Fifty three If I correctly use the tiniest bit of knowledge that I possess While travelling on the great Way, It is only walking off the path that I need to fear. The great Way is extremely even, But the citizens are fond of side paths. Although the royal court is very well-kept, The fields are very overgrown with weeds, The granaries are very empty. While at the court they wear refined multicolored silks, Carry sharp swords, Stuff themselves with drink and food, And have an excess of wealth and goods. This is called robbery and extravagance, Not Dao, indeed!! Fifty four That which is well established is not uprooted. That which is well embraced is not abandoned. Thus children and grandchildren offer sacrifices, and so sacrifices do not stop. Cultivate it in the self – your De will then be true and real. Cultivate it in the family – its De will then be more than enough. Cultivate it in the village – its De will then last forever. Cultivate it in the nation – its De will then be abundant. Cultivate it in the world – its De will then be everywhere. Therefore : use your self to contemplate the self. Use your family to contemplate the family. Use your village to contemplate the village. Use your nation to contemplate the nation. Use the world to contemplate the world. How do I thus know the world is like this? By means of this. Fifty seven 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. Fifty eight If their government is very restrained, Its citizens will be very genuine and honest. If their government is very observant and alert, Its citizens will be very lacking and deficient. Misfortune! is that which good fortune leans on. Good fortune! is that which misfortune lies on. Who knows their limits? They are not honest and just. Honesty and justness returns, becoming strange and unusual. Virtue returns, becoming weird and strange.