一孔录The video for this chapter is still in production. For now this page gives the original text, the facsimile page, a working translation and the commentary; the full reading follows when the video is out.
以正治國，以奇用兵，以無事取天下。吾何以知其然哉？以此。天下多忌諱，而民彌貧；民多利器，國家滋昏；人多伎巧，奇物滋起；法令滋彰，盜賊多有。故聖人云：我無為而民自化，我好靜而民自正，我無事而民自富，我無欲而民自樸。Govern the state with rectitude, use troops with surprise, win the world by not meddling. How do I know it is so? By this. The more prohibitions in the world, the poorer the people; the more sharp tools among the people, the more the state is in confusion; the more skill and cunning people have, the more strange things appear; the more laws and orders are displayed, the more thieves and robbers there are. So the sage says: I do nothing, and the people transform themselves; I love stillness, and the people correct themselves; I do not meddle, and the people prosper themselves; I have no desires, and the people become simple themselves.
白Plain Chinese
用正道治理国家，用奇谋用兵，用无事取得天下。我怎么知道是这样呢？就是凭这个。天下禁忌越多，百姓越贫困；百姓利器越多，国家越昏乱；人的技巧越多，奇怪的东西越多；法令越是彰明，盗贼越多。所以圣人说：我无为，百姓自然化育；我好静，百姓自然端正；我无事，百姓自然富足；我无欲，百姓自然质朴。
Draft plain-Chinese rendering following Wang Bi; it will be checked when the chapter is taught.
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