五十八

其政悶悶,
其民淳淳﹔其政察察,
其民缺缺。
禍兮,
福之所倚,
福兮,
禍 之所伏。
孰知其極?其無正也。
正復為奇,
善復為妖。
人之迷,
其日固久 。
是以聖人方而不割,
廉而不劌,
直而不肆,
光而不耀。

wŭ shí bā

qí zhèng mèn mèn
qí mín chún chún ; qí zhèng chá chá
qí mín quē quē
huò xī
fú zhī suŏ yĭ
fú xī
huò zhī suŏ fú
shú zhī qí jí ?qí wú zhèng yĕ
zhèng fù wéi qí
shàn fù wéi yāo
rén zhī mí
qí rì gù jiŭ
shì yĭ shèng rén fāng ér bù gē
lián ér bù guì
zhí ér bù sì
guāng ér bù yào

58

If a country is governed with tolerance,
the people are comfortable and honest.
If a country is governed with repression,
the people are depressed and crafty.

When the will to power is in charge,
the higher the ideals, the lower the results.
Try to make people happy,
and you lay the groundwork for misery.
Try to make people moral,
and you lay the groundwork for vice.

Thus the Master is content
to serve as an example
and not to impose her will.
She is pointed, but doesn't pierce.
Straightforward, but supple.
Radiant, but easy on the eyes.
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