Chapter III
(Chapter 3)

Ko Yuen Translation

Quieting Folk
1. To reward merit is to stir up emulation; to prize rarities is to encourage robbery; to display desirable things is to excite the disorder of covetousness.
2. Therefore, the sage governeth men by keeping their minds and their bodies at rest, contenting the one by emptiness, the other by fullness.  He satisfieth their desires, thus fulfilling their wills, and making them frictionless; and he maketh them strong in body, to a similar end.
3. He delivereth them from the restlessness of knowledge and the cravings of discontent.  As to those who have knowledge already, he teacheth them the way of non-action.  This being assured, there is no disorder in the world1.

S. Mitchell Translation

If you overesteem great men, people become powerless.
If you overvalue possessions, people begin to steal.

The Master leads by emptying people's minds and filling their cores,
   by weakening their ambition and toughening their resolve.
He helps people lose everything they know, everything they desire,
   and creates confusion in those who think that they know.

Practice not-doing, and everything will fall into place.

James Legge Translation

1. Not to value and employ men of superior ability is the way to keep the people from rivalry among themselves; not to prize articles which are difficult to procure is the way to keep them from becoming thieves; not to show them what is likely to excite their desires is the way to keep their minds from disorder.
2. Therefore the sage, in the exercise of his government, empties their minds, fills their bellies, weakens their wills, and strengthens their bones.
3. He constantly (tries to) keep them without knowledge and without desire, and where there are those who have knowledge, to keep them from presuming to act (on it). When there is this abstinence from action, good order is universal.

GNL not Lao Interpolation

Without Action

Not praising the worthy prevents contention,
Not esteeming the valuable prevents theft,
Not displaying the beautiful prevents desire.

In this manner the sage governs people:
Emptying their minds,
Filling their bellies,
Weakening their ambitions,
And strengthening their bones.

If people lack knowledge and desire
Then they can not act;
If no action is taken
Harmony remains.

Previous Tao Teh King
Main Page		 Next

Ko Yuen Commentary
1. A lecture on the Labour Problem.

Return to text

Previous Tao Teh King
Main Page		 Next