A THREAD THROUGH THE TEXT
Leadership
What happens when a leader makes room for others? Read about restraint, trust, and governing with a light hand.
Quieting desire
不尚贤，使民不争。
Not to value and employ men of superior ability is the way to keep the people from rivalry among themselves; not to prize articles which are difficult to…
Read chapterThe quiet leader
太上，下知有之，其次，亲而誉之，其次，畏之，其次，侮之。
In the highest antiquity, (the people) did not know that there were (their rulers). In the next age they loved them and praised them. In the next they…
Read chapterWhen the way is lost
大道废，有仁义。
When the Great Tao (Way or Method) ceased to be observed, benevolence and righteousness came into vogue. (Then) appeared wisdom and shrewdness, and there…
Read chapterSimplicity and sincerity
绝圣弃智，民利百倍。
If we could renounce our sageness and discard our wisdom, it would be better for the people a hundredfold. If we could renounce our benevolence and…
Read chapterLetting the world be
将欲取天下而为之，吾见其不得已。
If any one should wish to get the kingdom for himself, and to effect this by what he does, I see that he will not succeed. The kingdom is a spirit-like…
Read chapterActing without forcing
道常无为而无不为。
The Tao in its regular course does nothing (for the sake of doing it), and so there is nothing which it does not do. If princes and kings were able to…
Read chapterThe highest virtue
上德不德，是以有德。
(Those who) possessed in highest degree the attributes (of the Tao) did not (seek) to show them, and therefore they possessed them (in fullest measure).…
Read chapterThe open heart
圣人无常心，以百姓心为心。
The sage has no invariable mind of his own; he makes the mind of the people his mind. To those who are good (to me), I am good; and to those who are not…
Read chapterThe great road
使我介然有知，行于大道，唯施是畏。
If I were suddenly to become known, and (put into a position to) conduct (a government) according to the Great Tao, what I should be most afraid of would…
Read chapterGoverning with stillness
以正治国，以奇用兵，以无事取天下。
A state may be ruled by (measures of) correction; weapons of war may be used with crafty dexterity; (but) the kingdom is made one's own (only) by freedom…
Read chapterFortune and misfortune
其政闷闷，其民淳淳。
58. The government that seems the most unwise, Oft goodness to the people best supplies; That which is meddling, touching everything, Will work but ill,…
Read chapterCare and restraint
治人事天，莫若啬。
For regulating the human (in our constitution) and rendering the (proper) service to the heavenly, there is nothing like moderation. It is only by this…
Read chapterGoverning a great state
治大国，若烹小鲜。
Governing a great state is like cooking small fish. Let the kingdom be governed according to the Tao, and the manes of the departed will not manifest…
Read chapterThe lower position
大国者下流，天下之交。
What makes a great state is its being (like) a low-lying, down-flowing (stream);--it becomes the centre to which tend (all the small states) under heaven.…
Read chapterSimplicity in governing
古之善为道者，非以明民，将以愚之。
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…
Read chapterThe rivers and the sea
江海所以能为百谷王者，以其善下之，故能为百谷王。
That whereby the rivers and seas are able to receive the homage and tribute of all the valley streams, is their skill in being lower than they;--it is…
Read chapterRoom to live
民不畏威，则大威至。
When the people do not fear what they ought to fear, that which is their great dread will come on them. Let them not thoughtlessly indulge themselves in…
Read chapterThe master carpenter
民不畏死，奈何以死惧之？若使民常畏死，而为奇者，吾得执而杀之，孰敢？常有司杀者杀，夫代司杀者杀，是谓代大匠斲。
The people do not fear death; to what purpose is it to (try to) frighten them with death? If the people were always in awe of death, and I could always…
Read chapterWhy people go hungry
民之饥，以其上食税之多，是以饥。
The people suffer from famine because of the multitude of taxes consumed by their superiors. It is through this that they suffer famine. The people are…
Read chapterA small community
小国寡民，使有什伯之器而不用，使民重死而不远徙。
In a little state with a small population, I would so order it, that, though there were individuals with the abilities of ten or a hundred men, there…
Read chapter