Chapter 17 of the Laozi

Chinese Text

太tài上shàng， 下xià知zhī有yǒu之zhī;
其qí次cì， 亲qīn之zhī豫yù之zhī;
其qí次cì， 畏wèi之zhī侮wǔ之zhī.
信xìn不bù足zú， 有yǒu不bù信xìn！
由yóu其qí贵guì言yán.
成chéng功gōng事shì遂suì， 百bǎi姓xìng谓wèi我wǒ自zì然rán.

Translation

In the highest antiquity, the people only knew that they had rulers.
Next, they loved and praised them.
Next, they feared them.
Next, they despised them.
He who does not trust others is not trusted.
(The first) were grave and reserved in their speech.
After they had accomplished their merits and succeeded in their designs, the hundred families said: We follow our nature.

Notes

河上公章句 (Héshàng Gōng Zhāngjù): The virtuous princes of high antiquity practiced 无为 (wúwéi), and left no trace of their administration. That is why the people only knew of their existence. At that time (C) of innocence and simplicity, love and hatred had not yet germinated in their hearts.

B: Those who came after them, and who (E) were inferior in merit, governed by 仁 (rén) and 义 (yì). They (C) governed in an active manner (they made their presence known through many acts; this is what 老子, Lǎozǐ, criticizes), and they needed to attach the people through benefits. The people began to love and praise them. One was (E) already far from the administration exercised by 无为 (wúwéi).

B: Those who succeeded the second and were inferior in merit. C: They wanted to contain the people with penal laws. The people corrected themselves outwardly (lit. "changed their face"), but did not change their hearts. They only knew to fear them. E: When 仁 (rén) and 义 (yì) were exhausted (i.e., had vanished from the hearts of the kings), they began to govern by force and prudence.

B: Those who succeeded the third and were even (E) inferior. Their subjects looked upon them with contempt, because at that time prudence and force had lost their power.

C: When the prince does not trust his people, the people in turn do not trust him, and (A) deceive him. Alternatively, B: When kings abandon sincerity, use false prudence, and no longer deserve to be trusted in their actions, the people begin to doubt and no longer believe in them.

E: 老子 (Lǎozǐ) returns to the princes of sublime merit (B: to the princes of high antiquity). The word 犹 (yóu) means "slowly, without haste." The word 贵 (guì) means "heavy, grave." The princes of sublime merit (B: the princes of high antiquity) were grave and reserved in their speech; they dared not utter any light or thoughtless expression. If such were their words, one can judge what their conduct was.

洛希明 (Luò Xīmíng): They conformed their conduct to the times in which they lived. They ensured that all the people could follow their simple and candid nature. The hundred families (the people) did not think to love, praise, fear, or despise them (dispositions that 老子, Lǎozǐ, presents at the beginning of this chapter as certain signs of the gradual weakening of virtue among princes and peoples).

苏子由 (Sū Zǐyóu): The people turned to good and avoided crime without realizing it. They said (刘劼夫, Liú Jiéfū): "I follow my nature," and no one knew who were the authors of this happy result. How could they have loved or praised them?

乌尤卿 (Wū Yóuqīng): They ensured that the people secretly received their benefits and that each was content with their lot. The people believed they obtained all these advantages by themselves; they were unaware that they owed them to their kings!