The Tao Te Ching
by Lao Tzu
Translated by Tienzen (Jeh-Tween) Gong
http://www.iewu.edu/Lao1.htm 56
Those who know do not chat.
Those who chat do not know.
Plug the openings, close the gate.
Temper the sharpness, eliminate the division.
Soften the brightness, be the same as the dust (as lowly as possible).
This is the Primal Union.
Thus, friends, enemies, good, harm, honor and disgrace are all with you.
The world will honor you.
57
Rule a nation with justice.
Wage war with deception.
Become ruler of the world with peace.
How do I know that this is so?
Because of these. The more laws and restrictions,
the poorer people become.
The sharper men's weapons,
the more trouble in the land.
The more ingenious and clever men,
the more strange things happen.
The more rules and regulations,
the more thieve and robbers.
Therefore, the sage says: I Wu-Wei,
people will rule themselves.
I enjoy peace and people become honest.
I do nothing special (such as tax and war) and people become rich.
I have no unjust desires (concubines, conquering, etc.),
people return to the good and simple life.
58
When the country is ruled with simple rules,
the people are simple.
When the country is ruled with complicated laws,
the people are cunning.
Misery often gives rise to future happiness.
Beneath happiness often lurks misery.
Who knows what the future holds?
Positive could be reversed.
Nothing stays positive forever.
Honesty becomes dishonest.
Goodness could become wicked.
People will be confused for a long time.
Therefore, the sage is righteous but not prejudging,
thrifty but not stingy,
straightforward but not unrestrained,
Brilliant but not blinding.
