Dao De Jing, Laozi
Chapter 65
[When studying ancient texts and scriptures, we also learn by disagreeing with or doubting what they say. It is unwise to worship and revere any old book or scripture or document whether it be the Tao De Jing, the Bible, the Koran, or the Constitution of the United States of America. "True Believers" can be shortsighted and quite mean-spirited at times, and I find dogmatists are less useful than dogs. Times change, knowledge and information expand, science advances, populations expand, philosophies evolve, worldviews recede from popularity, empires collapse. I recommend that you aim to be mentally flexible, pragmatic, informed, good, skeptical, open-minded, tolerant, evolving, relevant, and current.]
[When studying ancient texts and scriptures, we also learn by disagreeing with or doubting what they say. It is unwise to worship and revere any old book or scripture or document whether it be the Tao De Jing, the Bible, the Koran, or the Constitution of the United States of America. "True Believers" can be shortsighted and quite mean-spirited at times, and I find dogmatists are less useful than dogs. Times change, knowledge and information expand, science advances, populations expand, philosophies evolve, worldviews recede from popularity, empires collapse. I recommend that you aim to be mentally flexible, pragmatic, informed, good, skeptical, open-minded, tolerant, evolving, relevant, and current.]
"The ancients who showed their skill in practicing the Tao did so, not to enlighten the people, but rather to make them simple and ignorant.
The difficulty in governing the people arises from their having much knowledge.
He who tries to govern a state by his wisdom is a scourge to it;
While he who does not try to do so is a blessing.
He who knows these two things finds in them also his model and rule.
Ability to know this model and rule constitutes what we call the mysterious excellence of a governor.
Deep and far-reaching is such mysterious excellence, showing indeed its possessor as opposite to others, but leading them to a great conformity to him."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891, Chapter 65
The difficulty in governing the people arises from their having much knowledge.
He who tries to govern a state by his wisdom is a scourge to it;
While he who does not try to do so is a blessing.
He who knows these two things finds in them also his model and rule.
Ability to know this model and rule constitutes what we call the mysterious excellence of a governor.
Deep and far-reaching is such mysterious excellence, showing indeed its possessor as opposite to others, but leading them to a great conformity to him."
- Translated by James Legge, 1891, Chapter 65
"The ancients who were well versed in Reason did not thereby enlighten the people;
They intended thereby to make them simple-hearted.
If people are difficult to govern, it is because they are too smart.
To govern the country with smartness is the country's curse.
To govern the country without smartness is the country's blessing.
He who knows these two things is also a model like the ancients.
Always to know the model is called profound virtue.
Spiritual virtue, verily, is profound.
Verily, it is far-reaching.
Verily, it is to everything reverse.
But then it will procure great recognition."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913, Chapter 65
They intended thereby to make them simple-hearted.
If people are difficult to govern, it is because they are too smart.
To govern the country with smartness is the country's curse.
To govern the country without smartness is the country's blessing.
He who knows these two things is also a model like the ancients.
Always to know the model is called profound virtue.
Spiritual virtue, verily, is profound.
Verily, it is far-reaching.
Verily, it is to everything reverse.
But then it will procure great recognition."
- Translated by D. T. Suzuki and Paul Carus, 1913, Chapter 65
"The ancients who were most adept at ruling did not try to enlighten the people, but instead gradually made them stupid.
The people are difficult to govern because they are clever.
Hence, the nation's malefactor is one who uses cleverness to govern.
While the nation's benefactor is one who does not use cleverness to govern.
To understand both of these is also to harmonize with an eternal pattern.
To understand and harmonize with that pattern is called Profound Te.
Profound Te is so deep, so far-reaching.
It causes things to return and eventually reach Great Confluence."
- Translated by Tam Gibbs, 1981, Chapter 65
The people are difficult to govern because they are clever.
Hence, the nation's malefactor is one who uses cleverness to govern.
While the nation's benefactor is one who does not use cleverness to govern.
To understand both of these is also to harmonize with an eternal pattern.
To understand and harmonize with that pattern is called Profound Te.
Profound Te is so deep, so far-reaching.
It causes things to return and eventually reach Great Confluence."
- Translated by Tam Gibbs, 1981, Chapter 65
Those who, in ancient times, were eminent for the practice of Tao, abstained from enlightening the people, and kept them simple.
The difficulty of governing the people arises from their excess of shrewdness.
He who employs shrewdness in governing a State, becomes a robber of the State;
he who does not do so, is a blessing to it.
The man who knows both these things presents an ideal of good government, and a knowledge of this ideal
constitutes Sublime Virtue.
Sublime Virtue is deep and far-reaching, and is in direct opposition to all objects of desire;
thus it is able to bring about universal accordance with the Tao."
- Translated by Frederic Henry Balfour, 1884, Chapter 65
The difficulty of governing the people arises from their excess of shrewdness.
He who employs shrewdness in governing a State, becomes a robber of the State;
he who does not do so, is a blessing to it.
The man who knows both these things presents an ideal of good government, and a knowledge of this ideal
constitutes Sublime Virtue.
Sublime Virtue is deep and far-reaching, and is in direct opposition to all objects of desire;
thus it is able to bring about universal accordance with the Tao."
- Translated by Frederic Henry Balfour, 1884, Chapter 65
"In days gone by, those who knew how to follow the Dao did not seem enlightened but ignorant.
The reason why people are hard to govern is because they know too much.
And so to use knowledge to govern a country is to be its curse.
Not to use knowledge to govern a country is to be its blessing.
There are two primal principles, and to understand them always brings the deepest virtue (De).
How hidden, deep and far-reaching virtue (De) is.
It makes all things return to their source and so attain oneness."
- Translated by Tim Chilcott, 2005, Chapter 65
The reason why people are hard to govern is because they know too much.
And so to use knowledge to govern a country is to be its curse.
Not to use knowledge to govern a country is to be its blessing.
There are two primal principles, and to understand them always brings the deepest virtue (De).
How hidden, deep and far-reaching virtue (De) is.
It makes all things return to their source and so attain oneness."
- Translated by Tim Chilcott, 2005, Chapter 65
"In olden times those who were most practiced in the Tao did not use their knowledge to instruct the people;
they used it rather to keep them simple.
It is when they are overstocked with learning that the people are hard to govern.
To govern by adding to the people's store of learning is to prey on the country;
To govern by decreasing the people's store of learning is to be a blessing to the country.
He who is familiar with these two methods will not want for a touchstone.
Always bearing this in mind, he will be able to draw on the Mysterious Power;
This power is infinitely deep and far-reaching, and, unlike all things else, goes back and back,
Until it attains to complete Unity."
- Translated by Herman Ould, 1946, Chapter 65
they used it rather to keep them simple.
It is when they are overstocked with learning that the people are hard to govern.
To govern by adding to the people's store of learning is to prey on the country;
To govern by decreasing the people's store of learning is to be a blessing to the country.
He who is familiar with these two methods will not want for a touchstone.
Always bearing this in mind, he will be able to draw on the Mysterious Power;
This power is infinitely deep and far-reaching, and, unlike all things else, goes back and back,
Until it attains to complete Unity."
- Translated by Herman Ould, 1946, Chapter 65
"Those skillful in the ancient Tao
Are not obvious to the people.
They appear to be simple-minded.
People are difficult to lead
Because they are too clever.
Hence, to lead the organization with cleverness
Will harm the organization.
To lead the organization without cleverness
Will benefit the organization.
Those who know these two things
Have investigated the patterns of the Absolute.
To know and investigate the patterns
Is called the Subtle Power.
The Subtle Power is profound and far-reaching.
Together wtih the Natural Law of polarity,
It leads to the Great Harmony."
- Translated by R. L. Wing, 1986, Chapter 65
Are not obvious to the people.
They appear to be simple-minded.
People are difficult to lead
Because they are too clever.
Hence, to lead the organization with cleverness
Will harm the organization.
To lead the organization without cleverness
Will benefit the organization.
Those who know these two things
Have investigated the patterns of the Absolute.
To know and investigate the patterns
Is called the Subtle Power.
The Subtle Power is profound and far-reaching.
Together wtih the Natural Law of polarity,
It leads to the Great Harmony."
- Translated by R. L. Wing, 1986, Chapter 65
"The ancients who mastered the Tao did not make the people sharp and clever.
Instead, they made the people simple and deep.
The people are hard to govern
When they are too clever and know too much.
To govern the people with cleverness is to bring about calamities.
To govern the people with simplicity is to bring about blessings.
To know these two alternatives is to have the standard of governance.
To understand the standard of governance is to have sublime virtue.
Sublime virtue is deep and far-reaching.
Though it runs counter to the common way,
It follows the great way of the Tao Eternal."
- Translated by Yasuhiko Genku Kimura, Chapter 65
Instead, they made the people simple and deep.
The people are hard to govern
When they are too clever and know too much.
To govern the people with cleverness is to bring about calamities.
To govern the people with simplicity is to bring about blessings.
To know these two alternatives is to have the standard of governance.
To understand the standard of governance is to have sublime virtue.
Sublime virtue is deep and far-reaching.
Though it runs counter to the common way,
It follows the great way of the Tao Eternal."
- Translated by Yasuhiko Genku Kimura, Chapter 65
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