rich by themselves.
I do not desire, and the people simplify themselves."
- Translated by Aalar Fex, Chapter 57
"Lead by not leading.
Do not script laws and concepts.
Rid yourself of weapons and fears.
Let go of desire and stop valuing items.
Your belly will be full and the grass will be green."
- Translated by Ray Larose, Chapter 57
Do not script laws and concepts.
Rid yourself of weapons and fears.
Let go of desire and stop valuing items.
Your belly will be full and the grass will be green."
- Translated by Ray Larose, Chapter 57
A battle is governed by extraordinary acts;
The world is governed by no acts at all.
And how do I know?
This is how I know.
Act after act prohibits
Everything but poverty,
Weapon after weapon conquers
Everything but chaos,
Business after business provides
A craze of waste,
Law after law breeds
A multitude of thieves.
Therefore a sensible man says:
If I keep from meddling with people, they take care of themselves,
If I keep from commanding people, they behave themselves,
If I keep from preaching at people, they improve themselves,
If I keep from imposing on people, they become themselves."
- Translated by Witter Bynner, Chapter 57
"Rule by what is right.
Wage war by clever strategy.
Win the world by being passive.
How do I know?
By this: more restrictions mean weaker people;
more weapons mean a troubled state;
more cunning means many surprises;
more laws mean violators.
Therefore be passive and the people will be peaceful;
be serene and the people will be pricipled;
be reserved and the people will be wealthy;
be selfless and the people will be simple and serene."
- Translated by Frank Machovec, Chapter 57
"Honesty governs the empire Cleverness overcomes without weapons Wisdom prevails through non-action.
How do I know this? Because this is how it is:
The more administrations and prohibitions there are the more force and poverty.
The more force and weapons there are the more unrest and resistance.
The more cunning and calculation there are the more craftiness and setbacks.
The more orders are given the more foes of order there are.
Hence the Sage speaks:
I practice non-action and the people do what is right of themselves.
I practice silence and the people calm down.
I practice non-interference and the people attain prosperity.
I practice gentleness and patience and the people attain harmony and simplicity."
- Translated by Schmidt, Chapter 57
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