Governing a great state

Repeatedly disturbing a multitude yields little success; repeatedly moving a great vessel causes much damage; repeatedly stirring small fish breaks them up; repeatedly changing laws in a great state confuses people. Thus the Way of government values clear stillness, and the people settle themselves. The sage is lord of spirits, people, and all things. Unavoidably presiding over the world, nothing compares with nonaction. The Way constantly does not act: preside through it and no person remains ungoverned. Those entities that act by depending on people likewise all become settled and rest, none emerging to haunt. Hence 'its ghosts do not manifest spiritual power.' One presiding through the Way does nothing deliberately and is constantly spontaneous. There are no disasters of attacking warfare or penalties of killing: this is not injuring people. Then spirits and people neither injure each other, and virtue jointly returns. Spirits have nowhere to display numinous responses; they simply bestow many blessings. Hence their power does not injure people. People have nowhere to employ clever ingenuity; they simply eat and drink in everyday life. What injury could there be?