wŭ shí qī

yĭ zhèng zhì guó
yĭ qí yòng bīng
yĭ wú shì qŭ tiān xià
wú hé yĭ zhī qí rán zāi ？yĭ cĭ tiān xià duō jì huì
ér mín mí pín ; rén duō lì qì
guó jiā zī hūn ; rén duō jì qiăo
qí wù zī qĭ ; fă lìng zī zhāng
dào zéi duō yŏu
gù shèng rén yún 「wŏ wú wéi
ér mín zì huà ; wŏ hăo jìng
ér mín zì zhèng ; wŏ wú shì
ér mín zì fù ; wŏ wú yù
ér mín zì pŭ 」

57

If you want to be a great leader,
you must learn to follow the Tao.
Stop trying to control.
Let go of fixed plans and concepts,
and the world will govern itself.

The more prohibitions you have,
the less virtuous people will be.
The more weapons you have,
the less secure people will be.
The more subsidies you have,
the less self-reliant people will be.

Therefore the Master says:
I let go of the law,
and people become honest.
I let go of economics,
and people become prosperous.
I let go of religion,
and people become serene.
I let go of all desire for the common good,
and the good becomes common as grass.