Year
My Translation
Not esteeming the worthy | 不尚賢 |
Makes people not dispute | 使民不爭 |
Not valuing the precious | 不貴難得之貨 |
Causes people not to steal | 使民不為盜 |
Not seeing the desirable | 不見可欲 |
Causes the heart to lack confusion | 使心不亂 |
In such a way the Sage governs: | 是以聖人之治 |
Emptying the mind | 虛其心 |
Filling the stomach | 實其腹 |
Weakening ambition | 弱其誌 |
Strengthening the bones | 強其骨 |
Constantly causing people to be ignorant, lacking desire | 常使民 無知無欲 |
Making those who know not dare to act! | 使夫知者 不敢為也 |
Practicing not-doing | 為無為 |
Ruling without leaving ungoverned | 則無 不治 |
Original Chinese
Traditional | Simplified | Pronunciation |
不尚賢， | 不尚贤， | Bù shàng xián, |
使民不爭； | 使民不争； | Shǐ mín bù zhēng; |
不貴難得之貨， | 不贵难得之货， | Bù guì nán dé zhī huò, |
使民不為盜； | 使民不为盗； | Shǐ mín bù wéi dào; |
不見可欲， | 不见可欲， | Bù jiàn kě yù, |
使心不亂。 | 使心不乱。 | Shǐ xīn bù luàn. |
是以聖人之治， | 是以圣人之治， | Shì yǐ shèng rén zhī zhì, |
虛其心， | 虚其心， | Xū qí xīn, |
實其腹， | 实其腹， | Shí qí fù, |
弱其誌， | 弱其志， | Ruò qí zhì, |
強其骨。 | 强其骨。 | Qiáng qí gǔ. |
常使民無知無欲。 | 常使民无知无欲。 | Cháng shǐ mín wú zhī wú yù. |
使夫知者不敢為也。 | 使夫知者不敢为也。 | Shǐ fu zhì zhě bù gǎn wéi yě. |
為無為， | 为无为， | Wéi wú wéi, |
則無不治。 | 则无不治。 | Zé wú bù zhì. |
Literal Translation
不尚賢， | Not esteem worthy |
使民不爭； | Make people not contend/dispute |
不貴難得之貨， | Not costly/precious difficult obtain ’s goods |
使民不為盜； | Cause people not to steal |
不見可欲， | Not see -able desire |
使心不亂。 | Cause heart no confusion |
是以聖人之治， | This thereby sage man ’s governs |
虛其心， | Empty his/their minds |
實其腹， | Fill his/their stomachs |
弱其誌， | Weak his/their ambitions |
強其骨。 | Strength his/their bones |
常使民無知無欲。 | Constantly cause people not know lack desire [not know = ignorant] |
使夫知者不敢為也。 | Make man know that no dare do ! [dare do = dare to do] |
為無為， | Do not doing |
則無不治。 | Rule/yet not no govern |