十九章
绝圣弃智，民利百倍；
绝仁弃义，民复孝慈；
绝巧弃利，盗贼无有。
此三者以为文，不足。
故令有所属：见素抱朴，少思寡欲，绝学无忧。
Banish wisdom, discard knowledge,
And the people shall profit a hundredfold;
Banish ‘humanity,’ discard ‘justice,’
And the people shall recover love of their kin;
Banish cunning, discard ‘utility,’
And the thieves and brigands shall disappear.
As these three touch the externals and are inadequate,
The people have need of what they can depend upon:
Reveal thy simple self,
Embrace thy original nature,
Check thy selfishness,
Curtail thy desires.
