DE · VIRTUE / CHAPTER 65

Simplicity in governing

第65章 · 淳德 · 德经

CHINESE ORIGINAL

古之善为道者,非以明民,将以愚之。

民之难治,以其智多。

故以智治国,国之贼,不以智治国,国之福。

知此两者亦稽式。

常知稽式,是谓玄德。

玄德深矣,远矣,与物反矣,然后乃至大顺。

ENGLISH · JAMES LEGGE, 1891

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.

Legge’s translation uses nineteenth-century English. Parentheses are the translator’s; English chapter headings are editorial reading aids. Sources & method ↗

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