Tao Te Ching Chapter 53
第53章
使我介然有知，行於大道，唯施是畏。大道甚夷，而民好徑。朝甚除，田甚蕪，倉甚虛；服文綵，帶利劍，厭飲食，財貨有餘；是為盜夸。非道也哉！
If I were suddenly to become known, and (put into a position to) conduct (a government) according to the Great Tao, what I should be most afraid of would be a boastful display.
The great Tao (or way) is very level and easy; but people love the by-ways.
Their court(-yards and buildings) shall be well kept, but their fields shall be ill-cultivated, and their granaries very empty. They shall wear elegant and ornamented robes, carry a sharp sword at their girdle, pamper themselves in eating and drinking, and have a superabundance of property and wealth;--such (princes) may be called robbers and boasters. This is contrary to the Tao surely!
English: James Legge (1891), The Tâo Teh King, Sacred Books of the East vol. 39 (1891) — public domain. Chinese: Wang Bi recension (王弼本), commentary removed.
Character glossary
- 使shǐcause, mission, orders; envoy, messenger
- 我wǒI, me, my; our, us
- 介jièagent, go-between, intermediary; to intr
- 然ráncertainly; naturally; suddenly
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 行xíngto go, to walk, to move; professional
- 於yúat, in, on; to, from; alas!
- 大dàbig, great, vast, high, deep
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 唯wéionly; sole
- 施shīto grant, to bestow; to act; surname
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 畏wèifear, dread, awe, reverence
- 甚shénconsiderably; very, extremely; a great e
- 夷yíancient barbarian tribes
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 民míncitizens, subjects; a nation's people
- 好hǎogood, excellent, fine; proper, suitable;
- 徑jìngpath, diameter; straight, direct
- 朝cháoto face; direct, facing; dynasty; mornin
- 除chúto eliminate, to remove, to wipe out
- 田tiánfield, farm, arable land; cultivated
- 蕪wúweeds; overgrowth
- 倉cānggranary, barn; cabin, berth
- 虛xūfalse; worthless, hollow, empty; vain
- 服fúclothes; to dress, to wear; to take medi
- 文wénculture, literature, writing
- 綵cǎimotley, variegated
- 帶dàibelt, strap; band, ribbon; area, zone; t
- 利lìgains, advantage, profit, merit
- 劍jiànsword, dagger, saber
- 厭yànto dislike, to detest; to reject; to sat
- 飲yǐnto swallow, to drink; a kind of drink
- 食shífood; to eat
- 財cáiriches, wealth, valuables
- 貨huòproducts, merchandise; goods, commoditie
- 餘yúsurplus, remainder, excess
- 為wèito do, to act; to handle, to govern; to
- 盜dàoto rob, to steal; thief, bandit
- 夸kuāextravagant, luxurious; handsome
- 非fēinot, negative, non-; to oppose
- 也yěalso, too
- 哉zāifinal exclamatory particle
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Data: English Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0); Chinese Wikisource (Public domain texts; transcription CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.