Tao Te Ching Chapter 57
第57章
以正治國，以奇用兵，以無事取天下。吾何以知其然哉？以此。天下多忌諱，而民彌貧；民多利器，國家滋昬；人多伎巧，奇物滋起；法令滋彰，盜賊多有。故聖人云﹕「我無為而民自化，我好靜而民自正，我無事而民自富，我無欲而民自樸。」
A state may be ruled by (measures of) correction; weapons of war may be used with crafty dexterity; (but) the kingdom is made one's own (only) by freedom from action and purpose.
How do I know that it is so? By these facts:--In the kingdom the multiplication of prohibitive enactments increases the poverty of the people; the more implements to add to their profit that the people have, the greater disorder is there in the state and clan; the more acts of crafty dexterity that men possess, the more do strange contrivances appear; the more display there is of legislation, the more thieves and robbers there are.
Therefore a sage has said, 'I will do nothing (of purpose), and the people will be transformed of themselves; I will be fond of keeping still, and the people will of themselves become correct. I will take no trouble about it, and the people will of themselves become rich; I will manifest no ambition, and the people will of themselves attain to the primitive simplicity.'
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
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 正zhèngstraight, right, proper, correct, just,
- 治zhìto administer, to govern, to regulate
- 國guócountry, nation, state; national
- 奇qístrange, unusual, odd; uncanny, occult
- 用yòngto use, to employ, to apply; use
- 兵bīngsoldier; troops, an army; warlike
- 無wúno, not; lacking, -less
- 事shìaffair, matter, business; to serve; acci
- 取qǔto take, to receive, to obtain; to selec
- 天tiānsky, heaven; god, celestial
- 下xiàbelow, underneath; inferior; to bring do
- 吾wúI, my, our; to resist, to impede
- 何héwhat, why, where, which, how
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 然ráncertainly; naturally; suddenly
- 哉zāifinal exclamatory particle
- 此cǐthis, these; in this case, then
- 多duōmuch, many, multi-; more than, over
- 忌jìjealous, envious; to fear; to shun
- 諱huìtaboo; to shun, to conceal, to avoid men
- 而érand, and then, and yet; but
- 民míncitizens, subjects; a nation's people
- 彌mícomplete, extensive, full; to fill
- 貧pínpoor, needy, impoverished; lacking
- 利lìgains, advantage, profit, merit
- 器qìdevice, instrument, tool; receptacle, ve
- 家jiāhouse, home, residence; family
- 滋zīto grow, to nourish; to multiply, to thr
- 昬hūndusk; dark, confused; stupid
- 人rénman, person; people
- 伎jìtalent, skill, craft, ability
- 巧qiǎoskillful, ingenious, clever
- 物wùthing, substance, matter; creature
- 起qǐto begin, to initiate; to rise, to stand
- 法fǎlaw, rule, statute; method, way; French
- 令lìngcommand, decree, order; magistrate; to a
- 彰zhāngclear, manifest, obvious
- 盜dàoto rob, to steal; thief, bandit
- 賊zéithief, traitor; cunning, sly
- 有yǒuto have, to own, to possess; to exist
- 故gùreason, cause; happening, instance
- 聖shèngholy, sacred; sage, saint
- 云yúncloud; to say, to speak
- 我wǒI, me, my; our, us
- 為wèito do, to act; to handle, to govern; to
- 自zìself; private, personal; from
- 化huàto change, to convert, to reform; -ize
- 好hǎogood, excellent, fine; proper, suitable;
- 靜jìngstill, quiet, motionless, gentle
- 富fùabundant, ample; rich, wealthy
- 欲yùdesire, want, longing, intent
- 樸pǔplain, simple; sincere; surname
Similar passages
- Zhuangzi Tsê Yang
- Tao Te Ching Chapter 54
- Zhuangzi The Universe
- Zhuangzi Opening Trunks
- Zhuangzi The Old Fisherman
- Zhuangzi On Letting Alone
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.