五十七章
以正治国，以奇用兵，以无事取天下。
吾何以知其然哉？
以此：天下多忌讳，而民弥贫；
人多利器，国家滋昏；
人多伎巧，奇物滋起；
法令滋彰，盗贼多有。
故圣人云：
「我无为，而民自化；
我好静，而民自正；
我无事，而民自富；
我无欲，而民自朴。」
Rule a kingdom by the Normal.
Fight a battle by (abnormal) tactics of surprise.
Win the world by doing nothing.
How do I know it is so?
Through this: –
The more prohibitions there are,
The poorer the people become.
The more sharp weapons there are,
The greater the chaos in the state.
The more skills of technique,
The more cunning things are produced.
The greater the number of statutes,
The greater the number of thieves and brigands.
Therefore the sage says:
I do nothing and the people are reformed of themselves.
I love quietude and the people are righteous of themselves.
I deal in no business and the people grow rich by themselves.
I have no desires and the people are simple and honest by themselves.
