Chapter Fifty Seven • 以 正 治 國 以 奇 用 兵 以 無 事 取 天 下 吾 何 以 知 其 然 哉(•) 以 此 天 下 多 忌 諱 而 民 彌 貧 • 民 多 利 器 [而] 國 家 滋 昏 人 多 (知) 巧 [而] 奇 物 滋 起 法 (物) 滋 (章) 盜 賊 多 有 (•)故 聖 人 云 我 無 為 而 民 自 化 我 好 靜 而 民 自 正 我 無 事 而 民 自 富 我 無 欲 而 民 自 樸 • Use honesty and justness when governing a nation. Use strange and unusual tactics when commanding troops. Use non-interference to take hold of the world. How do I thus know it is like this? By means of this : The world has many prohibitions and taboos, And the citizens become even poorer. The citizens have many sharp tools, And the nation and the families grow in confusion. The people have too much knowledge and cleverness, And strange things begin to increase. Matters of law are increasingly proclaimed, And more thieves and bandits exist. Therefore : the sage says – I use non-action, and the citizens naturally transform. I cherish stillness, and the citizens naturally become honest and just. I use non-interference, and the citizens naturally become wealthy. I am without-desire, and the citizens naturally return to the state of the uncarved block. Use honesty and justness when governing a nation. Use strange and unusual [tactics] when commanding troops2. ♦Use non-interference2 to take hold of the world2. How do I thus know it is like this ? By means of this : ♦The world2 has many prohibitions and taboos, [avoid,shun,abstain] ♦And the citizens become even[more] poorer. ♦The citizens have many sharp toolsA, And the nation and the families grow in confusion. The people have too much knowledge and cleverness, ♦And strange things begin to increase. Matters of law are increasingly proclaimed, [things] [made known] ♦And more thieves and bandits{traitors} exist. Therefore : the sage2 says – ♦I use non-action, and the citizens naturally transform. ♦I cherish stillness, and the citizens naturally become honest and just. [fond of] ♦I use non-interference2, and the citizens naturally become wealthy. I am without-desire, and the citizens naturally [return to the state of the] uncarved block. Notes A : presumably, weapons Cross-references be honest and just in governing : #8 honest and just, strange and unusual : #58 non-interference : #48, #63 possess or take hold of the world or nation : #29, #48, #59, #61