Philosophy
道 德 經
Tao Teh Ching
Manual
德 Teh
Chapter 57
1. 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 (only) by freedom from action and purpose.
2. How do I know that it is so? By these facts:—In the kingdom the multiplication of prohibitive enactments increases the poverty of the people; the more implements to add to their profit that the people have, the greater disorder is there in the state and clan; the more acts of crafty dexterity that men possess, the more do strange contrivances appear; the more display there is of legislation, the more thieves and robbers there are.
3. Therefore a sage has said, 'I will do nothing (of purpose), and the people will be transformed of themselves; I will be fond of keeping still, and the people will of themselves become correct. I will take no trouble about it, and the people will of themselves become rich; I will manifest no ambition, and the people will of themselves attain to the primitive simplicity.'
五 十 七 章
以 正 治 國 ,
以 奇 用 兵 ,
以 無 事 取 天 下 。
吾 何 以 知 其 然 ？
以 此 。
天 下 多 忌 諱 , 而 人 彌 貧 ;
人 多 利 器 , 國 家 滋 昏 ;
人 多 伎 巧 , 奇 物 滋 起 ;
法 物 滋 彰 , 盜 賊 多 有 。
故 聖 人 云 :
「 我 無 為 , 人 自 化 ;
我 好 靜 , 人 自 正 ;
我無 事 , 人 自 富 ;
我 無 欲 , 人 自 朴 。 」
Key Terms
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Observations and Comments
Legge Translation Notes
### 'The Genuine Influence.' The chapter shows how government by the Tâo is alone effective, and of universal application; contrasting it with the failure of other methods.
After the 'weapons of war' in par. 1, one is tempted to take 'the sharp implements' in par. 2 as such weapons, but the meaning which I finally adopted, especially after studying chapters 36 and 80, seems more consonant with Lâo-dze's scheme of thought. In the last member of the same par., Ho-shang Kung has the strange reading of ###, and uses it in his commentary; but the better text of ### is found both in Hwâi-nan and Sze-mâ Khien, and in Wang Pî.
We do not know if the writer were quoting any particular sage in par. 3, or referring generally to the sages of the past;—men like the 'sentence-makers' of ch. 41.