Verse 57

Govern the country by being straightforward.
Wage war by being crafty.
Win all under heaven by not meddling.

How do I know that this is so?
By what is within me.

The more restrictions there are, the poorer are the people.
The more pointed the people’s weapons,
the more disorder there is in the country.

The more ingenious and clever the people,
the more strange the contrivances that appear.
The more laws and edicts that are posted,
the more thieves and robbers that arise.

Hence an Old One has said:
I act without striving and the people transform themselves.
I love stillness and the people straighten themselves.
I do not meddle and the people prosper by themselves.
I am free from desires and the people themselves
return to the simplicity of the Uncarved Block.

Verse 58

When the government is unseen the people are simple and happy.
When the government is lively the people are cunning and discontented.

On misery perches happiness.
Beneath happiness crouches misery.

Who knows when this will cease?
The straight changes into the crooked.

The good becomes the ominous.
Surely the people have been confused for a long time.

Therefore, the True Person squares without cutting,
carves without hacking,

straightens without dislocating,
gives forth light without blinding.

Verse 59

For governing others and serving heaven
there is nothing better than moderation.

A person who is moderate returns to the path.
Returning to the path brings an abundance of Virtue.

This good store of Virtue cannot be conquered.
Virtue that cannot be conquered knows no limit.

Only a person who has limitless Virtue is fit to lead.
Only the leader who possesses the Mother of the country will long endure.

This is called making the roots go deep by restraining the trunk.
Learn to focus your life and you will see many days.

Verse 60

Governing a big country is like cooking a small fish.
Let all under heaven be governed in accordance with the Tao,
and demons will not manifest their power.

It is not that they lack power
but rather they will not use their power
to harm the people.

They are not the only ones who have power
and do not use it to harm the people.

The True Person does not harm the people.
Whenever there is no harm done,
that power flows into the common Virtue.