Chapter 57

以正治國，以奇用兵，以無事取天下。

Govern a state by upright means, wage war by unexpected tactics, and take the world by not stirring up trouble.

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；

How do I know it is so? By these: the more prohibitions in the world, the poorer the people; the more sharp instruments among the people, the more disordered the state;

人多伎巧，奇物滋起；

the more skill people have, the more strange and curious things appear;

法令滋彰，盜賊多有。

the more stringent the laws and decrees, the more thieves and robbers there are.

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。」

Therefore the sage says: "I do not act, and the people transform of themselves; I love stillness, and the people become upright of themselves; I do not stir up trouble, and the people prosper of themselves; I have no desires, and the people return of themselves to the simplicity of the uncarved block."

其政悶悶，其民淳淳；

When government is lenient and plain, the people are honest and simple;

其政察察，其民缺缺。

when government is harsh and probing, the people are cunning and unprincipled.

禍兮福之所倚，福兮禍之所伏。孰知其極？其無正。

Misfortune is where fortune leans; fortune is where misfortune lurks. Who knows where it ends? There is no fixed standard.

正復為奇，

The upright turns again into the crooked,

善復為妖。

and the good turns again into the uncanny.

人之迷，其日固久。

People have been confused by this for a very long time.

是以聖人方而不割，

Therefore the sage is square but does not cut,

廉而不劌，

has edges but does not pierce,

直而不肆，

is straightforward but not reckless,

光而不燿。

and shines but does not dazzle.

治人事天，莫若嗇。

In governing the people and serving Heaven, nothing is better than frugality of energy.

夫唯嗇，是謂早服；

Only by being frugal of energy can one be said to prepare early;

早服謂之重積德；

to prepare early is to keep accumulating virtue;

重積德則無不克，無不克則莫知其極；

to keep accumulating virtue is to be equal to every task; being equal to every task, no one can fathom one's limit;

莫知其極，可以有國；

when no one can fathom one's limit, one can bear the charge of a state;

有國之母，可以長久；

having grasped the root of governing a state, one can last long.

是謂深根固柢，長生久視之道。

This is called deep roots and a firm base, the way of long life and lasting vision.

治大國，若烹小鮮。

Governing a large state is like cooking a small fish: do not keep turning it over.

以道蒞天下，其鬼不神；

When the world is overseen with the Way, ghosts and spirits show no power;

非其鬼不神，其神不傷人；

it is not that ghosts and spirits show no power, but that their power does not harm people;

非其神不傷人，聖人亦不傷人。

nor is it only that their power does not harm people, but the sage likewise does not harm people.

夫兩不相傷，故德交歸焉。

As the two do not harm each other, virtue is gathered together and returns to the people.

大國者下流，

A large state should be like the lower reaches of a river,

天下之交。

where the world's streams converge,

天下之牝，

becoming the female of the world.

牝常以靜勝牡，以靜為下。

The female always overcomes the male through stillness, because she is still and content to be low.

故大國以下小國，

So when a large state humbles itself before a small state,

則取小國；

it wins the small state's allegiance;

小國以下大國，則取大國。

when a small state humbles itself before a large state, it wins the large state's acceptance.

故或下以取，或下而取。

So some gain allegiance by humbling themselves, and some gain acceptance by humbling themselves.

大國不過欲兼畜人，小國不過欲入事人。夫兩者各得其所欲，大者宜為下。

A large state wishes only to unite and shelter small states, and a small state wishes only to join and serve a large state. Since each gets what it wants, the larger one especially should be humble.

道者萬物之奧。

The Way is the deep refuge of the myriad things.

善人之寶，

It is the treasure of the good person,

不善人之所保。

and also what the not-good person relies on to be kept safe.

美言可以市，尊行可以加人。

Fine words can win respect, and noble conduct can earn esteem among people.

人之不善，何棄之有？

As for those who are not good, how could they be cast aside?

故立天子，置三公，

So when the Son of Heaven is enthroned and the Three Dukes are appointed,

雖有拱璧以先駟馬，不如坐進此道。

even if one presents as a gift a jade disc large enough to embrace, with a team of four horses to follow, it is not as good as sitting still and offering this Way.

古之所以貴此道者何？不曰以求得，有罪以免邪？故為天下貴。

Why did the ancients value this Way? Is it not said that those who seek will obtain by it, and those who have sinned will be excused by it? Therefore it is honored by the world.