Chinese Text
治人事天，莫若啬。
夫唯啬，是谓早服。
早服谓之重积德。
重积德则无不克，无不克则莫知其极。
莫知其极，可以有国。
有国之母，可以长久。
是谓深根、固蒂、长生、久视之道。
Translation
To govern the people and serve Heaven, nothing surpasses moderation.
Moderation must be man's first priority.
When it has become his first priority, one can say he abundantly accumulates virtue.
When he abundantly accumulates virtue, there is nothing he cannot overcome.
When there is nothing he cannot overcome, no one knows his limits.
When no one knows his limits, he can possess the kingdom.
He who possesses the mother of the kingdom can endure long.
This is called having deep roots and a firm stem.
This is the art of living long and enjoying a lasting life.
Notes
Many commentators believe that the word 啬 "economy, moderation" refers here to the action of conserving both one's wealth and vital energies.
E relates this to proper economy. Regulating one's expenditures with moderation, not consuming one's wealth, not harming the people, this is the economy that serves to govern men. In the ceremony called 郊 , using only one victim, being content to sweep the ground before offering the sacrifice, using earthen vessels, gourds, and straw mats, this is the economy that must be observed when sacrificing to Heaven.
E: The expression 早服 means 先务 "the first occupation, the first matter." The person who is thrifty never has the misfortune of lacking necessities; thus he takes precautions in advance to avoid want.
李斯 renders the word 服 as "to tame." Internally he tames his 心 , externally he tames his body. He remains calm and still, and then he accumulates 德 .
E: The word 克 means "to overcome." When he accumulates 德 , all men are at ease; thus there are no obstacles or enemies that he does not overcome.
H: The word 极 means "bounds, limits." E: When he overcomes all obstacles, one cannot measure or calculate the duration of his kingdom. This is why no one knows his limits. When no one knows his limits, he can preserve his states for a long time; this is why he "can possess the kingdom."
According to E, the words 母 of the kingdom refer to "economy"; according to C, to "moderation." A believes that they apply to the 道 .
There is a pleonasm in the Chinese text that I have tried to preserve in English. The two expressions 长生 "to live long," and 久视 "to see long," express the same idea.
