37. The Way Does Not Force｜Tao Te Ching

道（dào）常（cháng）无（wú）为（wéi）而（ér）无（wú）不（bù）为（wéi）。（）

The Way never acts by force, yet nothing is left undone.

Non-action does not mean inactivity; it means allowing things to develop without willful interference.

侯（hóu）王（wáng）若（ruò）能（néng）守（shǒu）之（zhī），（）万（wàn）物（wù）将（jiāng）自（zì）化（huà）。（）

If rulers can hold to it, all things will transform by themselves.

When rulers refrain from excessive interference, people and affairs can adjust according to their own order.

化（huà）而（ér）欲（yù）作（zuò），（）吾（wú）将（jiāng）镇（zhèn）之（zhī）以（yǐ）无（wú）名（míng）之（zhī）朴（pǔ）。（）

If desires begin to stir during this transformation, I will settle them with the nameless simplicity of the uncarved state.

This original simplicity checks the growth of contrived wants and restores calm.

无（wú）名（míng）之（zhī）朴（pǔ），（）夫（fú）亦（yì）将（jiāng）无（wú）欲（yù）。（）

With this nameless simplicity, desire too will fade.

When artificial distinctions and embellishments recede, craving has less ground on which to grow.

不（bù）欲（yù）以（yǐ）静（jìng），（）天（tiān）下（xià）将（jiāng）自（zì）定（dìng）。（）

Without craving there is stillness, and all under heaven will settle by itself.

When excessive wants no longer drive action, conflict lessens and order can emerge naturally.

Text size