English
fr
ar
bg
cs
da
de
el
es
fi
hu
id
it
he
ja
ko
nl
pl
pt
ro
ru
sk
sv
th
tr
uk
Chinese text
为学日益，为道日损，损之又损之，以至于无为。 无为无不为。 取天下常以无事，及其有事，不足以取天下。
Translation
He who devotes himself to learning increases every day (his knowledge). He who devotes himself to the Tao decreases every day (his passions). He diminishes them and diminishes them ceaselessly until he arrives at non-action. As soon as he practices non-action, nothing is impossible for him. It is always through non-action that one becomes the master of the empire. He who loves to act is incapable of becoming the master of the empire.
Notes
He who studies always fears that his knowledge is incomplete; that is why he works tirelessly to make progress. He who practices the 道 always fears that he cannot free himself from his passions; that is why he tirelessly strives to uproot his desires.
The word 损 means 'to diminish one's passions and return to 无为 '. Man's desires are very numerous. Although he diminishes them each day, he cannot destroy them quickly; that is why he must diminish them without ceasing. Then his desires gradually exhaust themselves, and he reaches 无为 . As soon as he has reached 无为 , he is like the 道 . Internally he becomes a sage, externally he becomes the master of the entire empire.
The expression 无事 here means 无为 , 'practicing non-action'.
He who practices the 无为 is free from desires. If the king is free from desires, the people correct themselves. When the people have corrected themselves, the affection of the entire empire is gained for the king. Then, it is as easy for him to govern the empire well as to look into his hand. This shows that it is enough to practice 无为 to become master of the empire.
The men of the empire love rest and tranquility; they abhor disturbance and disorder. They submit to just and humane princes; they abandon those who are violent and cruel. When the king disengages himself from all occupation, the people enjoy peace, and the empire submits to him. When he engages in action, he fatigues and torments his subjects with a multitude of regulations, and the entire empire abandons him.
If the king engages in action, he has desires; if he has desires, the people become troubled and agitated; if the people become troubled and engage in disorder, the king loses the affection of the people. Once this affection is lost, the multitude abandons him and his relatives flee. This shows that by engaging in action one is incapable of becoming the master of the empire. 老子 is right to say that it is enough to practice the 无为 to govern the empire well.
According to 河上公 , the word 取 here means 治 , 'to govern well'.
