| | Laozi said: When people follow their desires, they lose their nature; their actions are never upright. To govern a state with such an approach leads to chaos; to cultivate the self in this way results in corruption. Therefore, those who have not heard of Dao cannot return to their true nature; those who do not understand things cannot attain quietness and stillness. The original nature of human beings is free from evil or corruption; yet prolonged immersion in external things causes transformation. When this transformation leads to forgetting one's root, it aligns with what appears as nature. The nature of water is to be clear; sand and stones defile it; The nature of human beings desires tranquility, yet cravings and desires harm it. Only the sage can transcend external things and return to himself. Therefore, the sage does not use wisdom to dominate things, nor allow desires to disturb harmony. His joy is not exuberant; his sorrow is not wistful. Thus, though lofty, he is not in danger; though at ease, he does not fall into decline. Therefore, to listen to wise words and convenient plans, even the foolish know they are pleasing; To praise great virtue and lofty conduct, even those of poor character know they should admire it; Though many find these things pleasing, few put them into practice; though many admire virtue, few act upon it. The reason is that they are bound by external concerns and shackled by convention. Therefore it is said: "I practice nonaction and the people transform themselves; I have no affairs and the people enrich themselves; I love stillness and the people become upright; I possess no desires and the people return to simplicity." Stillness and quiet are the highest virtue; softness and weakness are Dao's function. Emptiness and formlessness, though intangible, are great in essence—formless things are numerous while those with form are few; formless things are strong while those with form are weak; formless things are substantial while those with form are hollow. Things with form complete affairs; things without form initiate them. Completing affairs produces vessels; initiating is the state of simplicity. When there is form, there is sound; when there is no form, there is no sound. Form arises from the formless; therefore, the formless is the beginning of all that has form. Vast and profound, it bears a name—those who possess a name value wholeness; Frugality and simplicity bear no name—those without names are regarded as lowly and light in worth. Prosperity and wealth bring a name; those with a name receive honor and favor; Poverty and few possessions mean no name; those without names are lowly and weak. Males and females have names—those with names are clear and distinct; Females and passive counterparts have no name—those without a name remain obscure and indistinct. Those with abundance possess names; those with names are esteemed as virtuous and exalted; Those lacking have no name; those without a name accept lowly positions. Those with merit possess a name; those without merit have no name. Names arise from the unnamed, and the unnamed is the source of names. The Dao of heaven: being and nonbeing give rise to each other; difficulty and ease complete one another. Therefore, the sage holds to Dao, remaining empty and still, subtle and refined, thus perfecting his virtue. Therefore, having Dao means possessing virtue; having virtue brings merit; having merit earns a name; having a name returns one to Dao. When merit and fame endure for life, there is no blame. Rulers and nobles possess merit and fame; orphans and widows lack them. Hence it is said that the sage refers to himself as an orphan or widow, returning to his fundamental root. When merit is achieved without claiming ownership, thus merit becomes a benefit, and anonymity becomes its use. In ancient times, the people were innocent and unaware of directions; their appearances did not separate from their true nature, their words did not exceed their actions, their conduct was unadorned, and their speech lacked ornamentation. Their clothing was simple, and those whose spiritual virtue was incomplete within themselves could not fathom how far they might be harmed. When the mind forgets harmful desires, even a hungry tiger can be followed closely—how much more so with regard to people? Those who embody Dao remain free and untroubled, while those who rely on methods grow weary without success. Laws that impose strict punishments are not the work of emperors; frequent use of whips and reins is not a way to guide far. Excessive likes and dislikes bring misfortune in their wake. Therefore, the laws of ancient kings were not created by them but followed from nature; their prohibitions and punishments were not actions they took but things they maintained. Thus, those who follow Dao achieve greatness, while those who create fall into triviality; those who maintain remain firm, while those who act bring failure. He who relies on ears and eyes for listening and seeing exhausts his mind without clarity; he who governs by wisdom and thought labors in vain with no success. To rely solely on the talents of one person is difficult to achieve good governance, and even the ability of a single individual is insufficient to manage three mu of land. Following the principles and patterns of Dao, acting in accordance with heaven and earth's natural order—then even the 六合 (six directions) cannot be evenly balanced. When ears are misled by false praise and eyes indulge in beautiful women, rituals and propriety are insufficient to restrain love; only sincerity can win distant hearts. Therefore, nothing is more cruel than a determined will; weapons like 鏌铮 are of lesser concern. Nothing surpasses yin and yang in magnitude, while drums and war-drums are trivial matters. The great bandits lie hidden with corpses without speaking of righteousness; medium bandits hide in the mountains; small bandits flee into the populace. Therefore it is said: When the people possess much wisdom and knowledge, strange things arise; when laws and decrees multiply, thieves and bandits increase. Abandoning that and choosing this, calamities from heaven will not arise. Therefore, to govern a state by wisdom is to become its thief; not to govern with wisdom is the virtue of the state. Joy is the origin of all things. When these three principles are practiced, they dissolve into invisibility. Formless means unity; unity means a mind without self-interest that harmonizes with all under heaven. $$ Spreading virtue without irrigation, using it without effort; seeing it but not perceiving, hearing it but not discerning. From the formless arises form; from silence arise the five tones; from no taste arise the five flavors; from no color arise the five colors. Therefore, being arises from nonbeing, and substance from emptiness. $$ The number of tones does not exceed five, yet the transformations of the five tones are beyond what can be heard. The number of flavors does not exceed five, yet their variations cannot be fully tasted. The number of colors does not exceed five, yet changes in the five colors surpass what can be observed. Tones arise when the palace tone is established, thus forming the five tones. Flavors are determined when sweetness is set as the foundation, thus fixing the five flavors. Colors are completed when white is established, thus creating the five colors. Dao gives rise to all things when unity is established. Therefore, the principle of unity extends to all four seas; its grandeur is evident throughout heaven and earth. In wholeness, it is solid and simple as uncarved wood; in dispersion, it is confused like turbidity. Though turbid, it gradually becomes clear; though empty, it slowly fills. It is calm as the great sea, drifting like floating clouds—seeming non-existent yet present, appearing lost yet existing.
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