Tao Te Ching Chapter 65
第65章
古之善為道者，非以明民，將以愚之。民之難治，以其智多。故以智治國，國之賊，不以智治國，國之福。知此兩者亦稽式。常知稽式，是謂玄德。玄德深矣，遠矣，與物反矣，然後乃至大順。
The ancients who showed their skill in practising 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.
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
- 古gǔold, classic, ancient
- 之zhīmarks preceding phrase as modifier of fo
- 善shàngood, virtuous, charitable, kind
- 為wèito do, to act; to handle, to govern; to
- 道dàomethod, way; path, road
- 者zhěthat which; they who; those who
- 非fēinot, negative, non-; to oppose
- 以yǐaccording to; so as to; because of; then
- 明míngbright, clear; to explain, to understand
- 民míncitizens, subjects; a nation's people
- 將jiāngthe future, what will be; ready, prepare
- 愚yústupid, foolish
- 難nánhard, difficult, arduous; unable
- 治zhìto administer, to govern, to regulate
- 其qíhis, her, its, their; that
- 智zhìwisdom, knowledge, intelligence
- 多duōmuch, many, multi-; more than, over
- 故gùreason, cause; happening, instance
- 國guócountry, nation, state; national
- 賊zéithief, traitor; cunning, sly
- 不bùno, not, un-; negative prefix
- 福fúhappiness, good fortune, blessings
- 知zhīto know, to perceive, to comprehend
- 此cǐthis, these; in this case, then
- 兩liǎngtwo, both, pair, couple; ounce
- 亦yìalso, too; likewise
- 稽jīto examine, to investigate
- 式shìformula, pattern, rule, style, system
- 常chángcommon, general, normal; always, frequen
- 是shìto be; indeed, right, yes; okay
- 謂wèito call, to say, to tell; name, title; m
- 玄xuándeep, profound, abstruse
- 德déethics, morality; compassion, kindness
- 深shēndeep, profound; depth
- 矣yǐparticle of completed action
- 遠yuǎndistant, remote, far; profound
- 與yǔand; with; to; for; to give, to grant
- 物wùthing, substance, matter; creature
- 反fǎnreverse, opposite; contrary, anti-
- 然ráncertainly; naturally; suddenly
- 後hòuafter; behind, rear; descendants
- 乃nǎithen; really, indeed, after all
- 至zhìreach, arrive; very, extremely
- 大dàbig, great, vast, high, deep
- 順shùnto submit to, to obey, to go along with
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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.