| | When people fall ill, they value physicians; when calamity strikes, they fear ghosts. When sages are in positions of authority, the people have fewer desires; when the people have few desires, their vital energies and blood remain regulated. When actions follow reason, there will be fewer calamities and harms. When there are no internal ailments such as boils, abscesses, or hemorrhoids, and no external calamities from punishments or legal retribution, the people hold ghosts in very low regard. Therefore it is said: "To govern the world with the Dao, its ghosts become powerless." The people of a well-governed age do not suffer harm from ghosts or gods; therefore it is said: "It is not that the ghosts and gods lack power, but their power does not harm people." When ghosts afflict a person with illness, it is called "ghosts harming humans"; when people chase and drive away the ghosts, it is called "humans harming ghosts." When the people violate laws and decrees, it is termed "the people harming their superiors"; when rulers punish or execute the people, it is called "superiors harming the people." When the people do not break laws, then the rulers will also refrain from imposing punishments; when rulers do not impose punishments, it is called "the superiors not harming people." Therefore it is said: "Sages also do not harm the people." When rulers and the people do not harm each other, and when humans and ghosts do not injure one another, it is therefore said: "Neither harms the other." When the people dare not break laws, rulers internally do not resort to punishments and externally do not seek to profit from their property. When rulers internally avoid punishment and externally refrain from exploiting the people's assets, the population flourishes and accumulates wealth; when the populace thrives and resources grow abundant, this is called possessing virtue. All so-called afflicting influences refer to a situation where the soul and spirit depart and become disordered; when the spirit is in disorder, virtue is absent. When ghosts do not afflict people, their souls and spirits remain undisturbed; when the soul and spirit are undisturbed, the mind remains orderly—this is called possessing virtue. When rulers accumulate wealth abundantly and ghosts do not disturb people's spirits, then virtue will be fully present among the people. Therefore it is said: "Neither harms the other; thus virtue returns to both." This means that virtue, from above and below, becomes abundant and together returns to the people.
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