Dao De Jing: A Minimalist Translation - Laozi

• 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 [而] 國家滋昏人多 (知) 巧 [而] 奇物滋起法 (物) 滋 (章) 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 •

Use honesty and justness when governing a nation. Use strange and unusual tactics when commanding troops. Use non-interference to take hold of the world. How do I thus know it is like this? By means of this : The world has many prohibitions and taboos, And the citizens become even poorer. The citizens have many sharp tools, And the nation and the families grow in confusion. The people have too much knowledge and cleverness, And strange things begin to increase. Matters of law are increasingly proclaimed, And more thieves and bandits exist. Therefore : the sage says – I use non-action, and the citizens naturally transform. I cherish stillness, and the citizens naturally become honest and just. I use non-interference, and the citizens naturally become wealthy. I am without-desire, and the citizens naturally return to the state of the uncarved block.

Use honesty and justness when governing a nation. Use strange and unusual [tactics] when commanding troops². ♦Use non-interference² to take hold of the world². How do I thus know it is like this ? By means of this : ♦The world² has many prohibitions and taboos, [avoid,shun,abstain] ♦And the citizens become even[more] poorer. ♦The citizens have many sharp tools^A, And the nation and the families grow in confusion. The people have too much knowledge and cleverness, ♦And strange things begin to increase. Matters of law are increasingly proclaimed, [things] [made known] ♦And more thieves and bandits{traitors} exist. Therefore : the sage² says – ♦I use non-action, and the citizens naturally transform. ♦I cherish stillness, and the citizens naturally become honest and just. [fond of] ♦I use non-interference², and the citizens naturally become wealthy. I am without-desire, and the citizens naturally [return to the state of the] uncarved block.

Notes A : presumably, weapons Cross-references be honest and just in governing : #8 honest and just, strange and unusual : #58 non-interference : #48, #63 possess or take hold of the world or nation : #29, #48, #59, #61 by using non-interference : #48 how do I thus know : #21, #54 by means of this : #21, #54 sharp tools : #36 nation and families : #18 thieves and bandits : #19 the sage says : #78 non-action : #2, #3, #37, #38, #43, #48, #63, #64 stillness : #15, #16, #26, #37, #45, #61 without-desire : #1, #3, #34, #37 uncarved block : #15, #19, #28, #32, #37 uncarved block brings without-desire : #37

Chapter Fifty Eight

其政悶悶其民淳淳其政察察其民缺缺禍兮福之所倚 • 福兮禍之所伏孰知其極其無正 • 正復為奇善復為妖人之迷 • 其日固久是以聖人方而不割廉而不劌直而不肆光而不燿

If their government is very restrained, Its citizens will be very genuine and honest. If their government is very observant and alert, Its citizens will be very lacking and deficient. Misfortune! is that which good fortune leans on. Good fortune! is that which misfortune lies on. Who knows their limits? They are not honest and just. Honesty and justness returns, becoming strange and unusual. Virtue returns, becoming weird and strange. The confusion of the people – Its days have indeed been everlasting. Thus the sage : Is honest and does not divide, Is honorable and does not injure, Is straightforward and does not indulge in excess, Is bright but does not dazzle.

♦If their government is [very] restrained, [smothered,tightly covered²] Its citizens will be [very] genuine and honest^2A. If their government is [very] observant and alert², Its citizens will be [very] lacking and deficient². Misfortune ! is that which good fortune [it] leans on.^B ♦Good fortune ! is that which misfortune [it] lies on. ♦Who knows their limits^C? [utmost,extreme] ♦They are not honest and just. ♦Honesty and justness returns, becoming strange and unusual. ♦Virtue returns, becoming weird and strange. ♦The confusion of the people – ♦Its days have indeed been everlasting. [undoubtedly] [for a long time] Thus² the sage² : ♦Is honest^D and does not divide^E, Is honorable* and does not injure, ♦Is straightforward and does not indulge in excess, Is bright but does not dazzle^F.

Notes The very’s in the first four lines are implied by the repeated symbols at the end of each line A : every source has a different symbol here; this comes from WB B : this line and the next can be translated many ways because of the numerous meanings of their last symbols (see the Introduction) – the translation given here is the most “neutral”, saying only that they depend on each other C : literally “their extremes”, presumably in the sense of “to what extremes they will go” or “how far will they go”; compare to #59 D : this symbol also has the sense of “morally upright”, “principled”, and “ethical” E : compare to #28 where the “greatest cutting does not divide” (also in relation to the sage) F : every source has a different symbol, but three of them mean “to shine, dazzle, be glorious” thus making a majority in meaning; compare to how the sage does not “display” in #22, #47, #72, #77 Cross-references observant and alert : #20 returning : #14, #16, #19, #20, #22, #25, #28, #34, #40, #52, #60, #64, #65, #80 honest and just, strange and unusual : #57 no harm : #35, #56, #60, #66, #81

Chapter Fifty Nine

治人事天莫若嗇 (•)夫唯嗇是謂早服早服謂之重積德重積德則無不克 • 無不克則莫知其極莫知其極可以有國有國之母可以長久是謂深根固柢長生久視之道 • •

When governing people or doing heaven’s duties, It is better to be sparing. Now : only when you can be sparing, This is called early acceptance. Early acceptance is called doubling your accumulation of De. With a double accumulation of De, Then everything can be overcome. When everything can be overcome, Then no one knows your limits. When no one knows your limits, You can possess the nation. Possessing the mother of the nation, You can forever endure. This is called having a deep source and a firm foundation, The Way of long life and enduring sight.

♦When governing people or doing heaven’s duties, ♦It is better² to be sparing. [stingy,thrifty] Now : only when you can be sparing, [stingy,thrifty] This is called early acceptance^A. [be convinced,serve] Early acceptance is called doubling your accumulation of De. [be convinced,serve] [his] With a double accumulation of De, Then everything² can be overcome. When everything² can be overcome, Then no one knows your limits^B. [his] [utmost,extreme] ♦When no one knows your limits^B, [his] [utmost,extreme] ♦You can² possess the nation. ♦Possessing the mother of the nation, ♦You can² forever endure. [for a long time] This is called having a deep source and a firm foundation, ♦The Way of long life and enduring sight. [for a long time]

Notes A : this is the most literal translation; GUO has Thus you are prepared in advance [early] B : literally “your extremes”, presumably in the sense of “to what extremes you will go” or “how far will you go”; compare to #58 Cross-references possess or take hold of the world or nation : #29, #48, #57, #61 mother : #1, #20, #25, #52 can forever endure : #44

Chapter Sixty

治大國若烹小鮮以道莅天下其鬼不神非其鬼不神 • 其神不傷人 • 非其神不傷人 • 聖人亦不傷人 • 夫兩不相傷 (•)故德交歸焉

Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish. Because Dao is present in the world, Its ghosts do not have spirit. Not that its ghosts do not have any spirit, But their spirit does not injure people. Not only does their spirit not injure people, The sage also does not injure people. Now : since these two do not injure each other, Therefore their De merges and returns!

♦Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish.^A ♦Because Dao is present in the world², ♦Its ghosts do not have spirit.^B ♦Not that its ghosts do not have [any] spirit, ♦But their spirit does not injure people. ♦Not [only] does their spirit not injure people, The sage² also does not injure people. ♦Now : since these two do not injure each other, ♦Therefore their De merges and returns ! [intersects,exchanges,mixes]

Notes A : compare this line to the first two lines of the previous chapter and it is easy to see why there has long been speculation that this line should end the previous chapter; however, there is an explicit end-of-chapter marker in GUO #59, and GUO does not even contain this chapter; essentially this line is saying it is easy to ruin a small fish by overcooking, and it is easy to ruin a nation by over-controlling B : first – the “it” is literal, presumably meaning “the world’s ghosts”; second – “ghosts” is the most literal, general term, but this could also be referring to demons (or possibly to souls of the ancestors); third – “spirit” might be better thought of in this chapter as “spiritual power”, thus this line seems to be saying that ghosts do not have any power in the world; this and the next few lines can be translated in many different ways, due to the multiple meanings of the symbols for “ghost” and “spirit”, and the lack of any reasonable context – perhaps these lines were addressing some lost ancient scholarly debate or common cultural belief? Cross-references no harm : #35, #56, #58, #66, #81 returning : #14, #16, #19, #20, #22, #25, #28, #34, #40, #52, #58, #64, #65, #80 De and returning : #28, #65