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.
古之善為道者，非以明民，將以愚之。民之難治，以其智多。故以智治國，國之賊；不以智治國，國之福。知此兩者亦稽式。常知稽式，是謂玄德。玄德深矣，遠矣，與物反矣，然後乃至大順。Those of old who were good at practicing the Way did not use it to make the people clever, but to keep them simple. The people are hard to govern because they have too much cunning. So governing a state by cunning is a curse to the state; not governing a state by cunning is a blessing to the state. Knowing these two is also knowing the pattern. Always knowing the pattern is called dark virtue. Dark virtue is deep, it is far-reaching; it turns back with things, and then attains great accord.
白Plain Chinese
古时善于行道的人，不是用道使百姓精明，而是使百姓淳朴。百姓难以治理，是因为他们智巧太多。所以用智巧治理国家，是国家的祸害；不用智巧治理国家，是国家的福气。知道这两者，也就是知道了法式。常知道这个法式，就叫作玄德。玄德深啊，远啊，和万物一起返回本原，然后才能达到完全顺应自然。
Draft plain-Chinese rendering following Wang Bi; it will be checked when the chapter is taught.
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