37𝌪為政

道德經 Dao De Jing [Tao Te Ching]

Chapter 37: The Exercise of Government

	繁體 Trad ↔ 简体 Simp	Legge's Translation	Susuki's Translation	Goddard's Translation
	為政	The Exercise of Government	Administration of Government	Administering the Government
1	道常無為而無不為。侯王若能守之，萬物將自化。	The Dao in its regular course does nothing (for the sake of doing it), and so there is nothing which it does not do.	Reason always practises non-assertion, and there is nothing that remains undone.	Tao is apparently inactive (wu wei) and yet nothing remains undone. If princes and kings desire to keep) everything in order, they must first reform themselves. (If princes and kings would follow the example of Dao, then all things will reform themselves.)
2	化而欲作，吾將鎮之以無名之朴。	If princes and kings were able to maintain it, all things would of themselves be transformed by them. If this transformation became to me an object of desire, I would express the desire by the nameless simplicity.	If princes and kings could keep Reason, the ten thousand creatures would of themselves be reformed. While being reformed they might yet be anxious to stir; but I would restrain them by the simplicity of the Ineffable.	If they still desire to change, I would pacify them by the simplicity of the ineffable Dao.
3	鎮之以無名之朴，夫亦將不欲。不欲以靜，天下將自正。	Simplicity without a name Is free from all external aim. With no desire, at rest and still, All things go right as of their will.	"The simplicity of the unexpressed Will purify the heart of lust. Is there no lust there will be rest, And all the world will thus be blest."	This simplicity will end desire, and if desire be absent there is quietness. All people will of themselves be satisfied.

繁體 Trad ↔ 简体 Simp

Legge's Translation

Susuki's Translation

Goddard's Translation

為政

The Exercise of Government

Administration of Government

Administering the Government

道常無為而無不為。侯王若能守之，萬物將自化。

The Dao in its regular course does nothing (for the sake of doing it), and so there is nothing which it does not do.

Reason always practises non-assertion, and there is nothing that remains undone.

Tao is apparently inactive (wu wei) and yet nothing remains undone. If princes and kings desire to keep) everything in order, they must first reform themselves. (If princes and kings would follow the example of Dao, then all things will reform themselves.)

化而欲作，吾將鎮之以無名之朴。

If princes and kings were able to maintain it, all things would of themselves be transformed by them. If this transformation became to me an object of desire, I would express the desire by the nameless simplicity.

If princes and kings could keep Reason, the ten thousand creatures would of themselves be reformed. While being reformed they might yet be anxious to stir; but I would restrain them by the simplicity of the Ineffable.

If they still desire to change, I would pacify them by the simplicity of the ineffable Dao.

鎮之以無名之朴，夫亦將不欲。不欲以靜，天下將自正。

Simplicity without a name
Is free from all external aim.
With no desire, at rest and still,
All things go right as of their will.

"The simplicity of the unexpressed
Will purify the heart of lust.
Is there no lust there will be rest,
And all the world will thus be blest."

This simplicity will end desire, and if desire be absent there is quietness. All people will of themselves be satisfied.